Subaru Impreza 2005 News

A number of potentially hazardous faults have been identified in vehicles sold in Australia, prompting a wide range of recalls.

In extreme situations, owners have been warned their vehicles may catch fire.Mitsubishi was hit with the biggest safety recall for the three month period. It has written to owners of Pajeros built between 2000 and 2003 to warn them of a potential brake problem. As many as 13,400 vehicles may need to be checked.The company also recalled 4400 of its now-defunct 380 sedan, built between 2006 and 2007, which may have a faulty fuel tank retaining strap. In a severe collision the tank may be dislodged and spill fuel.Mitsubishi is also checking more than 8300 Colts built this year which may have a problem with door windows which may drop and unlock or open the door while the car is being driven.Honda has recalled 11,800 of its 2004-05 Jazz to check whether they have a faulty handbrake, while Mazda needs to look at 1770 of its B4000 utes built between 2005-2006 because the bonnet may open unexpectedly.Subaru has recalled 5380 of its Imprezas, built between 2001 and 2003 because of a faulty rear tailgate which may suddenly drop.Subaru Australia spokesman, Dave Rowley, said many of the recalls were to check for "minor or niggling" faults."We have had no incidents of anyone being injured in Australia and we found only six cars which had the faulty (tailgate strut) connection."Many recalls are done as a pre-emptive measure to avoid possible problems further down the track, " he said.Other potential faults include electrical short circuits, which in extreme circumstances, may start a cabin fire in Landrover Freelander diesels built since 2007. Landrover warns the fault may occur when the vehicle is parked and unattended.Other recalls were to check for short circuits in Fiat's Grande Punto; and a chance that the panoramic glass roof in a small number of Citroen's Picasso could be dislodged.Suzuki has warned of potential fire risk in its 3-door Suzuki Grand Vitara (2006-07) because of a possible cracked fuel pipe, while the 2005-08 Vitara diesel has a remote fire risk in a filter because of a problem with the intercooler outlet pipe insulator.Other problems include faulty rear seat belt D-loop attachments in the current Jaguar XF, and the potential for a loss of steering in Chrysler's 300C built last year because of a problem with rear axle hub nuts which could see the half shaft disengage from the wheel hub.Mercedes Benz wants to look at axles, springs and the park brake in its Sprinter or Vito vans.Jayco has recalled some of its motor homes to check and fix awning and exhaust pipe problems.Of the 1500 motorcycles recalled, safety issues to be fixed include a faulty fuel filler on Kawasaki models, a windshield which may come off Buell bikes if ridden at high speed and a rear view mirror which may fall off on certain Yamaha models.An ACCC spokeswoman said this year's figures were actually less than last year but the number has been steadily rising over the past 20 years.The ACCC says there have been 52 individual recalls this year compared to 171 last year.Full details of the recalls can be found at www.recalls.gov.au 

Pulling on a race suit is a transmogrifying experience, much as one imagines peeling on the blue lycra and red gumboots and underpants is for Superman.

Pimped, blinged, modified or simply done up. They all add up to the same thing: the process of altering a car. It's easy for outsiders to dismiss some of the more extravagant ventures as kitsch or simply a waste of money, but the influence of such films as Pimp My Ride and The Fast And The Furious is growing.For devotees, spending $30,000 on pimping a car is a way of self-expression, of forging a distinct identity and, most important, having fun.Albert Lahood has this sense of pride and enjoyment in abundance.After buying a new Subaru WRX two years ago, the 21-year-old business marketing student transformed it from a run-of-the-mill Soob to a unique show car.“I've added TV screens and had it retrimmed in suede and leather from Italy,” he says. “The wheels are custom-made, and I painted them the same colour as the car.“I've done the interior, the audio, done the wheels, exhaust, engine modifications — the list goes on.“A DVD player, an MP3 player. The engine's got an intercooler, and a special air-flow system, blow-out valve and and engine computer.”That adds up to an estimated $30,000 to $35,000, including the cost of adding no fewer than 12 television screens, some of which can be seen from outside of the car — one is in the boot lid.“It's more of a disease now. Once I had four TVs, but I just added and added,” Lahood says.His parents, and many others, may scratch their heads, but he doesn't need to search for an explanation.“It's unique; I do it to be different. You see many, many WRXs on the street, but I don't want to see many like my car.“That's what makes it. It's out there, wild. I express my thoughts in my car. It makes a statement.”That's something Tony Doran, the boss of Doran Pro Audio, has identified, particularly in the past three years.Doran, who carried out the audio and interior additions to Lahood's ride, says owners are sick of the norm.“They don't want to drive down the street and see an identical vehicle. They want to show their character.“They've evolved into being individual characters as such — and generated a name for themselves.”Mick Taleb, of Tempe Tyres, says this trend encompasses both genders from all economic and ethnic backgrounds. He's also ideally placed to notice that wheels keep getting bigger.Clive Wasserman, the owner of SunGard Window Tinting at Rockdale, says a lot of younger car owners get tinting on their windows, especially as it's a more affordable element of pimping.“They can spend anywhere between $295 and $495, depending on the size and quality,” Wasserman says.“Older people are more concerned about the protection and glare; youngsters are more interested in the appearance of their car.”Cars most likely to get the big makeover treatment include Mercedes-Benzes, BMWs, Nissan 200SXs and Skylines and, of course, Subaru WRXs.Taleb says customers spend anywhere from $1000 to $30,000 on pimping at his company alone, and that doesn't include such items as wheels and tinting.Says Doran: “Before he did up his car, Albert was still Albert, but not noticed. Now he's known — he's a somebody.“It's a world of its own. These fellows can go a few different ways.“Some get into drugs, make a lot of money, but meet their demise abruptly, or they get into work, make a future.“Other fellows blow it all on their cars. A large majority blow it all on their cars to get recognised.”For Lahood, pimping his car has become a hobby — one he can share with 30-odd friends who have the same passion and attend car shows together.“It's more of a reality instead of an impossible thing. As if you'd think you could have 15 TV screens in a car like that. Whoever would have thought 10 years ago they'd have TVs in a boot?”Lahood has funded his automotive hobby by working part-time for his parents' fruit and vegetable wholesale business.Having spent close to $80,000 all up on his car, he'd be lucky to get the $45,000 he paid for the WRX in its original condition if he were to sell.“I didn't build it to make money. I built it as a hobby, and you can't make money off a hobby,” Lahood says.“It's become a part of me. Selling it would be like selling one of the family.”Lahood is equally straight up about the car's downsides. He says police pull him over at least once a week.“They just have a look, see what's going on, see who's driving the car. They're generally OK.“The car's been re-engineered, and I've got a certificate to prove it. I have to carry that.”Security is another factor. Lahood drives his WRX only on weekends and can't take it any place where he won't be able to keep an eye on it all the time.Then there's the big question of insurance premiums.Tony Doran believes the modified-car craze is just getting under way.“It seems as if it's growing at a very steady rate. Every day, we get more and more calls regarding this,” he says.“I'd say this scene is here to stay.”And if Albert Lahood's car is anything to go by, Doran may be right.“There's plenty more to do,” Lahood laughs. “Maybe a colour change, more motor modifications, more TV screens — as many as the battery can handle.”