2005 Subaru Wrx

STRONG GASOLINE ODOR SMELL INSIDE CAR. HAPPENS WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS VERY COLD, BELOW 15 DEGREES. THIS ISSUE IS SIMILAR TO THAT REPORTED IN EARLIER MODEL WRXS. SEE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V468000 WHICH ADDRESSED LEAKING FUEL LINES AT COLD TEMPERATURES. OTHER COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS ONE HAVE BEEN FILED FOR WRXS YEARS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. *TR

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

NORMAL CITY AND HIGHWAY COMMUTING. WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE HAD A VIOLENT DROP IN SPEED , AND A METAL CLANKING NOISE. WAS HEARD. THE ENGINE DIED, AS A RESULT LOST POWER STEERING. I MANAGED TO SAFELY BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. IT WAS AS ABLE TO DRIVE IT DESPITE THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF FREQUENTLY TO THE DEALER. THEY REPORTED TO ME THAT THE TURBOCHARGER FAILED, AND I HAD 4 TWISTED AXLES, HALF-SHAFTS REPLACED. THEY HAD TO PLACE A CALL TO SUBARU TO SEE ABOUT COVERING THE FAILURE. I HEARD NOTHING, BUT AFTER CALLING THEY SAID SUBARU WOULD NOT COVER THE FAILURE, BUT WOULD NOT SAY WHY. I WENT IN LATER AND REQUESTED A WRITTEN STATEMENT THAT THEY REFUSED TO COVER IT AND WHY. IT WAS THEN I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS DUE TO ALLEGED ABUSE. THE PROOF OF THIS WAS THE PRESENCE OF CLUB STICKERS AND AFTERMARKET PARTS WHICH HAD NO BEARING ON THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. THEY STATED THE PRESENCE OF THESE THINGS IMPLIED ABUSE TO THE CAR. THEY REFUSED TO FIX IT UNLESS I PAYED. THEY OFFERED NOTHING , BUT A 800 NUMBER TO COMPLAIN TO SUBARU OF AMERICA. I AM CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS WITH SOA AND EVERYONE IS BEING VERY UNCOOPERATIVE. I FELT BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE OF MY AGE. I AM YOUNGER , THEREFORE, I MUST BE ABUSED OR RACE THE CAR.*AK

UNDER NORMAL CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY COMMUTING THE TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH PEDAL STOPPED DELIVERING POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. I MANAGED TO SAFELY GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER REFUSED TO COVER WORN CLUTCH UNDER WARRANTY DESPITE WEAR ITEMS COVERED UNDER THE 3 YEAR//36000 MILE COVERAGE. CAR WAS AROUND 20000 MILES. DEALER GAVE ME A FEELING THAT I WAS DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BECAUSE I WAS A YOUNG MAN WITH A SPORTY CAR, THEREFORE, I MUST RACE IT AND ABUSE IT. I HAVE OLD PARTS IN MY GARAGE. THEY DID, HOWEVER, COVER BRAKE PADS AT ANOTHER TIME.*AK