2008 SUBARU IMPREZA STI Complaints

FIREWALL SPOT WELDS BROKE, RESULTING IN MOVEMENT OF THE BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THIS IS CAUSING THE CLUTCH TO NOT DISENGAGE FULLY AND ALSO MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT DUE TO THE FLEX. AS THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE DANGEROUS AND IS MOST DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IT SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. AFTER PULLING IT OVER IT WOULDN'T START. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE ENGINE IS TOAST AND IT WILL COST 10K. I HAVE DONE ALL THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES. AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 77K MILES. MY TOYOTAS HAVE LASTED FOREVER. *TR

MY CLUTCH PEDAL BEGAN CLICKING AND CREAKING THIS SUMMER. I FINALLY FOUND OUT THAT THE WELDS THAT HELD THE CLUTCH TO THE FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. THE CLUTCH BRACKET HAS ONLY A COUPLE OF SPOT WELDS THAT ATTACH IT TO THE FIREWALL, AND THE FIREWALL IS VERY FLIMSY. THE WELDS TORE AWAY AND ALLOWED THE FIREWALL, CLUTCH ASSEMBLY,. BRAKE ASSEMBLY, AND DASH TO MOVE AND SHIFT WHENEVER I CLUTCHED IN, CAUSING PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE AND A VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MANY GR/GV CHASSIS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND SUBARU NEEDS TO INSTITUTE A RECALL ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF, FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL, AND FLASHING DIFFERENTIAL SELECTION [S] CODE. BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE SHOP AND HAD IT CHECKED OUT. THE ERROR CODE IS P1410 WHICH TRANSLATES TO SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM. MOST LIKELY ONE OF THE VALVES (OR BOTH) THAT OPERATE WITH THIS SYSTEM IS RUSTED STUCK THE OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION (WORSE IF ITS STUCK OPEN). CHECKING MULTIPLE FORUMS THIS IS HAPPENING REGULARLY AND SUBARU IS CHOOSING NOT TO COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY AND/OR RECALL. THE PART WAS POORLY DESIGNED AND IS SUBJECT TO RUST/FAILURE IN HUMID, RAINY, OR SNOWY ENVIRONMENTS. THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING AS IT PUTS YOUR CAR IN A LIMP MODE TURNING OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL UNEXPECTEDLY AND POSSIBLY FORCING YOUR CAR OUT OF ITS MULTIPLE DRIVING MODES (VIA SELECTOR IN THE CENTER CONSOLE NEAR THE ARMREST BELOW THE SHIFTER). I AM NOT SURE HOW DAMAGING THAT COULD BE TO HARD SWITCH THE MODE WHILE RUNNING AT HIGH SPEEDS BUT THERE IS THE POTENTIAL. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE SUBARU WRX STI (WHICH IS THEIR TOP DOG SPORTS CAR) THERE IS NO REASON FOR THERE NOT TO BE SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION/RECALL FOR THIS FAULTY PART/DESIGN. TO TOP IT OFF, THE REPAIR COSTS FOR THIS IS ASTRONOMICAL IN THE $1000+ RANGE FROM THE ESTIMATES I AM GETTING. *TR

THE FIREWALL IS FLEXING UNDER CLUTCH PEDAL MOVEMENT OR BRAKING. UPON RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS CLAIMS BY 08/09 IMPREZA OWNERS OF SOFT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL CRACKING AND CAUSING THE FIREWALL TO FLEX UNDER OPERATION OF THE BRAKES OR CLUTCH. FURTHER FAILURE OF THE WELDS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF BRAKING OR CLUTCH OPERATION IS FURTHER DEGRADED. SUBARU OF AMERICA DENIES THAT THERE ARE CLAIMS TO THIS EFFECT THOUGH THERE IS DOCUMENTATION ON THE INTERNET TO THE CONTRARY. ISSUE SHOULD CAUSE A RECALL AS IT IS QUITE COMMON AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING ON COLD START UP. COMPRESSION TEST WAS PERFORMED AND CYL 4 RESULTED IN ~50-70 PSI, WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF THE SUBARU SPECIFICATION. SHORTBOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT APPROX 20,000 MILES. NO ROOT CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. *TT

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

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

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