1998 Subaru Outback

DRIVING A 1998 SUBARU AWD LEGACY OUTBACK. ON JUNE 6, 2006 WHILE ON A SHORT TRIP IN VEHICLE, RETURNED HOME TO SEE SMOKE (NOT STEAM) COMING FROM ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATED, AND HAD BEEN SUFFERING OCCASIONAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING PRIOR TO THIS TIME (APPROX 1 WEEK). DROVE APPROX .5 MI TO DEALER NEXT DAY TO GET CHECKED OUT ALONG WITH 90,000 MILE SERVICE (MILEAGE ON VEHICLE WAS 91,058). DEALER CALLED TO INFORM THAT HE HAD FOUND LEAKING HEAD GASKETS WITH LEAKS AT THE VALVE COVERS AND HYDROCARBONS IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. INFORMED THAT HEAD GASKET WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE HEAD RESURFACED (POTENTIAL REPLACEMENT OF BLOCK BUT THIS WAS NOT NEEDED NOR WAS A VALVE JOB) AND THAT WE SHOULD ALSO REPLACE WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, AND ENGINE SHIELD AS LONG AS THE ENGINE IS OUT. MY RESEARCH ON THE WEB INDICATES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS EPIDEMIC, LOCAL MECHANICS I'VE SPOKEN WITH SAY THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE AND THAT SUBARU AMERICA WILL NOT STEP UP TO THE PLATE. I CALLED SUBARU, WITH MY COMPLAINT AND WHILE ADMITTING NO RESPONSIBILITY OFFERED $500 CREDIT TOWARD REPAIRS WHICH EVENTUALLY CAME TO MORE THAN $3000. REPLACED PARTS INCLUDE HEAD GASKET, HEAD RESURFACING, SEALS, WATER PUMP, HOSES, THERMOSTAT, TIMING BELT AND TENSIONER, SEPARATOR PLATE. WHEN I CALLED AGAIN TO ASK THEM TO STEP UP ON THIS ISSUE THEY FAILED TO OFFER ADDITIONAL HELP. AS I UNDERSTAND IT A BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAN LEAD TO A CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK WHICH COULD INDEED LEAD TO A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM. A SIMPLE WEB SEARCH ON THIS ISSUE FOUND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF THIS VERY SERIOUS AND EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. *NM

MY CHILD CARE PROVIDER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT. SHE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH IN WET/RAINY CONDITIONS WHEN SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND HIT A TREE. THIS IMPACT CAUSED THE CAR TO SPIN AND HIT A SECOND TREE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, THE PASSENGER DOOR AND THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE MOST DAMAGE WAS TO THE FRONT END AND THE DRIVER SIDE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS SUSTAINING A SEVERE HEAD INJURY. *JB

THE FRONT AIRBAGS ON MY 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT WENT OUT AT 76,000 MILES WITHOUT EVER DEPLOYING OR ANY OTHER INDICATORS. THE LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS THE ONLY SIGN THAT THE BAGS WERE NO LONGER WORKING. THE DEALER SAID TWO MODULES WENT OUT. THE ONE IN THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE OVER $300 TO REPLACE AND THE ONE IN THE FLOOR OVER $700. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT SAFETY FEATURES DON'T HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY. I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO HAVE THEM FIXED! *JB

1998 SUBARU OUTBACK - STEERING BECOMES JERKY WHEN BACKING OR GOING FORWARD AT SLOW SPEEDS AND WHILE MAKING TIGHT TURNING RADIUSES. LOCAL REPAIR SHOP CALLED A LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THEY HAVE SEEN SOME INCIDENTS OF THIS PROBLEM BUT KNOW OF NO FIX. IT WAS SAID THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. THE SUSPECTED PROBLEM IS THOUGHT DUE TO UNEVEN REGULATION OF THE WHEEL SPEED IN THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE REGULATOR AS ONE TURNS SHARPLY. IN A SHARP TURN THE WHEELS ON THE INNER CURVE OF THE TRAVEL OF PATH NEED TO TRAVEL AT A SLOWER RPM THAN THE WHEELS OF THAT ARE ON THE OUTER CURVE OF THE PATH OF THE VEHICLE. THIS JERKY MOTION EVEN IF NOT UNSAFE DEVALUES THE CAR FOR ANY POSSIBLE RESALE VALUE THUS COMPROMISING MY INVESTMENT IN IT. THE JERKY MOTION OF THE WHEELS WHEN TURNING AS IN PARKING OR BACKING OUT OF THE PARKING STALL IS NOTICEABLE AND SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING TO THE POINT OF MY THINKING THAT IT MAY BE LESS SAFE THAN I A CURRENTLY LED TO BELIEVE BY THE CAR REPAIR SHOP AND THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER THAT ADVISED. I THINK THIS PROBLEM WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION TO SEE IF OTHERS ARE BEING EFFECTED AND IF THERE IS ANY EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE OR FAILURE DUE TO THE PROBLEM. THANKS. SINCERELY, [XXX]. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

LATE ON THE NIGHT OF 09/01/05 MY WIFE, HER SON, DAUGHTER AND TWO (2) GRAND CHILDREN WERE TRAVELING TO OMAHA, NE FOR THE LONG LABOR DAY WEEKEND IN A 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON WITH 123,000 MILES. THEY GOT AS FAR AS THE OUTSKIRTS OF KEARNEY, NE WHEN THEY NOTICED A LOSS OF POWER AND SAW HEAVY SMOKE/STEAM COMING FROM THE TAIL PIPE OF THE CAR. THEY IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND WERE ASSISTED BY A NE STATE TROOPER. $600 LATER THE CAR, WHICH APPARENTLY SUFFERED FROM HEAD GASKET FAILURE, WAS FINALLY TOWED TO THE DUTEAU SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN LINCOLN, NE. THEY VERIFIED THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED. SUBARU USA WAS NOTIFIED AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD COVER ANY OF THE DAMAGE, WHICH AS IT TURNS OUT INCLUDES A NEW/REBUILT ENGINE. THE RESPONSE WAS IT'S NOT UNDER WARRANTY, YOU DIDN'T PURCHASE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND "WE ARE SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE THAT THIS HAS CAUSED YOUR FAMILY." I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH THE CAR WAS PURCHASED, NAMELY BURT SUBARU. I WAS TOLD THAT HEAD GASKET FAILURE WAS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH 1998, 1999 AND 2000 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGONS. IF THIS WAS SUCH A PROBLEM, WHY DID SUBARU FAIL TO ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THE DEFECTIVE GASKET? MY WIFE AN I ARE NOW FACED WITH HAVING TO SELL THE CAR TO DUTEAU SUBARU FOR $500 TO $1,000, RENT A CAR TO RETURN TO DENVER, THEN RUSH TO TRY TO FIND A USED VEHICLE SO SHE CAN GET TO AND FROM WORK. I RESPONDED TO SUBARU USA'S CONDOLENCES BUT YOUR SPACE LIMITATION PROHIBITS ME FROM INCLUDING SUCH RESPONSE HERE.*JB

CYLINDER #4 EXHAUST VALE FAILURE IN JULY OF 2004. SUBARU DEALER PRESTIGE IMPORTS PULLED HEAD AND REPLACED VALVE. THEY INSISTED THE CAUSE WAS "BAD GASOLINE." APRIL 2005 CAR IS FOUND TO HAVE HIGH LEVEL OF CO2 IN COOLING SYSTEM. SUBARU DEALER PRESTIGE IMPORTS REFUSES TO DO A LEAK DOWN TEST TO DETERMINE WHICH HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED. PULLS BOTH HEADS AT A COST OF CLOSE TO $3,000. REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY REMOVED THE HEAD IN JULY 2004 TO REPLACE THE VALVE AND REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE JULY 2005 FAILURE. TOLD ME "WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE." REFUSED TO CALL SUBARU USA BECAUSE "THEY WOULD JUST LAUGH AT US." IN A MEETING WITH PRESTIGE IMPORTS GM JIM BORRELI HE INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND PROMISED TO CONTACT SUBARU USA HE NEVER DID AND WOULD NOT RETURN MY PHONE CALLS. SUBARU USA HAS BEEN EXTREMELY UNHELPFUL AND CLAIMS THAT THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIRS OR ISSUES WITH HEAD GASKETS ON 2.5 L TYPE 1 ENGINES. THIS IS AN VERY COMMON PROBLEM APPARENTLY. ALMOST EVERY AUTO MECHANIC IN AMERICA IS FAMILIAR WITH IT. ON THE NHTSA COMPLAIN SITE I COUNTED AT LEAST 18 HEAD GASKET RELATED COMPLAINTS. A SEARCH OF THE WEB BRINGS UP HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS MORE., WHY HAS THE NHTSA IGNORED THESE PROBLEMS AND NOT ACTED IN THE BEST INTEREST OF COSTUMERS? *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATES ONE OF THE TIRES HAS BEEN LOSING AIR. THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATES THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM. THE WHEEL ITSELF LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A CRACKED. IT IS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WHEEL ON THE INNER RIM. IT HAS NOT DAMAGED THE TIRES. THE TIRE IS LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT. THE METAL ALLOY WHEEL IS WHAT HAS THE CRACK. THE TIRES ON THE WHEEL WERE ALMOST NEW AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THEM. *AK

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH JUST 61,000 EASY MILES. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY (IT WOULD NOT DECELERATE WHEN TAKING PRESSURE OFF THE GAS PEDAL). I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THE DRIVE TRAIN WAS TECHNICALLY OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. (BEFORE 60,000 I HAD THE DEALER CHECK OUT THE WHOLE CAR AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME "NOTHING IS WRONG"... I AM NOT KIDDING; THEY WERE NOT COMPETENT ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT PERFORMING PROPERLY!!). AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH ANOTHER SUBARU PRODUCT. I TOOK IT TO AAMCO FOR A REBUILD. THE MECHANIC THERE TOLD ME THAT THE FACTORY SETTINGS FOR THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WERE SET AT 50 THOUSANDTHS AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN SET AT 15 THOUSANDTHS OR LESS. IN OTHER WORDS, THE FACTORY BUILT THE TRANSMISSION TO SELF-DESTRUCT. WHEN I APPROACHED TAKAO SAITO, PRESIDENT OF SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, HE HAD LINDA FOUCH CONTACT ME BY TELEPHONE. SHE PROMISED TO HELP OUT WITH THE REPAIR BILL BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS SO CLOSE TO THE WARRANTY. WHEN SHE DISCOVERED THAT I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN LITIGATON, SHE PROMPTLY FORGOT HER PROMISE AND FAILED TO RESPOND TO ANY FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE! IF SUBARU IS TO KEEP ITS LOYAL CUSTOMER BASE, IT NEEDS TO AGGRESSIVELY ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF QUALITY CONTROL AND MEND THE BAD EXPERIENCES OF ITS PATRONAGE.