1999 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THEY WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE,LIKE METAL TO METAL . DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHENEVER BRAKES ARE APPLIED THERE IS SUDDEN ACCELERATION. (CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT USED). DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD APPLIED BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED HARD INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN BRAKES WOULD GRAB. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING 35MPH WITH SNOW ON THE ROAD AND COMING OFF A RAMP, TAPPED THE BRAKES, AND ALL WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING A POLE. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS BEING REDESIGNED. *AK

THERE WAS DIFFICULTY DOWNSHIFTING WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TIGHT. IN MAY, 1999, AFTER EXTENSIVE CLUTCH USE ON A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 4TH TO 5TH OR 5TH TO 4TH. IT SEEMED TO BE OK LATER. WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS WE NOTICED A TERRIBLE BURNING SMELL FROM STARTING ON A HILL AND EXTENSIVE CLUTCH SLIPPAGE. THE CLUTCH WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED IN AUGUST, 1999, BUT THE NEW CLUTCH SHOWED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND MY SON WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE NEEDED TO DOWNSHIFT FROM THIRD TO SECOND TO CHANGE LANES IN BAD FREEWAY TRAFFIC. HE HAD BEEN USING THE CLUCH A LOT, BECAUSE IT WAS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM OF BEING UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE AND IS VERY SCARY. THE CLUTCH CONTINUES TO SLIP AND BURN. WE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GET SUBARU TO BUY BACK THE CAR WITH NO SUCCESS. *AK

TAILGATE & THE BOTTOM OF STATION WAGON HAS A GAP BETWEEN IT WHICH IS GETTING WIDER. THE SEAL IS ALLOWING AIR TO COME IN. THE SEAL IS AROUND THE INSIDE & NOT HOLDING TIGHT. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER THAT WHEN STEPPING ONE OF THE PEDALS, CONSUMER IS APPLYING BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND GOING UP A INCLINE, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT, AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING CONSUMER TO SLOW DOWN AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DRIVER'S FOOT CAN HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND APPLY BOTH BY MISTAKE. DEALER SAYS ITS PART OF DESIGN AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK

WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL, IF YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTS CAUSING THE CAR TO JOLT SHARPLY AND STARTLE THE DRIVER. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT UNTIL THROTTLE IS APPLIED FOR A MOMENT WHICH CAUSES YOU TO SHOOT UP ON THE CAR AHEAD. NOT APPLYING THROTTLE RESULTS IN A LOT OF ENGINE BREAKING AND HIGH RPM'S. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF IT HAPPENS ON A SLIPPERY SURFACE BECAUSE THE ABRUPT AND UNANTICIPATED BRAKING CVOULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND/OR SKID. THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO FIX - IT'S DESIGNED THAT WAY. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THEY HAD RECEIVED OTHER COMPLAINTS.

CONSUMER WAS COASTING UP A SLIGHT HILL WHEN VEHICLE TOOK OFF TO RIGHT WITH BRAKES APPLIED, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK