2013 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

VEHICLE TRACKING ISSUES SAME OR SIMILAR TO ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE-TO-SIDE AT SPEEDS OF 40-70 MPH REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION. IT SOMETIMES SEEMS THAT IT TAKES MORE EFFORT (ONLY SLIGHTLY) THAN SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO GET IT TO CORRECT AT FIRST BUT THEN GOES QUICKLY AND EASILY. I NOTICED IT THE FIRST TIME I HAD IT ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT HAS BEEN THE SAME EVER SINCE, 10 MONTHS LATER. *TR

WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WILL NOT BE TURNED ON. MY WIFE IS ROUGHLY 5'2" AND 120 LBS. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG BUT THAT THE SENSORS CAN BE OVERLY SENSITIVE WITH SMALLER PEOPLE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT IF IT IS OFF. *TR

THE STEERING OF MY NEW SUBARU OUTBACK SEEMS TO WANDER ON THE ROAD. IT IS A CHALLENGE TO KEEP THIS BRAND NEW VEHICLE BETWEEN THE LINES OR IN A PARTICULAR LANE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WANDERS / DRIFTS TO LEFT AND / OR RIGHT, WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT AND DOES THIS WHEN EVER DRIVING BUT IS MORE NOTICEABLE ABOVE SPEEDS OF 35 MPH. THE DRIVER HAS TO MAKE CONSTANT CORRECTIONS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT, THIS CAUSES FATIGUE IN THE ARMS AND IS EXHAUSTING TO THE OPERATOR. ONE CAN NOT SAFELY OPERATE A VEHICLE LIKE THIS. A SEMI-TRACTOR TRAILER RIG WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY LANE (WE WERE IN THE NUMBER 1 LANE OF THE HIGHWAY) AND MY OUTBACK WANDERED TO THE RIGHT, WE ALMOST WENT INTO / UNDER THE TRAILER OF THE "BIG RIG". I LATER I CONTACTED THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND ARRAIGNED TO BRING VEHICLE BACK TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. WHEN I RETURNED WITH THE VEHICLE, THEY CHECKED ALIGNMENT AND SAID IT WAS OK. THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO WANDER WHENEVER I DRIVE IT AND DAILY WHILE I DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK. AGAIN, I DROVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA, RECEIVING DIFFERENT SPECS AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING SOME WORK ON THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE, NEW OR OLD (USED) THAT HANDLED THIS WAY. THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS WITH PAGES OF INFORMATION, DATA AND COMPLAINTS BY PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. PLEASE ACT NOW TO RESOLVE THESE ISSUES BEFORE SOMEONE'S LOOSES THEIR LIFE DUE TO THE UNSAFE FAULTY VEHICLES. *TR

THE SUBARU CANNOT HOLD THE ROAD AND VEERS WITHIN THE LANE ALMOST CREATING ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED THREE WEEKS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR THAT A PROBLEM EXISTED. THE CAR WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER DROVE THE CAR AND AGREED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS HYPOTHESIZED TO BE DUE TO THE REAR SUSPENSION SYSTEM. SUBARU WAS NOTIFIED BECAUSE THE CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY AND THE PROBLEM MAY BE A DESIGN FLAW, BUT THE REQUEST WAS DENIED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. I PERSONALLY NOTIFIED SUBARU AND FILED A COMPLAINT, BUT ONCE AGAIN THEY WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM. THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND ITS CONSTANT WANDERING MOTION IS IMMINENT FOR AN ACCIDENT. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS ACTION. *TR

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A FULL STOP OR FROM A SLOW SPEED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS WITHIN FIRST MINUTE OR SO AFTER STARTING THE CAR WHEN ENGINE IS COLD (E.G. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING). FIRST THING IN THE MORNING, I WILL BEGIN DRIVING THE CAR WITHIN 10-15 SECONDS OF FIRST STARTING THE ENGINE. I DRIVE 2 BLOCKS WHERE I COME TO A STOP SIGN. FROM A FULL STOP I MUST WAIT FOR A BREAK IN TRAFFIC TRAVELING 30-35 MPH. AS I PRESS ON THE ACCELERATOR, ENGINE NOISE WILL INCREASE AND RPMS INCREASE AS EXPECTED; BUT CAR REACTS AS IF TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 4TH GEAR DIRECTLY (PREVENTING THE CAR FROM ACCELERATING SAFELY.) MORE THAN ONCE, CARS OVERTAKING ME FROM BEHIND HAD TO SLOW OR TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID REAR-ENDING ME. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. ONCE ENGINE WARMS, CAR WILL ACCELERATE FROM A DEAD STOP WITHOUT PROBLEM. *TR

DANGEROUS! THE VEHICLE DOES NOT TRACK WELL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT WANDERS SIDE TO SIDE IN THE LANE OF TRAVEL REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION TO STAY IN THE CENTER OF THE LANE. ON SMOOTH ROAD SURFACES, THE WANDERING IS STILL VERY NOTICEABLE. HIGH CROSSWINDS EXPERIENCED DRIVING IN THE PLAINS OR CROSSING BRIDGES WITH A GRATED DECKS MAKES THE VEHICLE A CHALLENGE TO CONTROL THE WANDERING AND STAYING WITHIN MY LANE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY INSPECTED THE STEERING, WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHEEL BALANCE, AND TIRES. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. THERE IS NO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THIS ISSUE AND THE INTERNET BULLETIN BOARDS ARE FULL OF COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE. I PERSONALLY FEEL THE VEHICLES ARE NOT ENGINEERED CORRECTLY OR THEY ARE LEAVING THE FACTORY WITH INADEQUATE ALIGNMENTS OR THE ALIGNMENT SPECIFICATIONS ARE NOT CORRECT IN GENERAL. I LOVE MY VEHICLE UNTIL I DRIVE FASTER THAN 45MPH. SAFETY IS MY #1 CONCERN AND IT NEEDS TO BE SERIOUSLY ADDRESSED. LONG TRIPS ARE WAY MORE FATIGUING THAN THEY SHOULD BE AND INTERSTATE DRIVING IS SCARY FOR MOST OF THE DRIVE. THIS IS THE LINK THAT DISCUSSES THE SAME PROBLEMS I'VE ADDRESSED HERE HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/104-GEN-4-2010-PRESENT/31638-OB-LANE-WANDERING.HTML. *TR

VEHICLE "WANDERS" CONSTANTLY AT SPEEDS FROM 30 MPH TO 70 MPH. I WOULD IMAGINE AT HIGHER SPEEDS AS WELL. CONSTANT CORRECTION IS NEEDED TO KEEP VEHICLE IN PROPER LANE. WHEN EVEN THE SLIGHTEST CORRECTION IS MADE, IT OVER-CORRECTS. IT DOESN'T SEEM POSSIBLE TO NOT OVER-CORRECT. THE VEHICLE WILL WANDER TO THE RIGHT AND NO MATTER HOW GENTLE THE CORRECTION, IT OVER-CORRECTS AND WANDERS TO THE LEFT THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT AND SO ON. IT IS A CONSTANT CHALLENGE TO STAY IN YOUR OWN LANE. A SMALL GUST OF WIND SIGNIFICANTLY MAGNIFIES THE PROBLEM. I BELIEVE JUST TURNING YOUR HEAD TO LOOK OUT YOUR SIDE WINDOW TO CHECK LANE TRAFFIC COULD RESULT IN CROSSING A CENTER LINE. I BELIEVE THAT THIS STEERING PROBLEM MAKES THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE AND LIKELY WILL RESULT IN SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS IF IT HASN'T ALREADY. IT IS VERY TIRING TO DRIVE ANY DISTANCE. THE DEALER HAS MADE A COUPLE MINOR ATTEMPTS TO MAKE IT BETTER, BUT HASN'T SUCCEEDED. WHILE THE DEALER WORKED ON MY CAR I USED TWO DIFFERENT "LOANERS". BOTH 2013 SUBARU OUTBACKS. BOTH HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

MY 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSTANT CORRECTIONS ARE REQUIRED AS IT WILL NOT TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE EVEN WHEN THEIR ARE NO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES (EX: WIND). SMALL CORRECTIONS ADD UP TO OVER CORRECTION REQUIRING MORE CORRECTION. STAYING IN LANE CAN BE A CHALLENGE. *TR

THE VEHICLE DOES NOT TRACK WELL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT WANDERS SIDE TO SIDE IN THE LANE OF TRAVEL REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION TO STAY IN THE CENTER OF THE LANE. ON SMOOTH ROAD SURFACES, THE WANDERING IS RELATIVELY MILD. HOWEVER, I BECAME ALARMED WHILE CROSSING A BRIDGE WITH A GRATED DECK. THE VEHICLE SWERVED SIDE TO SIDE DRAMATICALLY REQUIRING SIGNIFICANT STEERING CORRECTION AND IMMEDIATE REDUCTION IN SPEED TO MAINTAIN THE LANE OF TRAVEL SAFELY. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY INSPECTED THE STEERING, WHEEL ALIGNMENT, WHEEL BALANCE, AND TIRES. THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS EXCEPT THEY RECOMMENDED THAT WE INFLATE THE TIRES 5 PSI ABOVE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE EXTRA PRESSURE IMPROVED THE STEERING SOMEWHAT, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I HAVE NOT YET DRIVEN THE VEHICLE IN CHALLENGING WINTER CONDITIONS SUCH AS STANDING WATER OR SLUSH ON THE HIGHWAY. HOWEVER, AFTER MY EXPERIENCE ON THE GRATED BRIDGE, I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS CAR WOULD POSE A SAFETY HAZARD IN THESE CONDITIONS. I FEEL THIS VEHICLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS MY SAFETY. *TR

CAR DOES NOT TRACK STRAIGHT DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING. CAR VEERS TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER NEEDING CONSTANT CORRECTING. WHEN YOU DO MAKE A CORRECTION IT NORMALLY OVER CORRECTS. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS! I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST ME BUT MY HUSBAND HAS ALSO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. SUBARU MUST BE MADE TO FIX THIS. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE CAR. *TR