I took my Subaru to the dealer for a clutch job, later I found out that they cut off my front tow hooks…WHY? Nobody there can give me a straight answer.

I do lot of sea kayaking and my kayak is 18’ long and I tie a bowline from the kayak to the front tow hooks.

Very strange that having done it themselves nobody can explain why to you...

 

I remember that there was a recall for some Legacys for front tow hooks that would deploy the air bags if even moderately bumped on something hard. I also remember that the cure was removing the hooks.

The most likely explanation is that your car was listed as part of that recall.

Maybe they're building a Frankenstein Subaru?

take it back and have them fix it - if that means they have to weld on new ones, whatever - they did work you didn't authorize or even request, without even consulting you - make them fix it, bottom line

OK, I was worried they cut you after reading the topic.

 

I also think there was a recall on that. Do a check.

 

You can also invest in much needed bumper sticker:

"Say no to Subaru dealer cutting off body parts"

Is it really a tow hook??? I know a lot of people think those loops under the cars are tow hooks, most of them are there as tie down locations for shipping the cars to the USA aboard ships. They do make great tow hooks though.

Is it really a tow hook??? I know a lot of people think those loops under the cars are tow hooks, most of them are there as tie down locations for shipping the cars to the USA aboard ships. They do make great tow hooks though.

I know these are tie downs, and not "offically" to be used for towing points.

I would bet they did this for liabilty reasons?

Regardless, they need to talk to you BEFORE they just go chopping things off your car! PERIOD!

 

I am sure that a logical explanation, if there is one, would have set a lot better than just doing it and not saying a word about it.

Regardless, they need to talk to you BEFORE they just go chopping things off your car! PERIOD!

 

I am sure that a logical explanation, if there is one, would have set a lot better than just doing it and not saying a word about it.

I am not saying it is right, welcome to the world of dealerships.

They probably forgot to do it before delivery, and caught it later.

Yes--these were cut off to comply with a factory recall. Yes, Subaru refers to them as tow hooks. My 95 Legacy wagon has them missing. I had it towed a couple months ago after a botched wheel bearing job and the wrecker dude said flat hauling Subarus of that make are a bit of pain because they all have the tow hooks cut off. He didn't know why, so I did some research and found out it was a recall on them.

 

 

Apparently, there was a danger of hitting a shap dip in which the tow hooks would hit the ground and could deploy the airbags. Whether or not this happened to actual drivers, I was unable to find out. It made sense to cut them off, but, come on, the factory could have offered a solution for the now-missing tow hooks. They do come in handy occasionally...

 

I wouldn't get too ticked off at the dealership. Well, I probably would, but don't take it to heart. I'm sure they are required by Subaru to do such things whenever they run a VIN through the system and an alert pops up. What year is your car? I bought my Subie used, so it's not a big deal. However, if I forked out $24,000 for a car and it got cut on, I'd be very pissed because I didn't pay that much for a car without tow hooks. I wanna tinker with fitting mine w/ some replacement hooks--if I ever get around to it I'll let ya know what I did...

Thank you to everyone who helped me clear up is little mystery.

 

My Subaru is a 1995 with 225,00 miles on it.

 

I use the tow hook (tie downs) almost very weekend for my sea kayak bowline.

 

Looks like back to the drawing board to design some thing to clip my bowline too.

 

 

~C

 

 

Yes--these were cut off to comply with a factory recall. Yes, Subaru refers to them as tow hooks. My 96 Legacy wagon has them missing. I had it towed a couple months ago after a botched wheel bearing job and the wrecker dude said flat hauling Subarus of that make are a bit of pain because they all have the tow hooks cut off. He didn't know why, so I did some research and found out it was a recall on them.

 

 

Apparently, there was a danger of hitting a shap dip in which the tow hooks would hit the ground and could deploy the airbags. Whether or not this happened to actual drivers, I was unable to find out. It made sense to cut them off, but, come on, the factory could have offered a solution for the now-missing tow hooks. They do come in handy occasionally...

 

I wouldn't get too ticked off at the dealership. Well, I probably would, but don't take it to heart. I'm sure they are required by Subaru to do such things whenever they run a VIN through the system and an alert pops up. What year is your car? I bought my Subie used, so it's not a big deal. However, if I forked out $24,000 for a car and it got cut on, I'd be very pissed because I didn't pay that much for a car without tow hooks. I wanna tinker with fitting mine w/ some replacement hooks--if I ever get around to it I'll let ya know what I did...

it was a recall:

 

(from nhtsa's web site)

 

Make : SUBARU

Model : LEGACY

Year : 1995

Manufacturer : SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC.

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID Number : 98V315000

Recall Date : DEC 11, 1998

Component: AIR BAGS

Potential Number Of Units Affected : 95673

 

Summary:

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT CAN OCCUR AFTER UNDERCARRIAGE CONTACT OF THE TOW HOOKS WITH CURBS, DIPS, SPEEDBUMPS, POTHOLES, ETC.

 

Consequence:

UNEXPECTED AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT COULD RESULT IN PERSONAL INJURY.

 

Remedy:

DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE FRONT TOW HOOKS.

 

Notes:

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 1, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SUBARU AT 1-800-782-2783. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

 

more at: http://152.122.48.12/prepos/files/Artemis/Public/Recalls/1998/V/RC-98V315-NN.PDF

My understanding is that the towing hook recall is for those Legacies and Imprezas with an older type of airbag system, the one that has inertia sensors in the fender wells (although 1st gen. Legacies aren't affected). You know you have this system if the steering wheel has buttons to operate the horn.

Just because there is a recall, doesn't give them the right to do unauthorized maintenance. It's your car, so they have to ask for your permission. I would make them replace them.

Just because there is a recall, doesn't give them the right to do unauthorized maintenance. It's your car, so they have to ask for your permission. I would make them replace them.

Unfortunately they do. If this is a safety issue then they not only have the right, but they are required to do so legally. What if they did not cut them off and the airbags went off? Then they would be liable for a lawsuit because they did not cut them off when they had the vehicle in for service. I do not think there is anything that can be done about it.

Im kinda torn, i do believe they have the right to want do so because of safety/liability reasons, but only with owners consent. They should have asked, or at least told him they were cuting them off, then if he still wanted them, maby he could have signed a waiver or something and kept them.

but i dont know there is so many loopholes in lawsuits and such, i guess i dont blame em for whacking them off, and whats the chance of them running accross someone who actually does use them?

 

Unfortunately they do. If this is a safety issue then they not only have the right, but they are required to do so legally. What if they did not cut them off and the airbags went off? Then they would be liable for a lawsuit because they did not cut them off when they had the vehicle in for service. I do not think there is anything that can be done about it.

Maybe they should look into a problem with the airbag deployment system instead! Seems like a quick, liability-minimizing fix for Subaru to a potentially bigger problem.

 

Did you pay them yet? If not, "cut off" a portion of their amount due. Tell them when the bill hit your mailbox it inadvertently deployed the air bags in your wallet.

Did you pay them yet? If not, "cut off" a portion of their amount due. Tell them when the bill hit your mailbox it inadvertently deployed the air bags in your wallet.

That is great!!

 

I am not siding with the dealership at all.

I am just stating legal precedence on this. If you went to court and tried to get them to pay for this it would go like this.

 

Subaru would say that this vehicle slipped through the new car prep, they forgot to cut off the Tie down points. They would state these are not for towing but for use by Subaru in shipping of vehicle from factory to dealerships.

They would explain how this is a safety issue and they took them off to protect the consumer.

blabla bla

And Subaru would win.

I recall seeing a service bulletin or recall notice regarding tow hooks on front triggering air bags when bumping curbs during parking. Solution: remove hooks. It's a shame dealers aren't better communicators.

 

I took my Subaru to the dealer for a clutch job, later I found out that they cut off my front tow hooks…WHY? Nobody there can give me a straight answer.

I do lot of sea kayaking and my kayak is 18’ long and I tie a bowline from the kayak to the front tow hooks.

Beginning to think this thread is 17 posts too long...

No offense. Just my kind of humor.