2005 SUBARU LEGACY Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF IN ORDER FOR IT TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

IN THE 2005 WAGON, THE REAR WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES THROUGH THE HATCH AND IS SUBJECT TO A LOT OF BENDING (IT CONNECTS THE REAR WIPER, BACKUP LIGHTS, ETC) USES CHEAP WIRING THAT WEARS OUT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED BY SUBARU OWNERS AT HTTP://LEGACYGT.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/WAGONS-BEWARE-TAILGATE-ELECTRICALS-161086.HTML. TODAY, MY REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING, AND SEVERAL OTHER WIRES ARE ABOUT TO BREAK. THIS COULD AFFECT REAR WIPERS, BACKUP LIGHTS, REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, ETC. THESE WIRES ARE OF VERY POOR QUALITY - I HAVE OWNED 2 OTHER CARS WITH HATCHES, AND EVEN IN HARSH CANADIAN WINTERS, HAD NO ISSUES. THESE WIRES BROKE JUST DUE TO USE IN VERY MILD CALIFORNIA CONDITIONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE HEATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS SMOLDERED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS SEVERELY BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. UPDATED 04/10/15*LJ UPDATED 6/26/2015*JS

VEH. WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 25MPH UP A LOW INCLINE ON SLUSHY PAVED 2 LANE SURFACE. VEH. BROKE TRACTION SPUN SIDEWAYS AND TRAVELLED SIDEWAYS INTO BRUSH AND STRIKING A TREE IN THE DRIVER. SIDE FRONT FENDER (SIDE IMPACT). DRIVERS HEAD STRUCK AND BROKE DRVRS. DOOR WINDOW. DRVR. SUSTAINED SEVERAL FACIAL LACERATIONS REQUIRING PLASTIC SURGERY AND RESULTING IN PROBABLE SCARRING. FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED RIGHT LEG INJURY RESULTING IN SEVERE BRUISING AND SWELLING. BOTH WERE TREATED IN AN EMERGENCY ROOM AND RELEASED. VEH. IS EQUIPPED WITH SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS WHICH DID NOT DEPLOY. IF DEPLOYED, THE DRVR. SIDE AIRBAG WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE DRVRS. INJURIES. *TR

PLASTIC FUEL PUMP BASKET/ASSEMBLY FLANGE THAT MOUNTS ON TOP OF FUEL TANK STRUCTURALLY DETERIORATES RESULTING IN MULTIPLE CRACKS THAT ALLOW FUEL TO LEAK OUT OF TANK BELOW THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT. WE OWN TWO DIFFERENT 2005 SUBARU LEGACY MODELS (ONE SEDAN, ONE STATION WAGON) AND UPON INSPECTION DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL PUMP BASKET FLANGE ON BOTH CARS SHOWED EXACTLY THE SAME STRUCTURAL DEFECT. THE FUEL BASKET ASSEMBLY IS ONLY AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THE REPAIR INVOLVES SUBSTANTIAL LABOR TO CHANGE ALL PARTS OVER. THIS IS CLEARLY A STRUCTURAL OR DESIGN ISSUE AND NOT A QUESTION OF MAINTENANCE OR RANDOM QUALITY CONTROL. *TR

REAR TAILGATE WIRE HARNESS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. REAR WIPER DID NOT WORK. THIS WIRE WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. TWO OTHER WIRES FOUND TO BE CRACKED AND ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE REAR HI MOUNT STOP LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, AND BACK UP LIGHTS TO BE NON-FUNCTIONAL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V311000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT PRIOR TO THE RECALL REPAIR THE THE REAR SUSPENSION, THE REAR PASSENGER SPRING, BOTH REAR LATERAL LINKS, AND THE REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO CORROSION AND BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

THE TURBOCHARGER SIMPLY WENT AT ABOUT 132000 MILES. FROM WHAT I READ ONLINE REGARDING THE FAILED LEGACY TURBO,THE TURBO COULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IF THE UNION ( BANJO) BOLT WITH FILTER WAS CHANGED. SUBARU DOES NOT NOTIFY THE CONSUMER REGARDING THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM; THAT IS IRRESPONSIBLE. IT COST ME $2300 TO REPLACE THE TURBO...I MADE SURE THAT THE UNION BOLT WAS REPLACED AS WELL. *TR

BOOTS CRACK AND YOU MUST REPLACE ENTIRE DRIVE SHAFT. LEFT FRONT DRIVE SHAFT WAS JUST REPLACED @85,000 MILES AS THE BOOT CRACKED ON THE OTHER SIDE AS WELL. THINK THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AS DRIVE SHAFT SITS OVER THE TOP OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH NO SHIELD TO BLOCK THE HEAT. *TR

WHEN HAVING NEW TIRES PLACED ON THE CAR THERE WAS SO MUCH CORROSION ON THE WHEELS AND BRAKE HOUSING THE SERVICE PERSON HAD TO BREAK OFF THE CHUNKS OF RUST TO GET THE TIRES OFF. THIS HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE TIRES ARE CHANGED. THEY ADVISE EACH TIME THAT THIS NOT KNOWN TO HAPPEN ON A NEWER CAR. AT THE TIME THAT THIS WAS FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR CARS IN OTHER STATES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT WHEN I CALLED SUBARU ABOUT THIS I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL DID NOT EXTEND TO OUR STATE. THE MECHANIC I TAKE MY CAR TO SAID IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL THE WHEELS WILL FALL OFF DUE TO FAILURE FROM THE CORROSION. *TR