Failing dashboard in a 2006

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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby CAAD7 » Sat Jun 11, 2016 9:32 am

Dan, Craig here from SEQ. Which dealership did you go to? I think I will take mine to Capalaba for assessment and see where it goes. I still think a formal letter for head office would be a good option too, especially after an assessment and a brush off.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby dangry » Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:25 pm

Bartons Subaru Wynnum

Subaru Aus have gone quiet on me and aren't responding to my emails. Going to ring them next week and find out where everything is at
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby tom_kauf » Sat Jun 11, 2016 2:37 pm

It will take a lawsuit unfortunately, just like in America :roll:.

Here in North QLD, where average daily sun is over 8h, every one of the local Liberty members has a sticky/cracking dash.

While I am highly sceptical that Subaru know nothing about it, how many people still get their cars serviced at the dealer? Most original owners have long sold the car. And the people who paid a fraction of that for the car used, often don't want to pay dealer prices. Or they have performance mods and go to a high performance workshop.
But that's the only thing I'd take as an excuse. Because so many other manufacturers incl the ones mentioned have had recalls in Aus, they can't be oblivious to it.

Good to hear you took it to the ACCC. I'll be interested to hear how that goes.
Last edited by tom_kauf on Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby jarrenowen » Sat Jun 11, 2016 3:39 pm

my dash is a bit melted when it meets the vents right up the front of the windscreen. i'll book in for an inspection in Newcastle Subaru, but i'd also be happy to forward a letter AND email through to Subaru Australia to raise concerns, for not only my vehicle, but the many many others which have the same issue. :)

edit: if someone has a template for letter or email PM me.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby CAAD7 » Sat Jun 11, 2016 7:53 pm

It is my intention to write a letter howevwr it will be useless without a written appraisal from the dealer to go with it. I approached Mt Gravatt today and they said they were happy to look at it and provide the advice to head office. However I suspect thats where it will stop.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby Montychristo » Mon Jun 13, 2016 2:09 pm

On the subject of sticky dash: I took my 2007 Spec B in for its first service after buying it 5 days ago to the local Subaru dealer, Quayside at Lismore and mentioned the "Sticky Dash Problem" the service person said not interested as the car is out of warranty. He pointed me towards a secondhand dealer in Sydney Brookvale wreckers who have a dash in great condition (no cracks or sticky patches). I am now in the process of weighing up the problem of glare on the dash or taking out the dash and putting in the new old. :( I purchased the b Spec with a shiny dash thinking that the retailer had been over generous with detailing polish. It was not until I arrived home and felt the dash close to the windscreen and found the sticky problem I woke up to the cars low price. Reduced from 16990 to 14990 I only paid 14500 with 125K the car is in Diamond Grey in great condition with the Gps and black interior as per BSpec. Any info on Dash r and r would be a great help.

I took the car for a spin on Friday up to Woodenbong and back. I am all smiles, paddles or stick shift with auto blip with the down change. On most corners it was at double the advisory speed with no drama, the car is on rails. Not bad economy 9/100 given the terrain. A real sleeper.

Dealers have a different attitude on some matters. Some are looking at the long term and return of customers and the steady income of service. Others are only after the dollars and not much in the way of service to the customer sadly.
Only after finding my sticky dash did I become aware of the other makes with this problem in Australia and the need for a class action in the USA to get Subaru's attention. They are dealing with a much larger buying public and can not afford to ignore the voice of reason of the buying public. In Australia most Subaru dealers are multi Francis trying to cover all the bases for the customer pool.

A new and happy Subbie owner with a Shiny hick up :D
Last edited by Montychristo on Mon Jun 13, 2016 8:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby tom_kauf » Mon Jun 13, 2016 2:57 pm

Glad you're happy with your new purchase :).

There are only really 3 options in regard to the dash. Buy a new one, or a used one, or get it retrimmed. A new one from the dealer is well over $1000 I believe, just for the part. From overseas Subaru suppliers they're about US$500 shipped (which was much cheaper back when the exchange rate was better). The retrimming option is somewhere in between, but the few places I've heard of don't want to touch anything with an airbag.

A new dash should last another 8 years or so. A second hand one might be less than 12 months away from starting its deterioration. So unless you can get a used one very cheap, I wouldn't bother. Even a new one will deteriorate again eventually (the materials are the same as the original one, as far as I know). That's where retrimming would be great - a UV stabilised material will easily outlast the factory material, it just won't match the factory pattern. But finding a retrimmer that will do an Airbag dash is proving to be hard.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby Montychristo » Mon Jun 13, 2016 7:57 pm

Thanks for the welcome Tom :D
Yes I had tried the re-trimmer option, no luck they will not touch any thing with an air bag. Way too many Liability worries :(

Off topic: I have down loaded the Wheris V20 C1 Im unable to get it to work after following your hints. Any tricks or tips i may have missed?
Anything has to be better than the V13 in the car. Are you still looking for a factory start up copy?
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby tom_kauf » Mon Jun 13, 2016 8:19 pm

Oh ok. Did it burn ok on a dual layer DVD?
I think i mentioned that you need to insert the original disc first after battery disconnect. Apart from that, it should just work when eject the original disc and insert the new one.
Oh and you know it goes into the disc drive in the glovebox, right? (Instead of the head unit)
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby JD79 » Tue Jun 14, 2016 11:12 am

I have yet to hear back from Subaru top brass. I'll give them a few more weeks. There is no way I'll be paying anything out of pocket to have this repaired.

The more folks who raise this directly with Subaru, the more likely they will take responsibility for their product. It may be the case that legal options are required, but right now I'm holding off on this. Got exams coming up, a heavy roster, and little spare time. I'll sound out a few mates in the silly wig and silk cape club when I have the chance :)

My email to Subaru (Not going to publish verbatim responses, but my own correspondences I'm happy to publish here)

Dear Mr Senior,

I have been in communication with your customer relations unit for the past several weeks, and with Subaru in general over the past several months regarding a developing fault with my Subaru Liberty Premium, MY2006. As is extensively detailed in the forwarded correspondences, the vehicle is suffering a disintegration of the dashboard material in the same manner as Subaru vehicles in America. The degradation has an impact on both the cosmetics of the vehicle and on safe operation in some circumstances. Subaru America has offered a full replacement on similarly affected models going back to 2004, regardless of mileage.

Thus far, Customer relations denies that this is a known issue with Subaru vehicles in this country, and state that Australian vehicles do are not likely to suffer the same issue as the parts were sourced from a different factory. I have been in direct correspondence with a number of fellow Subaru owners in Australia who are experiencing identical failures in a similar time frame. I also know that several have had their vehicles inspected by Subaru dealers and have received similar responses to mine. Others are in the process of organizing group inspections to try to highlight the extent and uniformity of this issue. Multiple Subaru owners have also raised this issue on your official Facebook page, with little in the way of satisfactory response.

It is clear to a reasonable person that there is an issue with the materials used in the construction of the vehicles in question (as well as vehicles manufactured by Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, and Lexus, all of which have been since subject to recalls or warranty extensions). To maintain otherwise is illogical. I am quite certain that Subaru was not aware of the potential for failure when specifying the materials used in these vehicles, and it is certain that with the benefit of hindsight, different methods and materials would have been employed.

The unfortunate fact remains that Subaru Australia is now, to my knowledge, the only distributor affected by these issues that has not offered a full replacement. The choice facing your company is whether you are willing to deal in good faith with Subaru owners, and thus maintain your corporate image. By leaving this unaddressed, you would unfortunately have a small but significant number of clearly defective vehicles in the marketplace and in the public eye. Potential customers will certainly weigh this up when considering purchasing a new Subaru. By addressing this issue in a proactive and amicable manner, you have the benefit of maintaining the reputation of Subaru as a producer of some of the finest mid price and performance vehicles on the road today.

Kind regards,

Dr Joel van der Meulen
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby tom_kauf » Tue Jun 14, 2016 8:56 pm

Very nice, well said 8) .
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby dangry » Wed Jun 15, 2016 9:44 pm

Guess I am in a holding pattern till further notice. Email from Subaru Aus today

Hello Daniel

I appreciate your patience and I do apologise for the delay in responding.

This matter is still being investigated internally and is currently in the hands of senior management as well as our chief engineer.

Once again, I want to thank you for your patience and I will be in touch when we have an outcome.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby jslayz » Wed Jun 15, 2016 10:45 pm

The way this is handled will affect my next car decision, waiting the see if they stand by the product.

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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby JD79 » Fri Jun 17, 2016 6:58 pm

I received a similar response this week. Senior management, chief engineer...
The wheels turn slowly in large companies, but at least they seem to be turning.

In other news, we now have 71 people following the "Subaru Melting Dashboard Australia" FB page, so the word is well and truly out on the issue, and a number of other owners contacting me with the same problem through various channels.

Hope Subaru Australia can bring this to a reasonable conclusion soon.
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Re: Failing dashboard in a 2006

Postby jarrenowen » Mon Jun 20, 2016 2:14 pm

just booked an inspection for friday at my local dealer, seems like they have no information about the issue with the dashboards, said she hadn't heard of it for the 11years shes been in service & inspections. so i say the more people that approach subaru about the issue, the better chance of getting an outcome.
will report back on friday with the response.
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