1999 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

I HAD STOPPED AND PUT CAR INTO PARK AND IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED INTO THE BRICK. *AK

MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT 36,000 MILES THE DEALER CHARGED ME $75 TO RESET IT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHY THE LIGHT CAME ON WITHIN 2 WEEKS THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN SICNE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES I WILL HAVE TO PAY FOR ANOTHER "COMPUTER RESET" WORDS USED BY DEALER IS THIS A COMMON COMPLAINT FOR THIS MOODEL AND YEAR ? I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS AN ALTERNATOR RECALL COULD THAT HAVE MADE THE ENGINE LIGHT COME ON ? THANK YOU AS. *AK

HEATED MIRRORS, HEATED SEATS, AND SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ALL QUIT WORKING AND ALTHOUGH SERVICE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG ORIGINALLY, THEY DID FINALLY ADMIT TO A SHORT WITHIN EACH UNIT. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELECTRIAL SHORTING OUT TO CAUSE ALL THE MISC. THINGS TO GO OUT. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THERE IS NO CONCERN DUE TO REPEATED ELECTRICAL SHORTAGES IN THE VEHICLE.

TRAVEL AT APPROX 30-35 MPH HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF ONCOMING VEHICLE - NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK

VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING UNDER HOOD, THEN STALLED AT A STOP. TAKEN TO DEALER WHO REPAIRED VEHICLE, ONE WEEK LATER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE OVERHEATED, BUT DID NOT STALL, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE. WIPER BLADES WERE REPLACED. *SLC

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING HESITATION AFTER ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING EVERY DAY AND THE DEALER CAN FIND NO REMEDY FOR IT, THE MECHANICS SAY IT IS A FUEL PROBLEM AND HAVE HAD THE CONSUMER USE HIGH OCTANE GAS, THE FUEL FILTER WAS PLUGGED AND THE DEALER FOUND THE FUEL WAS CONTAMINATED, ALL THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE HAS NOT REMEDIED THE HESITATION PROBLEM. *SLC

IN THE MORNING, WHEN I BACK UP THE CAR FROM MY DRIVEWAY, GO FORWARD AND THEN APPLY THE BRAKES, THERE IS A LOUD, MECHANICAL BANGING SOUND (LIKE METAL HITTING ON METAL) COMING FROM EACH OF THE 4 WHEELS - EITHER THE PADS HITTING THE ROTOR OR THE PISTON HITTING THE PADS WHICH IN TURN HIT THE ROTOR. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR 2-3 HOURS AND THE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE, THEN FORWARD, THEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. RECENTLY THE BANGING SOUND IS BECOMING LOUDER - SO MUCH SO THAT IT ATTRACTS PEDESTRIANS' ATTENTION. THE DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. A SUBARU REGIONAL INSPECTOR SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH THE SOUND/PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER SUBARU OWNERS AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THAT SUBARU DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PROBLEM. THE CAR DOES STOP, BUT I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE BRAKES WILL FAIL WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. ... IN ADDITION THE BRAKES ARE VERY, VERY SPONGY/SOFT. IT FEELS LIKE I AM STEPPING ON AN AIR MATTRESS - THERE IS NO SENSATION OF STOPPING UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL OF ALMOST FULLY DEPRESSED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FEEL/FEEDBACK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED - I KNOW I AM STOPPING BECAUSE I SEE THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT SLOWING DOWN, NOT BECAUSE I FEEL THE CAR STOPPING. CONSUMER REPORTS (MAR,2000) SAID "THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND NOT REASSURING. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED SOME MODERATE BRAKE FADE".*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON RAINY ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND PICKED UP SPEED TO 35 MPH, AND HIT TELEPHONE POLE HEAD-ON. BUT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING HEAD AND JAW INJURIES. SEATBELTS WERE NOT WORN AT THE TIME.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 70MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES BECAUSE OF A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE IN FRONT. VEHICLE LOCKED AND THE RPMS SHOT UP HIGH, AND SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR. SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THIS TIME, AND IT WAS STILL LOCKED INTO THAT MODE.*AK

ON TWO OCCASIONS VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. FIRST TIME WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AND COMING TO A STOP LIGHT, AND SECOND TIME WHILE IN REVERSE. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK