2008 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAP LIGHT AIR BAG UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS COMPLAINT FROM MANY SUBARU OUTBACK OWNERS ABOUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT MALFUNCTION I THINK SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, DEFINITELY A RECALL ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE BY SUBARU.

2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT FROM MANUFACTURERS CATALYTIC CONVERTER DEFECT RECALL REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED A FEW DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP READ THE CODES AND EXPLAINED TO THE CONSUMER, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FAILING. THE CONSUMER LEARNED SUBARU HAD ISSUED A SELECTIVE RECALL, ONLY HONORED IN CERTAIN STATES, ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A REPROGRAMMING OF THE ECM. THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HOWEVER, SHE IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *JB

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING OIL. WARRANTY IS EXPIRED, BUT 74K MILES IS TOO EARLY FOR THIS MAJOR PROBLEM TO OCCUR. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS AGREED TO PAY FOR A PORTION OF THE REPAIR COST.

THE WIRING FOR THE REAR LIFT GATE LOCK IS BROKEN. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 2013. DEFINITELY FAULTY DESIGN. SUBARU SAYS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS TO THE LIFT GATE FOR $500+.

THE WIRES IN THE BOOT BETWEEN THE HATCH AND BODY BECOME BRITTLE OVER TIME AND CAN SNAP WITH HATCH USAGE. I REMOVED THE BOOT AND FOUND ONE WIRE COMPLETELY SEVERED (OPERATING THE HATCH LOCK WHICH HAD STOPPED WORKING). OTHERS WERE FRAYED AND REQUIRED REPAIR (INCLUDING THE WIRES FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS). *TR

2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND STAY ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. THE RED AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD OCCASIONALLY TURN OFF BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT WAS ON CONTINUOUSLY. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT WHEN THE RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 3/30/2015 AND THE SERVICE REPORT INDICATES A SCAN NOTED AIRBAG CODE 26 -PASSENGER SIDE INDICATOR FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED CORRECTION WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY (PART #92151AG13AOR) FOR A COST IN MATERIAL OF $163.95 AND LABOR OF $34.52, PLUS THE DIAGNOSTIC LABOR OF $35.00. COST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE IN SUBARUS OF THIS SPECIFIC MODEL YEAR AND ALSO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE SAME TIME PERIOD. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT PROBLEM IS LOCATED WITHIN THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHT MODULE AND THE FAILURE OF SOLDERING AT THE LED LIGHTS WITHIN THIS ASSEMBLY. A NEW MAP LIGHT CONSOLE WAS ORDERED AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WHICH HAS, AT THIS TIME, CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED WITH THE N.H.T.S.A. ON LINE COMPLAINT DATA (54 COMPLAINTS ALONG SIMILAR CONSOLE LIGHT PANEL FAILURE). AIR BAG SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN MANDATORY ON VEHICLES FOR BOTH FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS SINCE SEPTEMBER 1998. AIRBAG SYSTEMS ARE NOT OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT, AND WITH THE COMBINATION OF SEAT BELTS, REPRESENT THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF A PASSENGER SAFETY SYSTEM. THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF FAILURE INDICATES A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN VOLUNTARILY RECALLED OR ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE THIS DEFECT INVOLVES A VITAL SAFETY SYSTEM, AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER, AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL SHOULD BE COMMENCED. *TR

THE AIRBAGS LIGHT IS ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE TECH AT THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM IN THE CONNECTION IN THE MAP LIGHT CONSOLE. HE INDICATED THE AIRBAGS WOULD DEPLOY CORRECTLY. IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2008 OUTBACKS AND OTHER POSTERS HAVE INDICATED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK IF DASHBOARD AIRBAG LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. APPARENTLY MANY FOLKS HAVE FOUND A WEAK/AGED SOLDER POINT TO BE THE CAUSE OF AN INTERMITTENT CONNECTION. GIVEN THE LARGE NUMBER OF OWNERS ENCOUNTERING THIS PROBLEM, SUBARU SHOULD INITIATE A RECALL BASED ON THE SAFETY CONCERNS OF A AN AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. *TR

HAVING AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY ALONG WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT. MECHANIC SAID AIRBAGS PROBABLY ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE BETWEEN $350-$400. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS, THIS IS AN EASY AND CHEAP FIX BUT DANGEROUS IF IT'S NOT REPAIRED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL! *TR

PURCHASED THIS SINGLE-OWNER, WELL-CARED FOR OUTBACK ABOUT 1/9/2015. I WAS ASSURED ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN ADDRESSED. I SOON REALIZED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS EXTENDED THE LIGHT-FIELD FOR ONLY A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. (NO MORE THAN 7 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR). AT NEXT OIL CHANGE, ASKED TO HAVE THEM LOOKED AT/ADJUSTED. ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER THAT WAS DONE, I HAD NO LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS. TOLD THE LOW-BEAMS WERE NOT "GROUNDING". (HIGH BEAMS AND FOG LIGHTS ARE FINE). WAITED FOR A $300 CONTROL MODULE PART TO COME IN BUT THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. NOW WAITING FOR ANOTHER $300 FUSE BOX PART TO COME IN - NO GUARANTEE THAT IS THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEEING SIMILAR CAR COMPLAINTS ON-LINE, REALIZED THIS MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE (AND A MORE PERVASIVE ISSUE) THAN I THOUGHT. THE STATE OF WISCONSIN CERTAINLY SEES THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ISSUE A $187+ TICKET AND THE DRIVER LOSES 3 POINTS. (I ALREADY GOT ONE TICKET DUE TO THIS PROBLEM WHILE AWAITING PARTS). I DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE AVAILABLE AND DRIVE OVER 600 MILES (ROUND-TRIP) EACH WEEKEND BETWEEN WORK AND HOME. *TR