1998 SUBARU OUTBACK Complaints

WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY STREETS, I CAME TO A STOP AND REALIZED THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC HE SAID 3 BRAKE LINES ON MY SUBARU OUTBACK 1998 HAD BROKEN. I LIVE IN PENNSYLVANIA. THIS INCIDENT COST ME $500 IN REPAIRS. I REALIZE THERE IS A RECALL FOR NEWER MODELS, BUT MY OLDER SUBARU OUTBACK IS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

ON MARCH 19, 2013, I WAS RETURNING TO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT AFTER PICKING UP MY OUTBACK FROM BLOOMINGTON ACURA SUBARU, BLOOMINGTON, MN AFTER A CLUTCH REPLACEMENT WHEN THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM HAD A TOTAL FAILURE RESULTING IN A NEAR CATASTROPHIC COLLISION WITH SEVERAL VEHICLES. THIS VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR EVALUATION. DEALER INSPECTION CONFIRMED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE BY THE FUEL TANK PROTECTOR HAD EXCESSIVE CORROSION RESULTING IN SEVERE FLUID RELEASE THUS NOT ALLOWING THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM TO PROPERLY PRESSURIZE RESULTING IN A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE BRAKE LINES REPLACED WERE PART NUMBER 26522AA010 AND 26522AA020 (RIGHT AND LEFT). ON MARCH 27, 2013, THE NHTSA ISSUED CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V110000 FOR SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACKS REGARDING "BRAKE LINES MAY FAIL DUE TO CORROSION". THIS RECALL PERTAINS TO MODEL YEAR 2005 TO 2009. THIS CITIZEN REQUESTS, NAY, INSISTS THAT THIS RECALL NOTICE BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE LATER MODEL YEARS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90 IN IDAHO AT 62 MPH WHEN THE HOOD LATCH FAILED. THE HOOD WAS SECURED DOWN ALL THE WAY BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND HAD NOT BEEN OPENED IN TWO WEEKS. THERE HAD BEEN OVER 100 MILES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING OVER 60 MPH SINCE THE HOOD WAS LAST OPENED. THE HOOD FLEW UP WITH NO SAFETY CATCH OR HESITATION AND SLAMMED INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE WINDSHIELD WAS SHATTERED, THE HOOD BENT AND THE ROOF DENTED. THE REAR VIEW MIRROR FLEW OFF INSIDE. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE PERSON FOLLOWING ME ON THE INTERSTATE PULLED OVER AND HELPED ME TIE IT DOWN TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE SCENE. WE BOTH DETERMINED IT WAS LATCH FAILURE. IT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AS MY FRONT VISION WAS COMPLETELY BLOCKED. *TR

SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A POP IN MY FRONT CORNER. STILL DROVE OK UNDER 20-25 MPH. FASTER THAN THAT THE WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY. BACKING UP THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. TOOK TO FRIENDS HOSE WHO WORKS ON CARS. HE SAID IT WAS MY FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE CONTROL ARM AND THE FRONT (HE CALLED IT HANDLING BUSHING) WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY IN TWO. HE FOUND A USED CONTROL ARM AT A JUNK YARD AND REPLACED IT FOR ME. WE TOOK PICTURES OF THE PART THAT I CAN PROVIDE IF NEEDED. I NO LONGER HAVE THE OLD PART. *TR

AS MY WIFE AND I WERE FILLING UP OUR 98 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WE NOTICED A SMELL OF GAS FUMES ON THE WAY HOME AS I BACKED THE CAR INTO THE DRIVEWAY I NOTICED THE SMELL OF FUEL EVEN STONGER. I WENT TO THE BACK AND LOOKED UNDER THE RIGHT REAR AND TO MY SURPRISE THE FUEL FILLER NECK WAS LEAKING FUEL!! I PLACED A OIL CHANGE PAN UNDERNEATH AND TO THIS DAY I STILL HAVEN'T FIXED IT. DON'T KNOW WERE TO BEGIN WITH IT AND I'M THINKING IT'S A DESIGN FLAW SEEMS LIKE THERE IS HEAVY CORROSION ON THE VERY LOW PART OF THE FILLER PIPE AND THAT'S WERE IT'S LEAKING FROM. I'M GOING TO TRY AND HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT AT WHAT COST. I THINK THAT THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO AND BY SUBARU OF NORTH AMERICA AS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW AND LEGAL LIABILTY. *KB

FUEL (GASOLINE) FILLER NECK FOR THE 1998 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON RUSTS OUT. MECHANIC INDICATED VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL. VERY POOR DESIGN BECAUSE THE TUBE IS BEHIND A PLASTIC MOLDING THAT ACCUMULATES DIRT, SALT, WATER, AND ROTS THE TUBING CAUSING A CHRONIC LEAK OF GASOLINE POTENTIALLY OVER THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. RECALL AND REPAIR IS NEEDED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ANY TYPE OF GMC VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEXT TO HIS VEHICLE THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS AND ALARM SYSTEM WOULD ENGAGE WHEN THE OTHER VEHICLES KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

ENGINE OVERHEATING EVERY HALF MILE WITH ENGINE RESERVOIR OVERFLOWING. AFTER $1300 OF REPLACING THERMOSTAT, TIMING BELT, BELT TENSIONER, WATER PUMP, FLUSHING THE COOLING SYSTEM, AND COMPRESSION TESTS, I WAS TOLD I HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. I WAS TOLD THE REPLACEMENT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $2,200 AT LEAST. *TR

1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 86,000 MILES. PURCHASED USED MANY YEARS AGO WITH ABOUT 10,000 MILES. MY SISTER'S CAR, SHE WAS DRIVING ALONE. EXPERIENCED DRIVER. ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO SHE CAME AROUND A CORNER ON A 30 MPH ROAD NEAR HER HOME. LIGHT SNOW ON THE GROUND (AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS) SHE COULD NOT CONTROL THE CAR, AND IT SLID AROUND. SHE PHONED ME AND WAS VERY UPSET AT LOSING CONTROL. COMMENTED THAT THE CAR HAD NOT FELT QUITE RIGHT. I SUGGESTED LOOSE LUG NUTS, BADLY INFLATED (ALMOST NEW) TIRES, BENT RIM, DEFECTIVE TIRE, ALIGNMENT. ALL CHECKED OUT FINE. THEN I MENTIONED SUSPENSION. SHE TOOK IT TO HER MECHANIC WHO REPLACED BOTH REAR STRUTS. CAR STILL UNPREDICTABLE. RETURNED TO MECHANIC WHO THEN TEST DROVE CAR AND DECIDED THAT IT WAS A PROBLEM SIMILAR TO THAT OF HIS PARENTS' SIMILAR CAR: POWER WAS NOT BEING PROPORTIONED PROPERLY TO THE FOUR WHEELS. HE REPLACED EXISTING TRANSMISSION / TRANSAXLE / DIFFERENTIAL LUBRICANT WITH SOME MORE SPECIALIZED LUBRICANT. (AMALIE AMA 1607881297 DEXTRON LLL ATF) AT THIS TIME MY SISTER IS TRYING THIS OUT TO SEE IF IT DOES THE TRICK. SINCE THIS DEFECT AFFECTS THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE I THOUGHT THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW. I DROVE OLDER 4WD AUDIS, OWNED MILITARY 4WD TRUCKS, AND CARS WITH LIMITED SLIP DIFFERENTIALS. I WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF THE NEED FOR SPECIFIC LUBRICANTS. I DO NOT THINK THAT THE AVERAGE CAR OWNER SHOULD BE. WAS THERE A SECRET ADVISORY OR RECALL?

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ~60 MPH. HOOD LATCH RELEASED SPONTANEOUSLY. HOOD FLEW BACK, SHATTERING WINDSHIELD. I STARTED TO LOSE CONTROL, AS I COULDN'T SEE, BUT RECOVERED AND, PEERING THROUGH SMALL AREA UNDER HOOD WAS ABLE TO GET OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER BEFORE WE GOT KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS UNEXPECTED DEFECT. *TR