1998 Subaru Outback

I WAS PARKING MY CAR TO GO TO THE VIDEO STORE WITH MY SON. IT APPEARED TO LURCH FORWARD, SPEEDING UP, AND DID NOT COME TO A STOP UNTIL IT HIT FOUR OTHER CARS, AND FINALLY PLOWED INTO A LARGE 4X4 BROADSIDE, WITH ENOUGH SPEED TO PUSH IT INTO ANOTHER CAR. MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, AND MY DISABLED CHILD FELL OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE ONTO THE PAVEMENT. PARAMEDICS WHERE CALLED AND HE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE MINOR INJURIES. I HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY STICKING, AND SOMETIMES UNEXPLAINED MINOR SPEEDUPS INT HE TRANSMISSION, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE HOW SEVERE IT WAS. NOW I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A POSSIBLE, SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE. THE CAR IS CONSIDERED TOTALLED, BUT HASN'T BEEN DISPOSED OF AS YET. POLICE TOOK PICTURES AT THE SCENE. PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE THIS OUT.*AK

ON 1/15/01 BEARD SUBARU DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED MY ENGINE FOR AN OIL LEAK. I PAID $654.50 FOR THEM TO REMOVE THE TRANSMISSION AND RESEAL BAFFLE PLATE AS WELL AS RESEAL OIL PUMP, QUESTIONABLE CAM SEALS (REFERRING TO PAPERWORK FROM DEALER). ON 3/23/01 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND SIMULTANEOUSLY CAR COMPLETELY DIED. BEARD SUBARU DIAGNOSED ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO DROP IN PRESSURE W/IN ENGINE. UPON SEVERAL CONTACTS W/ SUBARU OF AMERICA, THEY HAVE OFFERED TO PAY 50% TO REBUILD ENGINE, WHICH HAS BEEN VERBALLY ESTIMATED AT $2,500. BEARD SUBARU UNABLE TO EXPLAIN CAUSE OF ENGINE SEIZE, BUT DENIES IT IS RELATED TO RECENT REPAIR OF ENGINE LEAK. SUBARU OF AMERICA REQUIRES ME TO ACCEPT OR DENY OFFER TO OF "COURTESY FOR MY PATRONAGE" 50% BY WED. 4/4/01. I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE BRAND NEW AT BEARD SUBARU AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT FAITHFULLY. I QUESTION A DEFECT WITHIN MY VEHICLE, OR A DIRECT CORRELATION TO THE RECENT WORK CONDUCTED BY BEARD SUBARU. I REQUESTED WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION. THEY DIAGNOSED MY VEHICLE ON 3/27/01. ON 3/30/01 I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM BEARD SUBARU THEY WOULD HAVE TO GET BACK TO ME "NEXT WEEK". THEY ARE AWARE I BEGIN A NEW JOB ON 4/2/01 REQUIRING ME TO RENT A VEHICLE UNTIL MY SITUATION IS RESOLVED. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS OFFERED TO PAY 50% CAR RENTAL FEE FOR 5 DAYS. IS THERE A WAY TO HAVE A SECOND OPINION BEFORE I AM REQUIRED TO RESPOND TO SUBARU OF AMERICA'S DEADLINE BY 4/4/01? I AM WEARY TO ACCEPT AN AGREEMENT THAT NO ONE HAS PROVIDED A SECOND OPINION, THEY HAVE FAILED TO PROVIDE A WRITTEN ESTIMATE OF WHAT I WILL BE REQUIRED TO PAY "AFTER JUST PAYING $654.50 FOR AN ENGINE LEAK" AND I AM BEING TOLD I MUST RESPOND TO THE OFFER BY 4/4/01 OR I WILL NOT BE ASSISTED.*AK

CONSUMER HAD SOME PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL. LATER, CONSUMER WAS ON HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 65MPH, SLOWING DOWN AND STEERING STARTED TO SHAKE. THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE, AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER, AND THEY FOUND A BROKEN AXLE. BOTH BOOTS ON SIDE OF THE AXLE WERE NOT DAMAGED SO THE REASON OF AXLE BREAKING WAS UNKNOWN. *AK