1999 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints

CAR IS ONE YEAR OLD, 22,000 MILES AND THE SECOND FRONT BRIDGESTONE TIRE FAILED. ONE HAD A LARGE SIDE BUBBLE, ONE BLEW OUT AT 65 MPH.*AK (DOT NUMBER: OBT 2 PFB TIRESIZE: P205/55P16)

I WAS ON AN ENTRY RAMP TO INTERSTATE 95 AND FOUND MYSELF A BIT OUT OF LINE IN THE ROAD AFTER I HAD TURNED TO CHECK ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I TRIED TO CORRECT, AND LOST STEERING CONTROL. CAR WENT INTO FISHTAIL FROM WHICH I WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER, AND EVENTUALLY SPUN OUT INTO ONCOMING INTERSTATE TRAFFIC, WHERE I WAS HIT BY A TRACTOR-TRAILER. ROADWAY WAS DAMP, WEATHER MISTY, TEMP MID-FORTIES, AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS SAND ON RAMP LEFT OVER FROM PREVIOUS SNOW/ICE TREATMENT. I MUST SAY OCCUPANT PROTECTION WORKED WELL. I HAVE CRACKED STERNUM (PROBABLY FROM AIRBAG; I AM A VERY SHORT DRIVER AND SIT WAY FORWARD) AND A KNOT ON MY FOREHEAD, 2 BLAKC EYES AND LOTS OF BRUISES, BUT WAS IN GOOD ENOUGH SHAPE TO BE TREATED AND RELEASED FROM ER. I DON'T KNOW IF STEERING OR SUSPENSION FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT WANTED YOU TO HAVE THE DATA POINT IN CASE YOU CAN DISCOVER A PATTERN.

TIRE #1 IMPLODED, NEXT TIRE COLLAPSED, TIRE 3 NO LEAKS BUT AIR GOES( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/55/R16 )

NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DURING VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN INJURY. *MJS

FRONT BUMPER SKIRT CATCHES ON PARKING SPACE BLOCKS AT THE HEAD OF PARKING SPACES. THIS HAS PULLED THE BUMPER OFF AND TWISTED IT. I WAS NOT PREVIOUSLY AWARE OF A PROBLEM LIKE THIS OR FOREWARNED ABOUT IT BY THE SALESMAN OR MANUFACTURER. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAD I KNOWN. PARKING THE CAR SAFELY IN MY PARKING LOT (OR ANY LOT) IS MADE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT BY THIS PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMEN OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS. THERE WAS A VERY GOOD POSSIBILITY THAT VEHICLE WILL BE TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATON.*AK

NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 35 MPH. FRONT END WAS SMASHED IN. *AK

BRAKES WERE NOT OPERABLE. WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC PUT IN A NEW MASTER CYLINDER, AND THE CONSUMER IS STILL EXPERIENCING BRAKE PROBLEMS. *AK *ML

THE TRANSMISSION HAS A DESIGN DEFECT WHICH CAUSES IT TO ABRUPTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING SHIFT DOWN WHILE DESCENDING A LONG GRADE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN TWO INSTANCES OF MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IN ICY/SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, IT WILL MATERIALLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY SHORTEN THE LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION. FURTHERMORE, IT HAS SCARED PASSENGERS ON NUMEROUS OCCAIONS DUE TO THE JERKING OF THE CAR WHICH RESULTS FROM THIS DESIGN DEFECT. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHICH SENT ME TO THE DEALER. NO RELIEF. I ASKED FOR THE ZONE REPRESENTATIVE TO CALL ME AND IT HAS NOT TAKEN PLACE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS INDICATED ON THE PHONE THAT THIS IS 'NORMAL BEHAVIOR' . I AM TOLD THAT THIS DESIGN DEFECT HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM YEAR 2000 LEGACY OUTBACKS. IF TRUE, THAT WOULD BE TACIT ADMISSION THAT THE DESIGN WAS FLAWED AS IT WAS NOT IMPLENTED IN ANY YEAR BUT 1999. I HAVE ASKED THE MANUFACTURER TO INSTALL A NEW TRANSMISSIONCONTROLUNIT WHICH ELIMINATES THIS DESIGN FLAW, SINCE IT WOULD BE A RELATIVELY SIMPLE SOFTWARE MODIFICATION. THEY HAVE INDICATED THEIR RELUCTANCE TO DO SO. WHILE THE ASPECT OF THE JERKINESS OF THE CAR AND THE SHORTENED LIFESPAN OF THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE CHALKED UP TO 'TOUGH KAKA', THE LOSS OF CONTROL (ALBIET OF A VERY TEMPORARY NATURE SO FAR) RESULTING FROM AN ABRUPT GEAR CHANGE DOWN IN ICY CONDITIONS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT A SHIFT WOULD BE OF NO CONCERN, TO WHICH I SUGGESTED THEY ASK MIKI HAAKINNEN, A RACE DRIVER WHO LOST A RACE DUE TO THE WRONG GEAR BEING SELECTED....ONE BELOW THE ONE HE EXPECTED, WHICH SPUN HIM OUT OF THE RACE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR YAW FROM THE ABRUPT GEAR CHANGE. THANKFULLY FOR THE SAFETY OF MY PASSENGERS AND MYSELF, I, TOO, HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH RACECARS.....IF NOT FOR PRACTICED REFLEXES DURING THE ICY-CONDITION DOWNSHIFTS REFERENCED, I AM QUITE CONFIDENT THAT THE CAR WOULD HAVE ENDED UP OFF THE ROAD.

CONSUMER TEST DROVE VEHICLE AND ENDED UP SKIDDING INTO A DITCH, DUE TO DESIGN OF THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WITH A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, POOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON TURNS WHICH ALLOWED FOR LOSS OF CONTROL. *MJS