2014 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED SEVERAL PUMPS IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE ON A HILL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MANY OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,666. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ UPDATED 8/30/2017*CN

THIS IS AN UPDATE: DEALER CALLED US TO HAVE [XXX] DRIVE THE CAR WITH A SERVICE TECHNICIAN PRESENT ( TECH NAMED [XXX]) CAR WAS DRIVEN APROX 5-6 MILES WITHOUT INCIDENT ...SYSTEM DID NOT FAULT. DEALER TOLD US THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH SUBARU TECH CENTER & COMPLETED ALL THE TEST PROCEDURES BUT HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE ANY OF THE BRAKE-CHECK/ ENGINE FAULTS EXPERIENCED 3 ON 5/22 OR 1 ON 5/23/2014. [XXX] SERVICE COORDINATOR IS NOT CERTAIN WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP. WE ASKED IF THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE ONCE THE SYSTEM FAULTED & THE ELECTRONIC STABILIZATION & TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM ARE SHUT DOWN ( AS A RESULT OF THE FAULT). I ASKED THEM NOT TO GUESS WHEN THEY ANSWERED THIS QUESTION. DEALERSHIP HAS DECIDED TO KEEP THE CAR AN ADDITIONAL DAY FOR ADDITIONAL TESTING. THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THE SYSTEM TO FAULT WHILE UNDER TEST PROCEDURE. THE DEALERSHIP APPEARS TO HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL THE STANDARD PROCEDURES TO DETERMINE ROOT CAUSE. IT SEEMS SUBARU FACTORY MUST GET INVOLVED WITH THIS VEHICLE BEYOND THE DEALERSHIP TELEPHONE CALLS. OUR CONCERN IS A VEHICLE WILL BE RETURNED TO US IN AN CONDITION WHICH MAY PROVE TO BE UNSAFE...SINCE THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN ON THE TELEPHONE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WE PURCHASED OUR OUTBACK ON APRIL 28,2014. ON MAY 1, 2014 WE BROUGHT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THEY APPARENTLY FIXED IT. THE NEXT DAY I WAD BACK AGAIN, THE CAR WAS STILL PULLING TO THE RIGHT. AFTER SEVERAL TIMES TRYING TO REALIGN THE CAR, IT WAS "FIXED". I HAD TO BRING IT BACK IN TODAY, IT IS PULLING AGAIN. THEY CAN'T FIX THE ISSUE BECAUSE NOW THEY SUSPECT IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIRE ISSUE. THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES ON TUESDAY. I GET THE FEELING THERE IS SOMETHING MORE WRONG WITH MY CAR. *TR

THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT WHERE THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE LIGHT INDICATES THE BRAKE HAS BEEN SET & NOT RELEASED. THE CAR WAS TOWED INTO DEALERSHIP YESTERDAY (5/22/2014) FOR SAME REASON. DEALER STATED THEY SPOKE WITH SUBARU & WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY REASON FOR THE FAULT. THEY STATED COMPUTER INDICATED THE BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGED BUT THAT THIS SAME SYSTEM DOES DISABLE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WHEN THIS FAULT OCCURS. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE DESPITE THE ASSURANCES OF THE SERVICE MANAGER ( [XXX]) THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE (NO WORRIES). THE INSTRUMENT LIGHT ON THE PANEL ALSO FLASHES "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT THE SAME TIME LIGHT FLASHES INDICATING PARKING BRAKE HAS BEEN SET & NOT RELEASED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ENGAGES WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDERWAY. WHEN THE FAULT IS CLEARED AND DRIVING RESUMES THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE AGAIN ENGAGES. THE MFG ( SUBARU) PROVIDES A SMALL TOOL & INSTRUCTIONS HOW TO CRAWL UNDER THE CAR, USE THE TOOL TO MECHANICALLY RELEASE THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE. IF A TOOL IS PROVIDED ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS IN THE OWNER MANUAL HOW TO RELEASE A FAULTY ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ( WHICH MAY ENGAGE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WAY ) THIS IS A CLEAR WARNING OF A POSSIBLE UNSAFE OPERATING CONDITION. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS US ( THIS PARKING BRAKE PROBLEM HAS NEVER HAPPENED) THE TOW TRUCK OPERATOR TELLS US TOWING VEHICLES TO DEALERSHIPS BECAUSE OF FAULTY ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKES IS A MAJOR PART OF HIS BUSINESS. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD POPPED AND CRACKED ACROSS THE BOTTOM FROM THE HEAT OF THE DEFROST FUNCTION. *TR

IN TANK ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP CONTINUED RUNNING AFTER CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND KEY WAS REMOVED. *TR

THERE IS A LAG OF APPROX. 2 SECONDS LENGTH WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF REVERSE AND INTO DRIVE. THE DRIVER CANNOT MOVE THE CAR DURING THIS LAG (IN FACT, THE CAR WILL ROLL BACKWARDS IF ON A HILL). I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALER 3 TIMES, & SENT A COMPLAINT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA, AND EACH TIME THE RESPONSE IS "CVT TRANSMISSION OPERATES AS DESIGNED". I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND AM CONCERNED ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR IN CITY TRAFFIC, PARKING, ETC. WHEN I SHIFT INTO DRIVE, I EXPECT THE CAR TO MOVE.

NEW CAR. OK FIRST 200 MILES. THEN; STOPPED FOR RED LIGHT, ON GREEN PRESSED ACCELERATOR ( CONFIRMED BY VISUAL OBSERVATION, FOOT AND ACCEL. TO FLOOR ). HELD FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS, WITH MUCH HONKING, THEN POWER RESUMED, AND I FINISHED LEFT TURN. NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DURING EPISODE, STEERING, BRAKES, AND AIR BAGS OK. SIX MORE EPISODES DURING NEXT THREE DAYS. HAD CAR DELIVERED TO MILLER SUBARU, BOISE. ELECTRONIC CHECK, TEST DRIVE, AND MY SUBSEQUENT DRIVING, COULD DETECT NO PROBLEM. DRIVE WITH CAUTION, READY TO FLIP EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND PULL OVER WITH RECURRENCE, WHICH I EXPECT AT SOME TIME. HAPPENS IN DRIVE OR MANUAL MODES. PADDLE SHIFT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND AND DRIVE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE CONTACT PROCEEDED THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.