2010 SUBARU OUTBACK Wheels Problems

LUG STUDS BREAK OFF WHEN REMOVING TO CHANGE TIRE. I HAD A FLAT AND 1 STUD BROKE OFF. I WAS LEFT DRIVING WITH ONLY 4 STUDS. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED ON 2 OF THE FOUR WHEELS. WHEN INQUIRING WITH THE DEALER I WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THEY ACTUALLY SUGGESTED SELLING ME MORE REPAIR STUDS THAN I NEEDED AS THEY WERE SURE MORE WOULD BREAK OFF.

CONTIPRO CONTACT 225/60R17 TIRES WERE MOUNTED AS REPLACEMENTS 11/17/13. TIRES WERE ROTATED AND MAINTAINED BY DEALER ON A REGULAR BASIS. PRIMARILY HIGHWAY/CITY DRIVING. I HAVE NOT HIT ANY FOD OR POTHOLES - THERE HAS BEEN NO UNUSUAL TRAUMA TO THE TIRES. AFTER 13 MONTHS, 18K MILES, THE LEFT FRONT TIRE'S INNER SIDEWALL SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. CONTINENTAL REFUSED TO PRO-RATE OR MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE PREMATURE DEMISE OF THIS TIRE. BECAUSE THE CAR IS AWD, I WAS FORCED TO PURCHASE 4 NEW TIRES. I BELIEVE THERE IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THIS BRAND/MODEL OF TIRE. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE TIRE FAILED. I HAVE NOW RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS TYPE OF TIRE FAILURE FOR CONTIPRO CONTACT 225/60R17. ONE REPORT INDICATES THAT CONTINENTAL REPLACED THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY AT 18 MOS, HOWEVER, IT APPEARS THAT CONTINENTAL IS AWARE OF A...

THE FRONT END OF THE CAR SHAKES ON SMOOTH ROADS (RECENTLY REPAVED ROAD) AND IT TENDS TO PERSIST WHETHER YOU ARE ACCELERATING OR DECELERATING. PREVIOUSLY TOOK CAR IN FOR THE DEALERSHIP TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE AND THEY STATED IT WAS A WHEEL BALANCE ISSUE. THEY ROTATED MY WHEELS, STATED THEY BALANCED THE WHEELS AND ALSO STATED THAT I NEEDED NEW TIRES EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF WEAR LEFT ON THE TIRES. THE ISSUE NEVER WENT AWAY ON THE SHAKING FRONT END OF MY CAR AND CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE TODAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THE WHEELS WOULD INTERMITTENTLY BECOME CLOGGED WITH DEBRIS OR SNOW CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE, SHE WOULD NEED TO WASH THE DEBRIS AWAY FROM THE WHEELS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000.

OUR 2010 3.6R OUTBACK ARRIVED IN APR. THE FIRST TIME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN ON THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED A PROMINENT HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE IS ALSO UNUSUAL FEEDBACK IN THE STEERING WHEEL AT SLOWER SPEEDS THAT FEELS UNLIKE ANYTHING RELATED TO ROAD NOISE. I RESEARCHED THE "PROBLEM" ON THE INTERNET AND SEEN THAT THERE WERE MANY FORUMS IDENTIFYING THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 2010 OUTBACKS. I INFORMED OUR LOCAL SUBARU SERVICE DEPT. ABOUT THE VIBRATION AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT. A SUBARU SERVICE TECHNICIAN CONFIRMED THE VIBRATION DURING A TEST DRIVE AND RECOMMENDED A SPIN BALANCE. AFTER READING ALL THE COMPLAINTS AND PROPOSED "FIXES" ON THE INTERNET, I TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT CONFIDENT THAT A SPIN BALANCE WAS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. I ASKED THE SERVICE DEPT. MANAGER IF THEY HAD BEEN INFORMED/AWARE OF THE ONGOING PROBLEMS AND SHE DENIED HAVING ANY PREVIOUS KNOWLEDGE...