1999 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #98V127000 CONCERNING THE ENGINE. THIS CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER HAS A 1999 SUBARU LEGACY AND COMPLAINED ABOUT A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT INTO DRIVE IT IDLED AND THEN WENT INTO DRIVE. WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO A MODE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO REV THE ENGINE AND IT WOULD KICK IN. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SEAL AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER FELT IT WAS TOO SOON TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT 61,000. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE PROBLEM APPROXIMATELY THREE MONTHS AGO. *AK

ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER DID ANALYSIS AND STATES THAT FUEL FILLER 'PIPE' IS CORRODED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. COSTLY. FUEL SYSTEM SHOULD NOT CORRODE. FIRE HAZARD??????? CAR IS 6 YRS OLD AND 67,000 CAREFUL MILES.*AK

HOOD STRIKER CAME LOOSE FROM HOOD. HOOD CAME OPEN WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY. CRASHING INTO WINDSHIELD AND CAUSING AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. FORTUNATLY NO ONE WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT AND CAR IS BEING REPAIRED

RECENTLY ACQUIRED A 1999 SUBURU LEGACY BRIGHTON IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. WAS INFORMED BY SELLER THAT THE OWNER'S MANUAL WAS NEVER PROVIDED BY THE DEALERSHIP. I NEED TO KNOW THE PROPER METHOD FOR SECURING MY CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THIS CAR. IN ORDER TO DOWNLOAD THE PDF FILE (JUST THE PART ABOUT THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT INSTRUCTIONS - NOT THE WHOLE MANUAL) FROM THE SUBARU WEBSITE, I AM REQUIRED TO BUY A "SUBSCRIPTION" TO THEIR WEBSITE. WHILE IT IS FAIR FOR MANUFACTURERS TO RECOUP THE COST OF ARCHIVING AND KEEPING AVAILABLE OWNERS MANUALS FOR OLDER CARS, INFORMATION SUCH AS PROPER SECURING OF CHILD SEATS IS INFORMATION THAT SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE FREE OF CHARGE. GREED HAS TO BE CHECKED SOMEWHERE. *JB

DOWNSHIFTING ON INCLINES: PURCHASED A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK LEGACY WAGON NEW ON NOV. 11/11/98, AT FUCILLO IMPORTS, WATERTOWN, NY. THE DOWNSHIFTING PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN GOING DOWN LARGE HILLS AROUND 60 MPH, GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, LETTING OFF THE BRAKES, AND THE DOWNSHIFT JERKS YOU FORWARD. WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS BRAND NEW, THE ABRUPT JERK WOULD PUT MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE SALESPERSON TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE WAY I DROVE THE CAR. ODOMETER FAILURE DURING AUGUST, 2002, THE VEHICLE STARTED INTERMITTENT ODOMETER FAILURES. THE ODOMETER WOULD DROP FROM ?? TO 0 FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN GRADUALLY RESUME. AFTER 6 MO. THE DEALERSHIP DID REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND I HAD TO HAVE THE ODOMETER REPLACED FOR APPROXIMATELY $200. TRANSMISSION HESITATION AND ABRUPT ENGAGEMENT IN AUGUST 2002 (ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE INTERMITTENT ODOMETER FAILURE, AND THE CRANK SEAL LEAK / REPLACEMENT) THE CAR DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH A HESITATION WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE. ON A COLD INCLINE START, THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS SEVERAL FEET BEFORE ENGAGING IN DRIVE. AFTER REVERSING, THE HESITATION WILL LEAVE ME WITHOUT ANY DRIVE POWER, BEFORE JERKING INTO GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP SAW THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2002 (AT 65,179 MILES) AND DOCUMENTED (BUT NOT DUPLICATED) THE PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION CONDITIONER TREATMENTS HAVED EASED THE JERKING. NOW, 2 YEARS LATER, A SERVICE MANAGER FINALLY DUPLICATED THE HESITATION AND ROLL BACK. AND SUGGESTED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR $2,500. TODAY, THE CAR IS OVER THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY AT 93,418 MILES. I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED, AND ARE DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO INTERMITTENTLY. NO KNOWN CAUSE OR PATTERN TO PROBLEM. AUTHORIZED DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE OR REMEDY. *AK

97000 MILES - AUTOMATIC W CRUISE - VEHICLE JUST STARTED EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT HIGH IDLE CONDITIONS. THE FIRST CONDITION HAS PERSISTED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. VEHICLE (EVEN WHEN WARM) IDLES AT ~1.5K RPM IN PARK. WHEN COASTING IN DRIVE, VEHICLE DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AS IT NORMALLY SHOULD. IT IS ALMOST AS IF VEHICLE IS DRIVING ITSELF. WHEN STOPPING ABRUPTLY,THE ABS DID NOT SEEM TO ENGAGE AND THE CAR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP (I PAST THE TOLL BOOTH GUY BY A FOOT). FUEL ECONOMY HAS BEEN REDUCED. THE SECOND CONDITION IS MORE INTERMITTENT AND COULD BE VERY SERIOUS. AFTER STARTING MY CAR AND LETTING IT WARM FOR 2 MINUTES, I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THEN SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE RPMS SURGED TO OVER 2.5K AND STAYED THERE. LUCKILY, I WAS FIRMLY PRESSING THE BRAKE. I PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND RELEASED THE BRAKE, THE RPMS DECREASED TO 750. I WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THIS SEVERAL TIMES IN BOTH REVERSE AND DRIVE AND COULD FIND NOTHING TO SUGGEST I WAS THE CAUSE (I.E PRESSING BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT THE SAME TIME). THE BRAKE WAS FIRMLY DEPRESSED AND I DID NOT MOVE. AFTER 2 MINUTES OF THIS, THE CONDITION STOPPED AND THE RPMS NO LONGER SURGED WHEN PLACED IN GEAR. I DROVE TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE IT. ON MY NEXT DRIVE (1 HOUR LATER) THE CAR IDLED AND RAN FINE FOR THE COURSE OF MY 10 MINUTE DRIVE. ON RETURNING HOME (1 HOUR AFTER THAT), THE CAR RAN FINE UNTIL I STOPPED IN THE DRIVEWAY SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO PARK. THE ENGINE SURGED TO OVER 2K RPM, BUT IDLED NORMALLY. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE DEALER TO INVESTIGATE IN A FEW DAYS. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND OF OTHERS.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING TREAD SEPARATION. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO CHANGE TIRE. SIZE 19060R15, 1999. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH LEFT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING TREAD SEPARATION. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO CHANGE TIRE. SIZE#19060R15 YEAR 1999 PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WAS UNABLE RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK