2010 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS CAR USED AND NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROLS DID NOT WORK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THERE WAS ALREADY A RECALL ON THIS CAR AND THIS CAR HAS ALREADY HAD THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED ON IT IN DECEMBER OF 2010. THE AFFECTED PART IS THE STEERING WHEEL ROLL CONNECTOR. THIS PART ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE CONTACT OF OTHER ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FROM THE AIRBAG, CRUISE CONTROL AND PADDLE SHIFTERS TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER. I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY SAID THE RECALL WORK WAS DONE. I PURCHASED THE PART FROM THE SUBARU DEALER AND INSTALLED IT PER THE SERVICE MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS. UPON INSTALLATION OF THE ROLL CONNECTOR AND COMPLETION OF THE TOTAL REPAIR THE STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROLS FUNCTIONED AS THEY WERE INTENDED. I THINK THIS IS A CONCERN BECAUSE SUBARU HAS REPLACED A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART WITH ONE THAT AFTER A LITTLE OVER 4.5 YEARS HAS FAILED AGAIN. ACCORDING TO THE INFORMATION ON THE INITIAL RECALL THE STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROLS WERE ONLY THE FIRST SYMPTOM OF THE EVENTUAL TOTAL FAILURE OF ALL THE CONNECTIONS OF THE STEERING WHEEL ROLL CONNECTOR. WHICH COULD ALSO LEAD TO THE AIRBAG NOT PERFORMING AS IT SHOULD DURING A CRASH. *TR

PROBLEM STARTED IN ABOUT JULY, 2014 WHEN MY FRONT DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. I PURCHASED TWO NEW BULBS AND CHANGED THEM (AND THIS IS NO EASY PROCESS WITH THIS VEHICLE). I WORE LATEX GLOVES SO AS NOT TO DAMAGE THE NEW BULBS. APPROXIMATELY A WEEK AFTER INSTALLING THE NEW BULBS, MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN, BUT WOULD COME ON AND GO OUT SPORADICALLY. IT SEEMED TO COME AND GO WITH DAMP WEATHER OR WHEN I HIT BUMPS WHILE DRIVING, SO I QUESTIONED THE SEAL OF THE FIXTURE COVER AND/OR THE WIRING CONNECTION, SO I WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS AGAIN AND CHECKED THE SEATING OF THE BULB, WIRING CONNECTION, AND SEAL OF THE HOUSING, AND ALL WERE FINE. THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED FOR A SHORT TIME, BUT THEN STARTED HAPPENING AGAIN. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF ON/OFF OPERATION, IT WENT OUT FOR GOOD. I PULLED THE BULB AND CHECKED THE FILAMENT, AND IT WAS FINE, BUT I PUT THE OLD PASSENGER BULB (ORIGINAL TO THE VEHICLE) IN. IT WORKED AND DID NOT FLICKER FOR SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT EVENTUALLY STARTED TO SHOW THE SAME SIGNS AS THE NEWER BULBS I PUT IN. THEN IT STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. THE BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO MORE TIMES BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, BUT I AM HAVING THE SAME TROUBLE AGAIN, STILL WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE. THIS MANY TIMES IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFECT WITH THE WIRING OR WITH THE ACTUAL HEADLIGHT UNIT ITSELF. OF COURSE, THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I DREAD TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TO HEAR IT WILL BE AN EXPENSIVE FIX. WITH SO MANY DOCUMENTED OCCURRENCES, I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY SUBARU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FAILED TO TURN ON. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30. UPDATED 5/5/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON SPORADICALLY OR FAIL COMPLETELY WHEN SHE IS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, DUE TO HER HEIGHT AND WEIGHT. THE DEALER NOTED IT WAS AN ISSUE, BUT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. UPDATED 05/12/15*JB

PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR SYSTEM IS FLAWED. THE AIR BAG REMAINS "OFF" WHEN I AM IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. IT WILL ONLY SHOW "ON" WHEN ADDITIONAL PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE SEAT, WHICH IS UNNATURAL TO HOW A PASSENGER WILL SIT IN THE VEHICLE AND DOES NOT OFFER PROTECTION IN AN ACCIDENT. THE SEAT BACK AND SEAT ARE POSITIONED AS RECOMMENDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THERE IS NOTHING UNDER THE SEAT. LOCAL DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT THE CODES, RESET THEM TO ZEROS, AND STATED THEY DID NOT FIND ERRORS. A FIELD SERVICE ENGINEER PROVIDED FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN NOV 2014 AND RECOMMENDED A SEAT REPLACEMENT IF THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. AFTER I FOLLOWED UP A FEW WEEKS LATER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE AND TO REQUEST A SEAT REPLACEMENT, THE ENGINEER ADVISED THAT A SEAT REPLACEMENT WOULD IN FACT NOT LIKELY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND THAT THE SYSTEM WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. NO REPLACEMENT OF THE SEAT HAS OCCURRED, AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS--I DO NOT HAVE AIRBAG PROTECTION AS A PASSENGER IN THIS VEHICLE. SUBARU AGREED THAT I SHOULD FEEL SAFE IN MY VEHICLE, AND OFFERED THE SUGGESTION THAT I TEST AND CONSIDER PURCHASING A NEWER SUBARU MODEL IF IT WORKS FOR ME. THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION. I AGREE WITH NHTSA COMPLAINT 10328146 AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE SUBARU PROPERLY INVESTIGATE THIS PROBLEM AND OFFER AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION--I.E., RETROACTIVELY FIX THE AIRBAG SENSOR TO WORK AT A LOWER WEIGHT THRESHOLD. *TR

THE OUTSIDE BULBS CONSTANTLY BURN OUT, IT CAN BE A HEADLIGHT, (HIGH BEAM, LOW BEAM) LICENSE PLATE LIGHT, BRAKE LITE, RUNNING LIGHTS....THE INSIDE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN OK THIS BULB ISSUE STARTED AT 27,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM SINCE. OUT OF 24 SERVICE ORDERS, NINE OF THOSE ORDERS HAVE NEEDED TO HAVE ONE OR MORE BULBS REPLACED. I LIVE IN THE FOOTHILLS OF CALAVERAS COUNTY, CALIFORNIA AND THE EXCUSE THE DEALERSHIP GIVES ME IS THAT WE HAVE ROUGH ROADS IN THESE HILLS. WELL, I SAY, WHAT A LINE OF POOP, I DRIVE A SUBARU, IT'S MADE FOR OUR AREA. EITHER I HAVE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT OBVIOUSLY STARTED WHEN THE CAR WAS UNDER WARRANTY OR THAT THE BULBS THAT ARE BEING USED ARE TOTALLY OF BAD QUALITY. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DISABLED WHEN THERE IS A PASSENGER. ON A TRIP TO GA WITH MY WIFE, WHO WEIGHS 135 LBS, SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT WILL INDICATE 'NOT ENABLED'. AT TIMES IT WILL DISPLAY ENABLED, THEN DISABLED ALL WHILE DRIVING. SHIFTING IN THE SEAT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING. IN SUMMARY SOMETIMES ITS ON, SOMETIMES NOT. WE TOOK THIS TO THE DEALER AND THEIR RESPONSE IS THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE WITH A MECHANIC (PROBABLY A HEAVIER PERSON) IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS TO ADD WEIGHTS(!!), REPLACE THE SEAT ($1400). THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS ARE UNACCEPTABLE. THEY DID TELL MY WIFE THERE MAY BE DUST OR THE CONTACTS MAY BE FAULTY. I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY COULDN'T CHECK FOR DUST OR REMOVE, CLEAN AND RE-CONNECT CONTACTS. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE SWITCH. BIG SAFETY ISSUE NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, ESPECIALLY BY THE DEALER. *TR

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:35 A.M. CST I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I RECALL HEARING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A WOMAN SCREAMING, IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE SOUND OF TIRES SCREECHING AS WHEN BRAKES ARE QUICKLY APPLIED. I GLANCED INTO MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND DID NOT SEE ANY ONCOMING HEADLIGHTS. IT WAS THEN THAT MY CAR WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION OF BEING THROWN BACKWARD FROM THE REAR IMPACT, OR BEING THROWN FORWARD FROM THE IMPACT OF HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, OR STOPPING. I ALSO DO NOT RECALL THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG IN MY STEERING WHEEL. MY NEXT THOUGHT WAS REALIZING THAT I WAS IN A RECLINING POSITION AND SEEING THE BENT HOOD OF MY CAR WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY WINDSHIELD. I WAS IN A GREAT DEAL OF PAIN. MY LOWER BACK WAS BURNING AND I HAD GREAT PAIN IN MY LEFT RIBCAGE. I COULD ALSO TELL I HAD MY BREATH KNOCKED OUT OF ME. MY INJURIES INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: 4 BROKEN RIBS ON THE LEFT SIDE (#6, 7, 8, AND 9) LOWER LUMBAR STRAIN BRUISES ACROSS MY ABDOMEN, RIGHT HIP, INSIDE OF LEFT CALF, INSIDE OF RIGHT CALF, OUTSIDE OF MY LEFT LEG SPRAIN OF RIGHT ANKLE GASH ON THE FRONT OF MY LEFT LEG I HAVE A PICTURE OF THE BROKEN SEAT IF DESIRED. I REALIZE THAT THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED SOME TIME AGO BUT I DO NOT RECALL IF I SENT THIS INFORMATION TO YOU OR NOT. *TR

HEADLIGHT WENT OUT AFTER REPLACEMENT A YEAR AND 3WKS AGO. THIS IS THE 3RD HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT ON A 2010 VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE 3YRS AGO AT 29,500MI AS A CERTIFIED USED SUBARU FROM THE DEALER. *TR

THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG DOES NOT INDICATE 'ON' PREDICTABLY WHEN I AM SEATED. I AM A 125LB WOMAN. THE AIRBAG SENSOR SOMETIMES COMES ON. OTHER TIMES IT REMAINS OFF. BEING AN ENGINEER, I SPEND TIME MOVING MY WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION, SEAT BACK POSITION, PICKING MY WEIGHT UP AND RESEATING MYSELF, AND OTHER FACTORS TRYING TO GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT TO TURN ON DURING LONG CAR TRIPS. SOMETIMES THIS WORKS, BUT IT IS UNPREDICTABLE. ON THE LAST CAR TRIP THE AIRBAG REMAINED OFF FOR OUR 4 HOUR DRIVE EVEN THOUGH I TRIED VARIOUS POSITIONS. IT SCARES ME TO THINK THAT THE AIRBAG IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO WORK IF WE ARE EVER INVOLVED IN A CRASH. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THE AIRBAG IS WORKING PROPERLY. *TR

AS I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH A FOOT TO GO, GOING LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE ENGINE SURGED AND THE CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD, CLIMBED A 6 INCH CURB AND TRAVELED ABOUT 4 FEET AND HIT A WOODEN STAIRCASE OF A BUILDING. THE ENTIRE TIME MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THIS ENTIRE EVENT TOOK LESS THAN A SECOND. *TR