1998 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints

OVER SENSITIVE KNOCK SENSOR, CAUSES ACCELERATION HESITATION. IT'S BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR YEARS (SEE TSBS 115899 & 115398), BUT ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS AND POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT LAST WEEKEND.*AK

THIS INTERNET SYSTEM IS NOT THE BEST FORM FOR THIS: THE MANUFATCURER HAS REPLACED THE SUN VISORS ONCE, BUT IT DOESN'T HELP. THE VISOR DESIGN IS POOR. THEY SWING WITH GREAT FREEDOM & SPEED ANY TIME YOU ROUND A CURVE OR TURN QUICKLY, SMACKIONG THE DRIVER IN THE HEAD AT THE RIGHT HEIGHT TO KNOCK OFF GLASSES OR KNOCK THE BRIM OF YOUR HAT ACROSS YOUR EYES WHEN YOU MANEUVER BRISKLY. THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING & CAN DANGEROUSLY INTERFERE WITH VISABILITY & CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING ACCIDENTS. WE HAVEN'T HAD ONE YET.. THE COMPANY SIMPLY REPLACED THE ORIGINAL VISOR WITH AN IDENTICAL ONE, WHICH SOON HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DESIGN IS VERY POOR (ONE OF SEVERAL VERY POORLY DESIGNED ITEMS ON THIS CAR). THE SHAFTS ON WHICH THEY PIVOT SO RAPIDLY & FREELY ARE HOLLOW, TO MAKE SPACE FOR THE POWER CORD FOR THE **LIGHTED MIRRORS(!!)** THIS IS WHY IT CAN'T BE TIGHTENED OR ADJUSTED & A NEW ONE IS NO BETTER. THE DESIGN NEEDS TO BE CHANGED, & THESE DIP-BRAINS WHO WASTED MY MONEY ON JUNK LIKE LIGHTED (DOUBLE LIGHTED) COULD SPEND THE MONEY ON SOMETHING USEFUL, LIKE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRRORS! THANX, BK. P.S. I MAY TRY TO FIND A WORKABLE OLDER ONE FROM A JUNK YARD, IF I GET THE TIME.

A TIRE WENT FLAT, SO CONSUMER PUT ON SPARE, THIS RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND TRANSFER CASE, THESE PARTS OVERHEATED AND HAD TO BE QUICKLY HOSED DOWN WITH WATER TO PREVENT A FIRE, IN THE OWNERS MANUAL IT STATES THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE DISENGAGED IF A SPARE TIRE IS EVER USED, HOWEVER CONSUMER DID NOT NOTICE THESE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS AND FEELS THIS DAMAGE WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF A WARNING STICKER WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE SPARE TIRE, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH HOOD FLEW OPEN, WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY, NO INJURIES. *AK

COMMENTS FROM THE DEALERS INVOICE: 671 MILES: CHECKED FOR OIL LEAK, FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM POWER STEERING RACK. REMOVED AND REINSTALLED RACK ASSEMBLY.671 MILES: I COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. ADVISED IT WAS POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO EXHAUST. 944MILES: OIL LEAKING FROM ENGINE DOWN ONTO EXHAUST. FOUND LEAK AT TOP OF ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE NEAR REAR OIL GALLEY PLUG. DISASSEMBLE ENGINE COMPLETE DOWN TO SHORT BLOCK. REPLACE SHORT BLOCK AND ALL NECESSARY GASKETS AND SEALS. REASSEMBLE ENGINE. 944 MILES: I COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. THIS TIME TOLD IT WAS BURNING OIL GETTING INTO VENTS BEFORE ENGINE REPAIR.6195 MILES,03/27/98: COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. DASH ASSEMBLY DISASSEMBLED, CLEANED, REASSEMBLED. 7173 MILES: COMPLAINED ABOUT SMELL IN VENTS. WORKING WITH ZEXEL REP. ON A/C SYSTEM LOCATED LEAK AT EVAPORATOR COOLING UNIT. REMOVE AND REPLACE RECEIVER DRIER AND A/C COMPRESSOR. REASSEMBLE. 8009 MILES: I COMPLAINED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. TOLD POSSIBLE THAT FUEL TANK CAP WAS NOT ON TIGHT. 10185MILES 08/06/98: I COMPLAINED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL STAYS ON: FOUND REAR 0-2 SENSOR TO HAVE SLOW RESPONSE TIMES. REMOVE AND REINSTALL REAR 0-2 SENSOR. 8485 MILES COMPLAINED OF BURNING SMELL FROM UNDER HOOD. TOLD INNER AXLE BOOT LEAKING. INNER AXLE CV BOOT GREASE IN FRONT REPLACED. 29901MILES: RECALL CAMPAIGN WXQ74 MASTER CYLINDER. PERFORM WXQ-74 AND INSTALL LABEL. 39150 MILES: COMPLAINED ABOUT RATTLING NOISE FROM REAR AXLE. CHECKED REAR DIFFERENTIAL, HEARD PINION BEARING TO BE NOISY. REPLACED REAR DIFFERENTIAL. WARRANTY EXPIRED. 45330 MILES: MY ALTENATOR FAILED. I WAS TOWED 15 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP, AT A COST OF $140 DOLLARS, AND PAID 294.35 DOLLARS TO HAVE IT REPLACED. AT THE TIME I WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON BOTH 1996 AND 1997 ALTENATORS BUT NOTHING ON THE 1998'S. LAST WEEK I GOT A LETTER FROM SUBARU INFORMING ME THAT SOME 1998'S MAY REQUIRE ALTENATOR REPLACEMENTS. *AK

ENGINE PISTON NOISE CONTINUAL, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE IN TO DEALERSHIP ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS, DEALERSHIP AND MANFACTURER STATE THAT THE ENGINE NOISE IS DUE TO THE NEW EFFICIENT DESIGN OF THE ENGINE. *JB

GAS LINES TO GAS TANK ARE LOCATED UNDER AND FRONT REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR AS STEPPING INTO VEHICLE. CONSUMER PUNCTURED THEM VERY EASILY WHEN JUST TRYING TO HOOK UP SOME LIGHTS. WITHIN MINUTES, THERE WAS ABOUT 2 GALLONS OF GAS IN BACKSEAT. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY UNSAFE.*AK THE POURING OF GAS INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN GAS LINE BREAKS IS UNSAFE DESIGN. *YH

I AM GETTING A LOUD SLAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE ON COLD STARTS IT LAST FOR ABOUT TEN TO FIFTEEN MINUTES OR UNTILL THE ENGINE WARMES UP,THE DEALER SAYS THAT IT IS A PISTON SLAP AND THAT IS NORMAL. I DO NOT AGREE, WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR IT DID NOT HAVE THAT NOISE ,AND IT IS GETTING LOUDER ,I DO NOT WANT TO WAIT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED ,MY WARRANTEE WILL EXPIRE SOON

WHEN PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH FOOT ON BRAKE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO RACE, AND SUDDENLY ACCELERATE CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK THE PROBLEM REOCCURED 5 TIMES IN 3 MONTHS PERIOD. *YH

SEVERE CUPPING ON TREAD. CAR ALIGNED 4 TIMES AND NEW TIRES PLACED. CAR STILL CUPPING TIRES. VIBRATION ABOVE 30 MPH( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/55/16 )