2000 Subaru Legacy Complaint Log

THE BRIDGESTONE TIRE,(DOT#OBT2PFB419,TIRE SIZE P205/55HR16) THE RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT AND LITERALLY SPLITED IN TWO WHILE DRIVING.

THE TIRE IS TUBELESS. TRAVELING AT AN ESTIMATED 50 MPH THE TIRE SIDE WALL SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD. IF I LOST A FRONT TIRE I WOULD HAVE HAD AN ACCIDENT. *AK (DOT NUMBER: 8M15794-7 TIRESIZE: P22560R16)

SIDEWALL DETERIORATION AND FAILURE. ON SIDEWALL, 1 CM. BELOW THE CORNER/BEGINNING OF TREAD, RUBBER DETERIORATED ESPOSING WHITE MATERIAL UNDERNEATH FOR THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE OF TIRE. NO BLOWOUT EXPERIENCED, JUST SLOW LEAK RESULTING IN FLAT. VEHICLE LOCATION AT TIME OF FAILURE: NH ROUTE 16 SOUTH, 0.5 MILES BEFORE EXIT 9. VERY HOT DAY - TEMPERATURES IN THE MID 90'S. FAILED TIRE LEFT AT TRI-CITY SUBARU (NH) SERVICE DESK ON 6/16 - CONTACT SERVICE MANAGER (PAUL) AT (603) 742-3647 (MON-FRI 8AM-5PM). DUE TO LOCAL UNAVAILABILITY OF FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT REPLACEMENT TIRE (ON 6/16), MY VEHICLE NOW HAS A GOODYEAR SPIRIT TIRE ON FRONT/LEFT. I AM AWARE THAT HAVING DIFFERENT DESIGN TIRES ON MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE, BUT I HAD NO CHOICE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE UNSAFE TO CONTINUE DRIVING ON THE DONUT SPARE. REQUESTING OF TRI-CITY TO REPLACE FAILED TIRE, AND REINBURSE MY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE GOODYEAR SPIRIT TIRE. *AK (TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, CAR BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.*AK TIRE IS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS. *SLC

ENGINE REVVED ON 3 SEPARATE INCIDENTS, THE LAST TIME VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT PARKED CAR IN FRONT AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE PARKING SPACE. DEALER COULD NOT "DUPLICATE THE CONDTION" SO NOTHING WAS DONE. *AK

WHEN HEATER SWITCH IS ACTIVATED AND THEN DEACTIVATED IT WILL NOT SHUT OFF.*AK THE PROBLEM WAS REGARDING SEAT HEATER. IT HAD RUBBER SMELL WHEN ACTIVATED. *YH

ONCE VEHICLE WAS TURNED AND CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE, VEHICLE ACCELERATED, EVEN THOUGH CONSUMER HAD HIS FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. *AK AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO EXAMINED THE VEHICLE STATED THAT UNDER FULL THROTTLE, THE BRAKES DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *YH

VEHICLE PULLED TO LEFT, MOST NOTICEABLY AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEFECT DID NOT ALLOW CONSUMER TO HAVE FULL CONTROL OF VEHICLE, AND COULD CAUSE AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. DEALER RECOGNIZED PROBLEM, BUT HAS NOT PROVIDED REMEDY. *AK

RAW FUEL VAPORS ENTER PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. DLR HAS TRIED TO FIX WITH NO SUCCESS. SUBARU HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. DLR FOUND AND REPLACED LEAKING FUEL RAILS. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PASSENGERS OVERCOME BY FUMES. COULD BE CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS, INJURIES OR EVEN DEATHS IE: DRIVER DOSES OFF DUE TO FUMES.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED, DEALER IS REPLACING IT. *SLC

WHEN AT A COMPLETE STOP AND HEATER ON, VEHICLE ACCELERATES ABOUT 7 TO 8 FEET. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH AND, HEARD A NOISE, AND AND SAW TIRE DEBRIS HITTING AGAINST VEHICLE . VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. BECAUSE ENTERING A TUNNEL HE PULLED OVER. NO VISIBLE PUNCTURE ON THE TIRE. LEFT REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAD TREAD SEPARATION. *AK

FIRESTONE TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, CONSUMER REQUESTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

THE FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

THE ORIGINAL FIRESTONE WILDERNESS TIRE FAILED AND SHREDDED WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS PULLING CAR TO THE RIGHT. DEALER ALSO SAID TO KEEP TIRES INFLATED 5PSI ABOVE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS. CAR SHAKES AT 55MPH IN WARM WEATHER BUT DOES NOT OCCUR IN COLDER WEATHER. (DOT NUMBER: BM19359-1 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 16 )

TREAD SEPERATION, TOTALLY FLAT TIRE AT 50 MPH, ON I-95 IN LUMBERTON NC( DOT NUMBER: W2X0-W66 TIRE SIZE: P225/60R16 )

LEFT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT ON HIGHWAY AT SPEED OF 75 MPH ON A 85 DEGREE DAY. OUTSIDE SIDEWALL BLEW AND COMPLETELY SPLIT APPROX. 2" UP FROM BOTTOM OF TIRE. HAD INFLATED ALL TIRES TO 36LBS. LOAD WAS 3 PASSENGERS + LUGGAGE. LOAD EST. 700LBS MAX... PICTURES AVAILABLE & STILL HAVE TIRES. REPLACED ALL 4 WITH MICHELINS. SUBARU AND FIRESTONE HAVE BEEN CONTACTED VIA E-MAIL WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT. LOOKS LIKE FIRESTONE HAS DISCONTINUED THIS TIRE AS IT'S NOT LISTED AS AVAILABLE ON THEIR WEB SITE.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2X0W66120 TIRESIZE: P225/60R16)

CONSUMER STATED THAT COMPARED TO OTHER CARS IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS TOO MUCH ROOM BETWEEN BRAKING AND ACTUALLY STOPPING. ALSO, BRAKES FEEL SPONGY. CONSUMER IS AFRAID OF GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. IT MAY BE THE ABS BRAKES. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AT 35MPH OR LESS. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES FOR STALLING. MECHANIC HAD REPLACED OXYGEN SENSOR & COIL PACKS EACH TIME. EVEN HAD IT TEST DRIVEN. PROBLEM COULD NOT BE RESOLVED. *AK

IN HEAVY RAINS, WATER COMES INTO THE VEHICLE RESEALED THE REAR WINDOW, HOWEVER STILL CONTINUES. *ET

CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING AND CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING VEHICLE SLOWLY. ALSO, VEHICLE VIBRATED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE BEGAN TO STEER OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN A SKID ACROSS THREE LANES INTO THE MEDIAN. BEFORE COMING TO A STOP, IT FLIPPED OFF AN OPENING IN THE MRDIAN WHERE A ROAD RAN UNDERNEATH AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON THE ROOF OF THE CAR ONTO THE ROAD 15-20 FEET BELOW. PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS COMPLETELY CRUSHED, WHEREAS DRIVER'S SIDE REMAINED INTCT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED A BLACK EYE/WHIPLASH/MANY BRUISES, AND GENERAL TRAUMA. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

WHILE BACKING UP INTO A PARKING SPACE, ENGINE RACED AND THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN BACKING UP CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE INTO DRIVE AND THE ENGINE WAS STILL RACING AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF. CONSUMER HIT A CURB AND WENT UP OVER THE CURB. PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, HIT A CAR AND THEN ANOTHER CAR, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. TRIED TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE WOULD'NT GO INTO PARK. SOMEONE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF.*AK

VIBRATION OCCURRING WHENEVER DRIVING AND RUNNING OVER BUMP OR ROUGH ROA/ WHILE MAKING SMALL TURNS. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM AND HAVE NO REMEDY AT THIS TIME. ALSO, DEALER REPLACED STEERING RACK. *AK

PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS TOO SHORT FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT I DRIVE AROUND. I'VE CALLED THE DEALER AND SUBARU'S CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO ACCOMIDATE THIS PROBLEM. MY PASSENGERS AND MYSELF, WHEN I'M THE PASSENGER, CANNOT US THE SEAT BELT. WHEN THE SEAT BELT DOES FIT, AND YOU ATTEMPT TO MOVE IT LOCKS UP AND LOCKS YOU IN PLACE, AND YOU CAN NOT MOVE. YOU MUST REMOVE THE BELT AND THEN REATTACH. SUBARU HAS REFUSED TO RAISE THE RECEIVER ON THE BELT WHICH WOULD ALLOW EXTRA ROOM. IN ORDER FOR ME TO KEEP THIS CAR AND OPERATE IN A SAFE MANNER ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN TO ACCOMODATE PLUS SIZE INDIVIDUALS

AFTER SNOW STORM ICE BUILT UP IN THE WHEEL WELL CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN TURNING THE WHEEL AND CHANGING THE WHEELS FROM 15' TO 16' WITHOUT INCREASING THE SIZE OF WHEEL WELL CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM. YH

RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE CRACKED. NLM

SEATBELTS ARE TOO SHORT FOR LARGE PEOPLE, RESULTING IN INABILITY TO USE THEM, SUBJECTING OWNER AND/OR PASSENGERS TO POTENTIAL SEVERE PERSONAL INJURY AND/OR CONSEQUENT LAWSUITS. DEALER PROMISES TO PROVIDE SEATBELT EXTENDERS SINCE I PURCHASED CAR LAST WEEK, BUT I'M STILL WAITING. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH SUBARU FOR NOT MAKING THE ORIGINAL SEATBELTS LONG ENOUGH FOR ALL USERS; ALSO WITH NHTSA FOR NOT REQUIRING MANUFACTURERS TO PROVIDE THIS MOST NECESSARY SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO WEIGH MORE THAN THE 215 LBS. AS IS PRESENTLY MANDATED BY NHTSA. IN MY BUSINESS, I OFTEN CARRY PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYERS IN MY CAR. SOME OF THEM ARE LARGE, AND MOST OF THEM WON'T TRY TO BUCKLE UP FOR FEAR THEY WILL BE EMBARASSED ABOUT THE INABILITY OF THE SEATBELT TO FIT THEM. RATHER THAN ASK FOR A SEATBELT EXTENDER, THEY SIMPLY SAY NOTHING, THEREBY EXPOSING THEMSELVES AS WELL AS MY OTHER PASSENGERS (AND MYSELF) TO FURTHER INJURY. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE EXPAND THE REQUIREMENTS FOR CAR MANUFACTURERS TO MEET AMERICANS' EXPANDING WAISTLINES! THANK YOU. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE,AND MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK

THERE IS A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION AND VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEM MAKING A TURN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. WAS INFORMED THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. *JG *AK

WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR LAST YEAR I ASKED ABOUT THE BRAKES. TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES THE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. THE SALESMEN STATED THATS THIS WAS NORMAL. SINCE THE PURCHASE, I HAD AN ACCIDENT WHERE I REAR ENDED SOMEONE. IN SEPTEMBER THE ROTORS ON THE CAR WERE RESURFACED AT 16,000 MILES. AT THE SAME TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME ABOUT THE SEVICE BULLETIN "LOW BRAKE PEDAL PERCEPTION". THE SERVICE PEOPLE ADJUSTED THE BRAKES PER BULLETIN 06-29-00. THERE IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE BRAKES OPERATE SINCE THE ADJUSTMENT. THE BULLETIN STATES IT IS A PERCEPTION PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 30 YEARS. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE NOT A PERCEPTION. IN THE 2001 MODELS THE BRAKES OPERATE VERY DIFFERENTLY. THEY ENGAGE VERY QUICKLY WHEN YOU PUSH THE PEDAL DOWN!*AK

WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP ENGINE REVVED UP TO 4000. DRIVER HAD TO PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK AFTER EXCESSIVELY APPLYING BRAKES. DEALER HAS VEHICLE CURRENTLY. *AIK

VEHICLE WAS BEEN AT DEALER SIX TIMES DUE TO REAR BRAKE CALIPERS STICKING AND BURNING OUT. ALSO, BRAKE FLUID WAS RUNNING OUT AND BURNING SMELL FROM THE CALIPERS STICKING APPEARED IN PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

UPON PRESSING ACCELERATOR VEHICLE STALLS. IT TAKES A FEWW MINUTES BEFORE IT ENGAGES. TOOK TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP IN COOLER WEATHER (BELOW 45F) THE VEHICLE SHAKES, BUCKS, AND SHIMMYS VIOLENTLY. ON VARIOUS OCCASIONS, IT HAS ALMOST STALLED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

CAR PURCHASED MARCH 2000. IN JUNE TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE REPORTED IT WAS PERIODICALLY RUNNING ROUGHLY. CHECKED IT AND STATED "THERE WAS NO PROBLEM". THE CAR CONTINUED TO DO THIS OFF AND ON. RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN OCT. 2000. BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER 10/20/00 TO PERFORM SERVICE RE: RECALL WXV-79 ECM. BROUGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE 01/12/01. REPORTED CAR STILL RUNNING ROUGH AND ALSO ON OCCASION GET A STRONG RAW GAS SMELL. ALSO REPORTED TRANSMISSION DIDN'T SEEM TO ENGAGE CORRECTLY (PROBABLY RELATED TO ROUGH IDLE PROBLEM). DEALER CHECKED AND STATED COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLELM. 4/03/01 BROUGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE, STILL WASN'T RUNNING VERY WELL. 7/03/01 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS OBVIOUS A FUEL INJECTOR (#2) HAD GONE BAD, HAD 15058 MILES ON CAR. CAR BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS AGAIN. 12/12/01 BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER AND REPORTED THE CAR AGAIN WOULD OCCASIONALLY HAVE A RAW FUEL SMELL. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE. 3/4/02 BROUGHT CAR IN FOR SERVICE, REPORTED CAR CONTINUED TO RUN POORLY AND COULD STILL SMELL RAW GAS. DEALER STATED "ALL IS NORMAL". 3/19 02 AGAIN BROUGHT CAR IN AND REPORTED FUEL SMELL, AND THAT THE ENGINE OBVIOUSLY WAS MISSING. NO ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. CHECKED AND FOUND #4 FUEL INJECTOR HAD FAILED, REPLACED THIS. CAR CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGHLY. CONTINUED TO MISS AND HESITIATE WHEN EXCELERATING. 4/14/02 CAR EXCELERATED ON ITS OWN, STARTED CAR, WITH FEET ON CLUTCH AND BRAKE, AND THE CAR EXCELERATED TO 6000 RPM, TURNED CAR OFF. RESTARED AND THE CAR SOUNDED AWFUL AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BROUGHT CAR IN 4/15/02 AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. DEALER CHECKED AND REPLACED #1 FUEL INJECTOR, HMMMM, WHAT A SUPRISE. DEALER STATED THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM. CAR CONTINUES TO RUN ROUGHLY ON AN INTERMITENT BASIS. SCHEDULED TO BRING INTO DEALER ON 6/4/02. SUPPOSEDLY A COMPUTER PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED RE: THE SAFETLY AND RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A MAJOR PROBLEM.*AK

DEALER ADVISED ME I WOULD HAVE TO GET USED TO THE BRAKES,THERE IS A PROBLEM,THE WHEEL GETS SO HOT IT WILL BURN YOU AND I CAN'T HARDLY STOP ON SNOW,I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE THE HEAT "FRYS" THE BRAKE PADS. THIS IS A PUBLIC DANGER AND THIS VEHICLE AND OTHERS SHOULD BE TESTED AND RECALLED.*AK

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE LIGHT BY ERASING THE CODE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE ENGINE. DEALER WOULD NOT CHECK THE ENGINE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ERROR CODE. *AK

RECALL REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED BECAUSE THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOO DIRTY. *MR THE RECALL LETTER STATED "WILL CLEAN." THE CONSUMER FOUND IT IRONIC HOW THE TOPSIDE WAS WASHED AND CLEANED YET THE UNDERSIDE WAS ALLEGEDLY TOO DIRTY TO PERFORM THE RECALL WORK. *SCC *JB

PROBLEMS WITH BRAKING SYSTEM ON 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK. *MR THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES WHERE IF THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A WEEK OR MORE, THEY WOULD LOCK UP AND ONLY ROCKING BACK AND FORTH WOULD RELEASE THEM, WHEN THAT OCCURRED AND THE BRAKES WERE RELEASED, THE BRAKES WOULD GRIND FOR A LONG TIME. THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED AND THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. *SCC *JB

A LEAK IN THE REAR HATCH CAUSED THE INTERIOR BULBS TO BURN OUT. ALSO, REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPAIR. *AK