Tired of the Sway Bar Bushing Problem

[jenkins2]

Hello, I have a '08 Tribeca that currently has 66K miles on it. I am having yet another repair performed related to the sway bar. This time, the links and bushings are being replaced (to the tune of $300). I have had the sway bar bushings greased/replaced at least 3 times in the last 2 years. Is anyone else tired of this? Has anyone complained to Subaru? What were the results? For the money I paid for this car, I expected much better. In my opinion, this is not a normal maintenance practice.
One way or the other, I will never buy another Subaru again. :mad:

[cptplt]

They sell so few Tribecas I think subaru has no incentive to fix the problem. I have had the bushings replaced, control arms and the last noise was actually some sort of engine mount attachment. So far all done under warranty but I understand your frustration. Its my 6th subaru. Never had any major problems with powertrain, suspension on the others - except on my WRX but I think that was from the aggressive driving that car got :-)

[cptplt]

Ha, car started making clunking noises over bumps again, dealer replaced the front bushings and end links under extended warranty. 72K on car, they did the bushings first time at 38K.

[lpenix]

i have a 07 that is making the same clunking noise in the front i sent it in for repair, and they did a tire rotation said that was the problem, i called and going to take it back on wed. what do i need to tell them so it gets fixed this time, do i take them to a dirt road and let them hear it for their self. and i agree Subaru needs to address this problem, you pay all that money for a car like the tribeca and this keeps happening.

[Tony999]

Mine's an '07 that they said they replaced... last time I brought it in they said it was struts and needed 700 bucks to fix it.

Time to trade in.

Oh, under 50000 miles.......... :(

[LORE BECA]

call subaru corp.

i have a 07 that is making the same clunking noise in the front i sent it in for repair, and they did a tire rotation said that was the problem, i called and going to take it back on wed. what do i need to tell them so it gets fixed this time, do i take them to a dirt road and let them hear it for their self. and i agree Subaru needs to address this problem, you pay all that money for a car like the tribeca and this keeps happening.

[LORE BECA]

I would get a second opinion.
I replaced all 4 shocks on a 1 ton truck with BILSTEINS, SHOCKS COST 300 AND LABOR WAS 180 FOR ALL 4. If you need shocks for real go to an independent. For 700 you can change all 4 shocks on 2 Tribecas.

Mine's an '07 that they said they replaced... last time I brought it in they said it was struts and needed 700 bucks to fix it.

Time to trade in.

Oh, under 50000 miles.......... :(

[Tony999]

I would get a second opinion.
I replaced all 4 shocks on a 1 ton truck with BILSTEINS, SHOCKS COST 300 AND LABOR WAS 180 FOR ALL 4. If you need shocks for real go to an independent. For 700 you can change all 4 shocks on 2 Tribecas.

If I keep the car, I'll do that. It seemed ridiculous to me too, but I thought it was best to bring the car back to the Dealer. Funny, huh?

[LORE BECA]

They replaced one leaking strut on the Tribeca under warranty with 12,000 on it so not ridiculous if under warranty.

If I keep the car, I'll do that. It seemed ridiculous to me too, but I thought it was best to bring the car back to the Dealer. Funny, huh?

[lpenix]

Well i took it back to Subaru for the second time in two weeks about the clunking under the front end of the car, after i got attitude from the manager of the mechanics. i told her that alot of people were having this same problem with their tribeca, and said it could be the sway bar bushings, note i told her i could be, not that that was the problem. well i purchased the tribeca two weeks ago and brought this to their attention and was told it would be taken care of. well she said she replaced the sway bar bushings, i think she did not even take it out like i ask her to so she could hear the noise, she just replaced that even though i told her that it could be the problem. well it is still making the same clunking sound, i don't know what to do now, except take it back, throw the keys at them, and cancel the down payment check. Not to mention the attitude that i got from her about how it was getting paid for, and the attitude from the parts guy about how the light on the drivers mirror was getting paid for. They were so nice when i was buying the car, but after that it was like they are the spawn of satin.

[LORE BECA]

And it might be the strut making the noise. They need to check it if you keep it or cancel order. If you keep it, time to find a different dealer.

Well i took it back to Subaru for the second time in two weeks about the clunking under the front end of the car, after i got attitude from the manager of the mechanics. i told her that alot of people were having this same problem with their tribeca, and said it could be the sway bar bushings, note i told her i could be, not that that was the problem. well i purchased the tribeca two weeks ago and brought this to their attention and was told it would be taken care of. well she said she replaced the sway bar bushings, i think she did not even take it out like i ask her to so she could hear the noise, she just replaced that even though i told her that it could be the problem. well it is still making the same clunking sound, i don't know what to do now, except take it back, throw the keys at them, and cancel the down payment check. Not to mention the attitude that i got from her about how it was getting paid for, and the attitude from the parts guy about how the light on the drivers mirror was getting paid for. They were so nice when i was buying the car, but after that it was like they are the spawn of satin.

[lpenix]

well the thing with that is, the warranty that i got from hunter, says if i go to hunter, i only pay a 50 dollar dectutable, if i go to any othe dealer i pay 100 dollars. i am going to give them one last chance to fix it, they left me a message today, telling me that my light for my drivers mirror is back ordered, so atleast they are going to fix that for me. I am getting flustered about the whole situation. the vehicle had a 1 month 1000 mile warranty to begin with, i think they are waiting for that to expire so my extended 3 year 36000 mile warranty will pay for it. they seem to be fixated with who is paying for the repairs. althoug they new about the problem before i bought the car.

[LORE BECA]

In a dealer service dept. it is ALL about profits. I don't let anyone off the hook and customer should not pay when warranty should be enforced. I'll let them fix light and while you are there tell them to have mechanic test drive it to recreate sound you are hearing, and in fact you take him for a drive till you hear it together. Been through this before with other vehicles.

well the thing with that is, the warranty that i got from hunter, says if i go to hunter, i only pay a 50 dollar dectutable, if i go to any othe dealer i pay 100 dollars. i am going to give them one last chance to fix it, they left me a message today, telling me that my light for my drivers mirror is back ordered, so atleast they are going to fix that for me. I am getting flustered about the whole situation. the vehicle had a 1 month 1000 mile warranty to begin with, i think they are waiting for that to expire so my extended 3 year 36000 mile warranty will pay for it. they seem to be fixated with who is paying for the repairs. althoug they new about the problem before i bought the car.

[sb9tango]

In a dealer service dept. it is ALL about profits. I don't let anyone off the hook and customer should not pay when warranty should be enforced. I'll let them fix light and while you are there tell them to have mechanic test drive it to recreate sound you are hearing, and in fact you take him for a drive till you hear it together. Been through this before with other vehicles.

Yea, I agree! Don't let the mechanic drive alone or by themselves, otherwise, you'll hear the same pointless lies and excuses like "cannot duplicate the problem" or "no abnormal noise" or "car is functioning normally".....I've heard it all, regardless of the car brand, not only Subaru but whether it may be other Japanese, American or European car dealerships . I think it is part of their job description and qualifications or they are trained to do it, just for them to get away with paying the repair bills for clients who are still under warranty. No offense for those who work or affiliated with dealerships but you know what I mean, most of them if not all are bunches of "highway robbers". So, we as customers, we have to be careful of becoming a victim.

[lpenix]

one of the things that floored me was she said she checked everything under the front, and said that it was normal wear, and that nothing was wrong. i bet if she was buying a car she would not like to be screwed like that, and i hope she goes thru it once. so i know they did not drive it like i ask them too.

[LORE BECA]

Find a different dealer, I learned with my Toyota they are not all the same. Some are bad and others are worse, he, he!

If you are not mechanical and have a friend who is take them with you and go driving with mechanic and service manager too if you have to.

one of the things that floored me was she said she checked everything under the front, and said that it was normal wear, and that nothing was wrong. i bet if she was buying a car she would not like to be screwed like that, and i hope she goes thru it once. so i know they did not drive it like i ask them too.

[lpenix]

I wanted to say sorry to Jenkinsk, i didn't mean to hijack your thread. i was only going to post one reply, but it went further,,,lol

[lpenix]

Well guys i have another update to this neva ending problem, i took it back, 4th time now they say it needs a tower brace and i think a strut, and some kind of end link, i did not get a paper on it, anyway i made the service manager take a ride with me, and he heard the problem even before we left the parking lot, but i still took him to a dirt road, and made him listen to this that they said the first time was a tire rotation problem. he told me that all tribecas have the same problem. well duhhhh why don't Subaru fix the problem. well he said he has to order the parts, and get this, he has to see if they promised me that they would fix this. WELL YES THEY DID when i was buying the car i brought it to their attention, not to mention all used cars on their lot have a 1 month 1000 mile warranty, and they knew about this during that time, because i took to them three times during that time. Glad i got a extended warranty with the tribeca. we will see if they do the right thing, if not I'm going to Subaru myself, and they don't want me to show my as errrr ummm bottom, cause it will not be pretty, lol i will get carnival freak crazy.