2009 SUBARU IMPREZA Complaints

ENGINE KNOCK SOUND WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, PULLED OFF NEXT EXIT AND CAR SHUT DOWN. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS OR OIL LIGHTS INDICATING AN ISSUE. UPON RESTART KNOCKING SOUND WAS LOUDER AND HAD A METAL SOUND TO IT. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER. UPON FIRST REVIEW DEALER IDENTIFIED IT AS "INTERNAL CONNECTING-ROD BEARING FAILURE" WHICH CAUSED CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIED THE REPAIR DUE TO THE ECM BEING MODIFIED, STATING "OUR ENGINEERS REVIEWED YOUR FILE AND DEEMED IT TO BE CAUSED BY THE ECM MODIFICATION". I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CASES OF THE EXACT ISSUE ON THE INTERNET, AS WELL AS A MY DEALERSHIP TELLING ME THERE IS A TSB FOR THIS FAILURE. SOA IS PROVIDING A "ONE TIME GOOD FAITH REPAIR" BUT I AM RESPONSIBLE TO REPLACE THE ECM. IN MY OPINION THIS ISSUE WHICH SOA IS AWARE OF AND ACKNOWLEDGES WITH A TSB SHOULD BE A RECALL - THE ENGINE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED HAS POTENTIAL TO CAUSE BODILY HARM - LOSS OF POWER, ENGINE SEIZE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT BE INVOLVED IN ANY SORT OF ACCIDENT. FURTHER I AM TOTALLY UNSURE OF HOW SOA CAN CLAIM THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO ECM MODIFICATION WITHOUT EVER PHYSICALLY SEEING OR HAVING THE MOTOR PULLED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ECM MODIFICATION IS AN EXCUSE TO NOT FULLY COVER THE REPAIR.

WHITE SMOKE WHEN START UP, AND SMOKE IN THE OIL WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, POSSIBLE BLOWN RING LAND DUE TO WEAK DESIGN, COMPRESSION TEST NEEDED TO TELL. *KB

ORIGINAL TIRE DEFECT DISCOVERED AT 16K MILES ON ONE TIRE (BULGE IN SIDEWALL) WITH NO KNOWN REASON (NO IMPACTS OR POTHOLES). NEEDED TO REPLACE ALL 4 SINCE IT IS AN AWD. EXTREME COST OF $500 AND PUT ME IN DANGER OF AN ACCIDENT. DEFECTIVE TIRE: FIRESTONE/ BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92A (DOT EM8KJLL0309) ONLY 16K MILES ON CAR AND TIRES. DID PREVENT ACCIDENT BUT FLAWED TIRES SHOULD BE MONITORED FOR FUTURE RECALL OF DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE PRODUCTS. *KB

ON FRIDAY 7/8/11, MY 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX FAILED TO FILL UP GAS EVEN THOUGH THE TANK WAS EMPTY. INSTEAD, GAS SPEWED ALL OVER THE FLOOR CREATING A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE AND A SAFETY HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AND ALSO THE ENVIRONMENT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SUBARU DEALER ON FRIDAY AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE HOW AND WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED. I CONTACTED SUBARU TODAY AND WAS TOLD THEIR IS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF SUCH AN INCIDENT. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTINGS ON SUBARU FORUMS STATING OTHERWISE. THIS CAN BE A DETRIMENTAL SAFETY ISSUE IF SOMEONE GETS HURT FROM THIS. MY WIFE AND 1 YR OLD SON WAS IN THE CAR DURING THIS INCIDENT. LUCKILY, SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE GAS FROM CONTINUING TO SPEW OVER AND GET MY SON TO SAFETY. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REFUELING THE VEHICLE, FUEL BEGAN TO SPILL OUT OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK. SOME OF THE FUEL SPILLED ONTO THE CONTACT, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES TO THE SKIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL TANK PRESSURE VALVE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED A FEW MONTHS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL PRESSURE VALVE WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME. THE FAILURE RECURRED LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. SOME OF THE FUEL SPLASHED INTO THE CONTACTS EYES DURING THE RECENT FAILURE, RESULTING IN INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE STILL IN POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 08/15/11 *BF UPDATED 3/06/2012 *LN

2009 IMPREZA WRX THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT A FAILURE WAS GOING TO OCCUR BEFORE IT HAPPENED. I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR NORMALLY FOR ALMOST 4 MONTHS. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AROUND 2000 RPM, SOUNDING LIKE METAL HITTING METAL AS I PULLED UP TO A STOP SIGN. FORTUNATELY I HAD JUST ENTERED MY NEIGHBORHOOD SO I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME AND HAVE MY CAR TOWED. SUBARU ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE TOWED THE CAR AND I WAS GIVEN A RENTAL FOR 20 DAYS. SUBARU DEALER SAID IT WAS A SPUN ROD BEARING AND ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. EVEN THOUGH I REQUESTED A LONG BLOCK REPLACEMENT I ONLY GOT A SHORT BLOCK, SO THE TURBO IS THE SAME. SINCE THIS OCCURRED I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS, CLUTCH THROWOUT BEARING REPLACEMENT, STARTER, AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS. THIS CAR IS A LEMON BUT ITS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONVINCE SUBARU OF THAT FACT. ENGINE BLOWN AT 3300 MILES. CLUTCH PROBLEM AT 7000 MILES. STARTER FAILURE AT 9600 MILES (2/2011). REPORTED TO SOA. *TR

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW SUBARU IMPREZA ON JULY 27, 2009 FROM SUBARU DEALER, GRAND SUBARU, AT BENSENVILLE, IL 60106 FOR $18,000 WITH WARRANTY FOR 30-60K MILES. IT BROKE DOWN WHEN IT HAD JUST 9,221 MILES ON IT SHOWING "ENGINE FAILURE" ON NOV. 09, 2010. THE SUBARU DEALER WHO FIXED IT AFTER LOT OF HASSLE, STATED IN HIS INVOICE AS SOME "COIL" IS CRACKED IN THE IGNITION. I CAN SEND YOU THE RECEIPT THAT I HAVE IN MY POSSESSION FOR YOUR RECORD. I AM DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS AND WANT SUBARU TO COVER ANY SUCH PROBLEMS WITH ITS ENGINE FOR ANOTHER 1 YEARS FREE OF COST. I SHALL CONSIDER REPORTING THIS FAILURE OF THE CAR VIA INTERNET TO MAKE AWRY OF OTHER PROSPECTIVE AND SUBARU OWNERS, IF I DO NOT GET A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE WITHIN 10 DAYS. THANKS YOU [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DISCOVERED THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE ELECTRICAL OUTLET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000.

PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN PASSENGER SITS ON IT. THE PASSENGER WEIGHS 105 POUNDS BUT IF SOMEONE FROM 120 POUNDS AND UP IT TURNS ON. THE 105 POUND PASSENGER HAS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN TO GET THE AIR BAG TO TURN ON SOMETIMES IT WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. *TR

TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO ROD KNOCK / SPUN BEARING DUE TO MANUFACTURE TO INCORRECT TOLERANCES. *TR