2008 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

ON THE MORNING OF NOVEMBER 4, 2011 , I PULLED INTO THE PARKING AREA BEHIND A MIDDLE SCHOOL AND MY CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I APPLIED MY BRAKES, THE CAR STILL CONTINUED TO GO FORWARD OVER THE CEMENT BUMPER AND INTO THE BUILDING. THE ONLY THING TO STOP MY CAR WAS PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. I WENT TWO FEET INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CAR AND THE BUILDING RECEIVED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. *TR

WELDS ON CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY FAILED CAUSING POOR CLUTCH FEEL AND EXCESSIVE NOISE. THERE ARE SEVERAL SPOT WELDS ON THE ASSEMBLY THE CLUTCH PEDAL MOUNTS TO WHICH ATTACH IT TO THE FIREWALL. SOME OF THESE WELDS BROKE AND NOW GIVE THE CAR AN UNUSUAL FEELING RESPONSE TO THE PRESSING OF THE CLUTCH. IN ADDITION THERE IS NOW EXCESSIVE NOISE FROM THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY THAT IS PERSISTENT. WITH SOME OF THE WELDS NO LONGER FUNCTIONING THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY IS NO LONGER ADEQUATELY SECURED TO THE FIREWALL AND THERE IS A RISK THE REMAINING WELDS COULD BREAK. THIS WOULD CAUSE COMPLETE CLUTCH FAILURE POSSIBLY DURING USE ON THE ROAD. WITH A SUB-PAR CONNECTION TO THE FIREWALL NOW THERE IS NOTICEABLE BENDING AND FLEXING OF THE FIREWALL INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR THE CLUTCH CYLINDER AND THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FLEXING OF THE FIREWALL COULD EVENTUALLY IMPACT THE ABILITY OF THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO PERFORMANCE AT TOP PERFORMANCE OR POSSIBLY FAIL. *TR

THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY OF MY VEHICLE HAS DISCONNECTED FROM MY FIREWALL DUE TO FAULTY WELDS. MY CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS NOW HAVE AN UNSAFE AMOUNT OF PLAY AND IS CAUSING ISSUES WITH BRAKING AND DISENGAGING MY CLUTCH. SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. *TR

LOUD GROANING NOISE COMING FROM CLUTCH PEDAL EACH TIME PEDAL IS DEPRESSED TO SHIFT THE CAR. ON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE NOISE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE ENTIRE (CLUTCH AND BRAKE) PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS FLEXING AND THE FIREWALL OF THE CAR IS DEFLECTING EACH TIME THE PEDAL IS ACTUATED. LOOKING AT HOW THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY IS ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE BELIEVE THAT WITH ENOUGH CYCLES THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY COULD BECOME DISPLACED DUE TO FAILURE OF THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. WHILE MY VEHICLE HAS HIGH MILEAGE THIS IS DUE TO LONG DISTANCE TRAVEL FOR WORK. AN OWNER LIVING IN AN URBAN AREA MAY HAVE A HIGHER DUTY CYCLE WITH THE PEDALS AND EXPERIENCE ISSUES SOONER.

ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE NEXT DAY. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER THE KNOCKING GOT WORSE AND THE ENGINE STARTED SQUEALING AND LOSING POWER. ENGINE SEIZED UP AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. *TR

THE CAR WAS SMOKING ON COLD STARTS ONLY. PISTON # 4 RINGLAND CRACKED AT 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR. SHORTBLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED. *KB

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE CLUTCH *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A SCREECHING/RUBBING NOISE WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS APPLIED AND A LOUD POP NOISE FROM NEUTRAL TO 1ST GEAR. THE VEHICLE WOULD POP OUT OF 6TH GEAR AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD RATTLE NOISE ON COLD STARTS, THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW WASHER WAS INOPERABLE, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OCCASIONALLY DID NOT RECOGNIZE A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE HOOD WAS LOOSE AND RATTLED, THE RIGHT REAR DOOR WAS DIFFICULT TO CLOSE, THE LEFT REAR WHEEL STUDS WOULD NOT SECURE THE LUG NUT, THE BATTERY AND POWER STEERING PUMP WAS PUMPING. *JB

THE DRIVER SIDE VISOR FAILED TO REMAIN IN POSITION. AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP THE VISOR FLIPPED DOWN FROM IT'S POSITION AGAINST THE ROOF TO A COMPLETELY VERTICAL POSITION BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE ROAD. I AM ONLY 5 FOOT 7 INCHES, BUT WHEN THE VISOR IS COMPLETELY DOWN MY VISION IS COMPLETELY BLOCKED. THE VISOR WOULD NO LONGER REMAIN UP AGAINST THE ROOF, NOR FULLY FORWARD AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND REMOVE THE SCREWS HOLDING THE VISOR MOUNT TO THE ROOF. WHEN I DID THIS THE SHAFT THAT CONNECTS THE VISOR TO THE ROOF MOUNT CAME OUT OF THE VISOR. THE PLASTIC PORTION HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY INSIDE THE VISOR. THE FORCE HOLDING THE VISOR IN THE UP POSITION HAD BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WEAKER FOR MORE THAN A YEAR BEFORE IT FAILED COMPLETELY. SEARCHING THE WEB IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. WITHOUT A VISOR IT IS NOW DEFINITELY MORE HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE INTO THE SUN, I KEEP A BASEBALL CAP IN THE CAR FOR THESE SITUATIONS WHILE I ATTEMPT TO FIND AN INEXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT. MY DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME $140 FOR A REPLACEMENT VISOR.

CAR HAS AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM WITH BREAKING PISTON RINGLANDS, RESULTING IN COPIOUS OIL CONSUMPTION AND EVENTUALLY A SEIZED ENGINE WHICH, IF IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY, CAN BE THE EQUIVALENT OF SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES IN TRAFFIC. ENDANGERING SURROUNDING VEHICLES AND THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER IF THE OIL FILM ON THE ROADWAY AND THE WINDSHIELDS OF FOLLOWING CARS DIDN'T ALREADY CAUSE THEM PROBLEMS. *TR

DRIVERS SUN VISOR ROTATES DOWN UNPREDICTABLY, BLOCKING VISION FOR AVERAGE OR TALL DRIVERS. A SMALL BUMP CAN TRIGGER THIS.