1995 SUBARU LEGACY — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND GOUGED THE TIRE DOWN PAST THE STEEL BELT. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT CALL THE CONTACT BACK. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V216000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

10/162017 - I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO MEET MY WIFE FOR DINNER AFTER PARKING MY CAR. AS I WATCHED HER PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE LEGACY I SAW THE WINDSHIELD GET BLOWN OUT BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. SHE WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET TO CLEAR TO PULL IN AND WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST AT ALL, APPROX 5 MPH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND MY WIFE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM FLYING GLASS. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY OUR MECHANIC SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE AIRBAG RECALL # 96V315000 PERFORMED ON 12/11/1998 APPARENTLY WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY AND HE SUSPECTED THAT THE POORLY REMOVED TOW-HOOK WAS NOT CUT OFF SHORT ENOUGH (NOT TO THE RECALL SPEC) TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL INFLATION OF THE AIRBAG. I BELIEVE THAT THE REMAINING STUB OF THE TOW-HOOK MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE DRIVEWAY AS SHE PULLED IN DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG, WE CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY BASICALLY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. SEE ATTACHED PICTURES FROM OUR MECHANIC AND EMAIL CORRESPONDENCES FROM SUBARU.

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. *TR

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. *TR

VEE RUBBER VITRON TIRES PURCHASED NEW 12/23/2011. ONE TIRES STEEL BELT SEPARATED, POPPED THROUGH THE TIRE IN TWO PLACES ON 09/07/2013. TIRE HAS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. TWO SERVICE STATIONS (PEP BOYS, AND VINCE'S AUTO IN RESEDA, CA) INSPECTED THE TIRE AND ADVISED IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. NEITHER COULD ADVISE OF ANY SCENARIO TO JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. VINCE'S AUTO IS REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR "NO CHARGE"; HOWEVER, THERE ARE 3 REMAINING TIRES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE. I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NO MENTION OF VEERUBBER NOR VITRON ON YOUR DROPDOWN LIST FOR RECALL SEARCH. TIRES ARE VEE RUBBER VITRON 195/60 R15 88H DOT 6MSJ 4910. PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR