2005 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

SUBARU OUTBACK 2005 PZEV - HEAD GASKET FAILURE. THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE FAILED SUCH THAT ENGINE OIL DRIPS ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM, AND PRODUCES VISIBLE, FOUL SMELLING SMOKE WHENEVER THE CAR IS DRIVEN. MANUFACTURER HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY, OR RECOGNIZE A PROBLEM, IN SPITE OF SIMILAR FAILURES IN EARLIER MODELS, AND PREVIOUS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT BECAUSE OF THOSE FAILURES. THE CAR IS STILL UNDER AN EMISSIONS WARRANTY THAT WILL EXPIRE AT 157,500 MILES. THE CAR WAS SOLD AS A PARTIAL ZERO-EMISSIONS VEHICLE, BUT CLEARLY THE SMOKE FROM THE DRIPPING OIL EXCEEDS ANY EMISSION STANDARD. MY FEELING IS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD REPAIR THE CAR UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY, AS WELL AS PRIOR FAILURE HISTORY. *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 85,000 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OUR 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK XT WENT ON AND WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO OUR LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO CHECK THE LIGHT AND THEY RECOMMENDED HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO OUR SUBARU DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN AND THE DEALER SERVICE PERSON CALLED STATING THAT TIMTHE TURBO HAD FAILED (ALONG WITH THE CV BOOT & ALTERNATOR BELT). I PROVIDED THE INFORMATION REGARDING OUR OFFICIAL SUBARU 100,000 MILE GOLD PLUS "EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT" WHICH WE PURCHASED FOR $1975. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT THESE COMPONENTS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER OUR SERVICE CONTRACT AND THEN CALLED ME AND SAID SUBARU DENIED THE CLAIM PENDING RECEIPT OF SERVICE RECORDS. MY HUSBAND AND MY FATHER HAVE CHANGED THE OIL, AIR FILTERS AND PERFORMED GENERAL SERVICE IN COMBINATION WITH SERVICE BY VARIOUS SERVICE SHOPS. MY RECORDS ARE NOT COMPLETE AND I EXPECT THAT SUBARU WILL TRY TO DENY COVERAGE OF THE TURBO DUE TO THIS. THERE ARE AMPLE REPORTS ON SUBARU FORUMS REPORTING THE SAME FAILURE AND I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS NOT DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE, BUT BY FAULTY DESIGN. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SHOULD SERVICE THE VEHICLE PER THE SERVICE CONTRACT WITHOUT CAUSING UNDUE STRESS TO THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

BRAKES ARE VERY WEAK FOR THE FIRST COUPLE OF STOPS AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE (ABOUT EIGHT HOURS OR MORE). BRAKES WORK FINE AFTER WARMING UP. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN FIRST BACKING OUT OF DRIVING; WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STOP FAST ENOUGH IF A CHILD OR PERSON WAS SUDDENLY IN THE WAY AND YOU NEEDED TO STOP. THIS IS THE CASE WITH OEM BRAKE PADS AND AFTER-MARKET PADS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE BANJO FILTERS SCREEN FAILED AND SENT SHARDS OF METAL THROUGH THE ENGINE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONTACT THAT IN 2007, THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REBUILT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INFORMATION WAS NOT LISTED ON THE VEHICLE HISTORY REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

2005 SUBARU OUTBACK EXHIBITS A SERIOUS OF STABILITY WHEN DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THERE IS THE SLIGHTEST DEGRADATION OF TRACTION. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON FLAT AND STRAIGHT ROAD SURFACES IF THE ROADS ARE WET FROM RAIN OR EVEN WITH A LIGHT DUSTING OF SNOW. ON DECEMBER 3 2010 I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I-75 NORTH OF FLINT MICHIGAN, THERE WAS OCCASIONAL LIGHT SNOW FLURRIES THAT WERE BARELY COATING THE ROAD SURFACE. I WAS DRIVING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT (70 MPH) WHEN THE SNOW STARTED TO LIGHTLY COAT THE ROAD THE VEHICLES REAR END STARTED TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN A VIOLENT MANNER. I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 50 MPH TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, ALL THE WHILE I WAS BEING PASSED BY 2WD PICK UPS AND 2WD DRIVE VEHICLES. THE VEHICLE HAS EXHIBITED THE SAME BEHAVIORS ON WET ROAD SURFACES DURING AND FOLLOWING RAIN. IT'S TIME FOR SUBARU TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. I'M NOT FEELING THE LOVE. *LN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIANS STATED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIANS INFORMED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V274000 (COMPONENT: AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW) FOR THE AIR BAGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.

2005 SUBARU OUTBACK UNSTABLE REAR SUSPENSION. THIS CAR IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFYING TO DRIVE AT HWY SPEEDS IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE REAR END SWAYS AND HOPS AND SWINGS UNCONTROLLABLY. I HAVE STOPPED DRIVING THIS CAR AND IT WILL HAVE A NEW OWNER. I WILL NOT DRIVE SUCH A UNDER ENGINEERED PIECE OF JAPANESE IRON AND HAVE THE LIFE SCARED OUT OF ME. THERE'S PLENTY OF CARS OUT THERE THAT ARE SAFER TO DRIVE THAN THIS THING. SUBARU NEED TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND FIX THIS. *TR

REAR END OF THE VEHICLE FISHTAILS WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT ON AN ICY ROAD. I HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR REPORTS AND EXPERIENCED THE ISSUE SOMEWHAT, BUT TODAY DRIVING WITH A FULL PASSENGER LOAD WAS TRULY TERRIFYING. THE REAR WHEELS WOULD SWAY SUDDENLY AND COMPLETELY WITHOUT WARNING, SOMETIMES FEELING VERY CLOSE TO THE POINT OF LOSING CONTROL ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAVE LOTS OF EXPERIENCE WITH DRIVING VARIOUS VEHICLES (INCLUDING OTHER LATE MODEL SUBARUS) IN ICY CONDITIONS AND CAN STATE WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT THERE IS A DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK AWD (NA). WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH DURING SNOWY WEATHER, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN SWAYING LEFT AND RIGHT AS IF IT WERE ABOUT TO SPIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO REALIGNED THE WHEELS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 31,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000.

WHILE DRIVING ON SNOWPACKED DIRT ROADS TO TOWN, I REACHED A STRAIGHTAWAY WHERE, UNKNOWN TO ME, ICE HAD FORMED OVER THE SNOW. DRIVING STRAIGHT AT 30-35 MPH, THE BACK END SUDDENLY BEGAN TO TRACK TO THE RIGHT. I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL TO CORRECT, BUT THIS HAD NO EFFECT. I WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL, AND THE VEHICLE SLID INTO THE DITCH, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND MINOR INJURY TO MYSELF. *TR