2014 Subaru Crosstrek

THIS LETTER IS TO DOCUMENT AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 6/27/19 AT APPROX. 2 PM EST IN DANBURY, CT ON I84. I WAS PROCEEDING WEST ON I84 IN MY 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK WHEN THE VEHICLE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT) ASSEMBLY, RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF WHEEL ROTATION (WHEELS LOCKING UP) WHICH LASTED FOR ALMOST 2 SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND, WHILE ALMOST STRUCK BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER THAT WAS FOLLOWING ME IN THE CENTER LANE, WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO COLONIAL SUBARU IN DANBURY, CT WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A COMPLETE INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION REQUIRING A REPLACEMENT. I THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE, THE SUBJECT OF A WARRANTY EXTENSION BY SUBARU OF AMERICA (HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/Y9BOZWGD) AND THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ONE OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. MY CONCERN IS THAT GIVEN THE SEVERE CONSEQUENCE WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURS, THIS SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF A FACTORY RECALL, TO PREVENT A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF WHEEL ROTATION AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THIS IS WHAT OCCURRED IN MY EXPERIENCE. IF I WERE A LESS EXPERIENCED DRIVER IT A HIGH PROBABLE THAT A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. TRAVELING DOWN A MAJOR, CROWDED INTERSTATE WITH A CAR THAT SUFFERED A SEVERE ENGINEERING FAILURE COULD HAVE LED TO ROADWAY FATALITIES. I REQUEST THAT NHTSA OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO SUBARU OF AMERICA'S HANDLING OF THIS MATTER AND CONSIDER MANDATING THAT SOA REPLACE TRANSMISSIONS IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES. THE MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED WAS 114,000 WHICH DEMONSTRATES THAT THE WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 100,000 MILES IS INSUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE SINCE THE PROBLEM CAN OCCUR BEYOND THE 100,000 THRESHOLD. I BELIEVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCE OF A CVT FAILURE WARRANTS A RECALL NOTICE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND DID NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V149000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON MAY 28, 2018 AND HAD NUMEROUS FAILURES, INCLUDING THE CLUTCH FAILING AND THE BUSHING ON THE FRONT CONTROL ARM WAS CRACKED AND RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD CERTIFIED BY SUBARU EL CAJON (900 ARNELE AVE, EL CAJON, CA 92020, (619) 440-0404) WHO STATED THAT ANY FAILURE THAT OCCURRED WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

ALL DASH LIGHTS CAME ON AT AROUND 99980 MILEAGE, INCLUDING BLINKING OIL AT TEMPERATURE DASH LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, HILL LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL AND CHECK ENGINE LINE. IT IS ALSO SLUGGISH UPON ACCELERATION WHEN I FIRST START. AT FIRST START ONLY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THEN AFTER SLUGGISH ACCELERATION ALL THE LIGHTS ABOVE COME ON. CRUISE LIGHT FLASHES AND CRUISE DOESNT WORK AND SHIFTING PADDLES DONT WORK. ALL LIGHTS CAME ON WHEN I TURNED ON CAR TO MOVE IT.

THE FIRST TIME THE INSTANCE HAPPEN I STARTED THE CAR AND ALL THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE LIT. THE MECHANIC COULDN'T FIND A REASON WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN, SO HE JUST RESET IT AND THE LIGHTS WENT OFF. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY HOME FROM WORK AND ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO A DIFFERENT A MECHANIC AND HE CAN NOT FIND WHY THIS WOULD BE HAPPENING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU CROSSTREK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE BARRIER. THE DEALER (DELLA SUBARU, 5105 U.S. AVE, PLATTSBURGH, NY 12901, (518) 324-8400) DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

MY VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED BY ME AT 24K MILES I HAVE DRIVEN NOW TO 70K MILES AND NEED 2 NEW FRONT AXELS. I HAVE BEEN SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 HOURS AND THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH 3 DIFFERENT REPLACEMENT AXELS ON THE LEFT SIDE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS CAR HAS GIVEN ME ISSUES BUT BEING LESS THAN 100K MILES AND NEEDING 2 NEW AXLES?? THAT IS INSANE. THE CAR CLICKS WHEN I TURN AND MAKES A CLUNKING NOISE