Manufacturer: FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES U.S.A., INC. (C/O SUBARU OF AMERICA)
Manufacturer Id: 1075
Model: Impreza
Model Year: 1997
Note: Body Type: Sport Wagon
Other Restraint System Info: SRS Airbag
Plant City: Ota
Plant Company Name: FHI
Plant Country: Japan
Plant State: Gunma
Seat Belts All: Manual
Transmission Speeds: 5
Transmission Style: Manual/Standard
Trim: L
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN SUBARU DECIDED TO NO LONGER SERVICE MY VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. LEADING UP TO WHEN I HAD TO SELL THE VEHICLE ON 8/23/2001 I HAD THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AT 43,460 MILES. THE LEFT HEAD GASKET CHANGED ON 12/28/2001 AT 48,817 MILES. THE AIRFLOW METER SENSOR WAS RECALLED ON 7/22/2002 WITH 55,797 MILES. THE CLUTCH WOULD STICK TO THE FLOOR SO I HAD TO HAVE THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER GRAVITY BLED ON 7/22/2002 AS WELL. THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING WENT OUT AGAIN ON 8/9/2002 WITH 57,454. ALL THE ABOVE THING WERE REPLACE AND PERFORMED UNDER WARRANTY. I PERSONALLY HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE THE RIGHT VALVE COVER GASKET, ALTERNATOR BELT, O2 SENSOR, KNOCK SENSOR, FUEL PUMP, AND EXHAUST Y PIPE. I SOLD THE CAR BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKET STARTED TO GO OUT AGAIN, THE CLUTCH NEED REPLACED, AND THE TRANSMISSION GEAR OIL, AND MOTOR OIL WERE BOTH LEAKING. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN TO SUBARU (LOCALLY AND NATIONALLY) AND THEY WERE UNWILLING TO HELP WITH THE REPAIR OF THE HEAD GASKET SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE SCHEDULED COOLANT SERVICE PERFORMED AT SUBARU. WELL I HAD WITHIN A COUPLE MILES. SUBARU CHANGED THE FIRST HEAD GASKET AT 48,817 MILES AND IT WHEN OUT AGAIN AT 82,796 MILES A DIFFERENCE OF AROUND 33,000 AND THE SERVICE IS SCHEDULED FOR EVERY 30,000 MILES. *AK
1997
WHEELS:CAP/COVER/HUB
THE ORIGINAL HUBCAPS ARE A SAFETY VIOLATION. SUBARU MADE A VERY BAD ENGINEERING DESIGN. THEY FASTENED A PLASTIC RING WITH HOLES TO EACH RIM THAT THE HUBCAPS ARE SUPPOSED TO FIT IN WITH A TWIST. THE PROBLEM IS THE AMOUNT OF FORCE OR POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH THAT'S REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE HUBCAP SO ONE CAN CHANGE A TIRE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. A SPECIAL TOOL TO DO THIS IS PROVIDED (AN AFTERTHOUGHT BY THE COMPANY -OOPS). PUTTING THE HUBCAPS ON IS MORE DIFFICULT AND EITHER WAY THE TOOL HAS TO BE RESTRAIGHTENED AT LEAST ONCE PER TIRE. I'VE RECENTLY RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY AND I'M IN GOOD SHAPE. I'M (6'& 188 LBS) AND I HAVE TO STRUGGLE TO REMOVE THE HUBCAPS. MY DAUGHTER COULD NOT EVEN COME CLOSE TO REMOVING THE HUBCAP. SHE CAN WORK A JACK AND THE LUGNUTS BUT CANNOT TAKE THE HUBCAP OFF. WOMEN, SENIOR CITIZENS, AND MANY MEN CAN NOT PROVIDE THE LPS PER INCH TO REMOVE THE WHEELCOVER WHICH IS NECESSARY TO GET TO THE LUGNUTS. I WAS TOLD THAT SUBARU ONLY HAD THIS TYPE OF WHEELCOVER FOR 1996 & 1997. DO I HAVE TO REMOVE THESE RINGS AND PURCHASE NEW WHEELCOVERS SO I KNOW MY DAUGHTER WILL NOT GET STRANDED FROM A FLAT TIRE? I THINK SUBARU MISSED A VERY BASIC SAFETY MARK HERE AND SHOULD RECTIFY THE SITUATION.