2006 Subaru Tribeca Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2006 Subaru B9 Tribeca. The contact stated while driving 30 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and was unable to be restarted. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence but was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.

I WAS DRIVING VEHICLE IMA CITY STREET AND VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED OFF. TRIED TO TURN ON THE CAR AGAIN AND IT RAN BUT ONCE AGAIN UNEXPECTEDLY TURNED OFF.

FAULTY AND OR DEFICIENT PART: 'PIPE OIL COOLER' PART # 21328AA121 (PART IS A 11" X 3/4" (THIN) METAL TUBE THAT CONNECTS FROM LOWER DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE, TRAVERSES THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ENGINE AND CONNECTS TO THE BASE OF THE OIL FILTER MOUNT THROUGH THE USE OF RUBBER HOSES THAT TRANSPORTS ENGINE COOLANT.) VEHICLE WAS OBSERVED TO BE OVERHEATING. UPON PERSONAL INSPECTION OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND ONLY UPON REMOVING THE LARGE PLASTIC SPLASH GUARD FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE ABOVE LISTED PART HAD DEVELOPED EXTENSIVE CORROSION, PRINCIPALLY WHERE TWO BRACKETS ARE WELDED TO THE SUBJECT COOLANT TUBE. THE TUBE ADJACENT ONE OF THESE WELDS HAD CORRODED TO THE POINT THAT ENGINE COOLANT WAS ALLOWED TO LEAK OUT AND CAUSE THE OVERHEATING SITUATION. HAD THIS OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY (AND NOT IN MY DRIVEWAY) THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT AND STOP IN TRAFFIC CREATING A HAZARDOUS SITUATION. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE COULD ALSO OCCUR. NOTE, THE PIPE IS MADE OF THIN AND APPARENTLY EASILY CORROSIVE MATERIAL. THE LOCATION OF THE COOLANT PIPE IS UNDERNEATH THE SPLASH SHIELD WHERE IT CAN NOT BE VIEWED UNLESS THE SHIELD IS REMOVED, ALLOWING FOR THE DETERIORATION TO CONTINUE UNNOTICED. WRITER BELIEVES THE SUBJECT PART WAS INADEQUATELY MADE TO STAND UP TO CORROSIVE CONDITIONS FOUND ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION AND SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A MORE RESISTANT MATERIAL TO CORROSION. P.S. TO NHTSA; I HAVE AND WILL PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE FAULTY PART, INVOICE FOR THE OEM REPLACEMENT PART PURCHASED FROM SUBARU, AND THE FAILED PART ITSELF SHOULD YOU DECIDE YOU WANT THEM. *TR

HAD FIRST OIL CHANGE AT DEALERSHIP IN OCTOBER. WHEN WE TOOK THE AUTO TO ANOTHER SERVICE PROVIDER THEY DISCOVERED THE OIL LEVEL OF 5.8 QUARTS ONLY REGISTERED BELOW THE ADD LEVEL ON THE DIPSTICK. UPON MEASURING THE OIL REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY OVERFILLED AMOUNT THE DEALER HAD USED IN ORDER TO MAKE THE DIPSTICK REGISTER FULL. THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEIR OVERFILL WILL CREATE FUTURE FAILURES IN THE VEHICLE AND THEY HAVE REFUSED TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM WITH A CORRECTED DIPSTICK OR CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF OIL RECOMMENDED. WE STILL DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER AS THE WHETHER IT'S A DEFECTIVE DIPSTICK OR AN ERRONEOUS STATEMENT OF REQUIRED OIL FOR THE VEHICLE. WE ARE NOT ABLE TO VERIFY WHAT IS THE CORRECT AMOUNT FOR THE NEXT OIL CHANGE OR WHERE IT SHOULD REGISTER ON THE CURRENT DIPSTICK. IN AN EFFORT NOT TO OVERFILL THE LEVEL REMAINS BELOW THE ADD MARK ON THE DIPSTICK WITH 5.8 QUARTS AS STATED IN THE MANUAL. CONTINUE TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLY/PROBABILITY THAT OIL LEVEL PREVIOUS OR CURRENT WILL CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE. *JB