Subaru Outback Complaints (1996)

46 consumer complaints on file.

#754754November 20, 2001
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
IN HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH BOTH CARS AT 30 MPH, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG BURST THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND ENDED UP ON THE HOOD. PASSENGER NEVER TOUCHED THE AIR BAG, BUT WAS RESTRAINED BY THE SEAT/SHOULDER BELT. NO OTHER KNOWN REASON FOR WINDSHIELD DAMAGE BEFORE OR DURING THE CRASH. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#744805May 1, 2001
WHEELS
ALL 4 ALLOY WHEELS HAVE DETERIORATED TO THE POINT THAT TIRES WILL NOT RETAIN SUFFICIENT AIR PRESSURE. OTHER BRAND VEHICLES WITH ALLOY WHEELS (EX. AUDI) DRIVEN IN IDENTIAL CONDITIONS AND HOUSED IN SAME GARAGE HAVE SHOWN NO ABNORMAL DETERIORIATION AS HAS THE SUBARU. TIRES DEFLATE RAPIDLY WHEN CAR IS DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#886415April 23, 2001
SUSPENSION
AT VERY LOW SPEED SPRING OF LEFT FRONT STRUT BROKE AND WENT THROUGH TIRE.*AK *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#878655January 22, 2001
TIRES:SIDEWALL
MICHELIN XW4 TIRE P205/70R15, DOT M3H342DX079, OUTSIDE SIDEWALL SLIT OPEN BELOW THE TREAD EDGE, MICHELIN STATED THE TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO A ROAD HAZARD OR UNDERINFLATION, CONSUMER CHECKED OVER TIRE AND FOUND NO INDICATIONS OF A PUNCTURE. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#735633November 2, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE ANTI SKID SYSTEM ON THIS VEHICLE HAS A MAJOR FLAW IN OPERATIONAL DESIGN THAT ONLY BECOMES EVIDENT IN PACKED SNOW & ICE CONDITIONS, AND AT VERY LOW INITIAL SPEEDS, WHEN FIRST BEGINNING TO MOVE ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE. ON SUCH SLIPPERY SURFACES, WHEN THE CAR IS BARELY MOVING FORWARD DOWNHILL BY GRAVITY, IF YOU APPLY THE BRAKES EVER SO GENTLY TO AVOID UNWANTED ACCELERATION, THE ANTI-SKID WILL RELEASE RAPIDLY AND CONTINUOUSLY, DESTROYING ANY DECELERATION CAPABILITITY, EVEN THOUGH THE SURFACE FRICTION CHARACTERISTICS ARE SUCH THAT THE TIRES COULD GRIP AND STOP THE CAR. I DRIVE IN HILLY TERRAIN IN THE WINTER AND THIS HAS HAPPENED A NUMBER OF TIMES. TO DEMONSTRATE TO MYSELF THAT THE CAR CAN BE STOPPED UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS, I HAVE, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, DONE THE FOLLOWING; PLACED THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE WHILE THE CAR IS STOPPED ON A SLIPPERY DOWNHILL GRADE, WITH THE FOOTBRAKES APPLIED. THE 'REVERSE' INPUT TO THE TRANSMISSION TRIES TO MOVE THE CAR UPWARD ON THE HILL. SLOWLY RELEASING THE BRAKES PERMITS GRAVITY TO MOVE THE CAR DOWNHILL, EVEN THOUGH THE TRANSMISSION IS APPLYING A FORCE AGAINST IT.. AS THE CAR ACCELERATES FORWARD (BECAUSE OF GRAVITYD), I APPLY JUST ENOUGH GAS PEDAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP, VIA THE TRANSMISSION 'REVERSE' IMPUT TO THE TIRE AND SURFACE INTERFACE.. HAD I APPLIED THE FOOTBRAKE ALONE, WITHOUT THE REVERSING FORCE, THE ANTI-SKID WOULD HAVE ACTIVATED AND RAPIDLY CYCLED AS THE CAR ACCELERATED DOWNHILL. I HAVE NEARLY WRECKED MY CAR SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS SHOPRTCOMING. EACH TIME I STOPPED ONIY WHEN REACHING THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT CAN EASILY BE FIXED BY SUBARU BY TWEAKING THE SYSTEM TO CUT OUT AT VERY LOW SPEEDS. I HOPE YOU CAN SOLVE THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INTO REAL TROUBLE. THANK YOU. J. RUDDY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550310January 10, 2000
WHEELS
CONSUMER LOSS CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BROKE AT THE MACPHERSON STRUT CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER ONCE AND COME TO REST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. CONSUMER WALKED AWAY WITH ABRASIONS AND BRUISING. *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#716912January 5, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
THE DESIGN OF THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) SEEMS TO OVERCOMPENSATE IN ICY OR SLICK CONDITIONS, TO THE POINT THAT NO SIGNIFICANT BRAKING OCCURS. THIS HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SAIL THROUGH INTERSECTIONS DURING ICY CONDITIONS NUMEROUS TIMES. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT PERFORM AS OTHER ABS SYSTEMS SUCH AS CHRYSLER/DODGE. THIS PROBLEM IS TYPICAL FOR THOSE PEOPLE DRIVING IN NORTHERN AREAS OF THE U.S. WHERE WINTER CONDITION EXIST. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT, NOT A MAINTENANCE RELATED ISSUE. CONSTANT OR INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES DID NOT AFFECT THE OUTCOME. DISENGAGING THE SERVO TO THE ABS MAY BE A SAFER OPTION DURING WINTER CONDITIONS THAN TO ALLOW THE ABS SYSTEM TO OVERRIDE DRIVER BRAKING CONTROL ENTIRELY. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE (1-800-782-2783 ATTN:DON) WAS CONTACTED ON 1/5/2000 AND DID NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS A SIGNIFICANT/CHRONIC PROBLEM, BUT NOTED THAT THEY WOULD LOG THE COMPLAINT. REVIEW OF THE NHTSA DEFECTS INVESTIGATIONS POINTS TO THIS PROBLEM AS BEING AN ONGOING AND RECURRING THEME. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#847569September 13, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN TRAVELING 45 AND MPH UPON APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A SUDEN STOP, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCLERATE ,CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER SIDE FRONTAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#548376September 8, 1999
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE EXPERIENCING BUCKING ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN THE FOOT IS TAKEN OF THE ACCELERATOR / WHEN MAKING A TURN DUE TO SOLENOID FAILURE. REPAIRS WERE DONE. PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707576June 15, 1999
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CAR JUMPS WHEN STEERING AT LOW SPEED. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION DEFECT. I FEEL IT IS A CONSTRUCTION DEFECT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#835659March 10, 1999
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT, TIRES
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE FUEL TANK AREA DUE TO IMPROPER TIRE SIZE AND THE OVERHEATING OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#834306February 1, 1999
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
VEHICLE DID A 360 DEGREE SPIN ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND ROLLED OVER, NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE ROOF AND THE FRONT END CAVED IN. ALSO THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#701446December 17, 1998
TIRES
MICHELIN TIRES AND ALUMINUM RIMS APPEAR TO BE INCOMPATIBLE. DEALER CANNOT DETECT REASON FOR CONTINUING AIR LOSS. HAVE BEEN FILLING TIRES WITH AIR ALMOST AS FREQUENTLY AS FILLING TANK WITH GAS. I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND BECAUSE IT IS ALL TIRES OR AT LEAST TWO OR THREE, I NEED AN ANSWER REGARDING A CURE. I AM IN TOUCH WITH SUBARU.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#826834August 17, 1998
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THEN OUTBACK REARENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG COVER DISENGAGED & SHATTERED WINDSHIELD. RESTRAINT COVER CAME OFF COMPLETELY. PASSENGER WAS INJURED BY AIR BAG. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#534945April 30, 1998
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTANTLY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#534700April 23, 1998
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DEPLOYED IN LESS THAN 5 MPH FRONT END COLLISION. THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG SHATTERED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND DISLODGED THE REAR VIEW FRONT MIRROR OF ITS MOUNTING BRACKET.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#605353October 27, 1997
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
WARPED ROTORS CAUSED BRAKES TO PULSE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#604988October 27, 1997
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PLUG BROKE RESULTING IN FAILURE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#817688October 27, 1997
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLL 0VER IMPACT AT VERY LOW SPEED 2 OR 3 MPH W/NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, CRACKING THE WINDSHIELD. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#604382October 10, 1997
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TRIED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT STILL DOES NOT WORK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

← Back to Subaru Outback