1999 Subaru Outback

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE IN HALF WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY - ALMOST PUNCTURING TIRE, AND RENDERING VEHICLE IMMOBILE - THE BROKEN END OF THE COIL WAS WEDGED INTO THE TIRE SIDEWALL. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A BLOWOUT AND POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. SUBARU HAS A RECALL FOR COIL SPRINGS, BUT SAID THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS OUTSIDE THE VIN RANGE - BUT WAS CLEARLY STILL AFFECTED BY THE PROBLEM.

WE EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT IN WHICH A FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING FAILED. PARKING OUR 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, THE VEHICLE WAS PERFECTLY FINE. IN THE MORNING THE VEHICLE HAD A FLAT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. JACKING THE CAR, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE FLAT TIRE AND WHEEL. THE REASON IT WAS HARD TO REMOVE WAS THAT A SHARP LONG PIECE OF THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BROKEN AWAY, AND PUNCTURED THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. WHEN THE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE FINALLY REMOVED, THE BROKEN COIL SPRING COULD BE SEEN SITTING ATOP THE FRONT STRUT. THE REMAINDER OF THE COIL SPRING HAD A LONG SHARP POINT THAT HAD SHOT DOWN OVER THE SPRING SEAT ON THE STRUT AND WAS PROTRUDING INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA WHERE IT HAD DAMAGED THE TIRE. ALSO, MANY PIECES OF BLACK PAINT WHICH HAD BEEN COATING THE COIL SPRING COULD BE SEEN NOW LYING ON THE GROUND. THE COIL SPRING ITSELF WAS RUSTED OVER THE ENTIRE SPRING SURFACE OF THE SPRING. THE BROKEN PIECE OF THE COIL SPRING WHICH WAS SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE SPRING WAS PULLED OFF OF THE STRUT AND PUT INTO THE CAR. THE REMAINDER OF THE BROKEN COIL SPRING WAS THEN ABLE TO BE LIFTED UP AND SUSPENDED ABOVE THE STRUT COIL SPRING SEAT IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE CAR TO A SUBARU DEALER. THE SUBARU DEALER CHECKED MY VEHICLE VIN# TELLING ME THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR ANY FAILED COIL SPRINGS. I REFERENCED A RECALL NOTICE I HAD FOUND ONLINE WHICH DETAILED THE EXACT FAILURE IN WHICH I HAD EXPERIENCED, A BROKEN COIL SPRING, CAUSED BY DEFECTING PAINT COATING THE SPRING, LEADING TO RUSTING OF THE SPRING AND BREAKAGE, ALSO OCCASIONALLY PUNCTURING TIRES IN THE PROCESS. I WAS TOLD A CALL WOULD BE PLACE TO THE SUBARU REP TO INQUIRE ABOUT SUCH A RECALL. I RECEIVED NOTICE THAT NO SUCH RECALL EXISTED AND NO WARRANTY COVERAGE EXISTED FOR THE FAILED COIL SPRING AND TIRE PUNCTURE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW SUCH A FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AND DRIVER AND PASSENGER MIGHT ENSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FAILED AND PUNCTURED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT DID NOT REALIZE THE FAILURE UNTIL THE TIRE WAS CHANGED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER (01V216000). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,798.

I WAS QUITE HURT (TO THE DEGREE OF HAVING TO GO ON SSD) IN A REAR END COLLISION IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. IN TRYING TO RECOVER THE ORIGINAL HEAD REST OF THIS CAR I LEARNED IT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND CAN ONLY BE REPLACED WITH A MUCH SAFER MODEL. IN DOING A RECENT CRASH ANALYSIS WITH THIS NEW HEAD REST I REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AND HOW MUCH SAFER THE NEW HEAD REST IS. I LEARNED ON YOUR CAR SAFETY WEB SITE OF THE NATIONAL CAUTION ON THE WHOLE SEAT OF THIS MODEL SEATS AND HEAD REST. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ORTHOPEDIC (LEFT ARM, ALL/WHOLE BACK, RIGHT LEG, BOTH KNEES, POSTURE) AND BRAIN INJURY PROBLEMS FROM MY CAR ACCIDENT. I RECENTLY LEARNED (3/06), THAT SUBARU STARTED UNOFFICIALLY REPLACING THE SEAT AND HEAD REST OF THIS MODEL LEGACY 1998 THRU 1999 WHENEVER POSSIBLE. MEANING WHENEVER THESE MODELS REQUESTED NEW PARTS, THERE IS AN UNOFFICIAL RECALL IN THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE ORIGINAL PART ONLY THE SAFER NEW PARTS. I KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW EASY A RECALL FOR APPROXIMATELY A 2 AND A HALF YEARS MODEL CAR IS (I HAVE EXPERIENCED A GM RECALL OF A PART THAT WENT VERY SMOOTHLY). THERE IS A GREAT COST TO SOCIETY AND MYSELF OF THERE NOT BEING AN OFFICIAL RECALL. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL WITH A LETTER OR I WILL SEND ANOTHER LETTER BY SIGNED RECEIPT EMAIL. SINCERELY, MARCIE ELLIS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE SERVICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED. THIS PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND CAUSED IT TO GO FLAT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THE MECHANIC TOOK THE TIRE OFF AND FOUND THAT THE COIL SPRING FRACTURED. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL, 01V216000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP GETTING REPAIRED.

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN NHTSA RECALL 01V216000. PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE WHICH AND CAUSED THE FRONT TIRE TO BECOME SHREDDED. THE CAR WAS UNDRIVEABLE AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. WE DISCOVERED THAT A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V216000). HOWEVER, SUBARU REFUSSED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE BATCH OF CARS INVOLVED IN THE RECALL. WE THEREFORE HAD OUR MECHANIC REPAIR THE VEHICLE.

I BOUGHT A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION IN JUNE OF 1999. WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE CAR BEGAN TO EXHIBIT CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SUBARU DEALER. FOR THREE YEARS THEY DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SAYING THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. FINALLY IN JUNE OF 2002, I WAS ABLE TO GET A REGIONAL SERVICE SUPERVISOR TO ADMIT THAT THE CAR DEFINITELY HAD PROBLEMS. HIS FIRST SOLUTION WAS TO SUGGEST THAT I TRADE THE CAR IN ON A NEW ONE. WHEN I DECLINED, HE OFFERED TO HAVE THE CAR PROPERLY REPAIRED, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THREE YEARS PRIOR. AFTER FOUR TRIPS TO TWO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALERS AND AFTER SUPPOSEDLY HAVING THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED THREE TIMES, THE CAR IS IN WORSE SHAPE THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN. SUBARU HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE CAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD TO RETAIN AN ATTORNEY TO DEAL WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. SUBARU CLAIMS THAT THE CAR NOW OPERATES AS DESIGNED AND THAT ANY PROBLEMS I AM NOW EXPERIENCING ARE A RESULT OF MY DRIVING HABITS. SUBARU REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO STALL ANY REPAIRS UNTIL THE CAR PASSED THE TWO YEAR LEMON LAW EXCLUSION. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD REPEATED BRAKE FAILURES. THE CAR WENT THROUGH A SET OF MICHELIN RADIAL TIRES IN LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED REPEATED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES. THIS CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN SNOW (CONTRARY TO SUBARU'S COMMERCIALS) BECAUSE THE TIRES BECOME COMPACTED WITH SNOW AND ARE THROWN OUT OF BALANCE. THE BRAKES ALSO BECOME COMPACTED WITH SNOW AND ICE AND HAVE FAILED REPEATEDLY, ALMOST CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. THE RADIO ANTENNA REFUSES TO RETRACT IN COLD WEATHER. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT SUBARU REFUSES TO LISTEN OR REPAIR THE CAR.