2000 Subaru Outback

THERE WAS A BURNED RUBBER SMELL AND NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AREA OF THE CAR. THE SUSPENSION SUBFRAME SNAPPED AND CAUSED THE LEFT REAR TIRE TO BE SHAVED FROM CONTACT WITH THE WHEEL WELL. WE WERE TOLD BY OUR MECHANIC THAT WE HAD NO RECOURSE ON THIS RECALL AND HE OFFERED US $500 FOR THE VEHICLE STATING THAT WE COULD NOT GET IT FIXED BY SUBARU. WE ALSO CALLED SUBARU AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR OUR VIN #. WE ARE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THIS IS TRUE OR NOT. *TR

SUDDEN ACCELERATION. WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED DUE TO LIGHT TRAFFIC AT A RED LIGHT. CAR STARTED TO FEEL NOT NORMAL AND I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR KEPT JUMPING FORWARD, NOT WANTING TO STOP. I WAS AFRAID I WOULD HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW. RIGHT AFTER THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING FOR NO REASON. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY FOOT WAS NEVER ON THE GAS. I HAD TAKEN MY FOOT OF THE GAS BEFORE THE CAR STARTED ACTING UP, SINCE I NEEDED TO SLOW DOWN FOR THE RED LIGHT. THE RPMS WERE GOING VERY HIGH. I WAS UNSURE WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS KIND OF SITUATION. I PANICKED AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, AND THEN IN PARK AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. I CALLED FOR HELP AND WAS LUCKY MY STEP FATHER WAS AROUND THE CORNER. HE PUSHED THE CAR TO A SAFE SPOT. THEN HE TURNED ON THE CAR WHILE STILL IN PARK AND IT WAS STILL ACCELERATING VERY HIGH. IT WENT DOWN AND WENT BACK TO NORMAL ACCELERATION. HE THEN DROVE THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC WHICH WAS ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY. I AM NOW HAVING A DIAGNOSTIC DONE TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION TO WHY THE CAR HAD SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I KNOW FOR A FACT I DID NOT PRESS ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BREAK, AND I ALSO KNOW IT WAS NOT THE SUBARU FLOOR MAT. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO AS IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

AFTER LOOKING AT SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SUB FRAME RECALL.MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT THE SUB FRAME ON A LIFT AND EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS RUSTED THRU AND UNFIXABLE.IF THIS CAR WAS PROPERLY UNDERCOATED UNDER THE RECALL IT WOULD NOT BE IN THIS CONDITION.I CALLED SUBARU AND THEY SAID THE WORK WAS DONE ON THE CAR PER THE RECALL.IT IS FUNNY HOW THERE IS NO OTHER RUST THAN IN THE SPOT WHERE THE WORK WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE.I PAID $4200 FOR THIS CAR AND WANT MY MONEY BACK SUBARU SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR UNSATISFACTORY REPAIRS.IF THIS BREAKS IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY TO MY SELF AND OTHERS.THEN THE CAR IS JUNK. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, HE HEARD AN ABNORMALLY LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AS THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED TO THE SHOULDER AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FLAMES SPREAD TO THE TWO FRONT TIRES, WHICH THEN EXPLODED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

I WAS DRIVING ALONG, AROUND 50 MPH. I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD, AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE JERKED AND SWERVED, AS IT WAS SNOWING... I ALMOST LOST CONTROL. THE REAR SUB-FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO BREAK FREE AND SMASH UP INTO THE FUEL TANK AND CAUSE SEVERE JERKING. I HAD DONE A LITTLE READING, SUBARU HAD A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR INFERIOR METAL ON THE REAR SUB-FRAME. THIS VEHICLE WAS IN FOR THE RECALL IN 2003. WHERE THEY DEEMED IT NOT BAD ENOUGH TO REPLACE THE SUB-FRAME, BUT CLEAN IT AND SPRAY IT WITH ANTI CORROSION SUBSTANCE. AS IT NOW STANDS, THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE, AND THE RECALL FIX WAS CLEARLY NOT A PROPER SOLUTION. I CALLED SUBARU, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE IT HAD BEEN IN FOR A RECALL IN 2003, THERE WAS NOTHING MORE ON THERE END THAT THEY WOULD DO. I AM A LONG TIME SUBARU FAN, AND I REALLY JUST WOULD LIKE THEM TO HONOR THEIR MISTAKE, AND FIX THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. OR PURCHASE IT BACK FROM ME, AND I WILL GLADLY PURCHASE ANOTHER SUBARU. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE SUB-FRAME WHERE IT HAS CLEARLY RUSTED AND BROKE FREE. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE METAL IS INFERIOR, CONSIDERING EVERYTHING ELSE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE IS IN FUNCTIONAL AND SERVICEABLE CONDITION. THANKS YOU. *TR

SMELLED COOLANT AND BURNT OIL UPON RETURNING TO GARAGE AFTER NORMAL OPERATION. DIAGNOSIS: FAILED HEAD GASKET & LEAKING REAR OIL SEAL. REPAIR INCLUDED BOTH HEAD GASKETS, COMPLETE VALVE JOB, AND NEW SEAL. ALSO REPLACED TIMING BELT AFTER ONLY 11,000 MILES OF SERVICE, AND CLUTCH AS PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ITEMS. COST, $2,954.50. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN CAREFULLY MAINTAINED, INCLUDING USING SUBARU'S "COOLING SYSTEM TREATMENT" ADDITIVE TO PROTECT THE HEAD GASKETS. OBVIOUSLY IT DOESN'T DO THE JOB OF OVERCOMING A ROTTEN DESIGN. CLEARLY THE HISTORY OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS CONFIRM A DESIGN DEFECT IN THIS 2.5L ENGINE. THIS 4-WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE WITH EXTRA GROUND-CLEARANCE, IS ADVERTISED--AND MINE IS USED--FOR TRAVEL IN DESERT SAND AND HIGH MOUNTAIN SNOW. A HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN SUCH CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO DEATH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V153000 (SUSPENSION:REAR) AND WAS REPAIRED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR UNRELATED ISSUES WHEN THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.