Latches/locks/linkages. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Structure. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Power Train. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports4 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

14 reports

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Mileage unknown · Dec 18, 2001

Seat Belts

BOTH FRONTAL PASSIVE RESTRAINT BELTS FAIL TO OPERATE, WILL NOT GO AROUND THE TRACKS, LEAVING DRIVER AND PASSENGER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT IF VEHICLE GETS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED, AND WILLING TO GO HALF IN REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8000909

Mileage unknown · May 10, 2000

Seat Belts

Read full complaint

THE LAP BELTS IN THIS VEHICLE HAVE COME APART AT THE "FLAP" WHERE THE BELTS SNAP INTO THE RECEPTACLE. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR IN SEVERAL SHOPS, AND NONE CAN GET REPLACEMENT BELTS. THE LATEST ATTEMPT WAS WITH THE SUBARU DEALER IN NEW ORLEANS, AND THEY HAVE "ORDERED THEM FROM JAPAN". SO FAR, NO BELTS. JUNK YARDS SOMETIMES HAVE THE BELTS, FOR $100, AND THEY ARE FAULTY TOO. WE WERE ADVISED BY THE SUBARU DEALER NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE BELTS ARE REPLACED, YET WHAT CAN WE DO WHEN NONE ARE AVAILABLE. THERE MUST BE MANY MORE 1990 SUBARU OWNERS WITH THIS SAME DILEMMA. IT IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE, AND WOULD BEAR INVESTIGATING. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #722509

Mileage unknown · Jun 17, 1998

Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORBELT STICKS.

NHTSA ODI #536888

Mileage unknown · Feb 18, 1998

Seat Belts

SEAT BELTS FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #530585

Mileage unknown · Feb 11, 1998

Seat Belts

SEAT BELT FAILED

NHTSA ODI #530260

Mileage unknown · Aug 4, 1997

Seat Belts

VEHICLE'S REAR PASSAGER SEAT BELTS WILL NOT LOCK INTO THE ANCHORAGE. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #814957

Mileage unknown · May 23, 1997

Seat Belts

THE MOTORIZED DRIVER SEAT BELT WON'T MOVE DUE TO THE SEAT BELT BEING WORN OUT. DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $600,00. *AK

NHTSA ODI #812490

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 1996

Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT EITHER WAY. PLEASE DESCRIBE IN DETAIL. *AK

NHTSA ODI #803996

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 1995

Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTS TOO TIGHT AROUND DRIVER. TT SEAT BELT RETRACTORS ARE SO TIGHT THAT CONSUMER FEELS CHEST WILL BE CRUSHED, CONSUMER HAS TO OPEN DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR TO RELIEVE PRESSURE, WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED AGAIN IT WORKS FINE. FAILURES ARE EXTEMELY RANDOM.*JB

NHTSA ODI #975029

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 1995

Seat BeltsCrashInjury

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT DURING VEHICLE IMPACT. TT

NHTSA ODI #971705

Official recalls

94V052000 · Power Train:manual Transmission

Mar 23, 1994

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES (-22 DEGREES F.) AND HIGH HUMIDITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHING (AIR) VENT CAN BE BLOCKED DUE TO MOISTURE FREEZING AT THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE. IF THIS OCCURS, PRESSURE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE WILL INCREASE AND PUSH OUT THE REAR OIL SEAL, CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKAGE. THE LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN BURN THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SUDDEN STOPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAN CAUSE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN AROUND THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE OIL GAUGE PIPE AND MODIFY THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) OR REPLACE IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DIPSTICK IN THE VEHICLE.

91V082000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

May 30, 1991

UNDER CERTAIN LOAD CONDITIONS, THE PARK GEAR MAY NOT DISENGAGE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DELAYED RELEASE OF TRANSMISSION FROM PARK CAUSES DELAYEDAND POSSIBLY ABRUPT VEHICLE MOVEMENT THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: INSTALL A MODIFIED PARKING BRAKE PAWL TO PREVENT DELAYED RELEASE INTO REVERSE GEAR.

90V184000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

Oct 16, 1990

TORQUE OF LATCH SCREWS ON FRONT DOORS MAY LOOSEN OVER TIME DUE TO A GAP BETWEEN THE LATCH BASE PLATE AND INNER DOOR PANEL UNDER THE SCREW HEAD.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE AFFECTED DOOR MAY NOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE,PREVENTING EXIT FROM THAT DOOR.

Remedy: REPLACE FRONT DOOR LATCH SCREWS WITH "LOCK-TIGHT" SCREWS.

90V110000 · Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System

Jun 4, 1990

THE DEFROSTER LEVER PIN OF THE DEFROSTER SHUTTER DOOR MAY BECOME DISLOCATED AND ALLOW THE SHUTTER TO CLOSE, PREVENTING DEFROSTER FROM FUNCTIONING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: NON-FUNCTIONING DEFROSTER WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT DRIVERVISIBILITY.

Remedy: INSTALL A POSITIONING STOPPER DEVICE TO PREVENT DISLOCATION OF DEFROSTER LEVER PIN TO ASSURE DEFROSTER OPERATION.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE94051 · Hood Latch Failure

Opened Jun 29, 1994 · Closed Oct 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE91039 · Reverse Delayed Engagement

Opened Jan 23, 1991 · Closed May 30, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available

Power Train:automatic Transmission

There is no summary currently available