2001 Subaru Outback

I CONTACTED SUBARU'S CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER AND TOLD THEM THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS BROKEN AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET AND THAT THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED IN AUGUST 2005 BUT THE SUBFRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND BROKEN PLEASE CONTACT SUBARU AND GET THEM TO OPEN ANOTHER RECALL ON THESE CARS BECAUSE THE FIX THAT THEY USED DIDN'T WORK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING LIFTED, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS EXTREMELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR SERVICE AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUB-FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000.

MY SON WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON MAY 23, 2015 WHEN HE WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS IMMEDIATELY ENGULFED IN FIRE AND HE DIED AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE.

ON SUNDAY 29 2015 AT 12.30 AM .. MY SON WAS DRIVING AND A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR . HE HAD SOME TROUBLE TO TURN AND STOP ON THE SIDE. HE DID IT ,WE HAD TO TOW THE CAR. THE S ARM BROKE SUBFRAME BROKE OFF. WAS ALL RUSTED .. *TR

OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS 25 DEGREES F. I WAS LEAVING FROM THE PARKING LOT AT WORK. AS I APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION THE BRAKES BECAME SO HARD THAT I COULDN'T PRESS THEM ANY FARTHER. I SIS SOME RESEARCH AND APPARENTLY LOTS OF OTHER SUBARU OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. IT APPEARS THAT THE CHECK VALVE ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER LINE FREEZES UP. IF I HAD BEEN MOVING ANY FASTER I WOULD HAVE WENT INTO THE INTERSECTION POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OR WORSE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT CORROSION HAD IMPAIRED THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE REPAIR, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

SINCE THE COLD WEATHER STARTED NOV. 12, 2014 I HAVE SMELLED A RAW GAS SMELL IN MY 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK WHEN I START IT. IN TIME IT FADES AWAY, LIKE PERHAPS IT EVAPORATES ONCE THE ENGINE WARMS UP. I CAN ONLY GUESS AND SOME MORNINGS WHEN COLD THE SMELL IS OVERWHELMING, A RAW GAS ORDER ~ NOT A FAINT SMELL OF GAS. VERY CONCERNED BREATHING THESE FUMES WHICH CAN'T BE HEALTHY OR SAFE. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND IF ANYONE ENTERS...SUBARU OUTBACK COLD WEATHER GAS SMELL.. ON YOUR BROWSER YOU WILL LATTERLY SEE HUNDREDS IF NOT MORE PEOPLE LOOKING FOR HELP. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE PARKING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A FENCE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

I WAS DRIVING ON I-84 IN CT WHEN MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR TIRE BLEW. THE CAR FISHTAILED BUT I GOT IT SLOWED DOWN AND OVER TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. WHEN THE GARAGE PUT THE CAR UP ON A LIFT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME HAD BROKEN RIGHT WHERE THE UPPER CONTROL ARM CONNECTED TO IT WHICH ALLOWED THE TIRE TO LEAN IN TOWARDS THE BODY OF THE CAR WHERE IT RUBBED AGAINST THE BODY, HEATED UP AND THEN RUPTURED. THESE TIRES HAD JUST BEEN INSTALLED 3 DAYS EARLIER. LOOKING AT THE SUBFRAME IT WAS BADLY RUSTED, THE VARIOUS CONTROL ARMS ATTACHED TO IT HAD SOME SURFACE RUST BUT NOTHING LIKE THE SUBFRAME. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR WAS NOT RUSTED. THE SUBARU DEALER GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $2000 TO REPLACE THE SUBFRAME, SINCE THE CAR WAS WORTHLESS OTHERWISE I TOLD HIM TO PROCEED. I FOUND OUT THAT MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR "CERTAIN REAR SUSPENSION SUBFRAME COMPONENTS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY " ..."WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE ROAD SALTS FOR A PERIOD OF SEVERAL YEARS, COULD RESULT IN RUST-OUT OF THE COMPONENT AND POSSIBLE BREAKAGE OF THE SUBFRAME. IF SUCH BREAKAGE OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED, CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH." MY VEHICLE GOT "TREATED" FOR THE RECALL WHICH INCLUDED CLEANING THE SUBFRAME AND PAINTING IT. I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE IN THE COSTS SINCE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE RECALL "TREATMENT" DID NOT WORK AND THERE WAS NO REASON, EXCEPT A DEFECTIVE PAINT JOB, FOR A SUBFRAME TO FAIL ON A 13 YEAR OLD CAR. THE DECLINED TO HELP ME CITING THE AGE OF THE CAR AND THE FACT THAT THE RECALL "WORK" HAD BEEN PERFORMED. THEY ALSO OFFERED A $500 COUPON IF I WANTED TO BUY A NEW SUBARU. I BELIEVE THAT THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE RECALLED AND THE REAR SUBFRAME REPLACED ON SUBARU DIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL, CRASHING INTO AN EMBANKMENT. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE WAS COMPLETELY BENT INWARD AND THE SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO VERIFIED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE REAR SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

I CURRENTLY OWN AND DRIVE A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. I WAS RECENTLY MADE AWARE OF AN ISSUE WITH MY SUB FRAME ROTTING OUT. THERE WAS A RECALL PLACED ON THIS ISSUE AND THE RECALL WAS APPARENTLY PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE. THE SUBSEQUENT PAINTING OF THE SUB FRAME ONLY MASKED THE PROBLEM, LEADING TO WHAT SEEMS AN UNAVOIDABLE FAILURE OF THE PART. WITH SOME INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT NEARLY EVERY SUBARU THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL, IS NOW FAILING AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER I BROUGHT MY CAR TO EVEN STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON REPAIR IN THEIR SHOP. THE TOTAL QUOTE FOR REPAIR IS AROUND $1400, WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD AT THIS TIME. MY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS THAT NUMEROUS CAR OWNERS ARE UNAWARE OF THIS FAILURE, AND THAT THE RECALL WORK DID NOTHING TO ABSOLVE THE SITUATION. SUBARU STATED BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR, BUT OTHER THAN THIS PROBLEM, THE CAR IS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER. THE RECENT RECALL BY TOYOTA SEEMS EXTREMELY SIMILAR, AND I WAS HOPING THAT THIS WOULD BE RESOLVED IN A SIMILAR WAY. ANY INFORMATION ON HOW TO PROCEED WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING COLD TEMPERATURES, STRONG FUEL FUMES EMITTED IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

I WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED DOWN SUDDENLY. MY FIRST REACTION IN THIS CASE IS TO PULL THE SPEED CONTROL LEVER TOWARDS ME TO DISENGAGE IT AND TAKE MANUAL CONTROL OF THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN BY BRAKING OR DOWNSHIFTING, AS PER USUAL PROCEDURE. IN THIS CASE THROTTLE FAILED TO DECELERATE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, UPON WHICH I THEN REPEATEDLY STAMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH WAS ALSO UNRESPONSIVE (DID NOT CANCEL ACCELERATION OR SLOW THE VEHICLE). OUT OF OPTIONS, I SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE TRACTOR-TRAILER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND REAR ENDED A MOVING VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE. WITH BRAKES STILL UNRESPONSIVE, I MANAGED TO CUT ACROSS TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY DOWNSHIFTING IN ADDITION TO USING THE HANDBRAKE. *TR

CAR SMELLS LIKE FUEL WHEN IDLING ON A COLD DAY. RUBBER FUEL LINES AND FUEL FILTER WERE LOOSE AND AFTER TIGHTENING THEM FUEL SMELL TEMPORARILY STOPPED. SMELL HAS RETURNED AND AFTER CALLING SUBARU DEALERSHIP THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE ISSUE WAS RELATED TO RUBBER FUEL LINES THAT NEEDED REPLACING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU'S AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY SUBARU. DEALERSHIP IS ASKING OVER $300 TO REPLACE FOUR RUBBER FUEL LINES LOCATED UNDER THE MANIFOLD AND THIS IS AT LEAST EVERY YEAR IT HAS TO BE DONE THAT'S SOUNDS LIKE A RECALL ISSUE TO ME I TIGTHEN THE SCREWS A FEW TIME AND SOMEHOW WHEN IT'S COLD WEATHER IT TEND TO GET LOOSE AND VAPOR COMES OUT VERY DANGEROUS I CHECK THIS ISSUE ONLINE USING GOOGLE SEARCH AND NOTICE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUES AND GOES BACK MANY YEARS THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL JUST LIKE THE 2002 IT IS THE SAME HOSE SAME AREA. THIS MAKES NO SENSE THAT SUBARU WOULD NOT FIX IT FOR FREE WITH A BETTER SOLUTION THAN REPLACE THE HOSES AND CLAMPS EVERY YEAR. *TR

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED AT APPROXIMATELY 150K MILES TWO YEARS AGO AND HAS JUST OVER 167K MILES NOW. WHILE BEING LOOKED AT BY MECHANIC IN JUNE 2013, MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS ROTTED AND REAR TRAILING ARM BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE, WITH RECALL NUMBER WWM-96 (NHTSA RECALL NO. 03V153). I USE THIS CAR ON A DAILY BASIS FOR WORK AND HAVE KEPT UP WITH MAINTENANCE AND CARE, REPLACING ALL WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE HEAD GASKETS WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNING THE VEHICLE. ON 8/19/2013, I CALLED SUBARU TO SPEAK WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TO HOPEFULLY RESOLVE THE SUBFRAME RECALL ISSUE, AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE AFFECTED PART OR EVEN WORK WITH ME ON A SOLUTION. I WAS TOLD, "THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU," LEAVING ME WITH A VEHICLE THAT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, BECAUSE OF A POOR QUALITY PART MADE BY SUBARU. I WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE OTHER THAN BEING TOLD TO CONTACT MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR REPAIRS. AFTER DOING MUCH RESEARCH ONLINE, I'VE DISCOVERED THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS BATTLE, AND I AM HOPING THAT SUBARU OR NHTSA CAN DO SOMETHING TO HELP KEEP ME SAFE WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION AND SUB FRAME WAS FOUND SEVERELY TO BE CORRODED DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION. THE SUB FRAME AND SUSPENSION WERE ALSO FRACTURED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION) WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED AND DENIED ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 184,000. ..UPDATED 04-22-14 *BF UPDATED 08/03/2017*JS

WHEN THE WEATHER GETS VERY COLD (BELOW FREEZING) THE CAR BEGINS TO GET A FUEL SMELL. IT IS EXTREMELY STRONG INSIDE THE VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN SMELL IT OUTSIDE THE CAR AS WELL. THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED IT HAPPENING WAS IN 2006. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO CHECKED IT AND FOUND NO LEAKS. ODOR WENT AWAY AFTER A FEW DAYS SITTING OUTSIDE DEALERSHIP SO THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING (WEATHER MAY HAVE WARMED UP). IT HAPPENED AGAIN IN 2008 AND THIS TIME THEY SAID THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK SO THEY REPLACED THE FUEL HOSE AND CLAMP. IT WORKED UNTIL THE FOLLOWING YEAR WHEN IT GOT COLD AGAIN. LOOKING AT VARIOUS POSTS ON THE INTERNET FOUND MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. I TIGHTENED THE CLAMPS AROUND SOME OF THE HOSES AROUND THE FILTER AND IT MOSTLY WORKED. WHEN THE WEATHER IS WARMER THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THIS IS A TEMPORARY FIX AND SOMETIMES DOES NOT WORK SO WELL, ESP. WHEN REALLY COLD OUT. THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER ANSWER TO THIS PROBLEM. WHAT IS SUBARU'S RESPONSE? REPLACING HOSES AND CLAMPS EVERY YEAR IS NOT A SOLUTION! *TR

MY VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN 03V153000, WHICH RESULTED IN MANUFACTURER RECALL WWM96-REAR. THIS RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE ON 4/13/2004 AT 36,339 MILES WITH THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF HALTING PREMATURE RUST-OUT OF THE REAR SUB-FRAME COMPONENT. IN THE PROCESS OF RECENTLY REPLACING EXHAUST COMPONENTS AT APPROXIMATELY 130,000 MILES IT WAS NOTED THAT THE REAR SUB-FRAME COMPONENT IS NOW PERFORATED BY RUST EVEN THOUGH SIMILAR COMPONENTS ARE NOT, WHICH WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE THAT THE ORIGINAL REPAIR WAS NOT ADEQUATE. AN EXCHANGE OF EMAILS AND TELEPHONE CALLS WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS RESULTED IN A DECISION BY THEM TO DECLINE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPONENT AT THEIR EXPENSE DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY REMEDY OFFERED WAS A $500 CREDIT TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF A NEW SUBARU. SINCE REPLACEMENT IS NOT AN OPTION FOR ME AT THIS TIME I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CONTINUE OPERATING THE VEHICLE IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. MY SAFETY CONCERN IS THAT IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE TO WHAT I CONSIDER A REASONABLE POINT (200,000 MILES), THE CONSEQUENCE NOTED IN CAMPAIGN 03V153000 MAY OCCUR. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE SUB-FRAME COMPONENT AND COPIES OF THE EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA WHICH I CAN SEND TO YOU IF YOU SO DESIRE. *TR