Subaru Outback Complaints (2000)

207 consumer complaints on file.

#10048660November 25, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON FOR 3-5 DAYS BEFORE GOING OFF. THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THE FAILURE CODE FOUND WAS FOR THE OXYGEN SENSOR OR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. THERE'S A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE WXW-80 FOR OTHER 2000 MODEL SUBARUS, BUT IT'S FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION BUT HAS THE SAME DESIGN, PER CONSUMER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10048389November 20, 2003
STEERING
WHILE DRIVING 65-MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER ISN'T SURE IF THE STEERING MECHANISM FELL OFF AND CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10046100October 30, 2003
SUSPENSION
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER JULY OF 2002. DEALER CLAIMED COULD NOT DO REPAIRS BECAUSE PARTS WEREN'T AVAILABLE. KELLY SUBARU, 3122 W. TENNESSEE ST., TALLAHASSEE FL., 32304 850-575-6166.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043615October 27, 2003
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, EQUIPMENT
PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE ON SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON 2000. ORIGINAL CLUTCH REPLACED AT 7500 MILES AND FOUND TO HAVE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, BENT FORKS.EW CLUTCH PLACED IN CAR. SHORTLY AFTER, SMELL OF BURNING, ESP. WHEN BACKING UP OR IN COLD WEATHER, WHICH LASTED FOR 1 MONTH. CLUTCH THEN FAILED PREMATURELY AFTER 40,000 MILES. MY HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THE CLUTCH LOST A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ITS LINING AND LIFE SPAN WHEN BURNING UP IN THE FIRST MONTH OF USE. NUMEROUS POSTING ON EDMUNDS.COM REGARDING PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE, BURNING SMELL, AND CLUTCH SHUDDER IN SUBARU OUTBACKS. MY EXPERIENCE, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER OWNERS, SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS A GENERAL DEFECT PRESENT IN SUBARU CLUTCHES FROM 2000-2002. LEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DEFECT AND CONSIDER A RECALL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038080October 1, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A DELAYED RESPONSE WHEN CHANGING FROM ONE GEAR INTO ANOTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON A STEEP SLOPE AND PUT INTO REVERSE. THE DRIVER TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND ONTO THE ACCELERATOR THEN THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS PROBLEM IS CALLED SHIFT LAG. *AK *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10039321September 22, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
FAILURE OF RADIATOR AT 48000 MILES. THE PLASTIC BODY SEPARATED FROM THE METAL PORTION, CAUSING AN OCCASIONAL LEAK OF COOLANT.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10039227September 21, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
WE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH OUR 2000 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK AS SIMILARLY REPORTED IN COMPLAINT # 766462 (TRANSMISSION LEAKING FLUID, SMOKING, FAILURE). SUBARU DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE WARRANTY SERVICE FOR THE TRANSMISSION WORK (2 INCIDENTS BETWEEN AUG 2002 AND MAY 2003), AND ONLY A LETTER BY US IN JUNE 2003 (NOTING PREVIOUS REPORTS IN NHTSA WEBSITE & ELSEWHERE) FINALLY CONVINCED SUBARU USA HEADQUARTERS TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM FURTHER. THE FIX SUBARU PERFORMED WAS REPLACEMENT OF A SEAL BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, WHICH SEEMS TO LARGELY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM (ALTHOUGH A SLIGHT SMOKE ODOR STILL OCCURS WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS). SUBARU USA ALSO REFUNDED ALL OUR PREVIOUS CHARGES BY THE DEALER FOR PRIOR UNSUCCESSFUL REPAIRS (WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN FREE UNDER THE WARRANTY). THERE APPEARS TO BE AN INHERENT DEFECT IN THIS TRANSMISSION (4EAT MODEL) UNDER HIGH HEAT CONDITIONS, WHICH HAS A LONG HISTORICAL TRACK RECORD IN THIS REGARD. IN ONE INCIDENCE, WE ALMOST INCURRED A SEVERE FIRE ON THE ROAD AND THIS COULD BE A POTENTIALLY FATAL HAZARD. NHTSA SHOULD EXAMINE THIS PROBLEM CLOSELY WITH SUBARU.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026868September 15, 2003
SUSPENSION:REAR
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ON THE REAR SUSPENSION. THE DEALER DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. RECALL NUMBER UNKNOWN. *AK (RECALL # 03V153000) *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10039906September 12, 2003
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
DEALER DOESN'T HAVE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AND SOLVENTS TO REMOVE CORROSION ON RECALL NHTSA# 03-V-153-000. CONSUMER RECEIVED THIS RECALL NOTICE JULY 2003. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034143September 12, 2003
SUSPENSION:REAR
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V153000 CONCERNING THE REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME CORROSION IN JULY 2003. DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE RECALL DEFECT. *AK *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037274September 5, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON, YEAR 2000, MILAGE 33,000 - PROBLEM: SPEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER WORK ON AND OFF. THEY BOTH 'DIE' THEN THEY BOTH COME BACK ON AGAIN. ON THE FREEWAY, ONE FINDS THEMSELVES WITHOUT SPEED INFORMATION WITHOUT WARNING
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033677August 12, 2003
SUSPENSION:REAR
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 03V153000, BUT A WELD ON RIGHT REAR OF REAR SUSPENSION THAT SHOULD BE RUST PROOFED ALREADY CRACKED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029969August 7, 2003
STEERING:LINKAGES:ARM:IDLER AND ATTACHMENT
THE REAR LEFT TRAILING ARM BROKE IN HALF. DEALER NOTIFIED. PART REPLACED BY ROSSYLN AUTO EXPRESS SHOP. THE COST OF REPAIRS WERE OVER $400.00. SUBARU DID NOT REIMBURSE CONSUMER. *AK *CB *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10032225August 1, 2003
SUSPENSION:REAR
POSSIBLE DEFECT OF REAR SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY.*MR THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL WHICH STATED IF THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN A "SALT BELT" AREA, CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO SALT COULD CAUSE THE REAR SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY TO RUST-OUT AND EVENTUALLY BREAK. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10030154July 25, 2003
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
THIS RECALL APPLIES TO CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK. CERTAIN REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME COMPONENTS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE ROAD SALTS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, COULD RESULT IN RUST-OUT OF THE COMPONENT AND POSSIBLE BREAKAGE OF THE SUBFRAME. DEALER STATED THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE TOOLS TO FIX THIS RECALL. CONSUMER STATED DEALER HAS CANCELLED TWICE HIS APPOINTMENTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10029513July 17, 2003
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 03V153000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME CORROSION, AND CONTACTED THE DEALER TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT. DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT SETUP TO MAKE THE REPAIRS UNTIL LATE AUGUST. ALSO, CONSUMER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND GOT A RECORDING SAYING THAT DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THE NUMBER WAS OUT OF SERVICE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10021860July 11, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE GOING BACKWARDS INTO GARAGE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WENT THROUGH THE BACK OF THE GARAGE OFF DECK AND HIT A TREE. *AK PH *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10026598July 7, 2003
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60MPH PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW SHATTERED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025526July 7, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR WAS OVERHEATING. TOOK TO DEALER TO CHANGE THE TIMING BELT AND TO INVESTIGATE THE OVERHEATING. CHANGED TIMING BELT AND BLEW SAND OUT OF RADIATOR FINS. INVESTIGATED ON THE WEB AND FOUND THAT THE SYMPTOMS WERE VERY SIMILAR TO A HEAD GASKET BEING BLOWN OUT IN VERY MANY CASES. THE NEXT WEEK THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE OVERFLOW RESERVOIR AS DESCRIBED IN PROBLEMS FOUND ON THE WEB. TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS BAD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10014482April 16, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK LTD, WHITE VIN [XXX]. IT HAS APPROX. 63,000 MILES AND HAS HAD FOR THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS, AN ANTI-FREEZE SMELL AFTER THE CAR HAS INITIALLY WARMED UP. AS IT TURNS OUT, I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR IT'S 60,000 MILE SERVICE AND WAS DISMAYED TO RECEIVE A CALL FROM THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORMING ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS GONE AND NEEDED REPLACING. IN THIS DAY AN AGE OF MODERN VEHICLES, A HEAD GASKET RARELY BECOMES DEFECTIVE AT 63,000 MILES; CHECK STATISTICS!!! I BELIEVE THAT THIS FAILURE IS DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW WHEN SUBARU WENT TO THE 2.5L ENGINE SIZE AS MANY OTHER SUBARU OWNERS ARE NOW EXPERIENCING THIS UNWARRANTED REPAIR AT SUCH AN EARLY TIME FRAME. AS THESE IRRITATED SUBARU OWNERS APPROACH THE 60,000 TO 80,000 MILE MARK AND START EXPERIENCING THESE HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENTS, YOU SHOULD BECOME INUNDATED WITH COMPLAINTS. BEFORE THIS OCCURRED, I RECOMMENDED SUBARU'S TO MAY PEOPLE, BUT WITH THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR, WHICH SHOULD BE PARTLY OR WHOLLY COVERED BY SUBARU, I WILL NEVER RECOMMEND A SUBARU TO ANYONE EVER. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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