Subaru Outback Complaints (2009)

112 consumer complaints on file.

#11364902October 18, 2020
AIR BAGS, STRUCTURE:BODY
DASHBOARD IS VERY STICKY AS THOUGH MELTING. NOTICED FOR OVER A YEAR NOW AND GETTING WORSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11329080June 15, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
CAR INTERMITTENTLY STALLS AND IS HARD TO RESTART. HAPPENS RANDOMLY WITH NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR CODE IN THE ECU. HAS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AT INTERSTATE SPEED AND WHILE STOPPED. WILL NOT RESTART IMMEDIATELY. ROUGH IDLE AT RESTART THEN BACK TO NORMAL. MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO RECREATE THE PROBLEM AND THUS UNABLE TO REPAIR. CREATES POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY, INTERSECTION, ETC. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11300598January 20, 2020
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
2009 SUBARU OUTBACK STALLING WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING WITH LIGHT ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS (5-20 MPH) WITHOUT WARNING. WARNING LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE TO HAVE THE CAR STALL OUT WITHOUT WARNING. SUBARA SOUTH BLVD DEALERSHIP SAY THEY DO NOT KNOW THE ROOT CAUSE. PRIOR TO THE ABOVE INCIDENCE THE CAR, WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, WOULD OCCASIONALLY SHUDDER AND THE WARNING LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON THEN GO OFF. IT FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO SHUT OFF BUT IT DIDN'T. NOW IT IS SHUTTING OFF. IT'S COMPLETELY UNSAFE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11245213August 20, 2019
AIR BAGS, SERVICE BRAKES
WENT TO LOCAL SUBURB DEALERSHIP AND WAS EXPECTING A FREE LOANER VEHICLE BUT WAS NOT AND THAT WAS IN THE RECALL SO THEY LOCAL DEALERSHIP DID NOT DELIVER THE SERVICE THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO FIX FOR THE RECALL!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11156814December 7, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THERE IS A WELL DOCUMENTED FAULTY DESIGN ISSUE THAT LEADS TO FAILURE OF THE WIRING HARNESS (REAR GATE CORD) TO THE REAR WAGON DOOR/GATE OF THIS MODEL SUBARU OUBACK WAGONS. FAILURE OF THE WIRING HARNESS HAS AFFECTED ME WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. AS THIS ISSUE HAS PROGRESSED, MORE AND MORE WIRES BREAK, COMPLETELY SEVERED, AND LEAD TO THE REAR LOCK NOT WORKING, THEN BACKUP LIGHTS NOT WORKING, REAR DEFROSTER NOT WORKING, WIPER NOT WORKING, AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHT NOT WORKING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY THE BACKUP LIGHTS, REAR DEFROSTER, REAR WIPER, AND LOCKING MECHANISM NOT WORKING AT ALL! THESE COMPROMISE VISIBILITY AND CAR SAFETY. THIS FAULTY DESIGN, OR FAULTY MATERIAL CHOICE IS CLEARLY SUBARU'S FAULT: SEVERED ELECTRICAL WIRES, AS A RESULT OF NORMAL USE, SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COMPROMISE SAFETY BY DISABLING BACKUP LIGHTS AND THE REAR LOCK. WHILE THE REPLACEMENT CABLE ITSELF IS ONLY $63, THE SUBARU DEALERSHIPS WANT TO CHARGE OVER $500 IN LABOR. I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL, OR SUPPORT ON THIS ISSUE FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA. I CANNOT FIND ANY OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM SUBARU ON THIS ISSUE. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR TO HAVE LOYAL CUSTOMERS LIKE MYSELF, PAY EXCESSIVE LABOR CHARGES TO FIX A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT IS A DESIGN FLAW FROM SUBARU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11154040November 26, 2018
AIR BAGS
WHILE DRIVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. IF CAR IS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IT GENERALLY STAYS OFF. RESEARCH STATES THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THIS LIGHT IS ON WHEN AN ACCIDENT. THIS APPEARS TO BE DUE TO PART NEEDING TO BE SOLDERED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SUBARU SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLES INVOLVED. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY CARS.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11144981November 2, 2018
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL I COMPLIED WITH THE RECALL BY TAKING IT TO KENDALL SUBARU IN EUGENE, OREGON ON MARCH 1, 2018 AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. I HAD SPOKEN TO ONE OF YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ABOUT THIS AND SHE GAVE ME A RA#1271579.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11098473May 29, 2018
AIR BAGS
WHEN CAR IS RUNNING, THE RED AIIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CONSOLE STAYS ON. A SUBARU DEALER MENTIONED THE CONTROL MODULE (CIRCUIT BOARD) IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT CONSOLE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE FOUND THAT THE SOLDERING ON THE CIRCUIT BOARD IS FLIMSY AND PRONE TO CRACKING. APPARENTLY THERE IS A DANGER THAT THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY IF THE WARNING LIGHT IS ON.THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ONLINE FORUMS THAT DETAIL OTHERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. THE FORUMS RECOMMENDED FIX IS TO APPLY SOLDER. HERE IS ONE EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/109-GEN-3-2005-2009/42574-2006-OBW-AIRBAG-LIGHT-MY-FIX.HTML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11080213March 19, 2018
ENGINE
CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED ONCE BACK IN 2013. THIS WEEK HAD TO REPLACE FRONT AND REAR CATALYTIC CONVERTER AGAIN DUE TO PROBLEM WITH CATALYTIC CONVERTER. MILEAGE AT 105,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11080217March 19, 2018
ENGINE
VEHICLE WITH ONLY 105 K MILES REQUIRES NEW HEAD GASKET DUE TO LEAK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11063762January 19, 2018
AIR BAGS
TL-CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK -- VEHICLE HAS 113,000 MILES ON IT AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR TWO WEEKS HAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE . -- 0 RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS VIN TK HOLDINGS POSTCARD CB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11062651January 13, 2018
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE WIRING IN REAR HATCH IN REALLY BAD SHAPE SOME SHOWING THE COPPER AND TWO COMPLETELY BROKE APART. CAUSING THE LATCH NOT TO WORK AND ALARM GOING OFF. REAR WIPER NOT WORKING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11048347November 25, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY CAUSING THE HOOD TO BECOME UNLATCHED WHILE DRIVING, PRESUMABLY RISKING THE HOOD FLYING UP AND IMPAIRING VISIBILITY. A DIFFERENT SUBARU MODEL WAS RECALLED FOR THIS FAILURE BUT NOT THE OUTBACK MODEL (2009 OR OTHER). THIS KEEPS HAPPENING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11011485July 29, 2017
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
INDIVIDUAL WIRES IN THE HARNESS POWERING AND CONTROLLING THE BRAKE, TURN, BACKUP, AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, AND THE REAR WIPER MOTOR AND WASHER PUMP, MAY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING. THIS FAILURE COULD RESULT IN AN REAR END COLLISION OR IMPAIRING VISION OUT THE REAR WINDOW IN INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE POINT OF FAILURE IS INSIDE THE FLEXIBLE RUBBER BOOT PROTECTING THE HARNESS WHERE IT PASSES FROM THE REAR FRAME OF THE MAIN BODY TO THE TOP OF THE REAR LIFT GATE. IT APPEARS THAT REPEATED FLEXING OF THE WIRES INSIDE THE PROTECTIVE BOOT, AS THE REAR LIFT GATE IS OPENED AND CLOSED, WORK HARDENS THE INSULATION AND COPPER WIRES CAUSING THEM TO EVENTUALLY BREAK. SYMPTOMS MAY APPEAR AS STATIC ON THE RADIO, FAILING REAR LIGHTS, AND/OR FAILING REAR WIPER/WASHER MOTORS. IN MY CASE, I EXPERIENCED RADIO STATIC AND A FAILURE OF THE REAR WIPER/WASHER MOTORS. TROUBLE SHOOTING LED ME TO CUT OPEN THE PROTECTIVE BOOT REVEALING THE BROKEN WIRES. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE WIRE INSULATION WAS BRITTLE IN THE AREA OF THE BREAKS. A SEARCH ONLINE REVEALED THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10995462June 16, 2017
AIR BAGS
TAKATA RECALL: NO ISSUE YET BUT SCARED TO DRIVE CAR -TKA-16
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10983507May 4, 2017
AIR BAGS
MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD HAS BEEN TURNING ON AND OFF WITH NO APPARENT CONSISTENCY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JANUARY. SOMETIMES, ITS ON, SOMETIMES NOT, I MADE AN APPT TO TAKE IT TO A SUBARU DEALER, MONTHS AGO, THEN A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE, IT WENT OFF AND STAYED OFF FOR MANY WEEKS. (I HAD CANCELLED THE APPT.) THEN IT CAME ON AGAIN, SO I TOOK IT TO A SUBARU DEALER THAT DAY AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS A PROBLEM WITH THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THEY SCANNED THE SYSTEM AND FOUND CODE 26. APPARENTLY THE AIRBAG SENSOR RUNS THROUGH THAT ASSEMBLY AND THERE IS A CONNECTION THAT WEARS OUT AND BECOMES DISCONNECTED, RESULTING IN THE AIRBAG NOT BEING ABLE TO DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. THE SUBARU SERVICE REP SAID THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND THEY HAVE MADE MANY OF THOSE REPAIRS. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM AND THAT SUBARU DEALERS CHARGE BETWEEN $200-$500 TO REPAIR THIS. THERE ARE ALSO VIDEOS AND INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO FIX THIS BY TAKING APART THE ASSEMBLY AND RE-SOLDERING THE CONNECTION. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING TO SUBARUS THAT HAVE LOW MILEAGE AS WELL AS SOME WITH HIGHER MILEAGE. MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS SEEM TO COME FROM PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN AREAS WHERE IT IS VERY COLD IN THE WINTER, WHICH IS MY CASE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT WHEN ILLUMINATED THE AIRBAG WILL NOR DEPLOY. THIS NATURALLY SCARES PEOPLE SO THEY OPT FOR THE REPAIR ASAP. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM AND IS A GRAVE SAFETY CONCERN THAT SUBARU SHOULD ADDRESS. I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10981320April 28, 2017
ENGINE
THE HEAD GASKETS ON MY VEHICLE HAVE DEVELOPED LEAKS AT JUST OVER 80,000 MILES. THIS IS A FREQUENT (AND KNOWN) PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS ON THIS VEHICLE. ALL SUBARU-SPECIFIC MECHANICS, MANY OWNERS OF THIS MODEL AND EVEN SUBARU DEALERSHIP EMPLOYEES HAVE EXPRESSED KNOWLEDGE OF HIGH FAILURE RATES FOR THIS HEAD GASKET AT APPROXIMATELY 80-100K MILE INTERVALS. THIS IS WAY SHORTER LIFE THAN SHOULD OCCUR AND RESULTS IN A $2000 OR GREATER COST OF REPAIR (IN MY CASE, $3200!). SUBARU HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS DEFECT ON PREVIOUS MODELS AND EVEN HAD CLASS ACTION SUITS RESULTING IN RECALLS FOR PREVIOUS GENERATION OUTBACKS YET HAVE NOT ADDRESSED THE DEFECT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10981010April 27, 2017
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
POSITIVE WIRE TO THE FUEL PUMP BURNED THROUGH TO THE OPEN GAS TANK LEAVING THE CAR ABLE TO RUN INTERMITTENTLY. THE PLASTIC HOUSING WAS MELTED AND BURNED AND THE WIRING CONNECTOR WAS RUINED. MY CONCERN IS THE HOT WIRE CONNECTOR, HOT ENOUGH TO MELT AND LEAVE THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR BURNED, WAS HANGING INTO THE AREA OPEN TO FUEL. I HAVE PICS. THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND OCCUPIED .
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969851April 1, 2017
AIR BAGS
I CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WHERE WE PURCHASED THIS CAR.THEY TOLD ME THEY DO HAVE THE PARTS BUT ARE NOT FIXING ALL CARS SO I AM ON A LIST AND CAN NOT GET MY CAR IN FOR MANY MONTHS. MEANWHILE MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN STILL DRIVE THIS CAR. THEY SAID IN AUGUST APPROX. 6 MONTHS AFTER I TRIED TO GET THEM TO FIX IT WE ARE ON THE SCHEDULE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10969757March 31, 2017
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
TAKATA RECALL - THE LETTER FROM NHTSA VIA SUBARU RE. THE RECALL WAS MISLEADING. 1. IT SAID THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE APPROX. 1 HOUR 48 MINUTES. IT TOOK ALL DAY. I UNEXPECTEDLY HAD TO LEAVE THE CAR OVERNIGHT AT GREAT INCONVENIENCE TO ME. 2. THE DIRECTIVE NOT TO LET ANYONE RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WE HAVE FOUR PEOPLE AND ONLY ONE CAR! ALSO, THIS OBVIOUSLY MEANS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A DANGEROUS CAR FOR 8 YEARS! 3. WHEN I COMPLAINED TO SUBARU OF AMERICA THEY SAID THE WORDING OF THE RECALL LETTER WAS ENTIRELY NHTSA'S. ASSUMING SUBARU'S ASSERTION IS TRUE, YOUR COMMUNICATION ABOUT THIS MATTER WAS HORRIBLE, MISLEADING AND FRIGHTENING.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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