Yahoo Autos Subaru Facing Lawsuit Over Allegations of Shaky Crosstrek, Ascent Mirrors
A class action lawsuit brought against Subaru of America on September 20th, 2024 alleges that Subaru knowingly sold thousands of 2024 Crosstrek and Ascent vehicles with defective driver-side mirrors.
“It’s a pervasive problem with a number of Subaru models affected and we look forward to prosecuting the case to achieve recovery for the class,” the plaintiff’s lawyer, Sergei Lemberg of Lemberg Law, told Road & Track. Subaru declined to comment.
In the 34-page lawsuit, plaintiff Katelyn Robinson of Texas claims that the driver-side mirror on her 2024 Subaru Crosstrek began to shake and vibrate while driving shortly after purchase of the vehicle, impairing the driver’s ability to accurately judge the image of the road and other cars. She returned to the dealership within a month of purchasing the Crosstrek, but the dealership reportedly ordered a replacement part that also contained the defect and told her that “there was nothing else it could do.”
The lawsuit alleges that Subaru was aware of this defect and has failed to adequately address the issue or inform consumers of the defect, which could present a safety hazard to drivers and other vehicles on the road.
The Crosstrek received a full redesign for the 2024 model year, and the suit states that Subaru changed the Ascent’s side mirror assembly for the 2024 model year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration complaint database registered numerous complaints of the defect with 2024 Ascent and Crosstrek vehicles, but none for 2021–2023 model year vehicles and only one for a 2020 vehicle, according to the filing.
The defect would theoretically cause the affected vehicles to be out of compliance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 111, which mandates that driver-side mirrors must provide clear visibility of the car’s surroundings and minimize glare. The suit also claims that Subaru violated Texas’s Deceptive Trade Practices Consumer Protection act and “constitutes fraudulent concealment, unjust enrichment, and a breach of express and implied warranties.”
The affected class includes owners of all 2024 Crosstrek and Ascent vehicles purchased or leased in Texas. The lawsuit demands that Subaru issue a recall, compensate the plaintiff and affected class members for damages and legal costs, and repair the defective part or issue new vehicles to affected class members.
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