2001 Subaru Outback Body & Structure Problems

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 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.

WHILE CLOSING THE DRIVERS DOOR, INNER PANELS OR STRUCTURES PARTIALLY SEPARATED OR DELAMINATED FROM THE OUTER METAL PORTION OF THE DOOR IN TWO LAYERS. DATE IS AN ESTIMATE, IT WAS WINTER *JB

AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM CAN BE TRIGGERED BY TWO BUTTONS INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, THIS LOCKS ALL DOORS IN VEHICLE. HAVEN'T CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM EASILY ENGAGES WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING, LOCKING KEYS INSIDE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ADDED SAFE GUARD AGAINST LOCKING KEYS INSIDE,PARTICULARLY WITH MOTOR RUNNING. *YH

CONSUMER SUBARU OUTBACK TAIL LIGHTS BURNED OUT QUITE OFTEN. AFTER REPLACING THE BULB CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE SOCKET WAS CORRODED. *TS THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING UP A SMALL HILL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED A BLOWN 30 AMP FUSE IN THE MOTOR SIDE FUSE BOX. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED A SECOND TIME AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHERE THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A BLOWN FUSE AGAIN. WHEN THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HATCH, WATER WAS POURING OUT OF THE LITTLE DOORS THAT HOUSED THE TAIL LIGHTS BULBS AND WIRES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE LEAKING HATCH WAS RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR THE BURNED OUT TAIL LIGHTS AND ROTTING WIRES, BUT ALSO FOR THE ELECTRICAL SHORTS THAT BLEW OUT THE 30 AMP FUSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND CAUSED THE ENGINE THE DIE.*JB

ON SIX OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S FOOT SLIPPED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM DUE TO INSUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE. *AK ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, WHILE MOVING SLOWLY AHEAD, THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OUT OF CONTROL. SCC

NO FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. SUBARU HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN PRINT, 'DRIVE' MAGAZINE THAT THEIR EXPENSIVE VDC SYSTEM IS A LIBILITY IN CERTAIN COMMON WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS AND HAVE INCLUDED ON ALL NEW MODELS AN 'OFF' SWITCH AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. WINTER IS COMING, AND WE HAVE A VEHICLE WHICH COULD ACTUALLY BE RENDERED IMMOBILE BY ITS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. WE HAVE REQUESTED TWICE THAT A SWITCH BE ADDED AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED WITH SUBARU ONLY SAYING THAT THE MATTER IS BEING REFERRED TO MARKETING AND ENGINEERING. WE HAVE THE ARTICLE AND INFORMATION FROM THE NEW MODELS CONCERNING THIS AND WOULD BE PLEASED TO FORWARD THEM TO YOU. REGARDS, BETSY KUC. *AK