2011 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE TAILLIGHTS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V602000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

BOTH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULBS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. IT WAS NIGHTTIME, AND I HAD NO USE OF MY CAR. I BOUGHT NEW BULBS FROM THE AUTO PARTS STORE THE FOLLOWING DAY. WHEN I OPENED THE MANUAL TO GET INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE LIGHT BULB CHANGE, I FOUND THAT THE RECOMMENDED ADVICE IS TO BRING IN THE CAR TO THE DEALER! THERE ARE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THOSE WILLING TO BRAVE GETTING UNDERNEATH THE CAR! TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB!! I AM FORTUNATE BECAUSE I WORK IN THE DAYTIME, AND DST HAS ALREADY STARTED. OTHERWISE I WOULD FIND IT NECESSARY TO GET A TOW TO A SHOP! FOR A LIGHT BULB! HEADLIGHTS ARE NECESSARY FOR SAFE AND LEGAL DRIVING AT NIGHT. JUST AS I SHOULDN'T NEED AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO CHANGE A TIRE, NOR SHOULD I NEED A HYDRAULIC CAR LIFT TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB!! THIS IS SOMETHING THAT ANYONE WILLING TO GET A LITTLE GREASE ON THEIR FINGERS SHOULD BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH AT ANYTIME AT ANY PLACE SO THAT THE CAR WILL BE ROAD WORTHY AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THEIR DESTINATION SAFELY. I HOPE THIS "ENGINEERING" CATASTROPHE WILL BE ADDRESSED AND RECTIFIED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A PARKING A PARKING SPOT, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 7/31/14*CN THE CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 08/05/14

HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT. THIS WILL BE MY 4TH TIME REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT BULBS ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT COMPLETELY. THIS CAUSES THEM TO GET CAUGHT IN CLOSING DOOR AND POSSIBLE BECOME BENT AND UNABLE TO LOCK. DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE $99 TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM. *TR

SAFETY CONCERNS WITH HESITATION ISSUE WITH TRANSMISSION AT SLOW SPEEDS WHEN APPLYING /GIVING MORE GAS. *TR

SINCE MAY OF 2012, MY WIFE HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE LOW BEAM LIGHT BULBS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE NO FEWER THAN SIX TIMES. THIS IS A TERRIBLE ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE, AS DRIVING WITH ONE BULB IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL. IT IS ALSO PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE TO CONTINUE REPLACING THESE BULBS AS THE ACCESS TO THEM IS CONVOLUTED AT BEST. SUBARU NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A RECURRENT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE, AND THAT IT PUTS ITS CUSTOMERS AT RISK. A RECALL MUST BE ISSUED BEFORE THERE IS A FATALITY, NOT AFTERWARDS. *TR

BOTH OF MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME. HIGH BEAMS, FOG LIGHTS STILL WORK. TRIED REPLACING THE BULBS WITH GLOVED HANDS AND STILL NOT WORKING. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON ONLINE FORUMS ABOUT THE SAME THING. COULD BE A WIRING OR FUSE ISSUE? *TR

THE PASSENGER AIR IS DISABLED WHEN MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER SITS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. BOTH WEIGHT APPROXIMATELY 120 LBS. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY IT WORKS AS DESIGNED BUT THAT MEANS MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE NO AIR BAG PROTECTION. SUBARU STATES THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM IN THE 2012 MODEL. THAT IS NO CONSOLATION TO ME. I READ THE AIR BAG SHOULD BE DISABLED FOR A 5TH PERCENTILE WOMEN WHICH IS 107 LBS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 2011 OUTBACK. *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT AN ABNORMAL BEHAVIOR IN MY CAR ON JANUARY 13, 2014 AS THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER. THE ROAD CONDITION WAS DRY AND THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 40 DEGREES. FIRST I BACKED OUT OF MY GARAGE ONTO THE ROAD, THEN SHIFTED TO THE D POSITION AND DROVE ABOUT HALF A MILE FORWARD. I NOTICED THAT THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS USUAL WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES AS I WAS APPROACHING THE FIRST INTERSECTION. I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL MUCH FURTHER THAN USUAL. I DID NOT SLOW DOWN TO A COMPLETE STOP, MADE A RIGHT TURN AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE. I DECIDED TO PAY CLOSER ATTENTION TO THE BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR DURING THE NEXT BRAKING PERIOD. I DROVE ANOTHER QUARTER MILE AND I HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES AGAIN AS I WAS APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. THE CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS USUAL AGAIN, SO I HAD TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR TO MAKE A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED MOVING I HEARD A LOUD SQUEAKING NOISE AND THE TACHOMETER ARROW WAS MOVING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN 2000 AND 5000 RPM. IT SEEMED AS THOUGH THE CLUTCH WAS STILL ENGAGED EVEN THOUGH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING. THIS CONTINUED FOR 5-10 SECONDS UNTIL I SHIFTED INTO THE N POSITION AS I CONTINUED TO HOLD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE SQUEAKING SOUND DISAPPEARED AND THE TACHOMETER ARROW WENT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. I SHIFTED BACK INTO THE D POSITION AGAIN WITH MY FOOT STILL ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR BEHAVED NORMALLY. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT APPEARED SINCE THAT TIME. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO A SUBARU SERVICE DEALER AT NORWOOD, MA 02062 ON JAN. 27, 2014, BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG (CUSTOMER #[XXX], INVOICE [XXX], MILES 31340). I WOULD LIKE TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PROBLEM SINCE THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT TO SUBARU WEBSITE ON JANUARY 28, 2014 BUT DID NOT HEAR A WORD FROM THEM SINCE THAT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR