2008 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

MY CLUTCH PEDAL STARTING SQUEAKING IN JANUARY. I THOUGHT IT WAS SQUEAKING BECAUSE IT WAS COLD OUTSIDE AND THOUGHT THAT THE PROBLEM WOULD GO AWAY ONCE THE WEATHER GOT WARMER. HOWEVER THIS IS NOT THE CASE AND UPON INSPECTION, MY SPOT WELDS ARE BROKEN WHERE THE CLUTCH ATTACHES TO THE FIREWALL. AFTER A SEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL CAR AND NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK AT ALL BY TRYING TO GET THE DEALER TO FIX THE ISSUE. IT IS DEFINITELY A FLAW WITH THE CAR AND NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH JUST ME. *TR

THE VISORS KEEP BREAKING. WHEN THEY BREAK, THEY DROP DOWN, IMPEDING VISION. THERE IS NO TELLING WHEN IT MAY HAPPEN. THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR WAS REPLACED IN 2010. IT IS NOW BROKEN AGAIN AND SO IS THE DRIVERS SIDE. RECENTLY, MY DRIVERS SIDE VISOR BROKE AND DROPPED DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. I WAS LUCKY I DIDN'T WRECK. THE VISORS ARE OVER $100.00 EACH. THEY ARE MADE WITH A PLASTIC PIECE THAT IS NOT ABLE TO DO THE JOB. A SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD! *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF, FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL, AND FLASHING DIFFERENTIAL SELECTION [S] CODE. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT. THE ERROR CODE IS P1410 WHICH TRANSLATES TO SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM. MOST LIKELY ONE OF THE VALVES (OR BOTH) THAT OPERATE WITH THIS SYSTEM IS RUSTED STUCK THE OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION (WORSE IF ITS STUCK OPEN). CHECKING MULTIPLE FORUMS THIS IS HAPPENING REGULARLY AND SUBARU IS CHOOSING NOT TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND/OR RECALL. THE PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND IS SUBJECT TO RUST/FAILURE IN HUMID, RAINY, OR SNOWY ENVIRONMENTS. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AS IT PUTS YOUR CAR IN A LIMP MODE TURNING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL UNEXPECTEDLY AND POSSIBLY FORCING YOUR CAR OUT OF ITS MULTIPLE DRIVING MODES (VIA SELECTOR IN THE CENTER CONSOLE NEAR THE ARMREST BELOW THE SHIFTER). I AM NOT SURE HOW DAMAGING THAT COULD BE TO HARD SWITCH THE MODE WHILE RUNNING AT HIGH SPEEDS BUT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE SUBARU WRX STI (WHICH IS THEIR TOP DOG SPORTS CAR) THERE IS NO REASON FOR THERE NOT TO BE SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION/RECALL FOR THIS FAULTY PART/DESIGN. TO TOP IT OFF, THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS IS ASTRONOMICAL IN THE $1000+ RANGE FROM THE ESTIMATES I AM GETTING. *TR

I NOTICED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO MY CLUTCH ASSEMBLY STARTING TO SQUEAK AND STARTED TO STICK WHEN FULLY DEPRESSED. THE PAST MONTH DRIVING IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE WITH HAVING TROUBLE STARTING THE CAR AND ALMOST HAVING TO JAM GEARS JUST TO SHIFT. TOOK IT TO TRANSMISSION SHOP 2 DAYS AGO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CLUTCH IS COMPLETELY GONE. AFTER GOING TO THEM THEY FOUND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THE FIREWALL WHERE THE MASTER CYLINDER SITS IS COMPLETELY CRACKED 2 WAYS. WITH IGNITION OFF YOU CAN PRESSING THE CLUTCH IS SEE THE FIREWALL COMPLETELY FLEXING WITHOUT THE CAR EVEN BEING ON. THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING THAT THEY CAN DO AND TOLD ME TO GET IN CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. *TR

HAD A SQUEAKY CLUTCH PEDAL FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. YESTERDAY IT BECAME VERY HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. I NOTICED WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED, BOTH THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDALS MOVED ABOUT 2" TO THE LEFT. LOOKING FURTHER, IT LOOKS LIKE THE SPORT WELD HAVE GIVEN WAY WHERE THE BRACE MOUNTS TO THE FIREWALL. RESEARCHING I FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. CAR IS ALMOST UNDRIVEABLE AND UNSAFE. *TR

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AFTER PRESSING DOWN ON ACCELERATOR. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HER HUSBAND ADJUSTED HIS PANT LEG, IT CAUSED HIM TO PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE LET OUT A LOUD SHUDDERING AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. ALL THE LIGHTS STAYED ON AND THE VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND A VALVE WAS LEAKING OIL, WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

MY CLUTCH BRACKET BROKE ON THE WELDS. THIS IS AN OEM PRODUCT THAT HAS A DEFECT AND IT IS WELL KNOWN ON THE INTERNET AND FORUMS. SUBARU OF NEWTON NJ REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND WAS WELL AWARE. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS FOR ME SINCE IT HAPPENED ON A HIGHWAY AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH. THE BRACKET IS BROKEN AND THE CLUTCH WILL NOT ENGAGE. I HAVE NOTICED THE FIREWALL IS CRACKING ALSO. THE BRAKE PEDAL MOVES INCHES TO THE SIDE WHEN THE CLUTCH IS PRESSED. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH SUBARU AND THE CAR ONLY HAS 73K MILES ON IT. I ALSO FILLED WITH SUBARU AND I AM AWAITING ANSWERS. *TR

MY 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HAS HAD A "HARD CLUTCH PEDAL". IM AN AUTO TECH AT A DEALER SO I TOOK A LOOK AT IT. I CHECKED THE SPRING AND THE PEDAL. I FOUND THE PEDAL WOULD BEND THE MOUNTING LOCATION UNDER THE DASH WHEN PUSHED IN. I LOOKED ON THE FIREWALL UNDER MY WIPER ARMS WHERE THE WELDS ARE AT. THE WELD THAT HOLDS THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS TO THE FIREWALL IS CRACKED AND NOW IS CUTTING A HOLE IN THE FIREWALL. I CHECKED ONLINE FOR SOME HELP WITH THE PROBLEM, AND I FOUND OUT IM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD ME I NEEDED A CLUTCH. I ASK THEM TO LOOK AT THE FIREWALL WELDS THAT HOLD THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS TO THE CAR. THEY TOLD ME TO GO AWAY AND NOT BRING MY CAR BACK TO THEM! I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AFTER THIS ALL HAPPENED. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER. SO I DID TO ONE " 3 HOURS AWAY ". THE NEXT DEALER TOLD ME THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND WELD IS CRACKED ON THE FIREWALL, AND THEY CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA (SOA.) SOA NEVER CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND I TOOK THE CAR HOME AND WAITED. THEY CALLED ME 5 DAYS LATER AND TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 1/2 OF THE BILL TO FIX THE OEM DEFECT ON THE FIREWALL WELDS. I FEEL AS THOUGH THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS SAFETY ISSUE EVEN THOUGH AFTER SOME RESEARCH ONLINE IT IS CLEAR THAT IM NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE. I HAVE VIDEOS AND PICTURES SHOWING THE DEFECTIVE WELDS AND CAN PRODUCE THEM FOR YOU. I NOTICED THIS ISSUE AROUND 58000 MILES. VEHICLE NOW HAS 60500 MILES. *TR UPDATED 02/19/13

CLUTCH PEDAL ON 2008 WRX HAS DEVELOPED A CREAKING NOISE EVERY TIME IT IS DEPRESSED. BRAKE PEDAL SHIFTS FORWARD AND TO THE LEFT UPON DEPRESSION OF CLUTCH PEDAL. THIS IS A REASONABLY WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY SPOT WELD JOINTS FAILING. *TR

AT 32,000 MILES MY DRIVERS SIDE SUN VISOR SPRING MECHANISM BROKE DURING A COLD MORNING(10-15F). IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. NOW AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES IT BROKE AGAIN AND I NEED TO REPLACE IT MYSELF. THE DEALERSHIP SURPRISINGLY HAD SEVERAL IN STOCK WHICH WAS ODD BECAUSE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING A DEALER WOULD NORMALLY STOCK UNLESS THERE IS A TRENDING PROBLEM WITH IT. IT'S NOT ME ABUSING IT AS I AM DON'T TREAT MY THINGS IN A FAST FORCEFUL MANNER, I'VE ALSO NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER VEHICLE IN HUNDRED OF THOUSANDS OF MILES. YET, I HAVE 2 OF THE EXACT SAME ITEM FAILURES IN LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE SAFETY ISSUE HERE IS THAT WHEN THE SUN VISOR BREAKS, IT HANGS DOWN PERFECTLY VERTICAL BLOCKING THE DRIVERS VIEW OF THE ROAD. I PRETTY MUCH HAD TO DRIVE TO WORK HOLDING THE VISOR WITH MY LEFT HAND. WHEN I ARRIVED AT WORK I GRABBED A SCREW DRIVER AND REMOVED THE VISOR UNTIL IT WAS REPLACED. *TR