Subaru Legacy Complaints (1999)

94 consumer complaints on file.

#8023907December 6, 2002
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER STATES THAT HIS WIFE'S SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING INTERMITTENLY. IT STARTS AND STOPS AT WILL. THEN JUST ABOUT A WEEK PRIOR TO TAKING THE AUTO TO BE REPAIRED THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED FOR GOOD. HE STATES THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST OR SLOW THEY ARE TRAVELING. TS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#769360November 6, 2002
POWER TRAIN
THE SPEEDOMETER ON MY VEHICLE BECAME INCONSISTENT. SOMETIMES IT WOULDN'T WORK AS SOON AS I STARTED THE CAR, OTHER TIMES IT WOULD STOP WORKING AT ANY RANDOM TIME WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE. EVENTUALLY, WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING, THE ODOMETERS WOULD STOP AS WELL. WHEN I WENT TO MY SUBARU DEALER TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT INDEFINITELY FOR THE PART TO COME IN. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD BEEN REPLACING A LOT OF SPEEDOMETER HEADS ON MY MAKE AND YEAR OF CAR. I THINK IT IS UNUSUAL FOR A SPEEDOMETER TO BREAK DOWN AFTER LESS THAN THREE YEARS AND UNDER 65,000 MILES OF INITIAL SERVICE. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING ON SUCH A YOUNG CAR, AND IF IT IS HAPPENING ON MANY CARS OF THE SAME MAKE AND YEAR, I THINK THAT AN ORIGINAL PART MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE FOR THIS CAR. I THINK THAT A BROKEN SPEEDOMETER IS HAZARDOUS TO DRIVING ON THE ROAD AND THEREFORE THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. I REALLY DON'T WANT TO WORRY ABOUT HAVING TO REPLACE MY SPEEDOMETER EVERY THREE YEARS OF MY CAR'S LIFE. DT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#768498October 15, 2002
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE
FUEL WARNING LIGHT HAS NEVER WORKED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, WHICH IS WITH 2.5 GALLONS REMAINING IN THE TANK. TYPICALLY, MINE ONLY COMES ON WITH LESS THAN 1 GALLON REMAINING, AND EVEN THEN USUALLY ONLY AFTER I'VE STOPPED THE CAR AND THEN RESTARTED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THE PROBLEM REMAINED. I CONTACTED SUBARU NATIONAL CUSTOMER SUPPORT AND AFTER CONSULTING WITH THEIR TECH SUPPORT PERSONNEL (ATLANTA?), I GOT A LOT OF DOUBLE TALK ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL FACTORS INVOLVED IN MY TESTING (I.E., REPEATED DOCUMENTATION). IN OTHER WORDS, THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT OR OTHERWISE DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. I HAVE MANY RECEIPTS SHOWING FILL-UPS WELL BEYOND THE SPECIFICATION WARNING LEVEL WHERE WHERE FUEL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON A HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC AT HIGH SPEEDS DUE TO NO WARNING LIGHT IS A SERIOUS HAZARD. IT IS NOT SOMETHING I LOOK TO CREATE, BUT IT DOES ARISE IN HIGHWAY OR OTHER CONDITIONS FROM TIME TO TIME. MR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8020823October 15, 2002
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, IT WAS LATER FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS A RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MR *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#764587July 22, 2002
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SERVICE DEPARTMENT UNRESPONSIVE TO MY COMPLAINT. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#764246July 15, 2002
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FAILURE OCCURS WHEN STOPPED AND THEN ATTEMPTING TO PROCEED. CAR BEHAVES AS THOUGH IT IS IN NEUTRAL WHEN IT IS STILL IN DRIVE. THIS HAS OCCURRED MANY TIMES ALTHOUGH INTERMITTENT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE TRANSMISSION HAS CAUGHT. TAKEN TO DEALER 2 TIMES (ROBERTS SUBARU, DOWNINGTOWN, PA) AND ALTHOUGH THEY KEPT CAR AND DROVE FOR A FEW DAYS THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THIS FAILURE HAS ALMOST CAUSED CAR TO BE REAR ENDED 2 TIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#762553June 2, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER SAID I HAD A BURNED CYLINDER. THIS WAS AT 108,000 MILES. A SECOND MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT MISFIRING IN CYLINDER NO. 4 WAS OCCURRING AND FURTHER STATED THAT COMPRESSION IN ALL FOUR CYLINDERS WAS BELOW SPECIFICIATIONS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE DEFECT OCCURRED DURING MANUFACTURING AND WAS NOT A RESULT OF ANYTHING I DID OR DID NOT DO TO THE CAR. SUBARU OF AMERICAN CONTACTED AND OFFERED $1,000 TOWARD A NEW CAR, BUT SAID OTHERWISE IT WAS MY PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#762291May 26, 2002
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL 6% + GRADE AND I LIGHTLY TOUCH THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW, OUR 1999 LEGACY OUTBACK DOWNSHIFTS ONE OR TWO GEARS. I HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE BECAUSE IT STICKS IN WHATEVER GEAR IT SHIFTS INTO AT A VERY HIGH RPM. IT DOES THIS FROM 40 TO 70 MPH, BUT ONLY ON A STEEP GRADE. IT DOES THIS WITH OR WITHOUT THE CRUSE CONTROL TURNED ON. THE FREQUENCY OF THE PROBLEM IS INCREASING. IT IS MY OPINION AS A RETIRED ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION SPECIALIST FROM THE WASHINGTON STATE PATROL THAT THIS HAS TREMENDOUS ACCIDENT POTENTIAL ON SURFACES WITH A REDUCED COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION (ICE, SNOW OR RAIN). THE TRANSMISSION FUNCTIONS PROPERLY AT ALL OTHER TIMES. CAMELBACK SUBARU IN PHOENIX, AZ., INDICATES THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, YET THERE IS A HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM AT NHTSA WITH THE VERY SAME SYMPTOMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#761045April 22, 2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#8006767April 1, 2002
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#9004999January 17, 2002
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WOULD NOT STOP UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#756558January 8, 2002
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THERE IS HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING - TSB#115398 - TSB#115899. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#756313January 2, 2002
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE TRAVELING DOWN INTERSTATE 5, THE TRAFFIC SLOWED DUE TO AN ACCIDENT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FWY., UPON NOTICING THE TRAFFIC SLOWING I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR THE TRAFFIC CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES APPLYING THEM ALL THE WAY. I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP THE CAR IN ORDER TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. UNFORTUNATELY THE CARS BRAKES DIDN'T STOP THE CAR, AND THE CAR STOPPED WHEN I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY EITHER. I HAD THE SAME TYPE OF ACCIDENT IN MARCH OF 2000. I JUST FELT MAYBE IT WAS MY FAULT AND DIDN'T THINK ABOUT IT MUCH. THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AT THIS TIME EITHER, AND I FELT IT WAS BECAUSE I WAS GOING SLOW, AND THE IMPACT WASN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE THEM COME OUT. UPON HAVING MY BRAKES CHECKED THIS PAST SUMMER THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE ACTUAL PADS ON THE BRAKES WERE SMALLER THAN THE PADS THAT CAME UP WHEN LOOKED UP IN THE PARTS BOOK. THE PADS ON MY CAR WERE FOR A 13 INCH TIRE AND MY CAR HAS 15 INCH TIRES. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES DIDN'T STOP MY CAR VERY ACCURATELY. UPON LEARNING THIS I CHECKED FOR A RECALL AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER ON MY CAR WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL. AT THIS TIME I WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. THEY LOOKED THE RECALL UP AND GAVE ME A PRINT OUT THAT STATED THE RECALL WAS INDEED COMPLETED. THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR DOESN'T STOP PROPERLY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH TWO CHILDREN, AND I "TAXI" THEM TO NUMEROUS ACTIVITIES. MY CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THIS CAR. THE BRAKES DON'T RESPOND PROPERLY AND THE AIR BAGS DON'T DEPLOY. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR TOLD ME THAT ABS BRAKES ARE MADE TO KEEP FROM GOING OUT OF CONTROL, NOT STOPPING THE CAR. IF THIS IS INDEED THE CASE I WILL NEVER BE SAFE IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#896018September 7, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHILE DRIVING 55 TO 60 MPH ON A WARM DRY DAY CONSUMER TRIED TO STOP VEHICLE AND BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, VEHICLE NOT STOPPING. CONSUMER HAD NO WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894118August 13, 2001
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PARK LIGHTS STAY ILLUMINATED WHEN VEHICLE IS SHUTS OFF. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#892211July 9, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SEATS
WHEN DRIVING PRESSED ON BRAKES AND VERY ABRUPTLY ENGINE DOWNSHIFTED. ALSO, WHEN STOPPING ABRUPTLY CONSUMER LURCHED FORWARD IN SEAT. CONTACT DEALER DEALER STATED IT WAS COMMON IN 1999 VEHICLE. PLEASE ADD VIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#890603June 18, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE LEAKS OIL, AND THE OIL FLAWS ALL OVER ENGINE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#887737May 8, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE SON WAS DRIVING TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, CONSUMER WENT TO APPLY BRAKES SO AS TO NEGOTIATE A 90 DEGREE TURN, AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND FAILED TO ENGAGE BRAKE SYSTEM. VEHICLE WENT STRAIGHT INTO A CONCRETE WALL . DRIVER AND A PASSENGER WERE INJURED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *STATE FARM INSURANCE WAS INVESTIGATING THIS CASE. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#739671January 20, 2001
TIRES
CAR IS ONE YEAR OLD, 22,000 MILES AND THE SECOND FRONT BRIDGESTONE TIRE FAILED. ONE HAD A LARGE SIDE BUBBLE, ONE BLEW OUT AT 65 MPH.*AK (DOT NUMBER: OBT 2 PFB TIRESIZE: P205/55P16)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#739529January 17, 2001
STEERING
I WAS ON AN ENTRY RAMP TO INTERSTATE 95 AND FOUND MYSELF A BIT OUT OF LINE IN THE ROAD AFTER I HAD TURNED TO CHECK ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO CORRECT, AND LOST STEERING CONTROL. CAR WENT INTO FISHTAIL FROM WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, AND EVENTUALLY SPUN OUT INTO ONCOMING INTERSTATE TRAFFIC, WHERE I WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER. ROADWAY WAS DAMP, WEATHER MISTY, TEMP MID-FORTIES, AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SAND ON RAMP LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS SNOW/ICE TREATMENT. I MUST SAY OCCUPANT PROTECTION WORKED WELL. I HAVE CRACKED STERNUM (PROBABLY FROM AIRBAG; I AM A VERY SHORT DRIVER AND SIT WAY FORWARD) AND A KNOT ON MY FOREHEAD, 2 BLAKC EYES AND LOTS OF BRUISES, BUT WAS IN GOOD ENOUGH SHAPE TO BE TREATED AND RELEASED FROM ER. I DON'T KNOW IF STEERING OR SUSPENSION FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT WANTED YOU TO HAVE THE DATA POINT IN CASE YOU CAN DISCOVER A PATTERN.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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