2008 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

I EASED INTO A PARKING SPOT, STEPPED ON THE BRAKE, AND PUT THE GEARSHIFT INTO PARK. AS SOON AS I SHIFTED THE CAR LUNGED FORWARD, PICKED UP SPEED, AND DROVE INTO THE BUILDING. I NEVER TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND HAD TO MOVE THE GEARSHIFT DOWN TO REVERSE (NOT UP) TO GET OUT OF THE BUILDING, WHICH VERIFIES THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK WHEN IT ACCELERATED. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR ARE NOT CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME TO ACCIDENTALLY HAVE MY FOOT ON BOTH.

[2008 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH 82,000 MILES, TAKADA AIRBAG REPLACEMENT JULY 2020]. AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT (RED) ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT PANEL AS SOON AS THE CAR IS TURNED ON AND REMAINS ON AS LONG AS THE ENGINE IS RUNNING WHETHER MOVING OR STATIONARY. THIS IS NOTIFYING THE DRIVER THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERABLE AS STATED BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS, SUBARU MECHANICS AND SUBARU SERVICE MANAGERS OVER DOZENS OF BLOGS AND EVEN THE SUBARU WEBSITE. OVERHEAD CONSOLE (IN MAP LIGHT GROUP) SHOWS PROPER NOTIFICATION OF SEATBELT NEED AND AIRBAG ACTIVATION WHEN WEIGHT IS EXERTED ON PASSENGER SEAT SURFACE, BUT WITH THE AIRBAG RED WARNING LIGHT LIT ON THE DASHBOARD, THE PASSENGER, AND POSSIBLY DRIVER AIRBAG, IS TOTALLY INOPERATIVE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEGLECT BY SUBARU IN ADDRESSING THIS SAFETY PROBLEM IS OF IMMEDIATE CONCERN. HUNDREDS OF SUBARU OWNERS, MANY NOT DIRECTLY REPORTING TO NHTSA, HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, BUT NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE.

MY 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK IS ON ITS SECOND AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL UNIT/CD PLAYER (IT IS AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM). A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE SECOND FACTORY REPLACEMENT UNIT STARTED FLASHING AGAIN WHILE DRIVING (SEE ATTACHED IMAGES). WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CLIMATE CONTROL BUTTONS (INCLUDING THE FRONT AND REAR DEFROSTER BUTTONS) ARE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THE UNIT FLASHES WHILE DRIVING AND WHEN STATIONARY. I DO HAVE A SHORT VIDEO SHOWING THE PROBLEM, BUT AM UNABLE TO ATTACH IT TO THIS WEB FORM. HAPPY TO SHARE IF THERE IS A WAY TO DO SO.

THE BRAKE LINES SHOW EVIDENCE OF CORROSION WITH ONE LEAKING FLUID. MY DTR WAS DRIVING TO FL AND NOTED EXCESS BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL UPON ARRIVAL AND BROUGHT IT TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MEC.H INFORMED HER OF PROBLEM AND SENT PHOTOS OF CORRODED BRAKE LINES. I'LL FORWARD WITH ADDTL. CORRESPONDENCE IF NEEDED.

RUST AND CORROSION HAS RESULTED IN A BRAKE LINE FAILURE AND LOSS OF BRAKING POWER.THIS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEED IN A PARKING LOT AND DID NOT RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT

CORRODED BRAKE LINE FAILURE. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT 20 MPH EXITING HIGHWAY RIGHT SIDE REAR AT JUNCTION BLOCK ABOVE GAS TANK COVER

WHILE DRIVING IN BLOOMINGTON, THE BRAKE LINES FAILED. MANAGED TO PULL OVER INTO A MALL PARKING LOT. BRAKE FLUID POURED OUT FROM THE BRAKE LINES WHICH HAD RUSTED THROUGH NEAR THE GAS TANK. MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BASED ON RECALL WQK47, BUT IT WAS THIS AREA THAT HAD CORRODED, LEAVING THE BRAKES USELESS.

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ABOVE MAP LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER IN SEPTEMBER 2012 TWICE FOR THIS ISSUE (STILL ONGOING). SERVICE WRITER SAID COMPONENT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS FAULTY. HE INDICATED THE AIRBAG WOULD STILL DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, BUT THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT IS NOT ABLE TO READ THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER AND IF I HAD A SMALLER AND SHORTER ADULT IN THE FRONT SEAT, THEY COULD BE INJURED BECAUSE THE AIRBAG WOULD DEPLOY AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND WITH GREATER FORCE POSSIBLY INJURING THE PASSENGER. THIS APPEARS TO BE AN ONGOING AND PREVALENT ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL GO ON AND OFF REGARDLESS OF TEMPERATURE, DRIVING OR PARKED, AND IF THERE IS OR IS NOT A PASSENGER. THIS IS CLEARLY AN ISSUE THAT WARRANTS A RECALL. *TR *BF*JB

THE TIMING BELT FAILED PREMATURELY. IT HAD BEEN REPLACED AT 70K MILES AND FAILED AT 140K MILES ON THE SECOND BELT WHICH ONLY HAD 70K MILES ON IT VERSUS THE MANUFACTURE RECOMMENDED 100K MILES REPLACEMENT INTERVAL. THIS HAPPENED DURING HIGHWAY TRAVEL AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LOST ALL POWER AND ONLY HAD 5 SECONDS TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE HAS AN AIRBAG RECALL FOR THE SECOND TIME, CITING DEATH DUE TO METAL PROJECTILE AND I AM HAVING A VERY HARD TIME HAVING THAT REPLACED AS THE CAR IS NOW BEING DRIVEN IN CANADA AND SUBARU DEALERS IN CANADA WON'T HONOR THE REQUIRED RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS GIRLFRIEND WHO OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THE BRAKE FAILURE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RUSTED BRAKE LINES ON THE REAR AND FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.