Subaru Outback Complaints (2000)

207 consumer complaints on file.

#10006473April 16, 2002
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATED AND TIRE BLEW WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH ON PARKWAY. DIDN'T FILL OUT ALL INFORMATION ON CAR SINCE IT DIDN'T APPLY AND DEALER HAS RECORD. *AK *JB *****DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS******760752.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8007674April 16, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME ON AND STAY ON AND INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK *MJ
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8007675April 16, 2002
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THERE IS SLIPPAGE IN TRANSMISSION. WHEN DRIVING, IT CAN HAPPEN AT ANY SPEED, AND WILL HAPPEN MORE OFTEN IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT OIL LIGHT AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON TOGETHER AND THEN THE POWER GOES OUT, THIS HAS OCCURRED WHEN STOPPING AND MOVING , THE PROBLEM IS STILL ON GOING. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SHOWS THAT A PROBLEM EXISTS BUT THEY CAN?T IDENTIFY THE CAUSE UNLESS IT HAPPENS IN THEIR PRESENCE. *YD
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#760128April 2, 2002
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THE CLUTCH SYSTEM APPEARS TO BE UNABLE TO HANDLE SAN FRANCISCO (EXTREME) DRIVING CONDITIONS. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER PEOPLE WHOSE CLUTCHES HAVE ALL FAILED AT 13,500 MILES OR LESS. WE ARE ALL EXPERIENCED CLUTCH DRIVERS IN SAN FRANCISCO. OTHER CARS DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. WHILE I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER MECHANIC THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG OTHER THAN THAT I BURNED OUT THE CLUTCH, MY FRIEND WAS TOLD A MONTH LATER THAT THE CLUTCH NEEDS TO BE READJUSTED MORE FREQUENTLY IN S.F. - EVERY 7.5 MONTHS. THIS IMPLIES TO ME THAT SOMEONE HAS LOOKED INTO THIS AND DETERMINED THAT THE CLUTCH SYSTEM IS PROBLEMATIC. MY CLUTCH NEEDED TO BE FIXED AN ADDITIONAL 3 TIMES BEFORE IT WAS WORKING CORRECTLY. HOWEVER, I DO NOT WANT A CAR THAT WILL NEED A NEW CLUTCH EVERY 2 YEARS, OR THAT NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT IN FOR A CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT EVERY 7.5 MONTHS. I THINK THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR DRIVERS IN S.F. OR SIMILAR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS AND REPLACED WITH A CAR THAT CAN HANDLE NORMAL DRIVING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#760068April 1, 2002
TIRES:SIDEWALL
MY SUBARU CAME STOCK WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES. WHEN THE FORD/FIRESTONE INCIDENT WAS HAPPENING, THE SUBARU WEBSITE POSTED A MESSAGE THAT THE TIRES USED ON THE SUBARU'S WERE NOT IN THE RECALL. THIS MORNING, I HAD A BLOW OUT THAT CAUSED ME TO SWERVE VIOLENTLY INTO THE #3 LANE CAUSING THE TRAFFIC TO SWERVE. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE TIRE, I NOTICED THAT THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE HAS DELAMINATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE. NO OTHER FOREIGN OBJECTS OR OTHER VISIBLE SIGNS CAN BE SEEN TO HAVE CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. IT'S PLAIN TO SEE THAT IT'S DEFINITELY A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. I CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY INSIST THAT THE TIRES THAT CAME ON THE VEHICLE ARE NOT A PART OF THE RECALL FROM FORD. AND THAT I SHOULD GO TO A SUBARU DEALER TO HAVE THEM INSPECT THE TIRE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 225 60/16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8006662March 29, 2002
SUSPENSION:REAR
SWAY BAR BROKE WHILE PULLING OUT OF DRIVEWAY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8005724March 14, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH BRAKES. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. VEHICLE IS PULLING TO RIGHT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#758120February 12, 2002
TIRES
THIS CAR COMES WITH FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRES MADE ESPECIALLY FOR THE OUTBACK. AT ONLY 24000 MILES, I HAD A BLOWOUT IN WHICH THE COMPLETE LEFT SIDE OF THE TIRE DISINTEGRATED. A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND HEARD OF THE TROUBLE WITH FIRESTONE TIRES, I CALLED THE DEALER WHO ASSURED ME THAT THESE TIRES WERE SAFE AND NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. WHEN THIS DANGEROUS INCIDENT HAPPENED TWO DAYS AGO, I WENT TO A LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER WHO TOLD ME HE COULD NOT GET THESE WILDERNESS TIRES, AND DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THEM IN HIS COMPUTER. HE WANTED TO BLAME SUBARU FOR THE FAILURE. I CALLED BOTH MY SUBARU DEALER AND THE HEAD OFFICE IN GEORGIA (SPOKE WITH MANAGER KEVIN TRIPLETT), AND HE WANTED TO BLAME FIRESTONE. THESE TIRES ARE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE, AS IT SIMPLY DISINTEGRATED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. I WILL BE HAPPY TO EMAIL YOU PICTURES OR TO SHOW YOU THE TIRE IN PERSON. AFTER WARNING BOTH FIRESTONE & SUBARU OF THIS DEFECTIVE PRODUCT, THEY WOULD ONLY AGREE TO PUT THE SAME PROBLEM TIRE ON MY CAR, AND I REFUSE TO PUT MY FAMILY'S LIFE IN JEOPARDY WITH A DEFECTIVE TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8003698February 6, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WIRE HARNESS IS IN THE WAY, AND CONSUME RCANNOT DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE BLOCKAGE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#757216January 23, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
PROBLEM STARTED WHEN DRIVING TO MINNESOTA FROM CALIFORNIA. LOWER THERMOSTAT WENT OUT AND CAR OVER HEATED, REPLACED. LOWER THERMOSTAT WENT OUT AGAIN. CAR STILL HEATING UP FUNNY, DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG. TURNS OUT HEAD GASKET GONE. NEXT THE ENGINE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK, THEY PUT IN NEW BLOCK AND GAVE US AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. NOW LESS THEN A YEAR LATER CAR OVERHEATS AGAIN. SUBARU SEEMS TO BE DOING NOTHING TO HELP.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#756626January 9, 2002
CHILD SEAT:MATERIAL/PADDING
HARNESS MATERIAL ON CAR SEAT IS TOO SOFT TO RETAIN FLAT CONFIGURATION; ROLLS UP INTO ROPE-SHAPE INSIDE SHOULDER PADS, BUNCHES AND BINDS IN HARNESS HARDWARE. SEEKING A WAY TO GET INITIATE A REPLACEMENT BY MANUFACTURER. DID CONTACT MFGR., COSCO, WHO SAID STRAPS ARE SOFT MATERIAL INTENTIONALLY FOR KIDS' COMFORT. I DON'T BUY IT; SEATBELT MATERIAL IN CARS IS SOFT, BUT DOES NOT COLLAPSE LATERALLY. IF CAR SEATBELTS FOLDED, BUNCHED AND ROLLED THIS WAY, THEY WOULD BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY, I SUSPECT. THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR ATTENTION, AND PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW I CAN HELP.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#756309January 2, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
4TH TIME FOR THIS RADIATOR OVERHEATING; SUBARU IS REPLACING ENGINE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#755436December 8, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
FIRST RADIATOR FAILED AT APPROX. 21,000 MILES AND OEM REPLACEMENT RADIATOR FAILED AT APPROX. 44,000 MILES. BOTH RADIATORS 10 MOS. OLD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#755410December 7, 2001
TIRES
PHOTOS OF THE TIRE DAMAGE ARE POSTED AT HTTP://WWW.SPEAKEASY.ORG/~DERVISH/FIRESTONE/FIRESTONE.HTML. I REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES DESPITE THE SUBSTANTIAL TREAD LIFE REMAINING ON THE FIRESTONES. THE FIRESTONES WERE WELL-MAINTAINED: ROTATED, INFLATED, ETC.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2X0W66070 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#752586September 26, 2001
POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
THIS IS THE 2ND CLUTCH ON THE VEHICLE. CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY, DEALER WILL NOT ADMIT PROBLEM!!*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#752227September 15, 2001
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHEN I WENT TO CHANGE A TIRE THAT I HAVE BEEN NURSING A SLOW LEAK ON FOR A FEW WEEKS, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A NICE SMOOTH HALF CIRCLE IN THE COVERING ABOUT WHERE I THINK THE TIRE MEETS THE TREAD. IT APPEARED TO ME AS THE FIRST SIGN OF TREAD SEPARATION.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2XOW66140 TIRESIZE: P22560R169)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#751472August 31, 2001
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
REAR SEAT SELDOM USED .IN AUG. 2000 MY PASSENGER TRIED TO USE THE SEAT BELT BUT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND IT AROUND HER BODY. I DISCOVERED THAT THE BELT WAS STUCK ON THE ROOF GUIDE AND WAS FRAYED FOR ABOUT ONE INCH. I REMOVED IT FROM THE GUIDE BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT EXTEND AROUND HER BODY. NO MATTER WHAT I DID THE BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND ENOUGH TO GO AROUND A WOMAN OF 125 POUNDS.TWO ISSUES 1: HOW DID THE BELT FRAY ? 2: WHY WOULDN'T IT EXTEND ?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#751423August 30, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
BRAKE PEDAL GOES 1/2 WAY DOWN BEFORE BRAKES ENGAGE AT ALL. PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED TO FLOOR WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT BY MY 120LB WIFE. ABS DID NOT ENGAGE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED - IMPACT SPEED WAS 30 TO 35 MPH. DEALER INSISTS BRAKES ARE OK. 2001 MODEL HAS 13 INCH DISCS AND IT STOPS GREAT! (OUR RENTAL IS A 2001 OUTBACK WAGON). WE LOVE THE CAR, IT JUST WORRIES US THAT IT DOESN'T STOPPROPERLY AND THE AIRBAGS DON'T GO OFF - APPARENTLY THE 'COMPUTER' DEEMED IT "UNECESSARY" ALTHOUGH IT WAS A HEAD-ON, SMACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FRONT, COLLISION!*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#750457August 14, 2001
TIRES
TIRE COULD NOT BE BALANCED, TREAD FOUND TO BE SEPARATED. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2X0W66070 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#749942August 6, 2001
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CAR HIT ON DRIVER'S SIDE (DOOR) UNABLE TO REMOVE DRIVER FROM DRIVER'S SIDE...CAR TOTALED....DRIVER DIED AS RESULT OF INJURIES SUSTAINED IN THE CRASH...DRIVER WAS WEARING SEAT BELT. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
1

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