2003 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

2003 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH LEAKING HEAD GASKETS. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIR COST. *KB AT AROUND 80,000 THE CONSUMER BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING OIL. THE CONSUMER STATED SUBARU RECALLED OTHER MODELS BECAUSE OF A POSSIBLE EXTERNAL LEAK AT THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS. THE CONSUMER STATED HER MODEL HAS THE SAME ENGINE AS THE OTHER MODELS. THE CONSUMER STATED SUBARU WAS ONLY WILL TO COVER 50% OF THE COST. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEAT WHILE DRIVING OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IDLE WITH THE ENGINE ON. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING A BURNING OIL SMELL. HE STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

2003 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 ENGINE. BRAKES FAIL AFTER INITIAL START IN COLD WEATHER. SEEMS LIKE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM LINE CHECK VALVE FREEZES. *TR

BRAKE FAILURE AT SUB-FREEZING TEMPERATURES. OCCURS EVERY TIME TEMPERATURE IS BELOW FREEZING. FAILURE APPEARS TO BE IN THE MASTER CYLINDER AS IN PREVIOUS YEAR MODEL OF THIS AUTO. *CN

SUBARU OUTBACK 4 CYL WAGON ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS/HEAD GASKET FAILURE. CAR HAD TO BE TURNED OFF IN TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES,EXTREMELY HOT,FUMES GO IN THE CAR. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND IT IS PAST WARRANTY BY APPROX 10,000 MILES. IT IS A 4,000. JOB TO FIX. *TR

2003 SUBARU OUTBACK IMPREZA WAS ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE WHEN THE REAR LUG NUTS BROKE CAUSING THE TIRE TO COME OFF OF THE VEHICLE. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE TIRES HAD BEEN ROTATED 1 WEEK PRIOR. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT# 10-0773-90. *JB

I OWN A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED 2.5L. DURING EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER (20 DEGREES F OR LOWER,) THE FUEL LINES LEAK WHERE THE RUBBER HOSE AND CLAMP MEET THE METAL PIPE ON THE FUEL RAIL FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION SINCE RAW FUEL IS LEAKING ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND ENGINE BLOCK. A SOURCE OF IGNITION SUCH AS HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD OR EVEN A SPARK FROM STATIC ELECTRICITY COULD START A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, ONLY FOR THE SUBARU IMPREZA WRX. (TSB# 09-36-03). THE SUBARU OUTBACK EXPERIENCES THE SAME LEAK EVEN ON THE SAME SHORT PIECE OF HOSE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. SUBARU'S TSB ON THIS INVOLVES REPLACING THE HOSE AND INTAKE PIPE SINCE IN VERY COLD WEATHER THEY GET MISALIGNED ALLOWING FUEL SEEPAGE TO OCCUR. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURS ON THE OUTBACK, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO TSB FOR IT AND THE DEALERS FIX WAS TIGHTENING THE HOSE CLAMPS WHICH DID NOT RESOLVE MY PROBLEM. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND OTHER DRIVERS OF SUBARU OUTBACKS IN COLD WEATHER SINCE RAW FUEL DRIPPING ON A HOT ENGINE COULD EASILY IGNITE. THIS PROBLEM STILL OCCURS FOR ME EVERYDAY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE DROPS BELOW 20 DEGREES F. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT TURNING AROUND, BUT THE WHEELS DID NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 146,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE BOUNCES, SHAKES, AND WOBBLES FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE FAILURE IS ALSO FOLLOWED BY A BUMPING SOUND. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IT IS CAUSING WEAR AND TEAR ON THE VEHICLE. SHE IS TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING THIS WAY DUE TO THE ITEMS IN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVESHAFT WAS REPLACED AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VISCUS CUP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. CURRENTLY, THERE IS FAILURE WITH THE STRUTS, BEARINGS, AND SUSPENSION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD PASS INSPECTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

DEFECTIVE DRIVE SHAFT DEFECTIVE VISCOUS COUPLER DEFECTIVE SUSPENSION NO DEATHS OR ACCIDENTS YET I AM AFRAID THAT MY LIFE AND SAFETY ARE SERIOUSLY AT RISK AND NONE OF THE SUBARU TECHS WILL ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM OR AGREE TO FIX. I HAD THE ABOVE DEFECTS DIAGNOSED BY AN AUTO SHOP NOT AFFILIATED WITH SUBARU. THERE MAY BE OTHER PROBLEMS TOO. *TR