2011 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

"TAKATA RECALL", NO NOTIFICATION FOR REPLACEMENT APPOINTMENT, CANNOT USE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT.

I HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS IN THIS VEHICLE FIVE TIMES AND THEY KEEP BURNING OUT. THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGH IS OUT AGAIN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.

MY CAR STALLS REGULARLY WHEN BRAKING QUICKLY, LIKE WHEN SOMEONE STOPS SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME. IT ALSO STALLS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A LIGHT ON A HILL. THIS FAULT HAS PLACED ME IN SEVERAL HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS, INCLUDING STALLING ON RAILROAD TRACKS, AND IN BUSY INTERSECTIONS. WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TWO YEARS AGO, SUBARU TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN OXYGEN/FUEL MIXTURE ISSUE AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME $1200 TO FIX IT. BUT WHEN I SEARCHED ON LINE, OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WERE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THE OXYGEN/FUEL FIX DIDN'T WORK FOR THEM AFTER SPENDING ALL THE MONEY TO FIX IT. AFTER LIVING WITH THIS FAULT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, I WENT TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP WHO TOLD ME ABOUT THIS TSB: DATE: 01/06/14 REVISED: 05/07/14 APPLICABILITY: 2010-12 MY LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS EQUIPPED WITH CVT TRANSMISSION SUBJECT: DESIGN CHANGE TO LOCK-UP TYPE TORQUE CONVERTER INTRODUCTION THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF A COUNTERMEASURE TORQUE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY TO ADDRESS A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF VERY LOW ENGINE RPM WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CONDITION IS SIMILAR TO COMING TO A STOP IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THRUST WASHER WEAR INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAN CAUSE RESTRICTION OF THE OIL PASSAGE USED TO BLEED OFF LOCK-UP CLUTCH APPLICATION PRESSURE. THE RESULT IS EITHER A DELAYED (MOMENTARY LOW ENGINE RPM) OR NO LOCK-UP PRESSURE RELEASE. THE THRUST WASHER HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM A SOLID BUSHING-TYPE TO A NEEDLE BEARING TYPE. SUBARU WANTS $1500 FOR THIS TORQUE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED. IF YOU SEARCH ON LINE, YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO A VEHICLE RECALL, NOT JUST A TSB. THIS IS A FAULT IN SUBARU'S CVT TRANSMISSION DESIGN THAT IS A DANGER TO EVERYONE DRIVING ONE. PLEASE HELP US IN ENFORCING THIS RECALL. THANK YOU.

OUR 2011 OUTBACK WOULD STUTTER AT A STOP, SUBARU SAID THIS WAS THE WAY IT WAS DESIGNED TO CONSERVE FUEL. THE VEHICLE NOW STALLS, ALWAYS STARTS BACK UP BUT THIS IS NOT COMFORTING ESPECIALLY WHEN MY WIFE IS DRIVING BY HERSELF. THIS BEGAN SOMETIME IN JANUARY 2017 SUBARU TECH SAID NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $11,000. THAT'S CRAZY. WAS REFERRED BY A FRIEND TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP IN BAYTOWN, SAYS IT IS THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND CAN EITHER BE REBUILT OR REPLACED. I TOOK IT IN YESTERDAY AND HOPEFULLY WILL PICK IT UP FRIDAY. I HAVE MADE SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE SUBARU DEALER AND CALLED THE HEADQUARTERS. I AM NOT PLEASED WITH MY FIRST SUBARU. SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH A TOYOTA WHICH I HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH. OUR FAMILY OF 4 HAD 4 CAMRY'S AND GOT A COMBINED TOTAL OF OVER 1,200,000 MILES ON THEM.

WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR STALLS SHUDDERS AND QUITS, THIS HAPPENS MORE OFTEN WHEN BRAKING HARDER THAN STANDARD. THE CAR CAN BE WARM OR COLD IT CAN BE REPLICATED ON COMMAND MOST OFTEN GOING UPHILL BUT WILL ALSO DO SAME ON LEVEL GROUND. DEALER REFERENCED POSSIBLY BAFFLE IN GAS TANK HAS DETACHED ALLOWING GAS TO SLOSH AWAY FROM PICK UP AREA IN TANK. SUGGESTED 200.00 TO DROP TANK INVESTIGATE AND 4-500 TO REPLACE TANK. ALSO REPORTED IN COMPLAINT 10966670 UNDER DRIVE TRAIN. TRIED LIQUID HEET FUEL ADDITIVE TO REMOVE POSSIBILITY OF WATER POOLING IN TANK. THE STALL HAPPENS MOST ON CITY STREET WITH DAUGHTER OR WIFE DRIVING.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED A DRIVER SAFETY CONCERN THAT CAN EASILY CAUSE A COLLISION TO OCCUR. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOES NOT GO TO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE HALTS. I HAVE TO RESTART THE CAR. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT MAY CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION AND HAS ALMOST DONE SO ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THIS IS RELATED TO BULLETIN NUMBER 16-90-13R THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN OPENED WITH SUBARU ON 01/06/2014. THE REMEDY IS TO REPLACE TORQUE CONVERTER THRUST WASHER FROM A SOLID BUSHING-TYPE TO A NEEDLE BEARING TYPE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND NOT BE PASSED ONTO TO THE CUSTOMER. THIS CAN EASILY ESCALATE TO A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IF A SERIOUS COLLISION WERE TO HAPPEN. HERE IS THE COMPLAINT PRESENTED TO SUBARU BULLETIN NUMBER 16-90-13R; DATE: 01/06/14 REVISED: 05/07/14 APPLICABILITY: 2010-12 MY LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS EQUIPPED WITH CVT TRANSMISSION SUBJECT: DESIGN CHANGE TO LOCK-UP TYPE TORQUE CONVERTER INTRODUCTION THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF A COUNTERMEASURE TORQUE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY TO ADDRESS A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF VERY LOW ENGINE RPM WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CONDITION IS SIMILAR TO COMING TO A STOP IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THRUST WASHER WEAR INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAN CAUSE RESTRICTION OF THE OIL PASSAGE USED TO BLEED OFF LOCK-UP CLUTCH APPLICATION PRESSURE. THE RESULT IS EITHER A DELAYED (MOMENTARY LOW ENGINE RPM) OR NO LOCK-UP PRESSURE RELEASE. THE THRUST WASHER HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM A SOLID BUSHING-TYPE TO A NEEDLE BEARING TYPE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE REVERSING THE VEHICLE, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, IT WOULD NOT POWER DOWN. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE FAILURE, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE PREVIOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TAKADA INFLATORS. I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA THAT "PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE" TO REPLACE MY FAULTY PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG. PUTNAM SUBARU OF SAN FRANCISCO WILL NOT MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THIS RECALL- THEY SAY I AM #80 ON A WAITING LIST AND THEY ARE ON #11. I TRIED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY CALLED ME. I'VE BEEN WAITING A YEAR. I HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM SUBARU NOT TO USE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT UNTIL THE REPAIR IS COMPLETED (??!!) WHY AM I GETTING A LETTER SAYING "PARTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE" WHEN THEY ARE NOT?

LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS BURN OUT VERY QUICKLY - WITHIN 3-6 MONTHS, REPEATEDLY. ALSO, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ONLY COME ON AFTER DARK. AS DAY-TIME RUNNING LIGHTS THEY FAIL TO COME ON. THIS OCCURS AT ALL TIMES REGARDLESS OF SPEED, TEMP, OR DRIVING CONDITIONS.

CAR TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS ON DECELERATION; OCCASIONALLY KILLING THE ENGINE ALTOGETHER. FEELS LIKE CLUTCHING MECHANISM WITHIN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. DEALER PRESCRIBED A NEW TRANSMISSION. SUBSEQUENTLY I RESEARCHED MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF SIMILAR SITUATION/SYMPTOMS IN SAME MODEL YEAR, BUT MY VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE NHTSA SAFETY RECALL TSB NO. 16-101-16. THIS SITUATION IS TOO COINCIDENTAL; THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.