2011 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints

TAKATA RECALL I HAVE CONTACTED BOTH SUBARU AND THE LOCAL DEALER REQUESTING SERVICE MULTIPLE TIMES. IVE BEEN TOLD THERE IS NO TIMELINE TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER AIRBAG, HOWEVER HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT NO PASSENGER SHOULD RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT UNTIL THIS IS CORRECTED. FAILURE TO FIX/REPLACE IN A TIMELY MANNER.

JERKY CVT OPERATION SINCE DAY 1. IN SLOW SPEED TRAFFIC (~20MPH) THE CAR HAD A BUCKING FEELING WHEN GENTLY APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THIS HAS BEEN A CONSTANT THROUGHOUT MY OWNERSHIP. JUST BEFORE THIS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SUDDENLY JERK BETWEEN 20-30MPH AND RPMS WOULD DROP BY 1,500 UNDER NORMAL ACCELERATION AS IF AN IMPROPER UP-SHIFT HAD OCCURRED (THOUGH I DID NOT CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN, AND THE CVT HAS NO "GEARS"). THIS WOULD HAPPEN ON ANY STREET, ANY TIME OF DAY, ANY GRADE OF INCLINE/DECLINE, TURNING OR STRAIGHT. GILLMAN SUBARU NORTH'S SHOP FOREMAN HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO SAY AFTER EXPERIENCING THE PROBLEM FIRSTHAND ON A TEST DRIVE. I WORKED AT THE DEALER WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW, AND WAS CONSTANTLY DISMISSED BY BOTH THE DEALER, GILLMAN SUBARU NORTH, AND BY SUBARU OF AMERICA, BEING TOLD IT WAS JUST A QUIRK AND TO ENJOY MY NEW CAR. NOW, AFTER A TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE THAT WAS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED BY GILLMAN SUBARU NORTH, THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY HAS FAILED AND THE DEALER WANTS $1772 TO REPAIR. SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS INFORMED OF EVERYTHING, AND REFUSED TO CONSIDER ANY OTHER CUSTOMERS' EXPERIENCES, AS THEY EVALUATE ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS ONLY. THEY REFUSED TO GOODWILL ANYTHING WHATSOEVER.

FREQUENT REPLACEMENT OF LOW BEAM BULBS. NOT EASY TO REPLACE AND SUBARU SERVICE BEST EQUIPPED TO DO PROCEDURE. LABOR COSTS AT VARIOUS DEALERS FOR THIS SERVICE WIDELY VARY AND CAN INCREASE WITHOUT REASON. SUBARU OF AMERICA RECENTLY SENT OUT LETTER SAYING WARRANTY ON BULBS HAS BEEN EXTENDED (NOT THAT THERE IS ISSUE WITH ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). SOA WILL REPLACE OR REFUND, HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE OF CONTINUED (PERCEIVED) DEFICIENCY IN THE LIGHTING SYSTEM OVERALL AND REFUND REQUIREMENTS ARE VERY STRINGENT PER THE LETTER THEY SENT. I CONSIDER THIS ISSUE AS A SAFETY DEFECT. WE HAVE BOTH AN OUTBACK AND LEGACY THAT ARE BOTH AFFECTED BY THIS. HAVE OWNED LEGACY SINCE NEW AND REPLACED BOTH BULBS FOUR TIMES SINCE TAKING OWNERSHIP. HAVE TRIED OTHER BRAND BULBS TO NO BETTER RESULT (HENCE MY BELIEF IT IS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). PER ONE OF THE SERVICE ADVISORS I'VE SPOKEN TO IN THE PAST, THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT WHEN ONE BULB BURNS OUT, MORE CURRENT FLOWS TO THE ONE BULB STILL WORKING AND WILL BURN IT OUT PREMATURELY (FURTHERING MY BELIEF THAT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE). THEY SAID THIS IN RECOMMENDING REPLACEMENT OF BOTH BULBS AT ONCE. WOULD LIKE TO SEE RECALL OR GREATER EFFORT ON SOA'S PART.

UPON STOPPING AT INTERSECTIONS OR SUDDEN BRAKING ANYWHERE, THE DOWNSHIFT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SHUDDER AND STALL. IT HAS HAPPENED DOWNTOWN AT SEVERAL BUSY INTERSECTIONS WITH VEHICLES COMING TO A STOP BEHIND ME. THE VEHICLE THEN NEEDS TO BE PUT IN PARK AND RESTARTED IN THE INTERSECTION. THIS ISSUE MATCHES SERVICE BULLETIN 16-90-13R. I HAVE ATTACHED A WRITE UP FROM A DEALERSHIP AFTER DIAGNOSING MY CAR. THE PROBLEM CITED IS A FAULTY TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SOLENOID AND VALVE BODY.

I HAD A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY2.5;AT 1130 AM,I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A LOCAL CONVENIENCE STORE NEAR US THAT WE OFTEN GO TO,WHEN SUDDENLY ON TURNING RIGHT INTO THE SPACE I HEARD THE ENGINE "REV"AT A FAST SPEED EVEN THOUGH I HAD LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR.(I USED TO DRIVE A MANUAL SHIFT,AND IT REMINDED ME OF THE SOUND AN ENGINE WOULD MAKE WHEN TRYING TO UPSHIFT TOO FAST BETWEEN GEARS)BEFORE I COULD REACT THE CAR SURGED FORWARD INTO THE SPACE,AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO SLAM THE BRAKE BEFORE IT COVERED THE 6 TO 8 FEET AND HIT A GUARD POST,CRUMBLING THE FRONT END TO WHERE THE ENGINE IS BENT AND THE CAR A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.(FORTUNATE,AS WHEN I RETURNED HOME I FOUND THE LETTER FROM SUBARU THAT MY CAR WAS PART OF THE TAKATA RECALL)INTERESTINGLY,THE ENGINE STILL STARTED AND THE CAR WAS DRIVE-ABLE ,DESPITE THE RADIATOR BEING CRACKED IN HALF(WE WERE ABLE TO PARK IT AFTER HAVING IT TOWED). I LOOKED UP THE SYMPTOMS I EXPERIENCED AND FEEL THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MECHANISM OR THE APP(WHICH SENSES THE POSITION OF THE ACCELERATOR ,AS I AM SURE YOU KNOW)MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER WENT ON.THE CAR HAD ACTED AS IF IT HAD IDLING ISSUES A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT NOT WITH REGULARITY, AND IT HAD NEVER STALLED OR DISPLAYED ANY OTHER WARNING OF THIS. I HAD JUST DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 7 MILES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER SUBARU;I HAVE HAD OTHER CARS WITH TROUBLES IN THE PAST BUT THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST DANGEROUS.I AM JUST THANKING THE LORD THAT THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND WE WEREN'T CRUSHED(MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT).AND,THE CAR ONLY HAD 24,350 MILES ON IT! PRACTICALLY NEW CONDITION!SAD,BECAUSE I REALLY LIKED THIS CAR.

TAKATA RECALL: I AM CONCERNED WITH DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH THE TAKATA AIRBAGS INSTALLED. EVEN THOUGH THE AIRBAGS ARE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, I AM AFRAID THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAGS WOULD STILL AFFECT ME AS THE DRIVER. I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I CANNOT ACCESS A RENTAL CAR DUE TO MY AGE. I AM 21 YEARS OLD AND AM UNABLE TO ACCESS A RENTAL CAR FROM MY DEALERSHIP DUE TO MY AGE. MY DEALERSHIP WOULD BE WILLING TO RENT AND PAY FOR A CAR IF I WERE THE PROPER AGE OF 25. WHAT CONCERNS ME ABOUT THIS IS THAT I COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED AS A DRIVER IF THE AIRBAGS STILL DEPLOY. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THE DEALERSHIP OR RENTAL COMPANIES NEED TO MAKE EXCEPTIONS FOR THOSE UNDER THE AGE OF 25. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT EXCEPTIONS WOULD BE, BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE OTHERS, LET ALONE MYSELF, IN A CAR THAT IS CONSIDERED UNSAFE AT THE MOMENT. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE FACT THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT EXISTS, BUT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT EVEN MORE IF I WERE PROVIDED A CAR FOR THE MEAN TIME SO I MAY KEEP MYSELF AND OTHERS SAFE WITHIN MY CAR. I DO NOT SPEAK FOR JUST MYSELF, BUT I SPEAK FOR THOSE WHO ARE UNDER 25 AND FACE THE SAME FEARS WHEN DRIVING THEIR CARS WITH THESE AIRBAGS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND HOPE TO HEAR SOMETHING SOON. *TR

THE 2011 SUBARU LEGACY HAS AN ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE. AFTER A FEW YEARS, THE BRAKE MECHANISM BROKE AND WOULDN'T "TURN ON" OR "SWITCH OFF". THIS WAS TERRIBLY UNSAFE AND COST OVER $800 DOLLARS TO FIX. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

SUBARU OF AMERICA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN: TKA-16, NHTSA NO. 16V-358 STATES THAT: THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE TO FIX THE AIRBAG PROBLEM. THEIR LETTER ALSO STATES: 'UNTIL THIS REPAIR IS PERFORMED, DO NOT ALLOW PASSENGERS TO RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.' HOWEVER THEY HAVE NOT AUTHORIZED THE DEALERSHIPS TO MANUALLY TURN THE AIRBAGS OFF WHILE THEY WAIT ON PARTS. THE NHTSA SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ENACT A RULING THAT SUBARU DO THIS IMMEDIATELY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V358000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER DID NOT GIVE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR WHEN THE PART WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NUMBER TEN ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.