NHTSA Complaint #11308896 — 2017 SUBARU LEGACY

A GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED FOR WINDSHIELD QUALITY ISSUES ON THE 2015-2019 SUBARU LEGACY AND OUTBACK GENERATION. THERE APPEAR TO BE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING SPONTANEOUS LARGE CRACKS ORIGINATING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE DE-ICER AREA THAT HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE NHTSA DATABASE FOR THIS ENTIRE GENERATION OF VEHICLES. PER SUBARU SERVICE BULLETIN 12-192-15R / NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10093903 ("SERVICE BULLETIN"), AN ALLEGEDLY IMPROVED WINDSHIELD WAS USED FOR THE LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS AFTER THE 2016 MODEL YEAR. HOWEVER, THE COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA AND CURRENT LEGAL ACTIONS SHOW THAT SUBARU HAS CONTINUED TO REFUSE TO HOLD ITS GLASS SUPPLIER ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAULTY WINDSHIELDS. THE ORIGIN OF THE LARGE CRACK ON MY LEGACY'S WINDSHIELD IS ACTUALLY UNDERNEATH WHERE THE WIPER BLADE SITS AND AS SUCH COULD NOT HAVE ORIGINATED FROM A BULLS EYE, STAR, OR COMBINATION IMPACT WHILE DRIVING. MY VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER THE ORIGINAL BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY PERIOD. BASED ON THE LOCATION AND NATURE OF THE CRACK, I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE CORRESPONDS WITH THE WINDSHIELD PROBLEMS DESCRIBED IN THE SERVICE BULLETIN. WHILE CLASS ACTIONS ARE HELPFUL IN POTENTIALLY RECOVERING MONETARY DAMAGES TO HARMED CONSUMERS, THEY CAN MOVE SLOWLY AND NOT RESULT IN FULL ACCOUNTABILITY. GOVERNMENT ACTION IS REQUIRED HERE TO PROMPTLY FORCE SUBARU TO HOLD ITS SUPPLIER ACCOUNTABLE AND PROTECT DRIVERS FROM COMPROMISED WINDSHIELD GLASS. IN A DISAPPOINTING COMMUNICATION, SUBARU OF AMERICA ALSO TOLD ME THAT SHOULD THEY DETERMINE NO WARRANTY COVERAGE APPLIED, I SHOULD CONSIDER CONTACTING MY INSURER. IN OTHER WORDS, IT'D BE BETTER FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS TO FILE FRAUDULENT INSURANCE CLAIMS RATHER THAN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAULTY WINDSHIELDS.