2008 Subaru WRX Powertrain & Transmission Problems

CLUTCH/BRAKE ASSEMBLY BROKE AWAY FROM FIRE WALL. MAKING CAR UNDRIVABLE

THE WELDS THAT ATTACH THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH PEDDLE TO THE VEHICLE BRAKE AND ALLOW THE WHOLE PEDDLE ASSEMBLY TO MOVE. BECAUSE OF THIS, BRAKING EFFICIENCY AND DRIVE GEAR ENGAGEMENT BECOME COMPROMISED. IN THE EVENT THAT A HARD STOP IS NEEDED, THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY COULD BRAKE AND KEEP THE DRIVER FROM BEING ABLE TO STOP. THIS ISSUE IS A HUGE HAZARD! THIS IS NOT A CONVENIENCE ISSUE, THIS IS A LIFE AND SAFETY ISSUE TO NOT ONLY THE OCCUPANTS OF THE SUBARU BUT EVERYONE ON THE ROAD! I HAVE CONTACTED SOA, AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR MYSELF. THIS REPAIR IS NOT JUST SOME NUTS AND BOLTS COMING LOOSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THIS IS A HUGE REPAIR THAT IS STRUCTURAL TO THE VEHICLE. AT COSTS OF WELL INTO THE THOUSANDS! SOA KNOWS OF THE ISSUE AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT! MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY SITS AT 92K MILES BECAUSE OF THE POOR CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT I HAD TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH AT 78K. I HAVE VIDEO AND PHOTO EVIDENCE TO GO ALONG WITH EVERYTHING THAT IS STATED ABOVE, BUT A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH WILL SHOW YOU THAT THOUSANDS OF SUBARU WRX AND STI OWNERS FROM 2008 TO 2014 ARE OR WILL EXPERIENCE THIS EXACT ISSUE!

FIREWALL SPOT WELDS HAVE FAILED, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT LATERAL PLAY IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL. I HAVE HAD SOME SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE TRYING TO GET IT INTO GEAR. SO I HAVE HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING GEARS WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE HAD TROUBLE GETTING IT IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING SPOT. THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NEXT IN-LINE TO BE AFFECTED BY THE SHEET METAL TEAR. I KEEP HEARING THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY RECALL. NOR IS IT A WARRANTY ITEM AT THIS YEAR AND MILEAGE (105,000). THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND WILL COST A GREAT DEAL (OVER $1000) TO FIX. THIS BEING A WELD ISSUE AND NOT A WEAR ISSUE MAKES ME THINK THAT THE FACTORY OUGHT TO COVER THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF. BUT I HAVE ONLY RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE TRUE EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM.

FIREWALL WELDS BROKE AND CLUTCH NEEDS REPLACEMENT AT 88,000 MILES. THE CLUTCH IS STILL STIFF AND MAKES A CREAKING NOISE DESPITE THE FIREWALL WELDS BEING REPAIRED.

I PURCHASED A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS ENGAGED OR DISENGAGED A CREAK/POP NOISE CAN BE HEARD. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL MOVE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE SPOT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL/BULKHEAD HAVE SEPARATED MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO GET INTO GEAR AND MAKING THE CLUTCH VERY FIRM. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. PEOPLE CAN NOT AFFORD THIS VERY EXPENSIVE WHILE MAKING PAYMENTS ON THEIR VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR ON TRANSMISSION PARTS AS WELL. I HAVE 4 SUBARUS AND IF THEY DON'T MAKE THIS RIGHT I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER. VERY SAD TO SAY CONSIDERING I WORK FOR THEM BUILDING ENGINES.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE I NOTICED WHILE DEPRESSING MY BRAKES OR CLUTCH, I WOULD HEAR A "POPPING SOUND." ALSO I NOTICED THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD MOVE TOWARDS THE LEFT TOGETHER (OPPOSE TO JUST UP AND DOWN) WHEN DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. IT SEEMS LIKE THE WHOLE FIREWALL WHERE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDALS ARE ATTACHED TOO IS MOVING WHEN DEPRESSED. THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME NOW WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

A COUPLE YEARS AGO MY CLUTCH STARTED TO CREAK. I ASKED THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER TO CHECK IT WHEN I TOOK IT IN FOR A SCHEDULED OIL CHANGE. I GOT TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND A PROBLEM. SO I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. I JUST TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND GOT TOLD THE SPOT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL. SUBARU OFFERED TO FIX THE WELDS BUT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. IF THE WELDS TOTALLY FAIL THIS COULD BECOME A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS IT WILL AFFECT THE BRAKE MOTION ALSO.

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALERSHIP IN JANUARY OF 2015 WITH OVER 100,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF DRIVING IT I BEGAN TO HEAR A CLICK EVERY TIME I DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL. I LOOKED INTO THE ISSUE TO SEE IF IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND IF THERE WAS AN EASY FIX TO IT. TURNS OUT SIX OF THE SEVEN SPOT WELDS THAT HOLD MY CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL WERE CRACKED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ALREADY BUT THEY WONT SERVICE VEHICLES PAST 40,000 MILES.THIS DOES NOT HELP ME SEEING AS THE CAR IS FAR PAST 40,000. NOT ONLY IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT IT IS ALSO CAUSING OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT SUCH AS THE CLUTCH AND THE RELEASE BEARING. I NEED HELP.

THE CLUTCH PEDAL ON MY 2008 WRX MAKES A CREAKING AND POPPING NOISE WHEN THE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED/RELEASED. I AM NOT ENTIRELY SURE HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN MAKING THIS NOISE, AND ORIGINALLY I HAD THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT. AFTER READING SOME FORUMS ONLINE, I BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT THE SPOT WELDS ON THE FIREWALL WERE BROKEN. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE WITH THIS MODEL OF CAR. I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND TRY TO GET THE ISSUE RESOLVED. WHEN I SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE PHONE, HE INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND REQUESTED THAT I TAKE THE CAR IN TO A DEALERSHIP TO CONFIRM THAT THIS WAS INDEED THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT MY SPOT WELDS WERE BROKEN. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AS THE FIREWALL IS FLEXING EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS ENGAGED. THE BRAKE PEDAL MOVES TO THE LEFT DUE TO THE WAY THE FIREWALL FLEXES WHEN THE PEDAL IS ENGAGED. IF THE CLUTCH PEDAL BRACKET ASSEMBLY SEPARATES FROM THE FIREWALL ENTIRELY, THIS COULD CAUSE THE CLUTCH TO BECOME INOPERABLE, WHICH COULD BE PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IF IT OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN USE. REFERENCE LINKS: HTTP://CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/SUBARU/IMPR...S-PROBLEMS.PHP HTTP://WWW.FAQS.ORG/CAR/SUBARU-IMPRE...POWER-TRAIN/#B HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/84-D...ON-NEEDED.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/37-C...INKAGE-45.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/84-D...EWALL-FIX.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/37-C...BLY-ISSUE.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/84-D...S-STORY-2.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/84-D...L-PROBLEM.HTML HTTP://WWW.WRXFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/84-D...OLT-STYLE.HTML HTTP://FORUMS.NASIOC.COM/FORUMS/SHOW....PHP?T=2128617 HTTP://FORUMS.NASIOC.COM/FORUMS/SHOW....PHP?T=2184210 HTTP://FORUMS.NASIOC.COM/FORUMS/SHOW....PHP?T=2305937. *TR

THE WELDS SUPPORTING THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY HAVE BROKEN. THE RESULT IS A PROMINENT SQUEAKING SOUND AND A NOTICEABLE LATERAL MOVEMENT OF THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO THE LEFT. THIS IS A REOCCURRING ISSUE AS IT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ADDRESSED AND REPAIRED BACK IN JUNE OF 2014. AT THE TIME SUBARU OF AMERICA AGREED TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE REPAIRS AS THE VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY COVERAGE. THE NEW ISSUE ARE FROM BROKEN WELDS IN ANOTHER AREA THAT WAS NOT INSPECTED OR DID NOT APPEAR TO NEED REPAIR AT THE TIME. MILEAGE AT TIME OF REPAIR WAS 74,839, CURRENT MILEAGE IS 84,420 (3/16/2015). HOWEVER, FURTHER RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE INDICATE THAT IT IS A WIDESPREAD ISSUE THAT HAS AFFECTED MANY OTHER SUBARU IMPREZA OWNERS WITH MODEL YEARS 2008 THROUGH 20012. THIS IS NOT THE RESULT OF OWNER NEGLECT, MISUSE, OR IMPROPER MAINTENANCE. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT THIS DOES APPEAR TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE FUNCTIONALITY OF CLUTCH PEDAL AND BRAKES UNDER ALL NORMAL CONDITIONS OF USE. FULL BREAKAGE OF THE ASSEMBLY COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL, INJURY, AND OR DEATH. ORIGINAL CLAIM TO SOA WAS #[XXX], REPRESENTED BY RICH. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE PART OF THE STEEL BODY UNDER THE DASH THAT SUPPORTS THE CLUTCH PEDAL SHAFT ASSEMBLY FRACTURES INTO TWO PIECES DUE TO FLEX FORCES OVER TIME. THIS RESULTS IN THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER FLEXING AT ITS MOUNTING POINT ON THE FIREWALL WHEN CLUTCH PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. SEVERED SQUEAKING AND NOISE IS HEARD EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED AS A RESULT. WELDING IS NOT FEASIBLE AS IT IS LOCATED UN THE DASH (ABOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL) AND WOULD CAUSE FIRE AROUND FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. THIS CAN BE SEEN ON YOUTUBE VIDEOS SUBMITTED BY SUBARU WRX OWNERS AND AFFECTS 2008-2014 WRX IMPREZA VEHICLES. SHOULD FIREWALL FRACTURE DUE TO THIS FLEX OVER TIME, ABILITY TO DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH BY PRESSING THE PEDAL WOULD RESULT AND PRESENT A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY OF CRASH OR ACCIDENT AS A LACK OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND ABILITY TO STOP VEHICLE. FOR ONE VIDEO OF THIS, SEE: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=ZR6UMGZ5UTC. *TR

I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR ALL MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THEY ADVISED ME TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH. I PAID FOR CLUTCH REPLACEMENT. THIS DID NOT FIX THE NOISE THAT CAME FROM THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THE NOISE IS FROM A CRACKED FIREWALL. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME I HAVE TO SEND THE CAR AWAY TO BE RE WELDED AND IT WILL COST 1,900 DOLLARS. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS CRACKED FIREWALL ISSUE BECAUSE MY CLUTCH HAS BEEN MAKING NOISE FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES TO TELL ME THIS. I AM ALSO EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT I PAID 2,100 DOLLARS FOR A NEW CLUTCH WHICH DID NOT FIX THE ISSUE WHICH WAS THE NOISE FROM A CRACKED FIREWALL. I AM ALSO EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT THEIR ANSWER IS TO RE WELD. IF IT WERE TO BE RE WELDED THEN IT WILL CRACK AGAIN. IF I GOOGLE FIREWALL ISSUE WRX, THE RESULT COMES UP WITH NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN AND THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL NOTICE. *TR

2008 WRX, 61K MILES DRIVEN SINCE SEPTEMBER 2007. SECOND CLUTCH REPLACEMENT AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE (KIRKLAND, WA) THAT THE SPOT WELDS FOR THE CLUTCH NEED WORK DONE BY BODY SHOP - ABOUT $1200. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE CLUTCH BUT THE CLUTCH WAS ALMOST ALWAYS HEAVY IN THE CAR. IT FIRST BECAME HEAVY 1-3 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS PURCHASED AND ABOUT THE SAME TIME AFTER THE CLUTCH WAS FIRST REPLACED. I UNDERSTAND THE CLUTCH COULD GET WORN IN A FEW YEARS, BUT BODY STRUCTURE LETTING GO IS NOT SOMETHING I'D EXPECT TO HAPPEN IN A 7 YEAR OLD CAR. I SEE MANY SIMILAR REPORTS AT HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2008/SUBARU/IMPREZA/STRUCTURE/PROBLEM.ASPX. SOUNDS LIKE A POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE TO ME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH, THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET MOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE CLUTCH PLATE WAS LOSE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

WHEN DRIVING HOME I WAS EXITING THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY BRAKE PEDAL WHEN TO THE FLOOR WITH NO PRESSURE. I USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND CLUTCH TO GET OUT OF GEAR TO SLOW DOWN. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN TO A STOP AND WHEN I STOPPED MY BRAKES CONTINUED TO WORK. I TOOK MY CAR INTO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WELDS ON MY FIREWALL WERE BROKEN THAT HOLD ON MY CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY. *TR

HAD A CLUTCH PEDAL SQUEAK NOISE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THEN WHILE DRIVING, WENT TO PUSH IN THE CLUTCH, HEARD A POP NOISE. THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CLUTCH PEDAL BEGAN TO MOVE IN ERRATIC DIRECTIONS WHEN DEPRESSED. THE PIECE OF SHEET METAL THAT THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY BOLTS TO BROKE AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL. ALL THE WELDS BROKE DO TO FLEXING IN THE FIREWALL SHEETMETAL. *TR

EVERY TIME I PRESS IT THE CLUTCH I HEAR A CRACKLING NOISE FROM THE BROKEN WELDS THAT HOLD UP THE BRAKE AND CLUTCH ASSEMBLY TO THE FIREWALL. FEAR FOR MY SAFETY AND OTHER BECAUSE IF THE OTHER WELDS BREAK I MAY BE IN OR CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE NOT BEING ABLE TO BRAKE MY VEHICLE . *TR

THE CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND I NOTICED SIGNIFICANT SIDE WAY BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT IN THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL WHILE THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. IN THE LAST WEEK IT HAS BECOME VERY DIFFICULT TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH AND GET THE CAR IN GEAR. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY KNEW RIGHT AWAY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SPOT WELDS ON THE PEDAL MOUNTS TO THE FIREWALL WERE FAILING. THEY THEN SENT ME TO A BODY SHOP, WHICH HAS HAD EXPERIENCE MAKING THE NECESSARY REPAIR. APPARENTLY THE BODY SHOP HAS REPAIRED SEVERAL SUBARU WRXS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. OF COURSE THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *JS

THE CLUTCH PLATE MOUNTED TO THE FIREWALL FLEXES AND SQUEAKS WHEN DEPRESSED AND WAS TOLD THIS IS FROM THE SPOT WELDS THAT HOLD THE CLUTCH PLATE TO THE FIREWALL NOT A SQUEAKY PEDAL LIKE I THOUGHT. IF LEFT IN THIS STATE I'M TOLD IT COULD LEAD TO THE CLUTCH PEDAL FAILING BY THE SPOT WELDS BREAKING AND THE PLATE AND PEDAL COMING OFF THE FIREWALL. I'M TOLD THAT THIS ONLY HAPPENS A LOT WITH THIS SPECIFIC YEAR AND MODEL SUBARU FROM A SUBARU MECHANIC YET NO RECALL OR ADVISORY HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED *TR

CAR IS MAKING CLICKING NOISE EVERY-TIME THE CLUTCH IS BEING PRESSED / RELEASED. ADVISED IT IS THE SPOT WELDS BY THE FIREWALL HOLDING ON (THEY ARE FAILING). *TR