Subaru Outback Complaints (2004)

90 consumer complaints on file.

#10088909August 31, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL, POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY SUBARU, FORESTER XT HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE IT HAD 5000 MILES. THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE IS INCONSISTENT. THE CAR HAS AN INTERMITTENT MISS AT IDLE, CRUISE CONTROL THAT DISENGAGES AT WILL, IS DIFFICULT TO START INTERMITTENTLY; SPITTING AND SPUTTER FOR 30 SECONDS, ACTS AS IF IT WILL STALL OCCASIONALLY WHILE BRAKING, AND THE CLUTCH DOES NOT GRIP THE FLYWHEEL PROPERLY. WHILE PASSING ON 2 LANE ROADS, I HAVE NEARLY HAD NUMEROUS HEAD-ON ACCIDENTS; THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE CONSISTENTLY. THE CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT HAS NEARLY CAUSED MANY OTHER ACCIDENTS IN DISTINCT CONDITIONS: 1. WHILE ASCENDING HILLS, I HAVE NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED BY OTHER CARS WHEN MY CAR LOSES SPEED WITHOUT WARNING 2. WHILE DESCENDING HILLS, I HAVE NEARLY LOST CONTROL AS THE CAR ACCELERATES WHILE CRUISE CONTROL HAS DISENGAGED I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR WHEN I MUST TAKE OFF HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSSING A BUSY STREET. WHEN LAUNCHING HARD, THE CLUTCH WILL SLIP EXCESSIVELY. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE; IT WILL ONLY BURN THE CLUTCH CREATING A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH GEAR I SWITCH TOO OR HOW MUCH THROTTLE I APPLY; THE CLUTCH WILL NOT GRIP UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN HIT NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER BRAKING TO A STOP, WHEN THE ENGINE IDLES DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL SINK AN ADDITIONAL HALF AN INCH. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND INVOLVED SUBARU'S REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER. ALL EFFORTS TO REPAIR MY CAR HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL OR IGNORED. THE DEALERSHIPS HAVE ONLY ADJUSTED SWITCHES AND REPLACED AN OXYGEN SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOW CLAIMED THAT THEY WILL NOT ISSUE A REPAIR ORDER, SINCE THE PROBLEMS ARE INTERMITTENT, EVEN THOUGH THE LEAD TECH HAS EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM, AND THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. I AM STUCK WITH A DEFECTIVE VEHICLE THAT IS GOING TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, AS I DRIVE 1500 MILES PER WEEK THROUGHOUT A 6 STATE REGION.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10081567August 31, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ON JUNE 28, 2004, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 TO 30 MPH, THE SPEED DROPPED TO 5 MPH. THE CONSUMER DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE MECHANIC FOUND NOTHING WRONG. ON JULY 4, 2004, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 45 TO 50 MPH SPEED DROPPED TO 5 MPH AND SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 5 TO 70 MPH IN LESS THAN 10 SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP. *AK THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE COMPUTER SYSTEM. *SC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10088191August 19, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
LAST MONTH I PURCHESED A NEW 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK. AFTER MY PURCHASE I DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL THAT INVOLVED THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE. THIS PROBLEM COULD CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO REMAIN OPEN AND THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASH. HAD I KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE REPAIRS OR RECALL AND I BELEIVED I WAS BUYING A NEW AND SAFE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074710June 3, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I PURCHASED A NEW SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, ON 4/28/04. [XXX] ON MAY 26, I ENTERED THE CAR USING THE KEYLESS ENTRY, BUT I COULD NOT START THE CAR AS THE BATTERY POWER WAS LOW. SO I TRIED TO EXIT THE CAR BUT THE DOOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE EVEN WHEN I TRIED TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOOR. THE OTHER FRONT DOOR AND THE BACK DOORS COULD NOT BE OPENED EITHER. I WAS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR WITH NO AIR OR POWER. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO CALL A PASSERBY'S ATTENTION AFTER 15 MINUTES AND HE COULD OPEN THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS ONE COULD ASPHYXIATE INSIDE THE CAR IF HELP IS NOT EASILY AVAILABLE. LATER THE CAR COULD BE STARTED BY JUMP STARTING IT SUGGESTING THAT THE BATTERY POWER WAS LOW. BUT WHAT WAS OF MAJOR CONCERN WAS THAT THE DOORS WOULD NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE MANUALLY IF THE BATTERY WAS NOT ACTIVE. I THINK THIS PROBLEM MAY BE UNIQUE TO MY CAR AS SUBARU SAYS THAT THEY SHOULD OPEN MANUALLY AS WELL. YET, CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF THIS FLAW, IT IS WORTH TRACKING AND CHECKING WITH THE PUBLIC AT LARGE FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH SUBARU CARS. ALSO SURPRISINGLY, THE HATCH TOO DOES NOT HAVE ANY METHOD OF OPENING FROM INSIDE THE AUTO IN CASE ONE IS TRAPPED. I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR FLAW AS EVEN TRUNKS CAN NOW BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE AND ALL HATCHBACKS SHOULD HAVE A INDEPENDENT WAY OF OPENING FROM THE INSIDE IN CASE ONE IS TRAPPED INSIDE THE CAR. *JB UPDATED 07/25/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10074103May 24, 2004
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
VEHICLE HAS 6 WAY POWER SEATS AND A LEVER WHICH ADJUSTS THE SEAT BACK TO A STRAIGHT POSITION. WHEN LEANING AGAINST THE BACK OF THE SEAT IT CAUSES THE BACK TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS. THE SEAT BACK FAILS TO STAY LOCKED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. MANUFACTURER IS GIVING THE CONSUMER $500.00 TOWARDS MODIFICATION OF THE SEAT. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE THE SEAT HAS TO BE ERGONOMICALLY SOUND IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. BUT IF THIS IS DONE THE CONSUMER'S HEAD WILL BE HITTING THE ROOF, PER THE MODIFICATION REPAIR SHOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067896April 27, 2004
VISIBILITY
I PURCHASED MY 2ND FORESTER, A 2004 IN OCT. 2003. I HAVE COMPLAINED FROM THE BEGINNING ABOUT THE DIALS ON THE DASH. THE BACKGROUND IS BLACK AND IT IS RECESSED INTO THE DASH. WHEN THE SUN IS LOW IN THE SKY LIKE MORNING OR EVENING IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CHECK YOUR SPEED OR SET A CRUISE CONTROL. YOU HAVE TO REALLY STARE AT THE DIAL AND WAIT FOR IT TO COME INTO VIEW TO SEE IT WHICH IS VERY HAZZARDEST. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT THIS? *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062670March 20, 2004
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
CRACKED WINDSHIELD. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10051647December 17, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SPUTTERED AND STALLED. CONSUMER COULDN'T SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, AND COULDN'T REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10049126December 3, 2003
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
MY 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK COMES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS. WITH ONLY 900 MILES ON MY CAR, I WAS "T-BONED" BY A FORD EXPLORER UNDER FULL ACCELERATION. WE WERE STRUCK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE WITH ENOUGH IMPACT TO CAUSE MY WIFE, IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, TO HIT HER HEAD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR POST CAUSING A CONCUSSION. SUBARU CLAIMS THAT THE SIDE AIRBAGS PERFORMED CORRECTLY BY NOT DEPLOYING. TOTAL DAMAGE TO DATE INCLUDING DRIVE TRAIN REPLACEMENT PARTS IS $9000. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NHTSA HAS NOT TESTED THE SIDE IMPACT BAGS ON THE SUBARU MODELS. IF THAT IS TRUE, HOW CAN SUBARU CLAIM THAT THE BAGS RESPONDED CORRECTLY? *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10049123December 3, 2003
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
ON A VERY COLD DAY THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED AFTER TURNING ON THE DEFROSTER. NO CRACKS WERE PREVIOUSLY OBSERVED ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IS ONLY 3 WEEKS OLD. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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