2003 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

MY WHEEL BEARING FAILED IN BOTH FRONT WHEELS--PASSENGER SIDE AT ABOUT 79,000 MILES AND DRIVERS SIDE AT ABOUT 84,000 MILES. THE CAR IS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO THE HIGHEST RPM'S AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE VEHICLE STEERING, BRAKES, GEARS WERE ALL LOCKED. THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF BY USING THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FRONT END IN THE FENDER AREA WAS DAMAGED AND THE PASSENGER DOOR DID NOT OPEN. SHE SUSTAINED A BRUISE FROM MID PALM TO HER WRIST, AND SKIN REMOVED FROM KNUCKLE TO WRIST FROM THE LEFT HAND. A POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE'S REAR END AND PASSENGER SIDE PANEL WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS 10/2003.THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37,000.

ON JANUARY 26,2008 AT 8:10 PM MY HUSBAND AND I ARRIVED HOME FROM A DINNER OUT. HE STOPPED AT THE TOP OF OUR VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY AND PLACED MY 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK IN PARK. THE CAR WAS RUNNING.. . AS I WAS IN THE CAR I DIDN'T NOTICE IMMEDIATELY THAT IT WAS ROLLING. IT MADE NO GRINDING SOUND AS IT SHOULD HAVE IF IT WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. IT WAS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. HE YELLED AT ME (I WAS STRAPPED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT) TO HIT THE BRAKE BUT I COULD NOT BECAUSE I WAS STRAPPED IN MY SEAT. I NEVER THOUGHT OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AS I WAS PANICKED. IN MARCH OF 2007 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY SERIOUS SPINAL CONDITION AND HAD TO GET A FIVE LEVEL NECK SURGERY TO KEEP FROM BECOMING PARALYZED. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I GOT HIT ON THE BACK OF THE NECK OR WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT I COULD BE PARALYZED. THE CAR REACHED A SPEED OF ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR AND I SLAMMED INTO OUR 1997 RODEO ISUZU. THANKFULLY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND JOLT MY HEAD AND I BRACED MY HANDS ON THE DASH. I SUFFERED ONLY MINOR WRIST SPRAINS AND MULTIPLE BRUISES AND SOME NECK SORENESS AND ABSOLUTE PHYSICAL SHOCK. I HAVE HAD NIGHTMARES ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. WE CALLED HIGHWAY PATROL AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. I DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION AS I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. AFTER THIS WAS OVER MY HUSBAND WENT ON THE INTERNET AND READ ABOUT A RECALL OF 2002 AND 2003 LEGACY OUTBACKS BECAUSE OF A DEFECT OF THE PARKING ROD THAT FAILS TO ENGAGE. MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT IT SHOULD BE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THIS PROBLEM OUT AND THEY, AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR 6 DAYS ONLY CHECKED THE PARKING BREAK AND THE SHIFTER AND SHIFTER LINKAGE WHICH DIDN'T ADDRESS MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PARKING ROD AT ALL. I AM CURRENTLY OUT $500 DEDUCTIBLE FOR MY SUBARU AND $3000 FOR THE BODY DAMAGE TO MY OTHER CAR AND MOSTLY I AM STILL MAJOR CONCERNED THAT THIS ROLLING IN PARK THING WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WATER WAS LEAKING IN THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE SUNROOF. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE SUNROOF WITH SILICONE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE FAILURE AGAIN WITH THE SAME SILICONE. THE SUNROOF WAS NEVER USED. THE WATER DID NOT CAUSE ANY DAMAGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,700.

HEAD GASKET DEVELOPED A COOLANT LEAK. IT WAS LESS THAN 30 DAYS FROM THE WARRANTY RUNNING OUT. THE DEALERSHIP DID THE WARRANTY WORK BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT DO THE OTHER HEAD GASKET BECAUSE IT HAD NOT FAILED AND THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT ALLOW THEM TO REPLACE IT. IT ONLY MAKES SENSE IF THE ONE SIDE FAILED THAT THE OTHER SIDE WAS RIGHT BEHIND IT. *TR

I TOOK MY 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK IN FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGE MAINTENANCE. THE AUTO MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS QUITE NOISY AND THOUGHT IT MIGHT NEED VALVE ADUSTMENTS. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THINKING THAT THE DEALER WOULD COVER THIS UNDER THE WARRANTY. WE LEFT THE VEHICLE WITH THE DEALER TO BE CHECKED OUT, THEIR DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER WAS DEFECTIVE. BEING THAT OUR VEHICLE ONLY HAD 27,000 MILES ON IT, THE MAINTENANCE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE RIGHT FROM THE FACTORY. IF WE HAD NOT CAUGHT THIS AT THIS TIME, IT COULD HAVE CAUSE CONSIDERABLE ABOUT OF DAMAGE TO THE TIMING BELT OR ENGINE. THE WARRANTY COVERS 6 YEARS ON THE POWERTRAIN, BUT THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER THIS EXPENSE OF THIS PART.

WATER IS GETTING INTO THE REAR DOOR OF OUTBACK SUBARU WAGON CAUSING THE CORRODING OF REAR LIGHT HARNESSES. TAILLIGHT FAILED TO OPERATE AND HAD ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE HOW/WHY WATER IS GETTING INTO THE REAR DOOR. AFTER HEAVY RAIN, THE WATER CAN BE HEARD MOVING AROUND IN THE DOOR. WATER DRAINS OUT WHEN THE DOOR IS OPENED. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT A COMPANY VEHICLE, A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK , HAS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT WAS MENTIONED IN RECALL CAMPAIGN # 02V235000. ON 02/10/07 WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH UNDER GOOD ROAD CONDITIONS THE RIGHT REAR TIRE CAME OFF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO NOTICE OF THE WHEEL HAVING ANY PROBLEMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL STATED THAT THE WHEELS MAY HAVE AN OFF-CENTER DIAMETER. HE CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE ABOUT 30 MILES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111500.*AK

2003 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK'S SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER READ INACCURATELY. *CC THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER HAD AN INACCURACY RATE OF 8-11 PERCENT. THERE WAS WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW. THE DEALER ADJUSTED THE L/F DOOR. THE A/C WAS NOT GETTING COLD ENOUGH. THE TECH RESECURED HOSE FROM A/C CONDENSER AND RECHARGED THE SYSTEM. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH ON WET ROADS, THE VEHICLE RAN ROUGH, AND DID NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO BUCK, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY, AND WAS REFILLED. THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED, SO THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER SEVERAL DAYS LATER, WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED.