2003 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

WINDSHIELD CRACKED SUDDENLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING ON A WARM SUNNY DAY. NO OTHER VEHICLES IN AREA. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *NM

DT: CONSUMER STATES THE SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE REFUSES TO UNLOCK. THE BELT JUST KEEPS GETTING TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. IT WILL NOT WORK UNTIL THE CONSUMER UNHOOKS THE BELT AND PUTS IT BACK IN. THEN IT WILL START TO LOCK BACK UP IMMEDIATELY. IT DOES NOT DO IT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THIS BELT IS DESIGNED FOR A CAR SET. DEALER REPLACED THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. IT SEEMS TO DO IT WITH LARGER INDIVIDUALS. *AK

APPROACHING STOP LIGHT ON SURFACE STREET; DRY CONDITIONS, FLAT ROAD; APPROX 30 MPH; ANTICIPATING STOPPING. LIFT FOOT OFF ACCELERATOR AND APPLY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN; CAR DOES NOT SLOW; FEELS OUT OF CONTROL & UNABLE TO STOP; TURN CAR TO RIGHT TO GET OFF ROAD TO AVOID HITTING CARS AHEAD; TURN INTO A TREE; AIRBAG DEPLOYED; CAR TOTALED; EMERGENCY VEHICLES RESPOND; AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL; BROKEN L-2 IN BACK; SEVERE BRUISING; AT MY REQUEST, VEHICLE INSPECTED BY INSURER; HAVE NOT SEEN INSPECTION REPORT; REPORTED TO ME THAT "BRAKES HAD PRESSURE AND FLUID"; AFTER SEEKING ADVICE FROM ACCIDENT EXPERT, NOT CONFIDENT VEHICLE INSPECTION WAS THOROUGH ENOUGH; AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THERE WAS A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF SOME TYPE DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES OF ACCIDENT (I.E., ENOUGH TIME TO CORRECT ANY DRIVER ERROR). *NM

AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED STATING THAT THE BOLT ON DRIVER'S SEAT WAS DEFECTIVE AND INJURY WAS IMMINENT. DURING THE COLLISION DRIVER'S SEAT BOLT BROKE, AND CONSUMER WAS THROWN UNDER THE DASHBOARD, AND SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK *NM

HEADLIGHTS ARE GETTING TO BE HAZY AFTER 30000 MILES, VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT. SUBARU SAYS NOT THERE PROBLEM.*AK

HAD TO BRAKE HARD ON SEMI-BUMPY PAVEMENT AND ABS ACTIVATED AND LOST ALL STOPPING POWER. ABS IS WAY TOO SENSITIVE AND OVER-REATIVE. I ENDED UP SLIGHTLY CRASHING INTO VEHICLE IN FROT OF ME. THIS ABS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND I WAS WELL AWARE OF IT, HOWEVER I WAS STILL UNABLE TO COMPENSATE AND MAKE A COMPLETE STOP.*AK

THE BRAKES ON MY CAR HAVE BEEN WORKED ON THREE TIMES SINCE I GOT MY CAR A YEAR AGO AND ABOUT TO GO AGAIN. THEY KEEP TRYING TO FIX THEM BUT I KEEP HAVING TO TAKE IT BACK. THE DATE BELOW IS THE FIRST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP.*AK

THE ABS PROGRAM INSTALLED ON THIS CAR (WRX) IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE. SNOW COVERED ROADS REQUIRE EXTREME CARE BECAUSE THE ABS ENGAGES AY TOO EASILY, RESULTING IN VERY LITTLE STOPPING POWER. ONE TIME I WAS MAKING A 90 DEGREE LEFT TURN ON WET ASPHALT; I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY. THE ABS DIDN'T UNDERSTAND AND THE RIGHT SIDE LOCKED FOR ONE SEC AND I DRIFTED OFF LINE, BARELY MISSING A MEDIAN. FORGET ABOUT RECEIVING MAXIMUM BRAKING POWER OVER ANY UNDULATING SURFACE (EVEN ON A STRAIGHT ROADWAY), ABS INTRUDES AND STOPPING DISTANCE IS SEVERELY COMPROMISED. NOTHING HAS RESULTED AS OF TODAY, BUT WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING. MOST DRIVERS WILL BE THROWN OUT BY THE INTRUSIVENESS OF THE ABS PROGRAM. CONVERSELY, A BETTER THAN AVERAGE DRIVER WILL ALMOST BE ABLE TO AVOID THIS SCENARIO ENTIRELY. I DISCUSSED THE DEAL WITH A DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS ALL NORMAL. I AGREE, BUT THE ABS IS STILL WAY TOO SENSITIVE, AND I HAVE PROOF. I HAD A WHEEL SPEED SENSOR GO OUT ON MY RIGHT REAR SIDE WHICH DISABLED MY ABS. I DROVE THE CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS AFTERWARD AND THE BRAKES WERE MUCH MORE PREDICTABLE AND TWICE AS EASY TO MODULATE. I WAS ENJOYING A NON-ABS CAR SO MUCH THAT I ACTUALLY TOLD THE DEALER IT WAS NO BIG DEAL AND I WOULD GET IT FIXED ONCE I FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE SYSTEM. I EVENTUALLY GOT THE WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED AND ALL IS WELL, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT ABS IS STILL EXTREMELY INTUSIVE. I NOW HAVE PERFORMANCE TIRES ON THE CAR AND I STILL CAN'T MAXIMIZE THEIR ABILITY! *LA

THIS FAILURE HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. WHEN STOPPING USING A MODERATE BRAKING FORCE FROM AVERAGE ROAD SPEEDS (25-45MPH) I HAVE EXPERIENCED TOTAL INABILITY TO STOP DUE TO PREMATURE AND PROLONGED ENGAGEMENT OF MY ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKE) SYSTEM. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SOMEWHAT BUMPY ROADS, DURING RAIN, OVER SMALL AMOUNTS OF LOOSE GRAVEL ON ROADWAYS, AND EVEN ON SMOOTH DRY ROADS DURING HARDER BRAKING. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS, BUT I HAVE FOUND MYSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSECTIONS MULTIPLE TIMES. I HAVE SINCE DISABLED MY ABS SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FEEL SAFE WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE THE NUMBER OF FAILURES LISTED AT 5, DATING FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THERE HAVE EASILY BEEN MORE INCIDENTS THAN 5 THOUGH, BUT I CAN CLEARLY REMEMBER AT LEAST 5 OF THEM WHEN I FEARED AN ACCIDENT.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN ABS BRAKE PROBLEM. BRAKES ACTIVATE WHEN VEHICLE IS RIDING OVER BUMPS. THE ABS IS OVERLY SENSITIVE. *AK