2004 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

WINDSHIELD STARTED TO CRACK FROM BOTTOM (BELOW THE WIPERS) AND TRAVLLED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT SIDE WHEN EVER USED FAN TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD. TALKED TO DEALER BUT REFUSED WARRENTY COVERAGE, STATING IMPACT BELOW THE WINDSHEILD WIPERS. I CANNOT SEE THE SO CALLED IMPACT BUT I HAVE TO FIX THE WINDSHEILD. THIS IS A THERMAL VARIENCE CRACK. VERY WEAK GLASS, CRACK HAS TRAVELLED ALL ACROSS WINDSHEILD BUT I AM STUCK WITH THE COST.

UNABLE OR DIFFICULT TO PLACE CAR IN GEAR WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. FIRST TOTAL FAILURE OCCURRED IN ROADWAY DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND LEFT ME STRANDED ROADSIDE. SECOND TOTAL FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE EXITING FREEWAY AND WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY PUT CAR IN GEAR AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES. ORIGINAL DEALER, REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER AND CORPORATE OFFICES WERE UNRESPONSIVE AND/OR UNCOOPERATIVE RELATIVE TO MY REQUESTS FOR VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE CLUTCH. AFTER MULTIPLE REQUESTS, ASSURANCE OF LEGAL ACTION AND REFUSAL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DUE TO FEAR OF BEING INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, OTHER DEALERSHIP AGREED TO REPLACE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY UNDER WARRANTY.*AK

REF PE04002: SUBARU IMPREZA WRX '02/'03 FUEL LEAK 1 ? TEMP: ~5 DEG. F OVERNIGHT. STARTED CAR IN AM; SMELLED RAW FUEL VIA THE VENTS. 2 - WITH FLASHLIGHT COULD SEE LEAKAGE FROM BOTH HOSE CLAMPS NOTED IN SUBARU TSB (09-36-03); ALSO TOOK PHOTOS. FRONT CLAMP: PRESSURIZED STREAM OF FUEL; APPROX. 2 OZ. FUEL POOLED IN RECESS IN THE MANIFOLD BY THE TIME ENGINE SHUT OFF. REAR CLAMP: RAPID DRIP OF FUEL; APPROXIMATELY 0.5 OZ. POOLED. FUEL ACCUMULATION OCCURRED WITHIN APPROX. 3 MIN. OF STARTING. 3 - SPENT 6+ HRS TIGHTENING THE SCREWS ON BOTH CLAMPS. BOTH LEAKS DIMINISHED TO SLOW DRIP; NOT STOPPED COMPLETELY; MIN. FUEL POOLING, STILL THERE IF TEMP LOW ENOUGH. TSB FIX NOT IMPLEMENTED YET. FILING COMPLAINT AGAINST CLOSED PE04002 BECAUSE: A - NO MENTION OF FUEL ACCUMULATION IN THE PUBLISHED RESOLUTION, ONLY SMELL OF FUEL. NUMEROUS INSTANCES REPORTED ONLINE OF NOTICEABLE FUEL LEAKAGE. B - SUBJECT VEHICLES NOTED FOR THEIR ALL WEATHER TRAVEL ABILITY; COMMONLY USED FOR WINTER SPORTS - POTENTIALLY VULNERABLE TO THIS PROBLEM. C - APPARENTLY NO REPORTED FIRES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT SEEMS VERY POSSIBLE: COINCIDENTAL ELECTRICAL FAULT OR STATIC ELECTRICITY DISCHARGE. D - IF VENTS CLOSED, FUEL ACCUMULATION COULD OCCUR UNNOTICED. E - IF FUEL POOLED UNDER A LEAKING JUNCTION IGNITED IT SEEMS VERY POSSIBLE THAT THE HEAT GENERATED COULD BURN/MELT THE HOSE ABOVE AND CREATE A FAR LARGER DISCHARGE OF FUEL. WHILE THE ODOR OF FUEL MAY NOT BE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM, I CANNOT SEE HOW SIGNIFICANT FUEL LEAKAGE ONTO A RUNNING ENGINE CAN BE CONSIDERED ANYTHING EXCEPT A SAFETY ISSUE. *JB

A TERRIBLE RAW FUEL SMELL IS PRESENT IN THE CABIN AT STARTUP IN COLD WEATHER. FUEL SEEMS TO BE LEAKING AND POOLING SOMEWHERE. THIS IS NOT THE SAME LEAK AS THE TSB FOR 2002 MODELS.*AK

DRIVING SOUTH ON SOUTH DIXIE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 45 MPH. UPON NOTICING THE RED LIGHT THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THEM AT ALL. I HAD TO REDIRECT THE COURSE OF THE CAR TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS AT A RED LIGHT. AS I TURNED TO THE RIGHT I CAME UPON A CURB AND THE FRONT LEFT TIRE AS WELL AS THE LEFT REAR TIRE HIT THE CURB. THE FRONT SUSPENSION OF THE CAR WAS DAMAGED. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS TOWED TO BIRD ROAD SUBARU IN MIAMI. I HAVE BEEN FEELING FLUTTERING IN THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EPISODE. *AK

MOVING AT CONSTANT 45 MPH BEHIND A MINIVAN DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON SMALL ROCK STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD (UPPER CORNER/PASSENGER SIDE) WITH VERY LITTLE FORCE AND RESULTED IN AN 8 INCH CRACK.*AK

I HAVE HAD A FIRST GEAR GRIND EVER SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR. MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE DEALER CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FIRST TECHNICIAN EVEN SAID IT WAS INTERNAL. FINALLY GOT THE FLUID CHANGED TO CORRECT THS ISSUE AT 14K MILES, HELPED BUT DID NOT FIX. AT 26000 MILES I TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THEY ALSO CONFIRM THERE IS A PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP SAY THEY WILL NOT WORK ON IT DUE TO AN AFTERMARKET EXHAUST. I EXPLAINED IT IS A PREXISTING CONDITION AND THE EXHAUST WOULD HAVE NO AFFECT ON THIS PARTICULAR SCENARIO. DEALERSHIP STONEWALLS ME ON THIS ISSUE BUT PROMISES TO STILL FIX THE SEAT (SINCE IT HAS NNOT BEEN MODIFIED) I ASKED FOR THE TECHNICAL EXPLANATION OF WHY THE TRANNY WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, THEY REFUSED TO ISSUE EITHER VERBALLY OR IN WRITING.*AK

2004 WRX SUN ROOF HAS A SMELL LIKE MILDEW. 3 REPAIRS HAVE BEEN DONE (DETAIL, SUNROOF DOOR REPLACEMENT, HEADLINER REPLACEMENT) AND THE SMELL IS STILL THERE MONTHS LATER. SUBARU HAS TOLD ME THAT IS THE NORMAL SMELL, EVEN AFTER $1500 IN COVERED REPAIRS. IT IS FAR FROM A NEW CAR SMELL, MORE LIKE MILDEW.*AK

FAILED TRANSMISSION FOR MANUAL DRIVE 2004 SUBARU WRX MANUFACTURER DENIED THE CLAIM

THERE WAS DEEP COWLING OVER THE INSTRUMENTATION AREA. *MR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS SHADED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE DISPLAY. *SC *JB