2008 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

THE SUBARU STI SERIES KNOWN AS THE GR IS PRONE TO BREAKING PISTON RINGLANDS IF DETONATION EVER OCCURS, WHICH HAPPENS EASILY ON THIS ENGINE, WHICH IS NOW TUNED FOR MORE POWER YET FEWER EMISSIONS. THE RINGLAND BREAKAGE RESULTS IN POWER LOSS AND EXTREME OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO BLOWBY AND IF NOT NOTICED IN TIME WILL LEAD TO ENGINE SEIZING. IF DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY ENOUGH, THIS SEIZING DUE TO OIL LOSS CAN HAPPEN IN AS FEW AS 10 MINUTES. IT IS ALSO POSSIBLE FOR THE RINGLAND BREAKAGE TO BE SO SEVERE THAT THE ENGINE SPRAY-COATS A LARGE SECTION OF ROADWAY, MAKING FOR THE EQUIVALENT OF A BLACK ICE CONDITION FOR OTHER TRAFFIC. A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD I'M NOT AWARE OF HAPPENING WITH THIS VEHICLE YET BUT STILL POSSIBLE IS NOT ONLY THE LOSS OF CONTROL SHOULD THE ENGINE SEIZE AND THE DRIVER NOT BE MECHANICALLY SAVVY ENOUGH TO KNOW DISENGAGING THE CLUTCH WILL GIVE HIM BACK SOME CONTROL AND REDUCE THE CHANCES OF BEING REAR-ENDED WHEN THE CAR TRIES TO STOP VERY RAPIDLY WITHOUT THE BRAKES AND THEREFORE THE BRAKELIGHTS BEING USED. DESPITE THE LARGE NUMBERS OF THESE FAILURES BEING REPORTED, SUBARU DENIES A PROBLEM EXISTS. I HAVE ALL OF THE PARTS FROM MY ORIGINAL FAILED ENGINE WHICH ALSO SHOWED OTHER ASSEMBLY PROBLEMS. I WILL HAVE THE PIECES OF MY 2ND ENGINE WHEN I PICK THE CAR UP SOON. MANY MECHANICS ARE OF THE OPINION MANY OF THESE ENGINES HAVE BROKEN RINGLANDS AND THE OWNERS DON'T KNOW IT. WE ALSO FEEL THE PROBLEM IS AGGRESSIVE OEM TUNING WHILE USING WEAK CAST PISTONS AS IT'S DETONATION, EVEN A SINGLE EVENT, THAT BREAKS THEM. AND IT'S INCONCEIVABLE AN ENGINE WITH THIS DAMAGE WOULD PASS AN EPA EMISSIONS TEST. *TR

IN FEBRUARY 2010, I PURCHASED A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA STI FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP WITH FACTORY WARRANTY AND I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED FACTORY WARRANTY. ONCE I BEGAN GETTING USED TO THE CAR I NOTICED THERE WAS AN ISSUE. WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE THERE WOULD BE CONSTANT "DEAD SPOTS" IN THE POWER BAND THROUGH OUT THE RPM RANGE. AFTER MULTIPLE TIMES OF BRING THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. BUT I BEING VERY CAR SOCIAL ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT MANY AND I MEAN MANY PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND SOME HAD COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE MOTORS PISTONS "RINGLANDS" WERE CRACKED AND THE CYLINDER WAS LOSING COMPRESSION. AFTER MULTIPLE SERVICES AS EXPLAINED BEFORE SUBARU FINALLY FOUND THAT MY MOTOR ALSO HAD A "RINGLAND" FAILURE! THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BOTTOM END OF THE MOTOR AND I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK. IT RAN GREAT I KNEW THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD HAVE FELT IN THE FIRST PLACE.BUT NOW AROUND 3000 MILES LATER THE SAME ISSUE IS BACK AGAIN! IT IS MY WORRY THAT I GO TO PULL OUT OF A SIDE ROAD EXPECTING THE CAR TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT, AND I GO, BUT THE CAR IS BOGGING DOWN AND IS STRUGGLING TO GET UP TO SPEED AND THE OTHER CAR HAS TO JAM ON THERE BREAKS OR THEY END OF REAR ENDING ME CAUSING AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM.THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR EXIT ENTRANCES ONTO HIGHWAYS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PLAGUING SUBARU OWNERS FOR YEARS NOW AND SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS ISSUE. AND THIS DOES NOT ONLY EFFECT SUBARU IMPREZA STI OWNERS ONLY BUT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE MODELS SUCH AS THE WRX, OR OUTBACKS DE TO SIMILAR ENGINE DESIGNS. I BELIEVE SUBARU IS TURNING A BLIND EYE TO HOW MUCH OF AND ISSUE THIS IS AND HOW BIG AN ISSUE THIS COULD CAUSE. I READ THAT MOST CAR COMPANIES WHEN THEY HAVE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AS EXPLAINED THEY COMPARE THE COST OF A RECALL TO COST OF PER CAR ISSUES AND THEY GO WITH THE CHEAPER BUT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM NEEDS RESOLUTION. *TR

FRONT WHEEL SHIMMY THAT INCREASES STOPPING DISTANCE AND EFFECTS HANDLING. SHIMMY COMES AND GOES IN INTENSITY BUT IS ALWAYS PRESENT. SHIMMY CAUSES THE WHEEL AND ROTOR TO SHAKE WHICH PREVENTS THE BRAKE PADS FROM STOPPING THE VEHICLE AS INTENDED. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED ME TO RUN A STOP SIGN AND ALMOST GET BROADSIDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE SHIMMY STILL EXISTS AND HAS NOT BEEN FIXED DESPITE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROBLEM TO SUBARU AND THE SUBARU DEALER. SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGED THERE IS A PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THERE IS AN AXLE BALANCING PROBLEM OR A BEARING RUN OUT PROBLEM, BUT HAS YET TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

SUBJECT: POSSIBLE CAR RECALL SUBARU IMREZA - IN THIS MODEL BASIC BRAKE MOUNT SNAPS COMMENTS DUE TO ROAD SAFETY AND THE POSSIBLE SERIOUS THREAT THAT COULD BE CAUSED BY CARS ON ROADS IN THE U.S. I'D LIKE TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION. THE CASE CONCERNS SUBARU IMPREZA MANUFACTURED IN 2007 AND 2009. THESE CARS MAY HAVE A FAULTY BASIC BRAKE MOUNT, WHICH CAN CAUSE IT TO SNAP . THE DESIGN AND STRENGTH OF THE FASTENING ELEMENTS TURNS OUT TO BE UNSUITED TO THE PREVAILING TENSION. MANY SUCH VEHICLES ARE ON THE ROADS IN THE U.S. AND POSE A DIRECT THREAT TO HUMAN LIFE. BECAUSE I AM A USER OF ONE OF THESE CARS (SUBARU IMPREZA WRX VIN [XXX] ) AND HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED SUCH A CASE, I AM IN POSSESSION OF ALL DOCUMENTATION. ON YOUR REQUEST I WILL SEND ANY INFORMATION ON THE CAR AND THE EVENT ALONG WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION. I HOPE THAT THE CASE WAS INCIDENTAL AND RELATED TO ONLY THIS PARTICULAR MODEL, BUT THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF STRUCTURAL DEFECTS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THERE IS A CLICKING AND POPPING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER MY DASH BOARD ON THE DRIVER SIDE ONLY WHEN PRESSING AND RELEASING THE CLUTCH. ALSO, THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER IS MOVING DUE TO FLEX ON THE FIRE WALL. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO SUBARU OF AMERICA AND ITS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AND THEY HAVE ALSO FIXED CARS WITH THIS PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO FAR YET REFUSED TO FIX IT. THE MAIN FAULT IS THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET WHICH IS WELDED TO THE BULKHEAD HAS A BAD WELD WHICH CAN LEAD TO THE DRIVER BEING UNABLE TO CLUTCH THE CAR POSING A SAFETY ISSUE AND THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ACCIDENT INCURRING. *TR

HIGH BEAMS FAIL, VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. DEALER STATES UNSURE WHAT PROBLEM IS, AFTER 1 HOUR CHARGE OF DIAGNOSTICS,SENT ME ON MY WAY. *TR

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA, STANDARD TRANSMISSION. AT SPEEDS UNDER 10 MPH, WHEN CLUTCH IS FULLY DEPRESSED, AND TRANSMISSION IS IN FIRST GEAR, ENGINE WILL REV UP TO 2500-4000 RPM'S. THIS ONLY OCCURS WHEN VEHICLE IS COASTING FORWARD AT SLOW SPEEDS AND WHEN IN GEAR WITH CLUTCH PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. WHEN BRAKE IS TAPPED OR GEAR PLACED TO NEUTRAL ENGINE WILL RETURN TO NORMAL IDLE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME WHEN COASTING FORWARD. THE ENGINE SPEED VARIES EACH OCCURRENCE BUT GENERAL SPEEDS TO AROUND 2500 RPM'S WITH RARE JUMPS TO 4000+ RPM'S. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE FOR A HALF SECOND WITHOUT PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE PEDAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DESIGNED FOR A HALF SECOND ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND THE LOCAL MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ECU NEEDED TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 255. UPDATED 03/11/10 *BF WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE AS THOUGH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGE FOR UP TO 1.5 SECONDS AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD REMOVED HIS FOOT. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING WITHIN DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS. THE CONSUMER WENT TO TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO STATED THE ECU THAT CONTROLLED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEHAVIOR WOULD NEED TO BE RE-PROGRAMMED. UPDATED 07/26/10

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA THE WINDSHIELD GETS COVERED BY A FILM DURING COOL/COLD WEATHER AND IMPAIRS YOUR VISION WHILE DRIVING AND YOU NEED TO STOP AND REMOVE THE FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD . YES A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD. SUBARU DENIES ANY PROBLEMS. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS. *TR

2008 SUBARU WRX MANUAL TRANS. 22,500 MILES. BETWEEN THE TIME THE ENGINE COMES OFF HIGH IDLE (AFTER BEING STARTED COLD) AND WHEN IT IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP, THE ENGINE WILL DROP ITS RPM TO 0 CAUSING AN ENGINE STALL WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO CHANGE GEARS. THIS RECENTLY HAPPENED WHEN ENTERING A ROUNDABOUT WHEN I WAS GOING TO SHIFT DOWN FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. AT THIS POINT I ONLY HAVE MY LEFT HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND RIGHT ON THE SHIFT LEVER. THE ENGINE STALLS AND I LOOSE POWER STEERING. POWER BRAKING ALSO SEEMS DECREASED AS I WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM RUNNING INTO THE CENTRAL ISLAND OF THE ROUNDABOUT. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY IN COLD WEATHER. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED REPAIRS, BUT IS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG (3 SEPARATE ADMISSIONS FOR SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM OVER LAST 9 MONTHS). COMPUTER ERROR CODES RETURNED WERE 301,302,303,304. AS OF TODAY THE CAR IS AT THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR THE SECOND DAY THIS EPISODE. *JB