What 2 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru WRX STI

WHILE DRIVING, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THREE OTHER LIGHTS TURNED ON. MY CRUISE CONTROL STARTED BLINKING AND ANOTHER LIGHT WHICH MEANT I WASN'T ABLE TO USE IT OR SWITCH MY CAR INTO SPORT MODE. THESE LIGHTS NEVER WENT OUT. I WENT TO THE DEALERS AND TRIED TO DO A LOT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR PUMP RUSTING AND GETTING STUCK EITHER OPEN OR CLOSED. THE DEALERS QUOTED ME ANYWHERE FROM 2000-3500 TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED. I HAD THE CAR FOR OVER A YEAR AND FOR THAT ENTIRE TIME THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS TESTING, USE CRUISE CONTROL, OR SWITCH MODES IN THE CAR. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE AIR INJECTION SYSTEM PUMP WAS STUCK AND NOT WORKING PROPERLY UPON THE STARTUP OF THE CAR. TALKING TO OTHER SUBARU OWNERS, I FOUND THAT THIS WAS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR COUNTLESS OWNERS EVER SINCE THE SYSTEM WAS INTRODUCED INTO SUBARU CARS IN 2006 OR 2007. THIS IS A RIDICULOUS PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY SUBARU, NOT BY OWNERS WHO FALL VICTIM OF THIS POORLY STRUCTURED SYSTEM. SOMETIMES, WHEN ALL THE LIGHTS WERE ON, THE CAR HAD TROUBLE STARTING AND WOULD STALL THE FIRST TIME UPON STARTUP. POTENTIALLY, THIS COULD START A FIRE OR ANOTHER PROBLEM. I HAD A SAFETY RECALL DONE ON MY CAR FROM 2016 FOR THE AIR PUMP, BUT THAT DID NOT AFFECT THIS ISSUE AT ALL AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.

NHTSA ODI 11223011

WHILE DRIVING ON 1-95 THE CAR THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF, CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AS THE STEERING AND BRAKE PEDAL GOT VERY STIFF AND THE VEHICLE WAS HARD TO CONTROL PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED HOME, AND AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED IT HAD A ENGINE KNOCK AND WOULD NEED A NEW SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT. I HAVE COME TO LEARN THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAULT WITH THESE VEHICLES AND BOTH THE DEALERSHIP AND SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSES TO HONOR THE WARRANTY OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FAULTY AND DANGEROUS PRODUCT.

NHTSA ODI 11084866