Complaint 729923
1997 SUBARU OUTBACK • LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES • incident Jul 4, 2009
- Complaint ID
- 729923
- Make
- SUBARU
- Model
- OUTBACK
- Model Year
- 1997
- Component
- LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
- Incident Date
- Jul 4, 2009
- Date Received
- Aug 3, 2009
- Data As Of
- Jul 1, 2026
Complaint Summary
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
Owner Narrative
DRIVING ALONG I-495 SOUTHBOUND IN MASSACHUSETTS JUST BEFORE EXIT FOR I-90. SPEED WAS 65 MPH. HOOD LATCH FAILED CAUSING THE HOOD TO COME UP WITHOUT WARNING. THE WINDSHIELD WAS SMASHED, THE ROOF WAS DENTED, AND THE HOOD WAS BENT WITH THE HINGES PARTIALLY DEFORMED AND CRACKED. THE HOOD HADN'T BEEN OPENED OR TOUCHED IN SEVERAL WEEKS/>2000 MILES. PASSENGER AND I WERE LUCKILY UNHARMED, I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE THE HOOD AGAIN, AND DROVE HOME AT 50 ON THE HIGHWAY, 25 ON REGULAR ROADS. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED THE FOLLOWING WEEK, HOOD STILL DAMAGED. HOOD SECURED WITH BUNGEE CORD AS I NO LONGER TRUST THE LATCH. LOOKING INTO INSTALLING HOOD PINS WHEN I FIND A REPLACEMENT HOOD, SIMPLY FOR SAFETY/LIABILITY REASONS. THE ONLY REASON THIS WASN'T A MUCH MORE SERIOUS ACCIDENT WAS THAT I WAS ALREADY IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, AND WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE INSTANTLY. HAD TO DO THIS BLINDLY, AS I COULD NOT SEE AROUND THE HOOD. *TR
Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.
Related
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