Interior Name: Tony J. Make: 2001 Legacy GT Limited 5 speed Mileage: 20000 Time Out Of Use: ~1 week Problem And Likely Cause: Mildew smell likely caused by a leak somwhere in the car Reason Given For Denial: Problem is due to "outside influences" Your Story: My wife's Legacy GT LTD developed a horrible mildew-type smell inside the cabin earlier this year. It has been in the shop (Greg Carter's Puyallup Subaru) a total of 3 times. During the first visit, they supposedly dropped the headliner to check for water damage, leak tested the sunroof, and disinfected the A/C airbox. The smell was still there On the second visit, they lifted the carpets to check for signs of wetness. None were found. They told us to leave the ventillation system in recirculate mode for 2 weeks to allow a disinfectant to circulate. Didn't help On the third visit, they had a representative from SOA, Nancy Lawrence, come out to take a look at the car. The car was put up on a lift and they checked the undercarriage. I received a call from the technician on the 5th day that the car had been in the shop. The tech said that this was not a warrantable repair because the smell was supposedly coming from outside the car and that they found sand and seaweed (???) in the frame rails. I called Nancy Lawrence to ask her to explain why the car was being refused coverage. She claimed that the smell seemed to be coming from the rear rocker panel drains and that we should have them steam cleaned. This car has never been abused. We have never left the sunroof open or submerged the car in water. My theory is that in order to prevent us from coming in for the fourth visit, after which we would be able to proceed with lemon-law actions, they made a half-assed diagnosis so they wouldn't have to deal with us anymore. A few weeks ago, we received a letter from Nancy Lawrence of SOA that essentially accused us of submerging the car in water. My wife has contacted the Washington State Attorney General's office to ask if a fourth visit is really neccessary and according to them it is, but if Subaru won't look at our car, I don't know what else to do about it. Name: Andrew H. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 43,000m Time Out Of Use: 1 day Problem And Likely Cause: Catastrophic failure of seat rail Reason Given For Denial: Out of new-car warranty period Your Story: Driver's side outboard seat mounting rail suffered a catastrophic failure, resulting in a seat that was no longer attached to the rail slider at the front left corner. Metal fatigue allowed a bolt head to pull completely through the slider, ripping a large chunk of steel with it. New seat rail lists for approximately US$97, and I repaired it myself. Name: Bora O. Make: 200 Impreza RS Mileage: 30,000m Time Out Of Use: N/A Problem And Likely Cause: Speedometer no longer works Reason Given For Denial: Will not replace because the gauge surround is painted Your Story: The dash is painted on the car so they will not replace the speedometer. Called SOA customer support and they told me they have to go by what their dealers say, which makes me wonder what is the point of even having a customer support line if they do nothing. Name: Lee K. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 30.2k Time Out Of Use: 0 Problem And Likely Cause: Hole in carpet around dead pedal Modifications: At the time none Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Wear and tear Your Story: What can I say- SOA wants me to take it to dealers till I find one who will fit it. They also refused to let me see their rep. Name: Lee K. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 30.2K Time Out Of Use: 18 hours + Problem And Likely Cause: Front drivers Window clunking when going up or down (Window regulator lose due to movement in inner door panel) Modifications: None Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: 3 times it came loose on the drivers door. Now I need to have the rear passenger window looked at, as it's developing the same problem. Name: Lee K. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 30.2k Time Out Of Use: Nil Problem And Likely Cause: Broken dash cup holder, broken for the second time. First time it broke because the pin holding the spring is hollow and snapped off. I glued it in and now I am waiting to take it in to have it repaired). Modifications: Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Waiting Reason Given For Denial: Name: Lee K. Make: 2002 Impreza RS, WRX Mileage: 7,600 Time Out Of Use: Problem And Likely Cause: Broken glove box release handle (broke on opening- both have snapped in the same place on both cars) Modifications: N/A Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Name: Tommy D. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 24K Time Out Of Use: 1.5 hours Problem And Likely Cause: Fan only works in #4 position Modifications: None Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: Checked the fuse and it was good. They ended replacing the blower motor. Works just fine now. Great service! Name: Brian L. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 26K Time Out Of Use: 10 days Problem And Likely Cause: Front drivers Window clunking when going up or down (Window regulator lose due to movement in inner door panel) Modifications: BOV, ALK Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: N/A Your Story: It clunks pretty consistently when going down, but doesn't happen when going up. Car is currently at dealer getting fixed. Name: Jeff B. Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 13000 Time Out Of Use: 0 Problem And Likely Cause: Hole in driver side carpet. Wear and tear that should not be seen in a car that had 11,000 miles on it when the hole was 1st noticed. Modifications: N/A Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): No Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: Name: Rich Hare Make: 2002 Impreza WRX Mileage: 10,000 Time Out Of Use: 3 hours Problem: Fabric on drivers seat fraying Mods: None that would cause this Submitted for warranty work: Yes Reason for Denial: Normal wear and tear Story: Noticed fabric coming apart. Took car into dealer, they at first denied service claiming it was normal wear and tear. Explained that car only had 10,000 miles on it and if this was normal than "Pigs could fly". Seat cover was eventually replaced under warranty. Name: Big Joe Make: Subaru Mileage: 30000 something Time Out Of Use: 3 hours Problem And Likely Cause: Driver side window stuck open, window regulator loose Modifications: None Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: My window started with loud screaching noises at the corner near the mirror. After a while it would not close at the top, window was out of alignment and prevented the door closing. The very top of the window was touching the upper part of the door seal, thus the door not closing. I had to leave a 1/2 inch gap of the window open at the top in order to close the door. Now the funny part. While coming home from work in dowtown L.A., a homeless person in a wheel chair was asking for money at the stop light. The first car gave money, being New Year's eve and in the spirit of giving, I opened my window all the way down and handed him some change. Light turns green, he says "Happy New Year and thanks!", I lift up on the window button, and it's stuck! What the ?. Props to Renick Subaru for fixing this quickly and according to the service advisor it was the first Subaru they had problems with the window. Name: Make: 2003 WRX Mileage: 6000 Problem And Likely Cause: Shift knob rattle due to STi Short shift kit Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Says its normal due to harder bushings in the STi short shifter causing excess vibration Your Story: Dealership was very nice, took knob off the shifter shaft, inspected the knob, says the knob is not broken and that the rattle (which only rattles when the knob is on -- when I drive with the knob off there is no rattle) is normal sue to STi ssk assembly. But, nobody else I knows has this rattle with the factory knob and the STi ssk. Suggested to try an aftermarket knob, or bring it back if noise got worse. All I was expecting was a new knob, but couldnt convince them to give me one. Name: Jeremiah M. Make: 2002 WRX Mileage: 17K Time Out Of Use: N/A Problem And Likely Cause: Drivers window sceeches when being opened and closed. Window out of alignment? I've already had them replace the window seal for a wind noise. I've asked to have it fixed three times. Modifications: none Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): yes Reason Given For Denial: Not denied yet, but not fixed yet either. Your Story: screeches almost everytime I roll it up or down. Name: Terence R. Make: 02 WRX Mileage: 6000 Time Out Of Use: 1 day Problem And Likely Cause: Wind noises rushing by window when closed all the way. Screeching of all windows when going up. Modifications: Tinted windows Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: They said I had a defective window pannel and they fixed it. They also had to change all of the weather stripping because that too was defective. I still can kind of hear the wind noise. The screeching is gone. They tighted the back window so much that it has now peeled my tint off. Thanks guys! You turn one problem into another! Name: Terence R. Make: 02 WRX Mileage: 200 at the time Time Out Of Use: 2 hours Problem And Likely Cause: The front passenger side electric door lock switch jammed into the carbon fiber trim and did not work. Modifications: None Submitted For Warranty Work (Yes/No): Yes Reason Given For Denial: Your Story: Got the car. 3 days later I had the problem. They fixed it though.