2005 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

REAR PASSENGER SAFETY BELTS DO NOT EXTEND SUFFICIENTLY WHEN CHILD SEAT IS INSTALLED IN CENTRAL POSITION FOR 05 MODEL COMPARED TO OLDER MODELS. *NM

DT CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO LOW, THEY PROJECTED DOWNWARD. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, THEY RAISED THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THEM, AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER AGAIN ADJUSTED THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ADJUSTED THREE TIMES. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT STILL HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT ALL VEHICLES WITH PROJECT BEAM BULBS WERE LIKE THAT. *AK

RE ODI 10133280 SIMILAR PROBLEM AT LOW SPEEDS AND VARYING ROAD CONDITIONS, EG FLAT ROAD, BUMPY ROAD ETC. *NM

ON JULY 13, 2005 I TOTALED MY 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK BY ROLLING IT ABOUT THREE TIMES. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED-NOT EVEN THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS ARE DESIGNED TO DEPLOY IN A ROLL OVER. *NM

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK DO NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH ILLUMINATION. THERE IS A SHARP LOW JAGGED LINE LIKE A CURTAIN OF DARKNESS WHERE THE LIGHT ENDS. AT NIGHT, WHEN THE CAR ENCOUNTERS A DIP IN THE ROAD, VISIBILITY OBSCURED ALL BUT FOR A FEW FEET. IT IS VERY, VERY DANGEROUS. *JB

DT: 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK - THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS. THEY DID NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHT TO DRIVE SAFELY AT NIGHT. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE CONSUMER COULD NOT SEE. THERE WAS VERY LIMITED ROAD WAY VISION, WITH ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR THAT WAS LIT UP PROPERLY, FROM THAT POINT ON IT WAS JUST BLACK. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON TO GET HOME SAFELY. THE CONSUMER SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS THE DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO TO ADJUST THEM. *JB

THE BRAKE ROTORS ON MY 2005 SUBARU HAVE WARPED (ALL 4) AT 14,000 MILES PRODUCING A VIOLENT PULSATING PEDAL AND INEFFICIENT BRAKING. THIS ALONE COULD CAUSE SOME DRIVERS TO ALLOW FOR INSUFFICIENT BRAKING DISTANCES CAUSING A CRASH. IT IS NOW MY UNDERSTANDING, AFTER SOME INVESTIGATION, THAT THIS IS A "COMMON" PROBLEM WITH THIS MANUFACTURER FOR MANY YEARS. THE SUBARU DEALER CUT THE ROTORS UNDER WARRANTY BUT THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE OCCURRED AT 14,000 MILES. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS DO NOT GO FAR ENOUGH OUT AND IT RESULTS IN BLACKNESS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT SHINE WHERE THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO. THE DISTANCE OF THE LIGHT DOES NOT CARRY AR ENOUGH WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. ONE SEES BRIGHT LIGHTS WHICH NOT GO TO DIM, THEY GO FROM STRAIGHT TO DARKNESS. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THE HEADLIGHTS CANNOT BE ADJUSTED BECAUSE THEY ARE TO SPECIFIC. *AK

HEADLIGHTS. THE LOW BEAMS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROADWAY BEYOND, PERHAPS 50 FEET. CANNOT SEE FAR ENOUGH AHEAD AT NIGHT ON DARK ROADWAYS. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IN NH WHERE DEER AND MOOSE IN THE ROADWAY ARE A REAL PROBLEM. *NM

ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS, MY 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK GOT STUCK AFTER INCURRING A MINOR OBSTRUCTION (SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW IN ONE CASE AND A SOMEWHAT SHARP INCLINE IN ANOTHER CASE) WHILE DRIVING IN HIGH ALTITUDES (10,000 FT TO 11,500 FT). ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST MOST OF ITS POWER AND NO WHEELS WOULD TURN. DESPITE PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR TO THE FLOOR, THE ENGINE NEVER WENT ABOVE 2000 RPMS. FORTUNATELY, ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THERE WERE PEOPLE AROUND TO PUSH THE CAR. ONCE THE TIRES WERE TOTALLY FREE OF ANY OBSTRUCTION, NORMAL ENGINE POWER RETURNED AND THE CAR COULD BE DRIVEN. I TOOK THE SUBARU TO MY HOME DEALERSHIP IN OLATHE KS (JACK MILLER) ON JUNE 29, 2005, A COUPLE WEEKS AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT. DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM , SO HE COULD NOT FIX IT. THE INVOICE NOTES: "2000 RPM IS APPOX TORQUE CONVERTER STALL SPEED." FOLLOWING THE SECOND PROBLEM ON JULY 20, I TOOK MY CAR TO JOHN ELWAY SUBARU WEST IN GOLDEN CO. DEALER INVOICE SAYS:" IF TIRES WERE NOT SPINNING, CAR HAD TRACTION AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BUILD BOOST AT ALTITUDE TO PRODUCE POWER." DEALER, HOWEVER, SAID THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE INABILITY TO BUILD BOOST, AND WERE THUS UNABLE TO FIX THE CAR. I FILED A VERBAL COMPLAINT WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA ON JULY 27 AND FOLLOWED UP ON JULY 29. AS OF THEN, SUBARU OF AMERICA WAS STILL TRYING TO CONTACT THE DEALER. SUBARU MARKETS ITS CARS AS HAVING SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN THE MOUNTAINS, SNOW AND IN DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS. SUBARU ENJOYS A LARGE MARKET SHARE IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS, WHERE BOTH MY "NOT ABLE TO BUILD BOOST" PROBLEMS OCCURRED. MY CAR CANNOT BE SAFELY DRIVEN IN THE CO MOUNTAINS, PARTICULARLY ON MOUNTAIN PASSES OR DIRT ROADS, BECAUSE HELP MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE TO GET THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN. I DO NOT KNOW IF MY EXPERIENCES ARE ISOLATED OR PART OF A LARGER PROBLEM. IN EITHER CASE, I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT SUBARU HAS BEEN UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO FIX THIS POTENTIALLY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *NM