This is aggravating

They just use cheap plastic, repeated heating and cooling cycles will eventually make most plastics brittle. The plastic in my mercedes is a lot more durable, and retains its elasticity a lot longer. A bet a lot of people on this forum who have messed with the center cubby have purchased a 2nd one at this point. The plastic gets so weak, the force required to pull it out is greater than the force it can take without breaking.

^Yeah I agree. My dash is also cracked too, even though I took good care of it, with the car being in a garage for the past 6 years too!

I think a lot of it has to do with climate. In Wyoming when I was an audio and remote start installer, breaking panels was extremely rare and almost exclusive to mid 90’s Chevy and dodge trucks and just about every European vehicle. If it was a bmw, Audi, vw or either of those trucks we always let the customer know that it was almost certain the brittle ass cheap plastic the manufacturers used was going to break. Other than that, broken or marred panels was almost always negligence on the installer. But now that I’m in Arizona where everything is exposed to this demonic heat, I see tons of broken dashes and panels. The inside of my windshield has a constant film which I’m sure is the oils cooking out of my poor dash. I’ve also replaced more bushings and motor mounts in the year I’ve been here than I did in the last few years in Wyoming.

This entire thread and the OP's experience is why I have about 200 of the recall notices in a file in my office and will NEVER allow the monkeys to work on my car. My brother lived the same thing-broken parts and they denied doing it. I'm an ASE Certified Master tech and we went back there together and he got new parts N/C but I had to put them in.

 

I'm hoping they give up on me and offer me a cash settlement and sign an affidavit to never sue if they go off.

 

I also have about 100 notices on my wife's 09 Forester. Nope, never,nada, no way are they going to touch it.

Buick screwed me on my wife’s enclave on a recall. It was something stupid but they still denied doing it. When I confronted them on it I got the whole “well these are certified Buick technicians” I brought up being a certified master tech to them and they just smirked it off. I made a scene and was asked to leave. Maybe not my proudest moment. Subaru has also screwed me but not on a recall

Buick screwed me on my wife’s enclave on a recall. It was something stupid but they still denied doing it. When I confronted them on it I got the whole “well these are certified Buick technicians” I brought up being a certified master tech to them and they just smirked it off. I made a scene and was asked to leave. Maybe not my proudest moment. Subaru has also screwed me but not on a recall

 

 

Haha, yea the service manager tried running that line on me too, noting the tech had years of experience. It's funny because I have no mechanical training and I removed the cubby twice without leaving a mark on the dash.

I'm still getting this security token error by the way. I'm not sure why it randomly started letting me upload then stopped

Uploading 2 pictures at a time seemed to get by the security token error. But anyway, as you can see... This is what the Service Advisor told me looked great, I even got 2 new scratches on top on the dash and the passenger side. I'm still really upset. They also had the balls to send me a dealerrater.com link so needless to say I will be going in on them on there.

call around. The "boss" fix replaces the airbag thru the glovebox and takes 15 minutes. The "f u over" fix removes the dashboard.

 

Mine was done while you wait. Waiting consisted of high pressure sales to encourage me to sell my wagon at a huge discount. Their best offer was below blue book because modified.

 

I think if anyone who hasn't done the recall yet they need to find out if the dealership does the work thru the glovebox to avoid anything like what happened to me.

technically for a 10+ year old car, they sorta have a point.... ur dash is in much better shape than most lol!

 

Why would the dealership pay to repair instead of just ordering a new one? Their price is different for parts I assume. Did you just say "fix it" or explain that you want a new dashboard? It's like a 400 dollar hit to the dealer for a new dash, something they might be able to fudge to soa. When it comes to cars and dealerships/used cars you have to be specific, you leave an inch they take a yard. If you did not explicitly say "I want a new dashboard" then I don't know what you expected lol. They ratchet up not down, they are going to do the base minimum towards the problem unless you state exactly what you want.

Edited November 28, 2020 by Tehnation

The glovebox method doesn't change anything from what I see. they still have to pull everything in the center, the cubby etc. Basically everything that was damaged. Might be a moot point.

 

I am basing this off that pdf I saw where they lifted the passenger side with a strap, which I am assuming is the glovebox method!?!?

 

For some reason I though someone posted the link to service bulletin on the procedure..... Boxkita? Or was it another thread?

Edited November 28, 2020 by Tehnation

The glovebox method doesn't change anything from what I see. they still have to pull everything in the center, the cubby etc. Basically everything that was damaged. Might be a moot point.

 

I am basing this off that pdf I saw where they lifted the passenger side with a strap, which I am assuming is the glovebox method!?!?

 

For some reason I though someone posted the link to service bulletin on the procedure..... Boxkita? Or was it another thread?

 

this thread has LINK to the lifting method which pretty much guarantees the cracked dash. The glovebox method might cracked a side piece.

 

Parting a car out, so tried the glovebox method without looking at the fsm, which is how it would be done. Newest techs get the crappy jobs, and this is a crappy job. Getting the side of the dash off to reach the glovebox retention string was the hardest part. After that, everything came apart pretty quickly. Probably 30 minutes, maybe? After I've done a few and had the right tools at hand, it is probably 15 minutes.

Edited November 28, 2020 by boxkita

I don't want to look like a jerk, but I have to be honest. I do agree with the service advisor, I think that does look good, like a really good repair job. As tehnation said, these cars are over 10 years old. I totally respect that you seem like a perfectionist and that you love your car, but I just don't think it's that bad..

so the glovebox method is basically aftermarket fix and not fsm fix!? meaning its not taught to techs or techs don't know about it unless they are in the loop?

so the glovebox method is basically aftermarket fix and not fsm fix!? meaning its not taught to techs or techs don't know about it unless they are in the loop?

 

If techs can find a faster way to do the job that still gets the job done 100% properly, why not do it that way? I'm willing to bet that's the way a lot of auto repair jobs are done, why follow the book if you can find a better and faster way

so the glovebox method is basically aftermarket fix and not fsm fix!? meaning its not taught to techs or techs don't know about it unless they are in the loop?

 

If techs can find a faster way to do the job that still gets the job done 100% properly, why not do it that way? I'm willing to bet that's the way a lot of auto repair jobs are done, why follow the book if you can find a better and faster way

 

dealer techs get paid flat-rate. The airbag replacement for 4th gens takes 3.5 hours according to the factory. If you take longer, you still get 3.5 hours of pay. If there's a comeback (customer doesn't like repair), you still get 3.5 hours of pay. However if you can find a faster way, you get 3.5 hours. If you can do the job in 30 minutes and work the standard 10 hour day/6 days week, you could pay off your house in a few months.

 

If you f-up doing it the non-fsm approved method and the customer gets injured and you took less than ~60% of fsm method's expected time, the dealer/factory might hang you out to dry in the ensuing lawsuit. The glovebox method is a factory approved method (otherwise techs would not be doing it)

 

Prodemand, mitchell's fsm for every car and used by many repair shops including dealers, doesn't list the glovebox fix. That said, Subaru could have provided an internal tech tip for the airbag fix.

 

Not every tech is a master tech. Not every tech gives a sh!t about the love of your life, er, your car. But, for the most part, they are going to try to do the job as fast as possible and in such a way that the customer doesn't bring it back for followup.

 

aside: Im studying for an automotive tech degree and working on my ASE certifications. I'm also working on my Subaru certifications. I did a short stint at a Mazda dealer last summer to see what it's like. The dealer indoctrination course makes it seem like you are building F1 cars in a clean room, when in reality you're in a room full of gorillas flinging poop at each other. The service advisor harassing you nonstop to get a car done and the shop foreman tells you everything you learned in school is BS. Are all dealers like this? no. But this dealer had a well-earned rep for screwing the customer at every turn. The customers routinely rated the dealership low. Go figure.

 

Techs get paid by the job. The more jobs they get done in a day, the more they make. Jobs are rated A-D. A jobs are done by master techs, D jobs are done by new hires. The airbag job is a B. As soon as a D tech finishes their introductory training (about 10 hours of online courses), they can do C work. Ruminate on that.

Edited November 30, 2020 by boxkita
updated for current pro demand numbers. Its a B task

technically for a 10+ year old car, they sorta have a point.... ur dash is in much better shape than most lol!

 

Why would the dealership pay to repair instead of just ordering a new one? Their price is different for parts I assume. Did you just say "fix it" or explain that you want a new dashboard? It's like a 400 dollar hit to the dealer for a new dash, something they might be able to fudge to soa. When it comes to cars and dealerships/used cars you have to be specific, you leave an inch they take a yard. If you did not explicitly say "I want a new dashboard" then I don't know what you expected lol. They ratchet up not down, they are going to do the base minimum towards the problem unless you state exactly what you want.

 

Yea, I guess I should have but maybe I would have ended up in the same place if they had to re-install the cobby again.

I don't want to look like a jerk, but I have to be honest. I do agree with the service advisor, I think that does look good, like a really good repair job. As tehnation said, these cars are over 10 years old. I totally respect that you seem like a perfectionist and that you love your car, but I just don't think it's that bad..

 

I went from basically having a new dash to this after I got my car back. No marks/scratches /cracks. So yes, any tiny marks/scratches immediately sticks out to me because I've had my car from 2011. So yea, if you want to call it being a perfectionist. But more than anything I shouldn't have been in this position in the first place.

Dude, I call bs on near perfect, people are always more observant after having things done to their car. Near the scratch on the center of your dash there is some kind of white circle residue, unless you're claiming that's from the dealer.

 

Under the passenger vent on the far right there's clear discoloration.

 

I would love to see people here do this every single day, and not make a single friggin mark on the dash, even the teeny tiny ones like in the original pictures after it was first done, where there is zero sign of a tool being used to pull that center cubby/vent out.

 

The crack is unacceptable of course, no argument there.

I used to put blue tape over every ding on my car before taking it in. And take a picture of it. The dealer hated it. otoh, they never smacked it with a lift handle again.

 

Some dealers are better than others. It could be the better dealer is a long drive away.

(In my opinion) I've come across as a jerk in some posts here lately, that's not me, I've just been in a shitty mood lately. I apologize for acting that way here, calling bs above and all that, I've never seen your car or dash in person to really know what it's like.

Dude, I call bs on near perfect, people are always more observant after having things done to their car. Near the scratch on the center of your dash there is some kind of white circle residue, unless you're claiming that's from the dealer.

 

Under the passenger vent on the far right there's clear discoloration.

 

I would love to see people here do this every single day, and not make a single friggin mark on the dash, even the teeny tiny ones like in the original pictures after it was first done, where there is zero sign of a tool being used to pull that center cubby/vent out.

 

The crack is unacceptable of course, no argument there.

 

If you followed all the pictures closely you'd see that circle is the first scratch they fixed the new scratch is next to it. I don't need to bs anyone. Maybe I should have started the thread with the pictures I took before I left my car at Subaru. But that wasn't the point of me posting, I needed to vent because I really wanted to just walk in the dealership with a sledgehammer and showed them how I really felt.

Edited November 30, 2020 by eldrego
Last image in post #38 scratch on top of dash

The discoloration is just a dirty print from their gloves I'm guessing, it wipes off.

I went from basically having a new dash to this after I got my car back. No marks/scratches /cracks. So yes, any tiny marks/scratches immediately sticks out to me because I've had my car from 2011. So yea, if you want to call it being a perfectionist. But more than anything I shouldn't have been in this position in the first place.

 

your 100% right! but life isn't fair a lot of times lol, but it looks like its eating at you. My best suggestion would be to order a new one from that dealership, tell them you want it at cost, or at a extreme discount. Bring it home, do it yourself!, cause if you want something done right.... you know the rest, or bring it to someone else or tell them to install it free of charge. And make sure they don't damage the old one, you take that old one sell it on ebay, and try to recoup some of your loss.

 

This is one of those situations where you have to take a hit. Just like if some stranger walking down the road punches you in the face, we know its not fair or right but you can fight back, but you both will end up bloody or run and minimize damage.

 

At this point a new dash is whats going to make you happy again, so I would start thinking of how to minimize the loss.

Edited November 30, 2020 by Tehnation

https://parts.subaru.com/a/Subaru_2008_Legacy-25L-TURBO-5MT-4WD-GT-Limited-Sedan/_54103_6026294/INSTRUMENT-PANEL-PADFRAME-08MY-/B13-660-06.html

 

66049AG300 Is the part number, and the lowest new I see is around 400 plus tax from the cheapest subaru parts places.

 

Maybe split the cost or something but only other option is small claims or something. I would be hoping to try and get away with this for around a 200 dollar hit. I know its not fair but sometimes that's the way things are.

 

If I were looking for a dash I'd pay around 200-250 shipped for a dash in your condition, so it has value.

 

People are selling them for 300 shipped on ebay!

 

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313&_nkw=subaru+legacy+dashboard&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_osacat=0&_odkw=subaru+66049AG300

Edited November 30, 2020 by Tehnation