Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Tribeca Safety Issues

balderman1balderman1 Member Posts: 5
edited March 2014 in Subaru
On August 8, I was rear-ended by a Cadillac.The caddy was almost totalled and I was pushed into a car ahead of me, but not very hard. My first concern was my new mesh grill which I had just put on two days earlier (at a cost of $712.00). There was no damage to the front of the car. On the rear the bumper cover was knocked off, the spare tire was on the ground and punctured, the left muffler was pushed into the left rear tire which was cut in two places. Just received repair estimate of $2,980.00. I was very pleased with the structural integrity of the frame

Comments

  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Ouch! Sorry to heat that you've been hit, but happy to hear that the damage wasn't too severe.

    Bob
  • pschreckpschreck Member Posts: 524
    Oh man. I feel for you. I hope everything is made right and am glad you didn't recieve any injuries. Good luck.
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    all in all, not too bad. If your first concern after an accident is your new mesh grill, then you did pretty well.

    With 43,000 people a year dying in auto accidents in the US- it's good to be in a vehicle that's on the safer side of average.
  • balderman1balderman1 Member Posts: 5
    My wife was one of those 43,000. In 1989 a lady came across the freeway (Interstate 20 in Abilene Texas) and hit us head on. My wife was killed, the other lady was killed and I was in and out of hospitals for almost three years. I was in a 10 day old Suburban and she was in a Lincoln Town Car. Cut it in two. I am probably more cognizant of impact statistics than most people.
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.

    Perhaps you're familar then with www.iihs.org
    A great web site of auto statistics, and every now and then they put out a fatality ratings report. It's amazing how some vehicles have 5 to 10 times the fatalities (per million owner years) as others. Very interesting reading! The 'beca is too new to be in the lists- as they take 3 years worth of data.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm glad you were OK and the 'beca held up well. At some point people have to stop hitting you! :sick:

    -juice
  • megreyhairmegreyhair Member Posts: 154
    I had a minor accident as well.. Some guy rear-ended me.. He nose dove underneth the bumper. His grill is smashed and the left headlight is pointing in the sky. I now have 'hex' shaped dent, the size of a 3/8 nut in the bumper and some scratches on both the painted and unpainted part of the bumper. Also some of the syroform is compressed.....
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Make sure you have a professional evaluate the damage. Once the foam is crushed, it has to be replaced. It's designed to break apart as it absorbs energey, so it may be useless now.

    -juice
  • tamagnotamagno Member Posts: 3
    Morey: Can you tell me where to find the data you refer to.
    i.e. which vehicles have the most fatalities.
    I looked on the iihs site but could not find this specific report.
    thanks
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    try this link:

    http://www.iihs.org/news/2005/iihs_sr_031505.pdf

    it's under their news releases, but you need to select 2005 and scroll down to March 15th. They update this report every few years. It's pretty interesting.

    It's for passenger vehicles made 1999-2002, but still very telling. Some results are surprising, others not so surprising.

    The Subaru results are not stellar but about middle of the pack. I was surprised to see that the 4Runner and Rav4 did so well- but perhaps the fact that they were so underpowered had a lot to do with it. Time will tell whether the new Rav4 with 269hp will fare as well.

    Also- in looking at the list of 4WD SUV's it's interesting to see the group that did a bit better overall, had most of their fatalities due to multi vehicle accidents, whereas the group that faired a bit worse were primarily single vehicle accidents. Clearly roll-over had a lot to do with these, but ya' gotta' wonder why they actually had a lower rate of Multi Vehicle accidents than the lower group.

    perhaps vehicle with a higher center of gravity are more likely to roll over (no surprise) but are perhaps more visible and likely to be hit by another car? Or if they feel more tippy, are less likely to be driven aggressively?

    really interesting stuff for someone who has a passion for empirical data.
  • tamagnotamagno Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the link.
    I agree with you about empirical data; for instance, in my opinion large suv and pickup drivers tend to drive agressively and fast. However, the data may prove me wrong if as you noticed in the data, they are really not in as many multi car accidents as I would think they ought to be.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Let's use this one as the base for discussing B( safety issues.
  • tupintupin Member Posts: 71
    Sorry...Had this in the wrong forum...
    Saw this on another site...thought I'd post it here....I know the Tribeca has a good crash rating...nice to see that proved though:

    I was responding to a MVA head on. This accident involved a Subaru Tribeca and a newer style Dodge Intrepid. Now both vehicles where traveling at approximatley 58mph. The driver of the Dodge Intrepid was killed in the accident. The driver of the Tribeca was injuried but will survive and make a full recovery with only a broken leg. But after looking the vehicles over, I was extremely impressed at how the vehicle survived and protected the driver. Yes the tribeca was a mangled mess but it was designed in such a way that the front end crumpled in many spots. The motor actually broke away and it was underneath the passenger floor. I mean it's hard to say in words how impressive it was but subaru technology is absolutely amazing!! I'm very happy to say that I own a subaru. I will try to get pictures of it for you guys to see.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Thanks tupin! Usuauly get a better response by posting in existing discussions.

    Looking forward to seeing those photos. I have a friend who is an accident reconstruction specialist and it amazing the amount of damage that cars can do to one another!

    http://www.carspace.com/pf_flyer
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, to be fair it's had many years of advances in technology over the older LH cars.

    -juice
  • animalsguardanimalsguard Member Posts: 3
    My mother was complaining to me that on her way back from Maine, there was freezing rain, and bad roads. She complained that her traction control switched off by itself, and almost sent her into the ditch. I told her it was probably her mistake, and she hit the button... But she likes to play stubborn... So what do you fine folks think? I think it was her fault... :confuse: :confuse:
  • tupintupin Member Posts: 71
    I went to a snow covered parking lot and tried to see how the stability control worked...with a lot of spinning the stability control off light will flash on from time to time. I'm not sure what that indicates....however I can't see how it would go off permanently. If the system was off...how did it nearly send her into the ditch?

    Most people feel safer in a Subaru in those conditions. Did the light stay on permanently? Was she reaching for any other switches in that area? Hard to really say but if it never switched off before and hasn't since....makes one wonder.
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    Let's see now. She was driving on bad roads in freezing rain and then complaining that it was the car's fault that she almost drove into a ditch

    Methinks that we should drive as if we don't have VTC, Traction Control, Antilock Brakes, stability control, etc etc. Those things are there to help us out if we need them in an emergency. Is it some kind of strange American phenomenon to always want to blame someone (or something) else when we make mistakes? She must have very high expectations of the Tribeca if she's expecting it to handle flawlessly in all situations.

    While I guess it's certainly possible that the traction control got switched off- I take issue that she 'expects' the car to have traction control and drives as if she'll never lose traction.
  • aka1aka1 Member Posts: 110
    Trying to switch on the front windshield de icer, and accidentally got the VDC switch instead?
  • hypnosis44hypnosis44 Member Posts: 483
    If the VDC switch is poorly situated and allows for easy unintentional switching then she may have a serious safety issue of importance to all of us. Lets see how this plays out before pass judgment
  • tupintupin Member Posts: 71
    Well, if you did hit a button accidently and then suddenly a big illuminated warning showed up on your dash....that might be a clue what that button did.
  • hypnosis44hypnosis44 Member Posts: 483
    Not really. For most drivers there is far to much going on inside and outside the car in the best of circumstances to necessarily notice another light that means little or nothing to you; this is particularly true if you are trying to stay alive in bad weather. If the switch can be accidently turned off then it is a poor design. Lets just move it to where it takes a conscious decision and a deliberate action to complete the task. Problem solved.

    Best
  • roy19roy19 Member Posts: 3
    Help, I ended up here. First love your forum.
    I'm looking for info. on making the front dvd work when in drive. I've searched but not found anythind with a true answer.Any help or direction. my e mail; is roygbiv63@yahoo.com
    I'll try to go on that thurs nt chat as well. Thanks.
    b-9tribeca
  • morey000morey000 Member Posts: 384
    I've never seen anything posted on how to do this in any of the Tribeca forums. Or even any way to bypass that 'agree' screen.
  • kmartinkmartin Member Posts: 427
    Check the NASIOC .com boards...there are few experimenting with the idea at this time.

    -Karen in AZ-
  • leh33leh33 Member Posts: 1
    My 2006 tribeca with 42K miles on it is clunking up front. I brought it in and the mechanic told me the stabilizer bars are shot. He says they are on back order with Subaru and that is a sign that a recall may be needed. There shouldn't be this much demand for that part with a car so new.

    Anyone else have this problem? I'm out of warranty and he said it would cost $180.
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    The ride on my Tribeca is getting worse and worse. Clunking up front, rough ride all around.
    I am bring vehicle in for 30k "physical" in a week or so & I hope they can do something. I have also heard problem could be with struts as well? Don't know much about what goes on under the vehicle all I know is that the ride, unless on a perfectly smooth surface is bad!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I don't buy that. I can't imagine why a dealer would keep sway bars in stock. They're always special order.

    You stock things that are normal wear and tear, like oil filters, windshield wipers, etc. Why would anyone stock sway bars? :confuse:

    In fact, we're talking about a solid rod of metal, here. It's more likely the sway bar end links or bushings failed, not the sway bars themselves. Unless you hit something pretty darn hard.

    Here's an example of what one looks like (the smaller items are bushings):

    image
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    Would the end links or bushings, if worn or defective, be the cause of a rough, noisy ride?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Possibly, but I think other things are more likely. If the wheels are off they're very easy to spot and inspect. Make sure to add lithium grease at the bushings every time you rotate the tires, that keeps them from squeeking.

    But my first guess would be the wheel bearings.

    Next, maybe the struts. Inspect the axle boots while you're at it.

    Our 626 had wheel bearings fail, but you heard a chunk-chunk-chunk as you drove that was speed dependent. We also tore an axle boot and all the grease leaked out. :sick:
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    A banging noise under the front suspension is almost always a loose sway bar bolt. I had this on my Armada recently.

    -mike
  • mauhugmauhug Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I just had the stabilizer bars replaced. I noticed the clunking in the front of the car at about 33k before my warantee expired. I waited about two weeks for new parts. However, I have already had the front struts and mounts replaced (again under warantee) and it took about 6 weeks for them to get those parts. I also just had the rear windshield replace because of inteference with the radio and rear defrost. I'm at 38,000 and very nervous.

    Anyway, I would insist that they cover this under warantee or something like that.
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    Just left my car off for major service 34k. I have been complaining for quite some time about the clunking in the front end and, sure enough, they noticed on both sides there are problems. Not sure exactly which items they will replace, I don't believe the stuts but two triangular shaped parts that have bushings on one end. Mechanic said never will replace the who parts, never just the bushings. When I find out sure exactly what parts they are doing, will let everyone know.
  • occkingoccking Member Posts: 346
    Control arm bushings, that is what they have ordered. I guess they get the who part in, rather than try to just put in new bushings. I hope that corrects the problems.
  • jb8822jb8822 Member Posts: 1
    I just had the stabilizer links and bushings replaced on my 2007 Tribeca that was only 9 weeks old with 4,000 miles. They also had to resurface my rotors!!! I am asking Subaru of America to replace the rotors since the defective stabilizer issue caused the premature wearing of the rotors. Sounds like a recall is needed here.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    A full-blown recall would only result from a wide pattern of failures. We haven't really observed that, at least not yet.
  • bgunit68bgunit68 Member Posts: 18
    I had it happen at 25K. They replaced them with ones from another vehicle on the lot. At 54k it happened again. Same thing. Don't get me wrong. I love the car and my dealer is awesome. But there is something wrong with the bushings.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's strange, but we're still talking about one car. Maybe something else is causing it? Mis-positioned mounts? Bad end links that don't flex enough? :confuse:
  • mikejlmikejl Member Posts: 78
    I believe this same problem has been reported by many owners on this forum. It has generally occurred at around 20-25K miles the first time. The reports are detailed in the Tribeca Suspension Questions forum.

    I have had the sway bar bushings replaced twice at about 20,000 mile increments. I am at 61,500 now, so I'm probably due for another one soon.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    There must be too much stress on the bushings or end links. Maybe they could build-in more flex in the end links?

    Sway bars are just metal bars, if they change something it would have to be their shape, or the mounting points.
  • bgunit68bgunit68 Member Posts: 18
    Well the last time I brought it in they knew exactly what was wrong and fixed it. They may have corrected the original problems. The first time I had them replaced they took the parts off a new vehicle they had on the lot. I have 66k on it now. I just replaced the tires at 54k. I got the Michelin Synchrone 4 X 4. I am actually getting much better milage.
This discussion has been closed.