2000 Subaru Legacy

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE ALSO SHAKES SEVERELY WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN OR TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE VEHICLE MUST BE SHIFTED INTO PARK WHEN THE SHAKING OCCURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

UNDER WARRANTY HAD THREE HEAD GASKETS ON 2000 LEGACY 2.5L (38,000, 55,000, 75,600 MILES RESPECTIVELY). AT 97,000 MILE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF #2 CYCLINDER. SUBARU BLAMED ME SINCE I REPLACED THE PLUGS AT 65,000. I PAID $1700 AT LYNNES SUBARU IN ARPIL TO REPLACE LEFT SIDE HEAD WITH NEW ONE. AT 99,500 MILE I AM SEEING THE COOLANT STARTING TO DROP IN RESERVOIR. ONLY 400 MILES LEFT ON 100K HEAD WARRANTY FOR RIGHT SIDE AND 10K MILE ON WARRANTY FOR NEW HEAD. THE CAR IS SITTING UNTIL I GET IT INTO DEALER. BESIDES HEADGASKETS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, REAR WIPER MOTOR, DOOR LOCKS AND UNDER DASH WIRING HAVE ALL FAILED. THIS IS A LEMON. CAN I PROSECUTE UNDER THE NJ LEMON LAW? IS THERE ANY OTHER FORUM TO GET SUBARU TO REPAIR OR BUY BACK VEHCILE? *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON A DIRT ROAD WHEN THE EXHAUST PIPE BROKE FROM IN FRONT OF THE MUFFLER. THE MUFFLER WAS NOT SUPPORTED BY HANGERS IN THE FRONT, DROPPED DOWN AND DUG INTO THE DIRT. THE REAR OF THE CAR POLE-VAULTED OVER THE MUFFLER, LEADING TO A TEMPORARY LOSS OF CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS GOING SLOW AND STRAIGHT AT THE TIME, AND THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC. THE DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS SUBSTANTIAL. THE MUFFLER WAS REPLACED, AND THE DAMAGE TO THE REAR QUARTER PANELS AND TRUNK WAS REPAIRED BY A BODY SHOP. *TR

SUMMARY THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH 45,926 MILES. IT WAS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY RACK AND PINION. THE GEARS HAVE MICROSCOPIC CRACKS AND THE TEETH BROKE OFF AT 30-35 MPH. THE CRACKS ARE VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE. THE TRANSMISSION SHOP THAT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE, SAID IT WAS THE SECOND SUBARU THAT HAD A SIMILAR FAILURE. I HAVE ASKED SUBARU TO REVIEW THE CASE. SUBARU INDICATED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE ISSUES NOT A PRODUCT DEFECT AND REFUSED TO ABSORB ANY OF THE REPAIR COSTS OF $1695. I HAVE THE PARTS THAT FAILED AND I WILL RE-CONTACT SUBARU, REQUEST THAT A ZONE REP LOOK AT THE FAILED COMPONENTS, AND REVIEW THE CASE AGAIN. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PULLING INTO A GAS STATION AT 2MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION STABILIZER BAR BROKE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE STABILIZER BAR BROKE AS A RESULT OF A ROAD HAZARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR INVOLVED IN ANY PRIOR ACCIDENT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT SUSPENSION STABILIZER BAR.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HESITATED WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAPPENED EVERY TIME THE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS CALIBRATED TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. OTHER VEHICLES ON THE LOT WERE DRIVEN AND THEY HAD THE SAME HESITATION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. *AK UPDATED 01/19/06. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR WILL "PERCOLATE", OR SKIP, AND STALL COMPLETELY UPON APPLYING BRAKE AT STOP LIGHT. STARTING UP AGAIN, IT WILL SKIP AND / OR COME TO A DEAD STOP AFTER ACCELLERATING. VERY DANGEROUS... HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS AGO, SENT TO SUBARU REPAIR, WHERE THEY CHANGED THE PLUGS AND WIRES. IT HAPPENED AGAIN YESTERDAY, APRIL 1, 2005. I WILL CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN AT CHASE PARKWAY SUBARU IN WATERTOWN, CT.*AK