Reliability of part questionable?
 

November time last year my dads heater matrix packed up on this way to Northolt photocall. He first new about it when smoke was coming out of the dash, vents and steaming the car up. My dad pulls over on the hard shoulder of the M1 and calls for brake down assistance where his car was taken to our nearest Subaru garage, Souls of Olney where it was replaced at a cost of £500.

Now this morning, guess what happens, it does the same thing again, the car steams up and smoke coming out of the dash. So my dad takes it straight to the same garage and they think it is the same part they replaced 14 months ago has failed. Luckily, the part is covered by a 3 year 60,000 miles warranty. So by this I assume it is rare for this part to fail especially twice (original and the replacement).

The garage has the car and is investigating (taking dash apart), although the garage is a non franchised dealer now. Hopefully they get it right.

Has anyone heard of such a thing happening? Car is a 03 WRX which has done 96K miles.

Darren

Anybody? Any ideas?

Heater matrix
 

I have had my MY99 UK turbo for just over two years and about a year ago had to replace the heater matrix because of a small pin prick weld defect.
The guy who had the car before me also had to replace the heater matrix about a year before he sold it.
So the replacement he fitted lasted around two years.

I know two years is different to the time between failures that you have experienced, but it is still a ridiculously short time.

I've been driving for over thirty years and never had to replace a heater matrix in any car.

On the plus side though no previous car has ever made me smile as much when giving the Impreza some serious right foot.

I suppose when you put it like that.

My dad got the car back this morning and before they replaced the part, they did a pressure test and it was leaking out of a weld.