2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca

The contact owns a 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and was unable to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU B9 TRIBECA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER AND STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED OFF OF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITH THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

FAULTY AND OR DEFICIENT PART: 'PIPE OIL COOLER' PART # 21328AA121 (PART IS A 11" X 3/4" (THIN) METAL TUBE THAT CONNECTS FROM LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE, TRAVERSES THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND CONNECTS TO THE BASE OF THE OIL FILTER MOUNT THROUGH THE USE OF RUBBER HOSES THAT TRANSPORTS ENGINE COOLANT.) VEHICLE WAS OBSERVED TO BE OVERHEATING. UPON PERSONAL INSPECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND ONLY UPON REMOVING THE LARGE PLASTIC SPLASH GUARD FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE ABOVE LISTED PART HAD DEVELOPED EXTENSIVE CORROSION, PRINCIPALLY WHERE TWO BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE SUBJECT COOLANT TUBE. THE TUBE ADJACENT ONE OF THESE WELDS HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS ALLOWED TO LEAK OUT AND CAUSE THE OVERHEATING SITUATION. HAD THIS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY (AND NOT IN MY DRIVEWAY) THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STOP IN TRAFFIC CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE COULD ALSO OCCUR. NOTE, THE PIPE IS MADE OF THIN AND APPARENTLY EASILY CORROSIVE MATERIAL. THE LOCATION OF THE COOLANT PIPE IS UNDERNEATH THE SPLASH SHIELD WHERE IT CAN NOT BE VIEWED UNLESS THE SHIELD IS REMOVED, ALLOWING FOR THE DETERIORATION TO CONTINUE UNNOTICED. WRITER BELIEVES THE SUBJECT PART WAS INADEQUATELY MADE TO STAND UP TO CORROSIVE CONDITIONS FOUND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A MORE RESISTANT MATERIAL TO CORROSION. P.S. TO NHTSA; I HAVE AND WILL PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FAULTY PART, INVOICE FOR THE OEM REPLACEMENT PART PURCHASED FROM SUBARU, AND THE FAILED PART ITSELF SHOULD YOU DECIDE YOU WANT THEM. *TR