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I have 2009 Forester (built 4/08) with 19500 miles. I took it in for a "whirring" noise above 20 mph. They called me back, saying it has a bad driveshaft. There are none in the country, so they have to order one 
Bad driveshaft?! 2009 Forester (built 4/08) with 19500 miles
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Maybe the problem is not the driveshaft? I would not contact Subaru via E-mail. Instead, I would write a formal letter, or call on the telephone and talk to one of the managers.
I hope the dealer is reimbursing you for a loaner car. If not, I'd squawk very loudly. Good luck,
Steve
09 2.5X AT
Steve
09 2.5X AT
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Sad to hear.
I'd probably ask for the warranty as well. Not sure about all those free parts though... that might make them less willing to cater to frustration...
A replacement vehicle will most likely be a used vehicle too.
I'd probably ask for the warranty as well. Not sure about all those free parts though... that might make them less willing to cater to frustration...
A replacement vehicle will most likely be a used vehicle too.
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Probably not a part that they expect to fail so soon and they haven't made many spares (but there should be some...), so they need to source it from Japan, where the parts are manufactured.
I wonder if the slowdown is at the supply chain or the dealership?
2010 driveshaft might have a different PN.. not sure. But that's assuming there is a 2010 driveshaft available too.
The SH gen seems to be full of issues eh...
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We went to that dealership before while looking for a '10 Forester and I wasn't very impressed with that place (we ended up buying the '10 at N. Reading Subie instead).
Sorry to hear of your problems -- good luck with it, and I hope that SOA will do the right thing.
Regards,
paul...
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I got mine at Cityside in Belmont, but Subaru of Wakefield is right down the street from me. Small and very busy dealership.
Sorry to hear of your troubles and yes, 7 weeks is a bit excessive for repairs on a new vehicle and were it me, I would keep very good records of everything so that you could possibly Lemon Law the vehicle in the future if need be.
Having been in manufacturing, I understand better than some that crap happens but moreover, I also understand that products built at different times, especially new models can and do suffer growing pains due to sub assembly issues, employee confusion or the lack of adequate training on the new manufacturing procedures and the list goes on, including but not limited to the occasional drunk botching his job after a 12 beer lunch break and although not common, I am sure it happens in more factories than we care to think about.
There was once a new model we were manufacturing, a 19 foot pleasure boat that required a newer type and application method for the flotation foam which allowed the boat to be swamped but still maintain it's flotation. The family that bought the boat ended up swamping it and instead of floating at the "rub rail" line as advertised, it sank below the windshield and clearly there was an issue and although not life threatening, something the family may have been able to sue for. Instead of suing, the owner ended up calling the factory after the boat made it's way to us for inspection and although it took us a couple of weeks to sort out the issue, the man was patient and after being informed that the chemical mix coming from the foam application gun had been adjusted improperly according to previous specs, the man was happy enough and just wanted his boat back.
He lived nearby the factory and so we told him he could take out any loaner boat he liked until his boat was ready and he appreciated that as well as the larger models available for use and especially liked the 24 footer he got to borrow and raved about the additional space and power, an obvious hint to an upgrade for anyone paying attention. After the owner was informed of the man's patience and cooperation with our dilemma as well as his satisfaction with the larger model, the owner of the company phoned him up, told him he was aware how much he liked the 24' loaner and asked him if it would be OK if we simply traded boats with him at no cost or he could have his choice of new 19 footers if he preferred and have his choice of options installed, whatever he wanted.
Of course the boat owner was quite satisfied with the resolution and chose to upgrade to the larger model for free and although he was treated very well, I know the boat company owner and the man would have been hard pressed to get anything back but a direct replacement if he had pushed the issue but instead, was given the royal treatment for his patience. Although this isn't usually the case, sometimes it pays to be a bit more understanding when dealing with the people that have the power to make those sorts of decisions and speaking with the right people helps as well, however if the guy were angry, impatient or belligerent, he never would have gotten to speak to the owner in the first place.
As far as getting Subaru to compensate you for the inconvenience, you may be stretching their good will a bit in this particular case and that's quite the list you developed. While certainly it is in their best interest to accommodate you with a newer loaner vehicle, an extended warranty and possibly even a few add ons thrown in, there is always a limit to a company's "good will" and in the end, I think you may get further with them if you are "nice but insistent" rather than "angry and demanding" because ultimately it is up to them how well you are treated beyond what they are legally obligated to do for you.
I am certainly not saying that 7 weeks to fix a nearly new vehicle is acceptable but you should realize that ultimately it will be their "good will" rather than legal obligations that gets you any "extras" and they will likely be much more inclined to grant you the maximum amount of those based upon "persistence and patience" rather than what they may consider to be "impatience and belligerence" on your part and I'm not saying this is right, I'm just saying that's the way it is.
I wish you the best of luck with it and hope everything works out.
^^ Very well said Papa D.
Also not knowing why the drive shaft is defective takes a lot of the credibility of the dealership away in my opinion. The only thing in my mind on the drive shaft that may create a "whirring noise" would be the hanger bearing. Sadly I don't see getting two drive shafts with bad hanger bearings, you can almost certainly be assured they were not part of the same manufacturing lot, too much time has passed since the vehicle was produced. Before condemning the drive shaft I would be looking at other items in the drivetrain. If this last replacement was "defective" the same way as the original, I have a gut feeling the replacement you are waiting for now will be "defective"too.
As for the delay in receiving a replacement, I can totally understand the time it is taking. Parts like this are the kind that may have to come through a chain of suppliers considering Subaru may not be making it in house.
A loaner is a loaner, it is not yours, so what if it has 200K on it as long as it goes from point A to point B. I would just be happy I was getting a loaner if I didn't have a spare vehicle at home. The only obligation Subaru has is to fix the drive shaft promptly. However that "promptly" may not be as soon as you would like. It is subject to parts availability in the supply chain and shipping time. As Papa D said any thing they do beyond that is good will.
Also not knowing why the drive shaft is defective takes a lot of the credibility of the dealership away in my opinion. The only thing in my mind on the drive shaft that may create a "whirring noise" would be the hanger bearing. Sadly I don't see getting two drive shafts with bad hanger bearings, you can almost certainly be assured they were not part of the same manufacturing lot, too much time has passed since the vehicle was produced. Before condemning the drive shaft I would be looking at other items in the drivetrain. If this last replacement was "defective" the same way as the original, I have a gut feeling the replacement you are waiting for now will be "defective"too.
As for the delay in receiving a replacement, I can totally understand the time it is taking. Parts like this are the kind that may have to come through a chain of suppliers considering Subaru may not be making it in house.
A loaner is a loaner, it is not yours, so what if it has 200K on it as long as it goes from point A to point B. I would just be happy I was getting a loaner if I didn't have a spare vehicle at home. The only obligation Subaru has is to fix the drive shaft promptly. However that "promptly" may not be as soon as you would like. It is subject to parts availability in the supply chain and shipping time. As Papa D said any thing they do beyond that is good will.
FWIW, I once had to wait 3 weeks for a set of brake rotors to be shipped from Goteburg, Sweden. It was tough being w/out a car that long, but I loved that Volvo wagon even more after she was back on the road. Hope it all works out for you,
Steve
09 2.5X AT
Steve
09 2.5X AT
Joined
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Joined
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Good for you and that is awfully "stand up" on their part although I get the feeling that the dealership's lack of being able to determine exactly what the issue was may have had more to do with Subaru's decision than anything else and I suppose they may have felt like cutting their labor losses at the local dealership was the smart play but this is just an educated guess.
I am glad it worked out and now you can write a glowing letter to Subaru and post a thread about how great their customer service is...or not, lol.
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