1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Station Wagon W/ All-wheel Drive on 2040-cars

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Subaru facing class-action suit over excess oil use

A recently filed lawsuit in federal court against Subaru of America and its parent Fuji Heavy Industries claims that several recent models burn an excessive amount of oil. The case, which is seeking class-action status, covers examples of the 2011-2014 Forester, 2013 Legacy and 2013 Outback with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and the 2012-2013 Impreza and 2013 XV Crosstrek with the 2.0-liter four-cylinder.
The suit alleges that Subaru knew about the excessive oil consumption but didn't fix the problem, according to USA Today. It contends that owners have to spend an unreasonable amount of money to keep these models topped up with Texas tea, and that the people represented wouldn't have bought the vehicle if they had known that this could happen.
As proof of Subaru's knowledge of excessive oil use, the lawsuit cites four technical service bulletins from the company telling dealers about the issue, although, that would seem to partially invalidate the claim that the automaker hasn't attempted to fix things. The case was filed on behalf of two men, one with a 2014 Forester and the other with a 2013 Outback. "Following an extensive investigation, we now look forward to litigating the case," said Matthew Schelkopf, an attorney for the plaintiffs, to USA Today.

Custom-built Subaru Impreza is set to break Isle of Man record

Last week Prodrive showed off the 2016 Subaru WRX STI it built for a record attempt at the Isle of Man TT's Snaefell Mountain Course. And now Subaru is officially going back to the Isle of Man to break its own record. Once again Mark Higgins will drive the Impreza around the 37.7-mile road course. Higgens piloted record runs in 2011 and 2014. The most recent run established the current 19-minute, 15.9-second best time. This new car "will be considerably faster than the previous car," according to Dominick Infante, Manager of Product Communications for Subaru America. That's because the previous attempts were in mostly-stock versions of the Impreza WRX STI. The new car is a completely rebuilt, track-only special. Details on the engine and other specifics like aerodynamic tweaks are being held until the car's official launch. The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy is an annual time-attack motorcycle race on the small island located between the United Kingdom and Ireland. This year the event runs from May 28 to June 10. There are no sanctioned automotive races on the Isle of Man, so Subaru is essentially running the course for our entertainment. And as you can see in the video below from last year, it's riveting. We can't wait to see if the new car will break the 19-minute barrier. Subaru Racing Vehicles mark higgins

Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru expand global Takata recalls by 715k [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Subaru of America spokesperson Michael McHale tells Autoblog that the company is recalling 78,000 Imprezas from the 2004 and 2005 model years in the US. This is a national expansion of the company's previous regional recall for the Impreza. The Takata airbag inflator recall just keeps growing. The latest expansion encompasses 715,000 vehicles from Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Subaru. Many of the affected models are in Japan. The largest expansion from these three automakers comes from Mitsubishi. According to Reuters, the company is adding 100,000 vehicles in Japan and 412,000 outside of the country without identifying any specific regions. Mazda is issuing safety campaigns for 112,000 vehicles in Japan, and some of these include models that the company produces there for Mitsubishi and Nissan, according to Reuters. In statement to Autoblog (embedded below), Mazda said that it is still evaluating the situation in terms of a possible effect on the US. Finally, Subaru is calling in 91,000 Imprezas in Japan. At this time, it isn't clear whether Mitsubishi's or Subaru's expansions affect the United States, but Autoblog has reached out to them for more information. According to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, exposure to moisture can cause the propellant in these inflators to ignite too quickly and cause these dangerous ruptures. Takata has also been investigating the problem. Related Video: Mazda statement "We are aware of the NHTSA/Takata announcement, and are evaluating the effects of it on Mazda. As soon as we have had a chance to fully evaluate the situation – number of vehicles affected, age of those vehicles, where they're located, etc. – we will be able to share those details."