[sperry]

Oh my.. don't get me started:

Here's a copy of the report I filed with Subaru of America, as posted on www.deniedmywarranty.org

Name: Scott P

Make: 2002 WRX

Mileage: ~14000 at time of problem

Time Out Of Use: n/a

Case Number/Repair Order: SOA Case Number 374 524

Problem And Likely Cause: Vibration and noise under deceleration caused by a defective clutch

Reason Given For Denial: "It's normal"

Modifications: Removed Air Silencer, K&N Air Filter, Alarm, Turbo Timer, Rear Swaybar

Your Story:
Dealer 1:
Lithia Reno Subaru
2270 Kietzke Lane
Reno, NV 89502
Phone: (775) 825-8474
Toll Free: 1-800-495-6060
Fax: (775) 825-8230
Email: leads_renosubaru@lithia.com


Dealer 2:
Michael Hohl Subaru
4500 N. Carson St.
Carson City, NV 89706
Phone: (775) 885-0400
Fax: (775) 885-8572


Thursday, Mar 21, 2002
I went by Lithia Reno Subaru Service Dept. and talked to John. Explained my clutch was making a buzzing noise under deceleration between 2500-3500 rpms. Said I had noticed it since the day I got the car, but assumed it was normal. Explained that I've recently heard other people have had this problem, and that it was a known problem with a known solution available via the SOA tech line.

Brought a printout that summarized the tech line information:
- Rattle under de-cel usually in 3rd gear, 4000-2000 Rpm usually.
- Increase rear tire pressure 4 psi, decrease front 4 psi, should get louder. Do the opposite, should get quieter.
- If the last six digits of you VIN are lower than 515611, you have the old type clutch from the factory. If your motor number is less than 331738 (white tag, hard to find), you have the old clutch from the factory.
- The official subaru tech line fix (as of today), is IF your car HAS the OLD clutch parts as indicated by the VIN and Motor numbers, IT IS TO BE REPLACED BY THE FOLLOWING PARTS:

30100AA790 - Disc
30210AA530 - Cover (pressure plate)
12342AA050 - Flywheel
800610740 - Bolts

Service Rep (John) told me that he can't do warranty work on my car just because I bring him a printout of a problem. I told him that I just want to schedule a time to get a tech ride-a-long so a tech could diagnose the problem. John scheduled me for Wed, Mar 27, 2002 for an 8am ride-a-long.

Wednesday, Mar 27, 2002
Arrived for ride-along at 8:30. John's technician Mike rode with me. After demonstrating the noise, Mike told me he knows what noise I'm talking about. He tells me he has a WRX and his car makes the same noise and he thinks that it's normal. I show Mike the above-mentioned printout, and a copy of an invoice from another dealer who has fixed a similar problem:

A CUSTOMER STATES CHECK FOR ENGINE NOISE, SEE HISTORY
ENG ENGINE REPAIR / DIAGNOSTICS
343 WS (N/C)
1 30100AA790 DISC CP CLUTCH (N/C)
1 30210AA530 COVER CP CLUTCH (N/C)
1 12342AA050 FLY WHL AY FLEX (N/C)
8 800610740 BOLT (N/C)


4315 ENGINE NOISE WARRENTY TEST DROVE WITH CUSTOMER, HEARD ON DECEL A GROWLING NOISE FROM FRANS, OR TURBO AREA. CHECKED READINGS WITH NSM ALL READINGS APPEAR NORMAL, CHECKED TRANS FLUID OK. CALLED TECH LINE AND TALKED TO MIKE. AFTER CHANGING TIRE PSI AND SEVERAL TEST DRIVES WE DETERMINED NOISE RO BE COMING FROM THE CLUTCH. ORDERED PARTS WITH #S GIVEN TO ME FROM THE TECH LINE. REMOVED TRANS, REPLACED FLYWHEEL, PILOT BEARING, PRESSURE PLATE AND DISC. REASSEMBLED AND TEST DROVE.HEARD NO OTHER ABNORMAL NOISES. 2.0 TURBO MANUAL TRANS AWD.
************************************************** **
B WARRENTY PAIN RENTAL
WARRRENT WARRENTY PAID RENTAL
343 WS (N/C)
4315
************************************************** **


I explained to mike that I’ve heard the clutch problem is common on early WRXs. Mike was interested to call the tech line. We went back to John. Mike tells John he heard the noise, but thought it was normal. John immediately agrees the noise was normal. Mike shows him the second printout, John tells me he’ll have to do some research on the topic, and that he’ll call me as soon as he has more information.

I left Subaru at 8:50am. Did not receive a call. Called Subaru at 4:30pm talked to John. John tells me that he has a called placed with the tech line and is waiting for them to call him back.

5:15pm, John calls my work number, but I am away from my desk. Leaves a message for me to call him.

5:20pm, I return John’s phone call. He tells me his tech Mike called the tech line and spoke with the Mike listed on the Carr Subaru Invoice. John tells me his tech has determined the noise to be normal, and he can’t replace anything if there’s no problem. I ask John what the tech line said. John tells me again that his tech says the noise is normal because his tech has a WRX and he knows what they sound like. John tells me if I have a problem with any of this to call the Subaru of America customer service number. John never tells me what the tech line said, and has determined my car is normal without following the testing procedure the tech line should have given him.

Thursday, March 28, 2002
Called Subaru, talked to John. Asked John to fax me my service record. John says he’s not allowed to fax it, only the office manager Bill Metgart can fax it to me, and he’s out till Monday. I ask John to reiterate what the tech line said about my car. John says he already told me. I ask again, so John forwards my call to Mike the technician that did the ride-along and called the tech line. I ask Mike what the tech line says. Mike tells me the tech line says the noise is normal gear noise. I asked I ask him if the tech line gave him a testing procedure to determine if the sound was from the clutch or not. He says yes they did. I ask how can he determine the noise is normal when the test was not performed on my car. He tells me the sound is from the transmission. I ask again, how can he know that without performing the test. He says I should call the Service Dept. back, and they will schedule a District Service Operations Manager to check out my car. Called John back. Explain that I’d like to make sure all the discussions we’ve had are noted on my service record. John tells me there’s no way for him to edit my service record. I tell him Mike was given a testing procedure that was not performed on my car before determining everything was normal, and that I must have that noted on my service record. John tells me if I bring my car by, he can have a tech look at it and generate a service record. I tell him that I’d just like the non-test of my car noted. He told me Bill Metgart will be in the office at 1pm today, and that he’d talk with Bill about fixing my service record. I asked him to make sure Bill Metgart calls me when he gets in, John agrees.

Called Subaru of America, talked to Eric. Received case number: 374 524. Eric suggested two possible courses of action: 1) Schedule a meeting at Lithia Subaru with a District Service Operations Manager to have the car inspected by SOA, or 2) go to another dealer, and start over. I decided to call Michael Hohl Subaru in Carson City. I scheduled an appointment for Monday at 9am to have the clutch evaluated. Never heard from Bill Metgart.

Monday, April 01, 2002
Went to Michael Hohl Subaru in Carson City for my 9am appointment. Not only was the service staff friendly and helpful, their technician already knew of the problem, and the solution. It took me all of 2 minutes from walking in the door, to having my parts on order. Hopefully in a week the installation will go just as smoothly.

This leaves me very disappointed with the staff at Lithia Reno Subaru. I had assumed that they were perhaps under stiff constraints regarding warranty work, and had to make sure there was a definitive problem with the car. Now I believe they simply wished to avoid servicing my car… for whatever reasons I cannot understand. Lithia Reno Subaru will never get my business again, and I will recommend to everyone that may consider going there to make the 20 minutes drive to Carson City to visit Michael Hohl Subaru instead.

I'd have sumarized it, but even that tires me out these days. I can't believe you got LITHIA to do the work. Did they fire John or something!?