NHTSA Complaint #11352324 — 2017 SUBARU OUTBACK

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, I BEGAN HEARING A PERIODIC LOUD METALLIC CLACK-CLACK-CLACK WHEN MAKING A LEFT U-TURN, WHICH SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE TIRE ROTATION DEPENDENT. IT SOUNDED AS IF IT CAME FROM THE FRONT END. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS I COULD HEAR IT RANDOMLY WHEN GOING FROM A STAND STILL, AND VERY SELDOM WHEN BRAKING. LAST THURSDAY, I NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CENTER POSITION HAD MOVED TO THE LEFT, AND I DECIDED TO CHECK THE WHOLE FRONT SUSPENSION. TIGHTENED A BUNCH OF UNDER TORQUED BOLTS, INCLUDING THE 8 THAT HOLD THE ENGINE CRADLE TO THE BODY. LAST NIGHT THE NOISE WAS NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING OVER AND BUMPS, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE LEFT WHEN BRAKING. A FINAL ROAD BUMP AND THE CAR SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS FALLING APART. WHEN STOPPING AT THE NEXT TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CAR PULLED MORE NOTICEABLY TO THE LEFT, AND THE REAR END CAME UP. I MADE IT TO A GAS STATION, WHERE I INSPECTED BOTH FRONT AND BACK BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING. TRIED TO ROCK THE TOP OF ALL TIRES IN AND OUT AND THEY ALL SEEMED FIRM. DROVE 18 MILES AT 25-30 MILES PER HOUR, TRYING NOT TO USE THE BRAKES AT ALL. ONCE IN THE GARAGE, I GOT UNDER THE CAR AND VOIL... LEFT REAR TRAILING LINK COMPLETELY BROKEN. AT 74890 MILES. THE PICTURES SHOW ANOTHER CRACK STARTING ON THE UPPER BEND OF THE ARM. BY THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRACK, IT SEEMS AS IF THE PART HAD FATIGUED. THIS MORNING I CRAWLED THE CAR TO THE CLOSEST SUBARU DEALER, AND EVEN OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY REPLACED THE LINK FOR FREE, OF COURSE AFTER I GOT THE "NEVER SAW THIS KIND OF FAILURE BEFORE" INTERNET FORUMS HAVE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS KIND OF FAILURE. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED PICTURES.