Subaru Outback Complaints (1999)

111 consumer complaints on file.

#10178008January 7, 2007
AIR BAGS, SEAT BELTS
COLLISION AT APPROX 40 MPH, SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO RT FRONT QUARTER AND BUMPER. AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY, SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10176240December 15, 2006
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
THE HOOD FLEW OPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. THIS CAR HAD NOT RECENTLY HAD ITS OIL CHANGED OR ITS HOOD OPENED. THE HOOD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, AS WELL AS THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10175265December 5, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
THERE WAS NOTHING ABNORMAL THAT PRECLUDED THE FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND NOW ONLY INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. FORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. HOWEVER, IT COULD LEAD TO EXCESSIVE SPEED WHICH MAY LEAD TO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. A CALL TO SUBARU OF AMERICA YIELDED NO INFORMATION. HOWEVER, ONLINE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS OCCURRING QUITE FREQUENTLY AMONG THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR. A NEW PART WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE ORDERED.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10161108June 29, 2006
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
MY DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKED ME IN AND I HAD TO CRAWL OUT FROM UNDER IT. IT CANNOT BE RELEASED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10160782June 26, 2006
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HOOD:LATCH
AT 1 P.M. ON 23 APR '06, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK AT ABOUT 50 MPH. WE HAD JUST ENTERED A CURVE WHEN THE CAR'S HOOD LATCH FAILED AND ALLOWED THE HOOD TO FLY UP AND SLAM INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND ROOF. THAT COMPLETELY BLOCKED OUR FORWARD VIEW AND WE ENTERED THE ONCOMING LANE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE WERE ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND MAKE OUR WAY ON TO THE SHOULDER. WE WERE COVERED WITH GLASS PARTICLES BUT THANK GOD NEITHER ONE OF US WAS INJURED. I AM NOW VERY NERVOUS WHEN I DRIVE THE CAR. THE HOOD WAS LAST OPENED ABOUT TWO WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BUT THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER 200 MILES AND SOME OF THAT WAS ON THE INTERSTATE. THERE WAS NO WARNING. WE HAD TO PAY OVER $2300 TO REPAIR WINDSHIELD, HOOD AND MISCELLANEOUS DAMAGE IN THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10156391April 28, 2006
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT, SEATS, STRUCTURE:BODY, STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS, SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
I WAS QUITE HURT (TO THE DEGREE OF HAVING TO GO ON SSD) IN A REAR END COLLISION IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. IN TRYING TO RECOVER THE ORIGINAL HEAD REST OF THIS CAR I LEARNED IT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND CAN ONLY BE REPLACED WITH A MUCH SAFER MODEL. IN DOING A RECENT CRASH ANALYSIS WITH THIS NEW HEAD REST I REALIZED THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES AND HOW MUCH SAFER THE NEW HEAD REST IS. I LEARNED ON YOUR CAR SAFETY WEB SITE OF THE NATIONAL CAUTION ON THE WHOLE SEAT OF THIS MODEL SEATS AND HEAD REST. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ORTHOPEDIC (LEFT ARM, ALL/WHOLE BACK, RIGHT LEG, BOTH KNEES, POSTURE) AND BRAIN INJURY PROBLEMS FROM MY CAR ACCIDENT. I RECENTLY LEARNED (3/06), THAT SUBARU STARTED UNOFFICIALLY REPLACING THE SEAT AND HEAD REST OF THIS MODEL LEGACY 1998 THRU 1999 WHENEVER POSSIBLE. MEANING WHENEVER THESE MODELS REQUESTED NEW PARTS, THERE IS AN UNOFFICIAL RECALL IN THAT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE ORIGINAL PART ONLY THE SAFER NEW PARTS. I KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW EASY A RECALL FOR APPROXIMATELY A 2 AND A HALF YEARS MODEL CAR IS (I HAVE EXPERIENCED A GM RECALL OF A PART THAT WENT VERY SMOOTHLY). THERE IS A GREAT COST TO SOCIETY AND MYSELF OF THERE NOT BEING AN OFFICIAL RECALL. PLEASE RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL WITH A LETTER OR I WILL SEND ANOTHER LETTER BY SIGNED RECEIPT EMAIL. SINCERELY, MARCIE ELLIS. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10151257February 26, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
IN OCTOBER 2003, THE ENGINE OF MY 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH 80,000 MILES OVERHEATED, SEIZED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME AND REALIZED THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER AND THE THERMOSTAT GAUGE WAS ABOVE "H". I CONTACTED SUBARU PRIOR TO THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LIKELY DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND BESIDES, MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS WAS SUBARU'S RESPONSE EVEN THOUGH I REGULARLY MAINTAIN MY CAR. I DID GET THE ENGINE REPLACED AT SIGNIFICANT OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. LAST WEEK, WHILE TRAVELING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AGAIN WAS ON "H" AND I QUICKLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON AND I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SUBARU MECHANIC AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES ON A FACTORY REBUILT ENGINE. ALTHOUGH I AM NOW AWARE THAT SUBARU SENT OUT A RECALL / NOTIFICATION LETTER IN FEB. 2004, I DID NOT RECEIVE ONE, APPARENTLY BECAUSE I HAVE THE TYPE OF ENGINE THAT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY THE NOTIFICATION. IT IS CLEAR FROM A REVIEW OF THIS WEBSITE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN MY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OUTBACK'S ENGINE AND COOLING SYSTEM, AND THE FACT THAT SUBARU IS NOT STANDING BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10147068January 6, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK IS EQUIPPED WITH A DUAL OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE. THE TIMING BELT PULLEY FOR THE CAMS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC. MY WIFE AND 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD JUST EXITED INTERSTATE 20 NEAR ATLANTA WHEN THE ENGINE "SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION" ACCORDING TO MY WIFE. THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER AND SEIZED, AND SHE HAD DIFFICULTY STEERING AND STOPPING THE CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT CAM PULLEY (PLASTIC) HAD SHATTERED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE AT SPEED, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURIES. THE CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED, INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF TIMING BELT AT RECOMMENDED INTERVAL. THE ENGINE IS RUINED AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT OR REBUILDING. CAR HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY GARAGE SINCE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10141884November 6, 2005
AIR BAGS
WE WERE IN A RATHER HARD FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAGS IN OUR VEHICLE DID NOT DEPLOY. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10141737November 4, 2005
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP AFTER GETTING THE VEHICLE SERVICED THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT COIL SPRING FRACTURED. THIS PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND CAUSED IT TO GO FLAT IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. THE MECHANIC TOOK THE TIRE OFF AND FOUND THAT THE COIL SPRING FRACTURED. THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL, 01V216000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP GETTING REPAIRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10138373October 3, 2005
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK
THE TRUNK DOOR ON MY SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK STATION WAGON WILL NOT OPEN. ONCE YOU LOCK IT, YOU CAN NOT OPEN IT AGAIN UNLESS YOU JIGGLE THE LOCK OVER AND OVER WITH THE KEY. THIS IS A VERY FRUSTRATING FAILURE BECAUSE WHEN YOU HAVE A STATION WAGON, A WORKING TRUNK DOOR IS VITAL. I WAS TOLD BY A SUBARU DEALER THAT IT WOULD COST ABOUT $300 TO $400 TO FIX SO I HAVE DELAYED FIXING IT BECAUSE I CAN SOMETIMES WORK ON IT AND GET IT TO OPEN. WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, HE TOLD ME HE HAD 3 TO 4 OTHER SUBARU OWNERS COME IN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH HE IS NOT CAPABLE OF FIXING. APPARENTLY, THE BACK INSIDE PANEL HAS TO BE REMOVED AND A BODY SHOP HAS TO DO THE WORK. YESTERDAY, I WAS AT A SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT TRYING TO OPEN THE BACK WHEN A COUPLE APPROACHED ME AND TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THEIR LOCK BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T OPEN. THEY HAVE A SUBARU STATION WAGON ALSO (I DON'T KNOW THE YEAR, BUT IT WAS NOT BRAND NEW) I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE MOTOR OR LOCK. *B
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10130887August 1, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
SPEEDOMETER INTERMITTENTLY FAILS ABOUT 25% OF THE TIME. ODOMETER STOPS ALSO. THERE IS NO PATTERN TO WHEN IT FAILS OR UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS. UNABLE TO DETERMINE SPEED ACCURATELY. REPAIR NOT YET DONE. SUBARU IS CHARGING FOR THIS REPAIR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10128220July 10, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN USING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE TO REPEAT THIS OCCURENCE AT LEAST 5 TIMES.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10120133June 24, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
DT: CALLER SPEEDOMETER HEAD IS BROKEN OR THERE IS SOMETHING BROKE INSIDE. CALLED DEALER SAID SUBARU SAID THEY NEW THERE IS PROBLEM WITH THAT MODEL AND SPEEDOMETER HEAD. SUBARU WAS NOT GOING TO RECALL DUE TO NOT BEING A SAFETY CONCERN. *AK SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER OPERATES SPORADICALLY AT TIMES RECORDING SPEED AND MILEAGE, OTHER TIMES NOT AT ALL. *SB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112604March 6, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
99 OUTBACK - TRANNY WONT ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM PARK, NUETRAL, OR REVERSE. REV THE MOTOR AND THEN C-LUNK INTO DRIVE AFTER LONG DELAY. GOT WORSE OVER TIME. SUBARU AND OTHER SERVICE SHOPS SAY IT'S COMMON ON 99'S, PROBABLY THE MAIN PUMP SEALS, AND THE TRANNY HAS TO COME OUT TO FIX OR REPLACE. I CHANGED THE FLUID TWICE IN A WEEK TO "FLUSH" IT - MUCH BETTER NOW, ALMOST "OK" (COMPARED TO $2500 FIX) BUT STILL NOT "NORMAL". *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110732February 17, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAD JUST PAID APPROX. $450 FOR THE MAJOR 90,000 MILE DEALER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE. I'VE MAINTAINED IT RELIGIOUSLY. I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY OF 6 YEARS/100,000 MILES THAT JUST ENDED SEP. '04. I JUST DROVE IT UP TO THE MOUNTAINS AND 90 MILES FROM MY DESTINATION, WITH THE CAR DRIVING PERFECTLY, I NOTICED THE TEMP. GAUGE WAS SPIKED. ULTIMATELY IT TURNED OUT THAT THE HEAD GASKET WENT. I HAVE 91,000 MILES ON MY SUBARU. I SPOKE TO NUMEROUS GARAGES IN MAMMOTH LAKES AND THEY SEE THIS PROBLEM ON A DAILY BASIS. DOING RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, YOU WILL FIND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE. I WAS TOLD BY ONE OF THE MECHANICS THAT ALL OF THE DOUBLE OVERHEAD CAM 4 CYLINDER SUBARU ENGINES BLOW HEAD GASKETS AT SOME POINT AFTER APPROX. 80,000 MILES AND THAT THIS ENGINE HAS SINCE BEEN DISCONTINUED. I ALSO HAVE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE "PHASE 2" VERSION WAS RECALLED AND THEY WILL FIX THAT ONE, BUT THE "PHASE 1" ENGINE THAT I, AND THOUSANDS OF OTHERS, HAVE THEY WON'T DO A [XXX] THING ABOUT. WHAT KIND OF COMPANY IS THIS? IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE... THEY PUT OUT A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT AND ALL THEY WILL DO IS STICK IT TO THE CONSUMER. THIS COMPANY NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR GLARING AND OBVIOUS SCREW UP. HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THIS?*JB 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
#10110652February 16, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I OWN A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. CAR LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 85000. DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM & LIGHT TURNED OFF. LIGHT BACK ON SHORTLY AFTER - HAD 90000 MILE MAINTAINENCE COMPLETED - DEALER STILL UNSURE OF PROBLEM. SHORTLY AFTER THIS, WHEN ACCELARATING TO HIGHWAY SPEED, CLEAR POWER LOSS NOTED - ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH. TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP - REPORTED THAT VALVE BROKEN - HEAD REQUIRED REPLACING. DEALER/ MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. TOTAL COST OF DEALER BILLS - OVER 3500. SUBARU REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR PROBLEM - BLAMED ON MILEAGE. I'VE HAD WELL-MAINTAINED VEHICLES WITH OVER 150000 MILES AND NEVER HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEMS BEFORE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10109480February 1, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND WAS TOWED. THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED. VEHICLE BROKE DOWN A SECOND TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AGAIN AND THE HEAD GASKET WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10108188January 28, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. CAR WOULD HESITATE AND FINALLY LURCH FORWARD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS AT FIRST TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, THEN WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW $3400 TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD TO BABY THE CAR FOR AS LONG AS I COULD. 4 MONTHS LATER CAR BECAME STUCK IN REVERSE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT TO DRIVE. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SERVICE CENTER (NOT THE DEALER) THAT SPECIALIZES IN SUBARU'S AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON SUBARU PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST 15 - 20,000 MORE MILES OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION IS THE TRANSMISSION FILTER HAD EVER BEEN REPLACED AND THE FLUID FLUSHED. (UP UNTIL THIS TIME I HAD ALWAYS HAD THE CAR SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY AT THE DEALER). I AM BEING TOLD NOW THAT I WILL HAVE TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS SEEMS RIDICULOUS BEING THAT THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10106598January 19, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
SLID OFF THE ROAD ON ICE AT @ 35 MPH, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, JUMPED A CREEK AND HIT THE SIDE OF A HILL HEAD ON HOWEVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAD MORE DAMAGE SO IT PROBABLY HIT FIRST. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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