NHTSA Complaint #11413039 — 2017 SUBARU BRZ

2017 SUBARU BRZ LIMITED WITH PERFORMANCE PACKAGE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT ON 4-5-21. SUBJECT VEHICLE HAD STOPPED AND WAS SLOWLY ENTERING TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION OF A DIVIDED HIGHWAY WITH A 50 MPH SPEED LIMIT WHILE BEING STRUCK BY AN ONCOMING CAR AT AN APPROXIMATE 90 DEGREE ANGLE WHICH IMPACTED THE LEFT FRONT FENDER NEAR THE HEADLIGHT AND BUMPER AREA.. UPON IMPACT, THE FRONT ENGINE PORTION BURST INTO FLAMES. THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS NOT IMPACTED AND DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE AS FLAMES IMMEDIATELY ENGULFED THE PASSENGER SECTION. WHAT WOULD LIKELY HAVE RESULTED IN A REPAIRABLE LEFT FRONTAL DAMAGE CLAIM ACTUALLY BECAME A TOTAL LOSS DUE TO THE FIRE DESTRUCTION. THIS AUTOMOBILE WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP ON 10-9-17 AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT APPROXIMATELY 3,300 MILES. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO JIM KARAS SUBARU IN MEMPHIS, TN FOR REPAIRS. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FOR REPAIRS. ACCORDING TO MECHANIC'S INSPECTION AND REPAIR REPORT 521894S DATED 4-20-18, 'FOR P219A AND P119F PULLED VALVE COVERS AND INSPECTION VALVE CLEARANCE AND FOUND THAT ALL INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVE ARE OUT OF SPEC AND TO TIGHT. REPLACED VALVES, ALL VALVE SHIMS TO BRING ALL INTAKE AND EXHAUST CLEARANCES INTO DESIGN SPEC. REPLACED ALL GASKETS AND ORINGS AS WELL AS HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE'. IT IS NOTED THAT SUBARU MAY HAVE HAD FIRE HAZARD ISSUES WITH OTHER REPAIRED SUBARU BRZ MODEL YEARS WITH THE FA 20 D BOXER ENGINE MANUFACTURED FOR YEARS BEGINNING IN 2013. MANUFACTURER MADE NO ADAS AVAILABLE ON THIS CAR.