NHTSA Complaint #11504576 — 2012 SUBARU FORESTER

Both rear gate hydraulic arms failed at the same time. On or about 11/27/22, while retrieving items from the cargo compartment, I heard a pop and the door completely collapsed and struck me on the back of the head. Upon inspection the popping noise was the fracturing of the bolt which supported the right hydraulic arm. The left hydraulic arm failed to keep the door open or at least from slamming down upon me. Because I felt the simultaneous failure of both hydraulic arms posed a serious safety concern, my wife called Subaru Headquarters and spoke with [XXX], Customer Advocacy Department, and relayed the incident and our safety concerns for other owners of older model Subaru Foresters. [XXX] assured us that Subaru Headquarters would seriously consider our safety concerns. [XXX] asked that after making an appointment with the dealership for repair, we contact her of the date so she could speak directly to the Service Department regarding the safety issue we were raising. My wife made the appointment, called [XXX] with the date, and when arriving at the appointment asked the service person if they had been in touch with Subaru Headquarters regarding our concerns. First the service manager said no, but another service person said yes and that they had put a notation about this on our appointment service order. The repairs were made. About a week later my wife contacted [XXX], Subaru Headquarters' Customer Advocacy Department, to inquire on the status of our safety concern and was told that it had been elevated to the next higher level and we would hear from them by 12/30/22. On 1/27/22, [XXX] representative from Customer Advocacy at Subaru Headquarters, called to inform us that Subaru will no longer be able to investigate our safety concerns as the failed parts had not been saved by the Bloomington Subaru Service Department. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).