[tripswitch]

I didn't get my first oil change yet and already there's a blown boot. (Left Front)

I have seen boots fail due to age but on a brand new car? This is a first for me. The only thing I can gather; is either a defect, or rough road.
Either way it's covered under warranty. I guess I'm going to have to drop the car off for this one.

I noticed when my Speed Master Jr. Wheel Brush got all gummed up with grease. I don't use the wheel brush all the time..but this time I found grease. I knew right away, it's a blown axle. To really check, I finger swiped the rim. Yep.. that's it.
Where else does sticky grease come from in that area? I haven't noticed any binding or noises yet...but that's only in a matter of time.
Further investigation, up on ramps, reveled a mess and a nice tear, on the out side rim right by the clip. (Last picture)

Humm..Greasy.

Okay...where's the hole?

Oh..there it is..a nice tear. (Circled in Green)

What a mess...I wonder how well the dealer is going to clean this one up.

 

[flash75]

Hopefully your dealer will clean it well. It may be a good idea to ask for them to let you check it
while the car is still on the lift.


Clifton

 

[SkierDave]

..... right by the clip.....

Looking at the pictures, the tear right by the clamp suggests that it happened on the assembly line. Hopefully the dealer agrees that's warranty.

 

[Derrick0580]

That tear didn?t happen on the assembly line. One of the last checks done on that car before it left the building was an underbody check and a tear that big would have slung boot grease all over the place so that even a cross eyed blind man couldn?t have missed it....that?s road hazard damage!

 

[Derrick0580]

But either way warranty will cover it since they aren?t supposed to tear like that from driving....

 

[Buffalo410]

Is it possible it was torn on the line, a small tear, and missed. And in the 5k miles or so it turned into that large tear? I would have to think that?s covered under warranty.

 

[ImprezaSport21]

Likely covered under warranty, but no guarantee. Easily could have been caused by road debris.

 

[tripswitch]

Yup, all covered under warranty, no worries. Dealer didn't have the part. They just replace the boot. Not the whole axle. Gave me a loaner car. 2018 Crosstrek for 2 days. Not bad they took care of it.

 

[Snewbaru]

That isn't a bad mess at all, My 4Runner rear axle has leaked for over a decade and I just top up the diff oil, it smells bad sure, oil is slung everywhere yeah, but she gains rust protection where ever the oil lands!