Recalls
Subaru Impreza: 11V464000
RepairPal Expert Overview
Our Quick Take:
One or both front lower control arms may break due to corrosion from road salt.
What Should You Do?
Subaru will notify owners of affected vehicles during November, 2011. If your vehicle is, or has been, operated in areas where salt is used to de-ice the roads, or you don't receive notification and you feel you should have, please contact your dealer. It's helpful to have your vehicle identification number (VIN) when you call.
Summary:
The front lower control arms may break at the hanger brackets due to corrosion. This corrosion is commonly a result of the hanger bracket being exposed to salty conditions, such as roads where salt is used as a snow melting agent. A broken control arm can result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect the affected control arms and rustproof or replace them as necessary. The Subaru recall number is WVX-34.
Model Year(s): 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Mfr's Report Date:
September 6, 2011
NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number: 11V464000
NHTSA Action Number: PE11011
Component: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
Potential Number of Units Affected: 295123
Summary: SUBARU IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002-2007 IMPREZA, MODEL YEAR 2003-2008 FORESTER, AND MODEL YEAR 2005-2006 SAAB 9-2X VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 5, 2000 THROUGH NOVEMBER 26, 2007 ORIGINALLY SOLD, OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN, MASSACHUSETTS, MARYLAND, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, IOWA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW JERSEY, OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, WEST VIRGINIA AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS MAY BREAK AT THE HANGER BRACKETS DUE TO CORROSION IF THE HANGER BRACKET IS EXPOSED TO SALTY AND HUMID ENVIRONMENTS SUCH AS ROADS CONTAINING SNOW MELTING AGENT.
Consequence: A BROKEN CONTROL ARM CAN RESULT IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: SUBARU DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE DEGREE OF CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS, AND WILL EITHER RUSTPROOF OR REPLACE THEM. THIS SERVICE WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783.
Notes: THIS IS SUBARU'S SAFETY RECALL NUMBER WVX-34. OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV .
Recall data provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Subaru is not treating this as a serious situation, CAR CRASHES. The dealerships I called in the area are over a month out with appointments. Subaru 800 number was lame, telling me to drive further, providing dealership location twice the distance. I know where they are, do something I can't do, provide real help. We are not going to drive the car till it is inspected. It has over 191,000 miles, over 9 years old and driven in a very salty state. This is a lemon law situation and it not being treated as serious. It's not as if we want an oil change or something that can wait. Don't buy a Subaru, they don't deal with faulty components. They didn't remedy a head gasket nor faulty valve situation that set us back thousands of dollars, yet were obvious problems with the car from the get go. Stay away from Subaru, Forester or otherwise, used or new.
We took our car in for inspection and they replaced both control arms in December 2011. Now it is March 2012 and our Subaru dealership has found holes in the frame that the control arms are attached too. Subaru Dealership told us it would cost another $900.00 and they would pay for 1/2 of it. We forwarded the paper work for this recall and Subaru only reimbursed us $858.40 for an approxiate $1,200.00 bill. Now they want us to pay $900.00 more for a faulty frame....don't buy a Subaru they don't stand by their product.