Subaru Outback Complaints (2009)

112 consumer complaints on file.

#10806525November 24, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE REAR GATE WIRING HARNESS FAILED, CAUSING REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS TO STOP WORKING. WITHOUT REPLACING THE REAR GATE WIRING HARNESS ($88.80 PARTS + $448.80 LABOR + 51.07 TAX) SOON THE REAR WIPER AND DEFROST WOULD NOT WORK AND THE BACK HATCH WOULD LOCK. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I WANT TO SEE A RECALL AND REIMBURSEMENT OF $588.67 FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10794943November 19, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
REAR GATE ELECTRICAL CORD PREMATURE FAILURE AT RUBBER ACCORDION BEND
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10790280November 13, 2015
AIR BAGS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED FROM BEING DRIVEN, THE ENGINE REMAINED ABNORMALLY HOT AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR WAS CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN RESTARTED AFTER BEING DRIVEN AND PROGRESSED DURING HUMID WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 1/19/16 LN THE DEALER FOUND A CODE INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSENGER AIR BAG. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDED THE AIR BAG CONTROL ELECTRONIC MODULE. UPDATED 03/29/16*JB *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10789092November 8, 2015
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
THE HEADLIGHTS ON OUR OUTBACK BURN OUT FREQUENTLY. WE HAVE HAD MULTIPLE DIFFERENT HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT (AT LEAST 5) OVER THE YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD THE CAR. ON EACH OCCURANCE THE LIGHT BURNED OUT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND NOT WHILE DRIVING. ONE TIME BOTH HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT SIMULTANEOUSLY WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND WE HAD TO DRIVE BACK HOME FROM OUT OF TOWN WITH OUR BRIGHTS ON THE ENTIRE TIME SO WE COULD SEE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10786005October 26, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE BRAKE LIGHTS, HATCH LOCK, WIPER AND OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON THE REAR PART OF MY SUBARU 2009 OUTBACK STOPPED WORKING OR WORKING ERRATICALLY. I CHECKED THE RUBBER BOOT CONTAINING THE REAR WIRING HARNESS FOR DAMAGE AND DISCOVERED 13 OUT OF 14 WIRES WERE EITHER COMPLETELY BROKEN, OR THE INSULATION WAS WORN, EXPOSING BARE CONDUCTOR. IN ADDITION TO THE REAR ELECTRICAL ISSUES, I REPLACED THE BULBS FOR THE HEADLIGHTS AT LEAST FOUR TIMES IN A TWO YEAR PERIOD. THE AM CHANNEL ON MY RADIO NO LONGER RECEIVES SIGNALS. THE REAR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS ARE CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO THE BRAKE/TAIL LIGHTS NOT FUNCTIONING, OR THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER NOT WORKING. SUBARU IS NOT RESPONSIVE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10747264August 9, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHEN IT RAINED DASH LIGHTS COME ON WOULD NOT GO OUT WHEN TURNED CAR ON FOR A FEW DAYS NEXT RAIN WENT TO CHECK CAR WHEN STARTED LIGHTS CAME ON THEN ALL WENT OUT AND A LOUD NOISE AND FIRE UNDER HOOD
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10746512August 5, 2015
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES (COMES ON) RANDOMLY WHEN DRIVING. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. OCCASIONALLY, TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE & RESTARTING CAUSES THE LIGHT TO TURN OFF. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER OWNERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10732605July 8, 2015
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
CAR TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10731633July 1, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN LOCKING THE VEHICLE, THE REAR LIFT GATE WILL NOT LOCK. SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOUND A BROKEN WIRE LEADING TO THE REAR LIFT GATE ACTUATOR, AND FIXED. JUNE 2015, PROBLEM OCCURRING AGAIN. JUST LOOKED, AND WIRE WAS BROKEN AGAIN (FOUND BY REMOVING PASSENGER SIDE RUBBER BOOT COVERING WIRES BETWEEN LIFT GATE AND BODY). WILL TRY TO FIX MYSELF, THIS TIME.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10679625January 29, 2015
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS
PROBLEM 1: EXPERIENCED REAR WIPER (STATION WAGON) NOT WORKING. CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY, TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES THROUGH THE HINGE AREA WAS BROKEN. IT WAS REPAIRED. NOW THE CAR HAS 72,000 MILES AND I AM HAVING REAR WIPER PROBLEMS AGAIN AS WELL AS THE REAR DOOR NOT LOCKING. WIRES FRAYED AND BROKEN AGAIN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE BOTH WITH SUBARU AND ON THE FORUMS ON THE WEB. THIS IS A POOR DESIGN AND POSSIBLY DANGEROUS AS IT CAN CAUSE THE REAR LIGHTS TO FAIL. FAILURE TIME FRAME WAS ALMOST DOUBLE MILEAGE FROM THE PREVIOUS FAILURE. (35,251 - 72,000). PROBLEM 2: AIR BAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. HAVE HAD IT TO THE MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES TO BE CHECKED OUT AND RESET. THIS IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARU AND ON THE WEB FORUMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THE AIR BAGS COULD FAIL TO DEPLOY. SUBARU MAY SAY THE AIRBAGS ARE A "SECONDARY" SAFETY FEATURE, BUT TO ME THEY ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10670867January 8, 2015
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WIPER SWITCH ON STEERING COLUMN FAILS TO OPERATE AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. THANK YOU *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10663963December 12, 2014
ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE DECELERATED AND WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10661320November 30, 2014
VISIBILITY/WIPER
WHILE TRAVELING ON A 2 LANE ROAD AT NIGHT DURING A HEAVY RAINFALL, MY DRIVER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER DISCONNECTED AND JAMMED INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD, JAMMING THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER AS WELL. VISIBILITY IN THE RAIN WAS REDUCED TO ALMOST NOTHING. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND TRAVELED FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD A GREATLY REDUCED SPEED, UNABLE TO MAKE OUT ANY PLACE TO TURN OFF. BY SLOWING DOWN I WAS INCREASING MY CHANCES OF AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT, BUT INCREASING THE RISK FOR THE CARS IN FRONT, APPROACHING AND BEHIND ME. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT A SMALL PLASTIC PIN IN THE WIPER BLADE HAD FALLEN OUT, A QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE. THIS TINY PART COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I URGE YOU TO REQUIRE HIGHER QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THE WIPE BLADES. I CAN'T FIND A MANUFACTURER IDENTIFICATION ON THE WIPER BLADE, BUT I STILL HAVE IT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10651873November 1, 2014
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
"AIR BAG" WARNING LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (COMBINATION METER) IS ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON SINCE IT HAS BEEN COLD OUT. IT KEEPS ON EVERY COLD DAY. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IF POSSIBLY NOT DEPLOYING THE SRS TO PROTECT DRIVER AND PASSENGER IN A COLLISION. THIS PROBLEM WAS REPORTED BY MANY DRIVERS OF SUBARU, BUT SUBARU COMPANY IS STILL NO RESPONSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10638261September 22, 2014
ENGINE
HEAD GASKET FAILURE ON 2009 OUTBACK WAGON WHICH AS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10637765September 20, 2014
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPER
09 OUTBACK WAS BLOWING FUSES ON THE DOOR LOCK CIRCUIT. PUT IN A NEW FUSE AND IT WOULD BLOW IN A FEW DAYS, OFTEN WHEN CAR WASHED OR DRIVEN IN RAIN (OR PERHAPS WHEN REAR HATCH OPERATED). LAST REPLACEMENT FUSE HAS HELD FOR A FEW WEEKS NOW, THROUGH SUMMER. THEN THE REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING. SAW THIS VIDEO AND THEN PULLED THE WIRING BOOT CONNECTING HATCH WITH BODY (TO RIGHT OF HATCH HINGES) AND SURE ENOUGH FOUR WIRES ARE SNAPPED RIGHT WHERE VIDEO SHOWS - AT BOTTOM OF RIGHT BOOT: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMEKPTVGMHS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10637392September 18, 2014
AIR BAGS
THE AIRBAG FAILURE INDICATOR IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL IS COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. AFTER TURNING OFF THE ENGINE, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY FOR SOME TIME AND DAYS OR WEEKS LATER COMES ON AGAIN. I AM CONCERNED THAT SHOULD THERE BE A COLLISION WHILE THE CONDITION DESCRIBE ABOVE EXIST, AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT MAY FAIL. THERE SEEMS TO BE THOUSANDS OF THESE INCIDENTS WHILE SEARCHING INTERNET DATABASES AND IT APPEARS ALL SUBARU DEALERS KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND PRESUMABLY SUBARU AS WELL. SHOULD NOT BE A RECALL FOR THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10629869September 1, 2014
STRUCTURE
IN MAY OF THIS YEAR, DASH STARTED TO GET STICK AND ALSO PRODUCES A BAD GLARE ON WINDSHIELD. HAS GOTTEN WORSE AS HEAT HAS PROGRESSED IN SC DURING THE SUMMER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10626747August 20, 2014
SERVICE BRAKES
CONTACTED DEALER (MIKE SHAW SUBARU, NORTHGLENN, CO) PER THE NHTSA RECALL 14V-311 -- RECALL STATES INSPECT AND REPAIR. INSISTED ON INSPECTION ONLY AND REPLACEMENT IN THE EVENT OF VISIBLE CORROSION ONLY. DID NOT OFFER THE APPLICATION OF ANTI-CORROSIVE MATERIAL IN THE EVENT THAT LINES ARE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10617965July 31, 2014
AIR BAGS, INTERIOR LIGHTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOME LIGHT WAS BURNED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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