2001 Subaru Outback

I PURCHASED MY 2001 OUTBACK SEDAN IN SEPT OF 2000 AND HAVE HAD IT INTO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR 7 TIMES NOW FOR FRONT BRAKE ROTOR WARPAGE, THEY HAVE TURNED THE ROTORS TILL THEY COULDNT BE TURNED ANYMORE, THEN SUBARU OF AMERICA AUTHORIZED A NEW SET OF ROTORS AND THEY TOO HAVE WARPED AND CAUSE SEVERE SIDE TO SIDE SHAKING OF THE STEEERING WHEEL IN ALL BRAKING.AFTER SPEAKING WITH ALL SUBARU OF AMERICA REPS THEY HAVE SAID THEY WILL DO NO MORE TO THE CAR, AND AGREED THAT THEY ARE SEEING IT OTHER IDENTICAL OUTBACKS AND IT IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY REFUSE TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY THAT THE ROTORS ARE NOT ADEQUET FOR THE STOPPING POWER OF THE CAR. THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED TO NOT DRIVE IN THE CITY WITH IT, AND WHEN I DO TO RELEASE MY FOOT FROM THE PEDAL WHEN AT STOP LIGHTS, TRAFFIC ETC SO AS NOT TO HEAT THE ROTORS UP. NUMEROUSE OUTBACKS HAVE BEEN HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE SINCE THIS CAR WAS DESIGNED PARITICULARY FOR THE WINTER ELEMENTS, SNOW DRIVING ETC. WHEN YOU GO TO BRAKE IN ANY ELEMENT THE CAR SHAKES EXTREMLY BAD AND THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE CAR AND SEEN WHAT IT DOES, BUT CONTINUE TO BLAME THE PROBLEM ON THE DRIVERS.THE BRAKE ROTORS I AM TOLD ARE BEING MANUFACTURED SMALLER AND THINNER THEREFORE DO NOT DISAPATE HEAT AND THEN WARP. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN AT 4000 MILES AND IT HAS BEEN A MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE AS I DO EXTREME MOUNTAIN PASS DRIVING IN ALL CONDITIONS. I AM ASKING FOR HELP NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT FOR THE OTHER OWNERS OF SUBARUS WITH THE SAME DEFECT.THEY REFUSE TO HONOR THE WARRANTY WORK AND SAY THAT THE ROTORS ARE NOT DEFECTIVE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE REPLACED THEM UNDER WARRANTY ONCE, AND HAVE TURNED THEM UNDER WARRANTY TIME AND TIME AGAIN AND NOW THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING. THERE ARE REPORTS OF OWNERS MODIFYING THE FRONT ENDS TO ALLOW MORE AIR TO COOL THE ROTORS. THIS I FIND UNACCEPTABLE. IS THERE ANY HELP OUT THERE IF SO PLEASE HELP US.*AK

THE CLUTCH-SHUDDER PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THIS WINTER. IT HAPPENS MOST OFTEN IN THE MORNING, COLD SEEMS TO BE A FACTOR MOST OF THE TIME, AND IT SHUDDERS WHEN YOU GO FROM STOP TO GO. FIRST GEAR IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GET OUT OF SMOOTHLY WITHOUT THE SHUDDERING. THE DEALER CANT SEEM TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT I HAVE READ THE OTHER SUBARU OWNERS COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM ON THE SUBARU MESSAGE BOARD, SO I KNOW ITS MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN JUST OUR CAR. *TS ***DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS***761667

WHEN THE ORIGINAL RECALLS OF THE WILDERNESS TIRES OCCURRED WE WERE TOLD BY SUBARU AND FIRESTONE THAT OUR SIZE TIRE WAS NOT EFFECTED. THESE TIRES WERE THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON THE CAR. LAST NIGHT WE WERE DRIVING HOME AT ABOUT 11:00 AND COMING DOWN THE EXIT RAMP FROM ROUTE 270 ONTO MIDDLEBROOK ROAD IN GERMANTOWN. MY HUSBAND HEARD A HISSING SOUND AND AT FIRST WE DISMISSED IT. ABOUT A HALF MILE LATER AT A LIGHT WE HEARD AN ADDITIONAL SOUND AND REALIZED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD GONE FLAT. MY HUSBAND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT TO DISCOVER THE SIDEWALL HAD SEPARATED AND THE TIRE WAS EXTREMELY HOT. IT DID NOT SEPARATE TO THE POINT OF RIPPING THE TIRE ALL THE WAY THROUGH, BUT ENOUGH OF A GAP YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER IN. IT LOOKS LIKE THE SEPARATION GOES AT LEAST HALF WAY AROUND THE SIDE WALL (180 DEGREES) AND PROBABLY MORE. WE ROAD ON THE FLAT (AT A SNAIL'S PACE) THE MILE TO OUR HOME SINCE WE STILL HAD RUBBER BETWEEN THE RIM AND ROAD. THE SCAREY PART IS THAT IT WAS LATE, DARK AND IF WE'D GOTTEN STUCK ON ROUTE 270 IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PLEASANT FOR MY HUSBAND TO CHANGE A TIRE UNDER THOSE CONDITIONS--IN FACT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS. ISN'T THIS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE OTHER WILDERNESS TIRES--THAT THE SIDEWALL SEPARATED, RIPPED AND THE TIRE WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE AND FLIPPED VEHICLES?! LUCKILY, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, OURS DIDN'T GO THAT FAR, BUT IT COULD HAVE. OUR OUTBACK IS A WONDERFUL CAR AND WE LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF DRIVING IT, BUT FOR A STATIONWAGON ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY IS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN AVERAGE. JUST LIKE THOSE SUVS WE COULD HAVE FLIPPED OUR BEAUTIFUL CAR IF THINGS DIDN'T TURN OUT THE WAY THEY DID. NEEDLESS TO SAY, MY HUSBAND IS PISSED OFF. HE CALLED THE FITZGERALD SUBARU IN GAITHERSBURG FOR ADVICE AND THEY SAID WE'LL HAVE TO DEAL WITH FIRESTONE. DO I NEED TO FEAR THE THREE OTHER TIRES ON MY CAR NOW? THANKS! JOYCE MCDONALD. *AK