[Albino83]

After my recent HG issues and talk in a couple different threads I have decided to spearhead the effort to send a packet of complaints to the CEO and various other executives of Subaru.

What I think would be effective is a letter from each individual that includes name, a method of contact, information on your Forester and background on how and when your head gasket issue occurred.

Once we have enough letters I will write up a cover letter and send the whole package off.

If you have thoughts or suggestions on this please post.

Thanks

Steve

 

[flstffxe]

I definitely think this is a good start. A group letter from a rather public forum should start to draw some attention and hopefully move the issue farther up the food chain, vs the customer service reps, warranty reps and tech reps the crowed has dealing with up to this point.

It needs to come across not as a whining fest(that will end up in the trash) but as a wake up call to the CEOs and board members that this is an issue that has grown big enough to affect future sales. As I said in your '07 HG thread Albino83 I would also include a cheap small flash drive containing the info in a PDF form as it allows easy presentation in meetings.

 

[JBX]

...but as a wake up call to the CEOs and board members that this is an issue that has grown big enough to affect future sales...

I would stress that point. When I was doing research into a Subaru as my first choice for a new vehicle, the head gasket issue loomed large on the negative side. And, despite apparent evidence that Subaru has solved that problem in the past few model years, I'm still somewhat skeptical that it's a permanent fix but Subaru's many other positive traits convinced me to buy one and see how it goes. So far, I love the damn thing.

But head gaskets? I've been driving for many years, have owned a wide variety of cars and trucks starting with a well-used Triumph TR-3, and have never had to replace a head gasket on any of them...and I've seen the 100,000 mile mark more than a few times on those rides.

 

[rallymaniac]

whomever has too much time on their hands please type up a universal template and i'll gladly put my info on it.

 

[Jared_N]

I had thought they had already addressed consumer frustration with the issue years ago by extending the warranty on the affected cars to cover this for longer than usual.

Yes, it sucks that it happened on an 07, but **** happens, that's what extended warranties are for.

With that said, they have been known to help people out if they are outside warranty, so it all depends.

 

[moengel]

Warranties, generally, are for unforeseen manufacturing defects. Design defects that conveniently manifest themselves shortly after the factory warranties expire are different and I think Subaru should know that many feel that this issue is not resolved and may affect their next vehicle purchase.

 

[erikwi]

Warranties, generally, are for unforeseen manufacturing defects. Design defects that conveniently manifest themselves shortly after the factory warranties expire are different and I think Subaru should know that many feel that this issue is not resolved and may affect their next vehicle purchase.

May affect next vehicle purchase? It is going to affect my next vehicle purchase. One HG leak I dismissed as a factory defect (bad gasket, improper assembly,etc) but now that I have a second leak on the same side they fixed, I am believing the other thread that it is a design flaw, likely related to the open deck design on a horizontally opposed engine and possibly poor workmanship on the part of the dealer. Subaru is heading in the same direction as Toyota as far as I'm concerned.

 

[neoshi]

I'm in. High sodium levels were just reported in my UOA from last week. Ugh. Just let me know what I need to do.

Oh we should include a template letter (as to who we should write to, general format, etc)

 

[RayinAlaska]

After my recent HG issues and talk in a couple different threads I have decided to spearhead the effort to send a packet of complaints to the CEO and various other executives of Subaru.

What I think would be effective is a letter from each individual that includes name, a method of contact, information on your Forester and background on how and when your head gasket issue occurred.

Once we have enough letters I will write up a cover letter and send the whole package off.

If you have thoughts or suggestions on this please post.

Thanks

Steve

I would notify Consumer Reports, too, at least so they are aware of this problem.

 

[RayinAlaska]

Warranties, generally, are for unforeseen manufacturing defects. Design defects that conveniently manifest themselves shortly after the factory warranties expire are different and I think Subaru should know that many feel that this issue is not resolved and may affect their next vehicle purchase.

Also, Subaru's extended warranty is not very long like other automobile manufacturers.

A coworker of mine was thinking of buying a new Forester after looking at mine, but I will have to tell him about the head gasket issue with some Subaru automobiles. And then Toyota is going to offer around $2K discounts for their vehicles, and free warranty schedule maintenance. I imagine that one would have to pay for the oil and filters, but the labor cost will be free.

By the way, I drive a 1987 Civic Si to work each day. I drove this car from Vermont (where I purchased it), to Seattle, and then to Alaska. It shows over 250,000 miles on the odometer, and I have never had to replace but oil, filters, the timing belt at 150,000 miles, brake pads and shoes, CV boots, the antifreeze long ago, spark plugs, rotor, distributor cap, spark plug cables, and other minor stuff. No wheel bearings, and no head gaskets.

 

[neoshi]

Here's the person we need to write to:

Yoshio Hasunuma, CEO
Subaru Of America
2235 Route 70 West
Cherry Hill NJ 08002

We should inquire around NASIOC and RS25 to see if there are any 2.5i people with the same issue.

 

[erikwi]

I would notify Consumer Reports, too, at least so they are aware of this problem.

Wrote to them after my HG was replaced. Didn't get a response but I did notice they've lowered their used car reliablity verdict to average in the latest Buyer's Guide.

 

[JBX]

By the way, I drive a 1987 Civic Si to work each day. I drove this car from Vermont (where I purchased it), to Seattle, and then to Alaska. It shows over 250,000 miles on the odometer, and I have never had to replace but oil, filters, the timing belt at 150,000 miles, brake pads and shoes, CV boots, the antifreeze long ago, spark plugs, rotor, distributor cap, spark plug cables, and other minor stuff. No wheel bearings, and no head gaskets.

Similarly, my work car is a 1996 Dodge Intrepid...with some 167,000 miles on the clock now, the heads have never been off. Moreover, that era of Dodge's 24 valve SOHC 3.5 V6 is not an interference engine. If you break a cam belt the car stops, you tow it home and replace the belt, and keep on truckin'.

 

[MudRunner]

Give us some form of a template, and I'm in for sure (for my '00 BH).

Neoshi, how many miles do you have? Our MY'05 Foz is racing up on 160k, still good UOA's.

My next Subbie will definitely be turbocharged. For reliability's sake. :lol:

 

[neoshi]

65,996 at last UOA. Probably should have checked more thoroughly prior to 60,000 but I was pretty caught up in my failed 4EAT.

 

[Albino83]

I will et a template thrown together by the end of the day and get it posted on here so everyone can reference it.

As far as crap happening, yup it does and plenty of other things have happened to the Forester that I don't complain about. However when there has been a known issue for years and said issue was suppose to have been improved after the 05 model year at the very least I would like Subaru to know my displeasure in the fact that they obviously have not fixed the issue.

 

[neoshi]

I finished my first draft last night. Included the failure of my 4EAT. This obvious HG weep and high sodium in oil is my limit of tolerance :\

 

[TC2000]

Maybe if we all complain enough and to the right people, Subaru will grease us squeaky wheels with a 100,000 warranty to keep us quiet

 

[Subie 2003]

Can someone fill me in on the UOA....what does it mean, how to test.

I thought the HG issue was addressed and resolved somewhat back in 03-04???

 

[neoshi]

UOA = used oil analysis

Go here for a kit: http://www.blackstone-labs.com/free-test-kits.php
Cost is $22.50 for testing. They send results via PDF to your email and a hard copy the first time.

We thought it was resolved too, only to find weeps and leaks galore apparently.