1995 Subaru Legacy

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FROZE AND WAS RESISTANT TO ENGAGEMENT. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 174,278.

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WX0-72; EARLIER DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS DUE TO WHEEL/TOW HOOK APPARATUS.. WHEN HITTING A PEBBLE AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY ON POINT OF CONTACT. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS AGAINST REMOVING OF THE TOW HOOK AS A SOLUTION TO AIR BAG PROBLEM. TOWING WITH OUT THE TOW HOOK WOULD DAMAGE THE ENTIRE FRONT DRIVE SYSTEM ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER. *YH

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT TO RIGHT SIDE IN JANUARY 2000. AIRBAGS DID NOT EMPLOY. ON MAY 12, 2000 WHILE DRIVING ON A ROUTE #32 IN THE TOWN OF WESTMINSTER, MD., THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND THE BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. LAWRENCE SUBARU IN HANOVER PA WAS NOTIFIED AND SUBARU SENT AN EMPLOYEE TO HANOVER TO INSPECT THE CAR. AT NO TIME DID SUBARU STATE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE #98V315000. NO NOTIFICATION OF RECALL WAS EVER RECEIVED PREVIOUS TO DEPLOYMENT. ON THE DAY OF THE INSPECTION, SUBARU DID NOT SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DEFECT. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND POINTED TO THE PREVIOUS RIGHT SIDE DAMAGE AND DAMAGE UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAID THE BAGS DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE CAR HIT SOMETHING. THERE IS NOT NOW AND WAS NOT AT THE TIME, ANY EVIDENCE OF FRONT IMPACT DAMAGE. SUBARU CUST REL. RICK POZNIAK, JUDY YORK, PETER BORTNER, AND DAN DALTON NEVER STATED IN ANY CONVERSATIONS THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL. THEY NEVER ADVISED TO REMOVE THE TOW HOOKS, WHICH WERE ON THE VEHICLE, AND REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. WE FOUND THE RECALL ON THE INTERNET, AND IT WAS ONLY THEN THEY ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, BUT STATED THIS VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT. THEY ADMITTED IT TOOK FRONT END DAMAGE AND/OR TOW HOOKS HITTING AN OBJECT TO DEPLOY, BUT REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY REPAIRS OR ADMIT TO LIABILITY. THEY HAVE FOUGHT US FROM DAY ONE, WITHHELD INFORMATION, AND WERE TOTALLY UNCOOPERATIVE. WHEN ASKED SPECIFICALLY IF THIS WAS A PROBEM WITH OTHER SUBARUS, THEY SAID NO UNTIL CONFRONTED WITH THE RECALL INFORMATION FROM THE INTERNET. THEY HANDLING OF THIS MATTER BORDERS ON FRAUD, AND PROBABLY WOULD BE CONSIDERED SUCH UNDER MARYLAND LAW. *AK

MY CAR WAS STOPPED,SECOND IN LINE, AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP OF I-91 IN NORTHAMPTON ,MA (VERY SLIGHT DOWNHILL GRADE). THE FIRST CAR BEGAN TO PULL OUT. I REMOVED FOOT FROM BRAKE, DID NOT PLACE FOOT ON GAS AND EASED OUT CLUTCH TO CAUSE CAR TO CREEP FORWARD. I LOOKED LEFT, SAW TRAFFIC COMING FAST AND REFLEXIVELY HIT BRAKE HARD. BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, SMASHING WINDSHIELD. I WAS NOT HIT BECAUSE THE SEAT WAS FULLY BACK (I'M 6'1") AND BECAUSE THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THROW ME FORWARD. FIRST CAR WAS 3' IN FRONT OF MINE. DRIVER CONFIRMED I DID NOT HIT HER. MASSACHUSETTS STATE POLICE TROOPER, ROBERT PLANT, RESPONDED. HE ASKED FIRST CAR DRIVER IF SHE HAD BEEN HIT (RESPONSE "NO"), THEN LEFT SCENE WITHOUT FILING ACCIDENT REPORT (THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, ONLY A BREAKDOWN). I REPORTED INCIDENT TO SUBARU. THEY INSPECTED CAR, CLAIM SCRATCHES ON BUMPER (PRE-EXISTING) INDICATE IMPACT OCCURED AND THAT AIRBAGS RESPONDED CORRECTLY. THERE WAS DEFINITELY NO IMPACT, NOT EVEN CONTACT!!!*AK