1997 Subaru Outback

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE PASSENGER FRONT TIRE EXPLODED. THE AAA PROVIDED ASSISTANCE AND REPLACED THE TIRE WITH THE SPARE(DOUGHNUT). WHEN THE VEHICLE ARRIVED TO THE RESIDENCE, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITH WATER. THE OWNERS MANUAL IN PAGE 8-11 INDICATED IN FINE PRINT, WHEN THE SPARE DOUGHNUT WAS USED A FUSE HAD TO BE PLUGGED IN THE FUSE BOX TO MAINTAIN AN EMERGENCY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINED THE FIRE WAS DUE TO THE DIFFERENTIAL OVER HEATING BECAUSE THE UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF TRACTION WHEN A SMALLER SIZE TIRE WAS IN USE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO HONOR THE REPAIRS COST.*AK

1997 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 DOHC ENGINE 1) CAR WAS SUDDENLY LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE, BROUGHT IT IN TO SHOP ASAP 2) HEAD GASKET BUSTED, RUINED THE ENGINE 3) NEEDED TO REPLACE MOST OF ENGINE, INCLUDING BLOCK CHECKED OTHER SITES, THIS SEEMS TO BE A HUGELY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARU 2.5 DOHC ENGINES AND THEY AREN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB

OUTBACK 1997: 108,000. CAR OVERHEATED SUDDENLY ON A SHORT TRIP. REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND FLUSHED/FILLED RADIATOR AT LOCAL FIRESTONE. TWO DAYS LATER, CAR OVERHEATS. IN BOTH CASES, RADIATOR FLUID EJECTED ONTO ENGINE. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO IDENTIFIED THE NOW VERY COMMON "BLOWN HEAD GASKET". REPAIRS MADE AT A COST TO ME OF $1400! THIS IS A DEFECT IN THESE AUTOMOBILES THAT NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BY SUBARU. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED? I WAS FORTUNATE TO NOT HAVE BURNED MY ENGINE, OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN. TIME TO TAKE ACTION!! *NM

HEAD GASKET FAILURE. PURCHASED IN 2/07 (EST. DATE) BEGAN TO FAIL AT LEAST IN 1/05 (1X). THEN WEEKLY IN 7/05. BUT MAY HAVE BEEN SIGNS OF PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 1997/1998. RESULT OF PROBLEM IS UNEXPECTED AND RAPID BUBBLING OVER AND OVERHEATING PLACING OCCUPANTS IN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FOR EXAMPLE, ALMOST STRANDED IN BLIZZARD IN 1/05. HAD TO PULL OVER ON HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS IN SUMMER 05 DUE TO RAPID RED LINING AND RISK OF ENGINE FIRE. SUBARU PICKED UP 1/2 COST ALTHOUGH NOT IN WARRANTY FOR US AND HAS DONE 1/2 TO FULL FOR OTHERS WHO COMPLAINED. ONE OF THE 2.5L ENGINES HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL. THE 2.5L ENGINE IN OUR CAR HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED BUT WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEMS ARE AS FREQUENT (AND WORSE) AND THE CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. LOCAL MECHANIC SAID HE SEES FREQUENTLY ON SUBARU OUTBACK. FOUND INTERNET WEBLOG STARTED 18 MONTHS AGO WHICH HAS 275 COMPLAINTS AND GROWING MONTHLY - ON BOTH THE 2.5L ENGINES (INCLUDING THE ONE IN OUR CAR). BAD ENOUGH WE HAD TO INCUR $800 OF THE $1600 COST BUT PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND WITH AN ENGINE THAT REPEATEDLY HAS FAILED (HEAD GASKET) AND CREATED A HAZARDOUS CONDITION. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE WITH SUBARU IF YOU WOULD LIKE. SEE LINK BELOW TO WEBLOG PAGE WHERE YOU CAN SEE OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE DISCUSSED (275 AND GROWING MONTHLY): HTTP://SCOTT.MCGERIK.COM/2004/02/18/SUBARU-OUTBACK-HEAD-GASKET-LEAK/. *JB

IN 2001 I HAD TO HAVE MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED BECAUSE THE ENGINE WOULD NOT HOLD THE CAR BACK WHEN GOING DOWN HILLS. I WAS GOING DOWN A STEEP MOUNTAIN ROAD AND HAD TO USE THE BRAKES ALONE. IT DID NOT MATTER IF IT WAS IN 1, 2 OR D IT WAS THE SAME AS NEUTRAL. IT WOULD ALSO NOT SHIFT INTO THE TOP GEAR ON THE FREEWAY. IT COST OVER $3000 TO GET A SUBARU REBUILT TRANSMISSION PUT IN AT THE DEALER. IT HAD 97K ON IT AT THE TIME. I JUST NOW TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND HESITATING. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND IT WOULD COST $3500. THIS TRANSMISSION IS ONLY 4 YEARS OLD AND HAS LESS THAN 50K ON IT! I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THE TRANS EVERY 4 YEARS.

THIS IS THE STANDARD SUBARU 2.5L HEAD GASKET FAILURE PROBLEM. I ADD THIS TO THE DATABASE TO INCREASE THE PRESSURE ON SUBARU OF AMERICA TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE: HTTP://MYSITE.VERIZON.NET/VZE730QE/GUESTLOG.HTML THE SYMPTOMS ARE AS FOLLOWS. CAR ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING -- LARGE TEMPERATURE SPIKES AND THEN WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL. ENGINE OIL APPEARED IN COOLANT RESERVOIR. COOLANT SPEWS ONTO ENGINE. LOSS OF POWER IN SOME GEARS.*JB

1997 SUBARU OUTBACK BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *BF THE VEHICLE LOST INTERNAL HEAT AND THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE READ HOT. THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD AND DID NOT NOTICE ANY LOSS OF STEAM, HOWEVER, THE RESERVOIR BOTTLE WAS EMPTY AND FLUID HAD SPILLED ALL OVER THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER WAS AWARE OF SIX OTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. *SC