2002 Subaru Outback

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 37,000. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT TURNED THE IGNITION TO THE BATTERY POSITION TO USE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG SUDDENLY DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THE FAILURE WAS. *AK UPDATED 06/19/07 *TR

OUR 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK EDDIE BAUER EDITION HAS EXPERIENCED A CONSISTENT BRAKE FAILURE THE FIRST THING IN THE MORNING ON DAYS WHERE THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS AT OR BELOW 45 DEG F. THE FAILURE IS REPEATABLE AS FOLLOWS: AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE CAR INITIALLY SEEMS OKAY WITH NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL FEEL (SOFT BUT NOT STIFF) - IN ABOUT THE TIME IT TAKES TO PUT THE CAR INTO REVERSE THE BRAKE PETAL STOPS RESPONDING AND BECOMES VERY STIFF. ALSO, BRAKE ASSIST DISAPPEARS AND IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT (ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE) TO STOP THE VEHICLE, EVEN ON THE SLIGHT DOWNGRADE OF OUR DRIVEWAY. - UNDER THE FORCE OF GRAVITY, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE CAR TO DRIFT BACKWARD INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAPPENS TO BE LOCATED BEHIND THE CAR SUCH AS PEDESTRIANS AND TRASHCANS, FOR EXAMPLE. NO ACCIDENTS OR NEAR-MISSES HAVE OCCURRED AS OF THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, BUT THIS IS NOT TO SAY THAT THEY COULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL VEHICLE USE AND TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN OUR AREA. THE CAR USUALLY COMES TO REST WITHIN 2 TO 3 SECONDS AFTER WHICH THE BRAKES SEEMS TO RECOVER TO NORMAL FUNCTION. - GOOD FUNCTIONALITY SEEMS TO CONTINUE AS LONG AS THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN SITTING IN THE COLD AND/OR AS LONG AS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS WARM. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP TO TWO LOCAL SUBARU DEALERS WHO BOTH INDICATED THEY HAVE NEVER SEE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. ALSO, ONE WAS ABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. GIVEN THEIR EXPERT COMMENTARY AND PHYSICAL EVIDENCE IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE CAR'S BEHAVIOR MIGHT CONSTITUTE AN EMERGING SAFETY FLAW TO THE VEHICLE'S BRAKING SYSTEM. SYSTEM WILL BE REPAIRED BY CONSUMER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED SUBARU CUSTOMER SUPPORT REGARDING THIS MATTER. THEY INDICATED THAT THIS WAS NOT AN OFFICIALLY KNOWN ISSUE PER THE LIST OF NHTSA RECALL ACTIONS; HENCE, THEY TOOK NO ACTION TO REMEDY/INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. SEE SUBARU CASE #: 936244 FOR DETAILS. SEE ALSO NHTSB COMPLAINT #: 10106583. *NM

OUR MECHANIC FOUND OUR PROBLEM IS A CRACKED HEAD GASKET. MODEL-2002 OUTBACK SUBARU WAGON. WAS TOLD THESE MODELS WERE MADE WITH A THIN HEAD GASKET THAT CRACKS. TOLD TO CONTACT OUR SUBARU DEALERSHIP TO SEE ABOUT A RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP SAID, YES A RECALL ON HEAD GASKETS BUT VIN # HAS TO END WITH PROPER 7 LAST DIGITS. OURS, OF COURSE, DID NOT HAVE THE NUMBER THEY WOULD COVER. WAS TOLD THE SERVICE DEPT. HAS BEEN REPLACING THE HEAD GASKETS IN THESE MODELS-AND SUBARU HAS BEEN PAYING 1/2. THIS IS ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS WITH THAT STATEMENT. QUOTED COST OF $1350.00 AND SUBTRACT HALF. BRING CAR IN AND SUBARU WOULD BE CALLED BUT NONE HAS BEEN REFUSED FOR 1/2 THE COST COVERED. CALLED OUR MECHANIC. HE LAUGHED AND SAID- TAKING US FOR A RIDE AS THE PRICE IS JACKED UP SO IT APPEARS SUBARU IS PAYING 1/2 BUT THE CONSUMER IS REALLY PAYING THE FULL COST. OUR TWO YEAR OLD SON, WITH MEDICAL PROBLEMS, HAS BEEN SICK IN THE CAR FROM THE FUMES. AS ANTIFREEZE IS LEAKING FROM THE HEAD GASKET AND SEEPING INTO THE CAR THRU THE HEATING VENTS. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT WE HAVE A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH A CRACKED HEAD GASKET AND OTHER CARS OF THIS SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL ARE HAVING THE HEAD GASKET REPLACED AS THEIR VIN # MEETS THE LAST 7 DIGITS. WE HAVE THE SAME ENGINE/MAKE/MODEL AND PROBLEM AS THESE OTHER CONSUMERS BUT WE ARE HAVING TO ABSORB THE COST. WE HAVE TO GET THE CAR FIXED AS OUR YOUNG SON DOES NOT NEED TO INHALE THIS STRONG ODOR WITH HIS PRESENT HEALTH. OUR MECHANIC SAID THE HEAD GASKETS IN THESE SUBARU OUTBACKS ARE TOO THIN AND CRACK. THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART AND IS NOT OUR FAULT. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT OTHER OWNERS OF THE OUTBACK HAVE A CERTAIN VIN # ARE HAVING THEIRS REPLACED WHEN THEY HAVE THE SAME ENGINE AND PROBLEM AS WE DO. THIS IS AN ADDITION TO CONFIRMATION # 10170783-MY HUSBAND SENT.

THE HEAD GASKET, TOO THIN, ON OUR 2002 OUTBACK SUBARU AND CRACKED. FULL RECALLS HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO OWNERS OF OUTBACK MODELS FROM 2000-2002 FOR CRACKED HEAD GASKETS. VERY STRONG ANTI-FREEZE FUMES ARE SEEPING INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR. WE HAVE 2 TODDLERS BREATHING IN THESE FUMES-1 HAVING HEALTH PROBLEMS! CALLED DEALERSHIP. YES, IS A RECALL BUT OUR VIN NUMBERS NOT ON THE LIST. WAS INFORMED MANY OF THESE MODELS ARE COMING IN FOR HEAD GASKETS TO BE REPLACED. SERVICE DEPT. SAID SUBARU IS PAYING 1/2 THE COST FOR THE VIN NUMBERS NOT ON THE LIST. SUBARU, THEREFORE, IS ACKNOWLEDGING THERE IS A PROBLEM OR THEY WOULD NOT BE PAYING 1/2 THE COST OF REPAIR. IT IS NOT FAIR THAT CERTAIN VIN NUMBERS TO THE SUBARU OUTBACKS ARE HAVING A TOTAL RECALL FOR A DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKET AND THE REST ARE RECEIVING 1/2 OF THE COST TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. OUR HEAD GASKET SHOULD BE RECALLED AND CORRECTED THE SAME AS OTHER OWNERS OF THE 2000-2002 SUBARU OUTBACKS. TOLD IT WILL COST $1350.00 TO FIX THE CAR AND 1/2 FROM SUBARU WILL MAKE THE COST $675.00. CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD GASKETS ON THESE MODELS. THIS CAR IS AFFECTING OUR ONE CHILD'S HEALTH WORSE SO WE HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. THIS SHOULD BE REPLACED TOTALLY BY SUBARU AS THEY RECALLED OUTBACK WAGONS NO MATTER WHAT THE VIN NUMBERS. THIS IS A HAZARD TO OUR SON'S HEALTH AND WE ARE NOT BEING TREATED EQUALLY WITH OTHER OWNERS OF OUTBACKS THAT HAVE HAD THEIRS REPLACED AT NO COST TO THEM. WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO ABSORB THE COST OF A PART THAT IS RECALLED ON SOME WHEN CLEARLY MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM

AFTER RETURNING FROM A OUT OF TOWN TRIP, WE GOT TO OUR CAR AND STARTED TO DRIVE AWAY AND THE ENGINE REVVED UP BUT DID NOT PROPORTIONATELY INCREASE IN SPEED. AFTER GAINING SOME SPEED THE SYMPTOMS DISAPPEARED. THREE DAYS LATER AFTER SHIFTING FROM FIFTH GEAR TO FOURTH GEAR WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL ON I-70 THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY SLIPPED OUT. THE CAR WAS UN-DRIVABLE BUT WE WERE IN THE LEFT LANE AND THERE WAS NO EMERGENCY PULL OFF ON THAT SIDE SO WE HAD TO MAKE OUR WAY ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE RIGHT EMERGENCY LANE. WITH NO POWER WE COASTED THROUGH CARS FLYING BY HONKING AT 65 MPH. LUCKILY WE MADE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNHARMED BUT QUITE A FEW CLOSE CALLS. WE SMELT THE SMELL OF A BURNT CLUTCH AND COULD NO LONGER ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION OR MOVE THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD ONLY COAST BACKWARDS. WHILE WE WERE LUCKY SOME OTHER MAY NOT. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS REFUSED TO ADMIT ANYTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR OTHER THAN A WEARABLE ITEM WEARING OUT. THIS CAR HAS 77,200 MILES ON IT AND HAS HAD THE CLUTCH REPLACED ONCE BEFORE AT 34,500 MILES UNDER TSB 03-51-02R. WE HAVE OWNED FIVE CARS WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS ALL OF WHICH WE DROVE FOR OVER 130,000 MILES AND NOT ONE HAS NEEDED OR HAD A CLUTCH REPLACED. AN EMPLOYEE AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE PARTS DEPARTMENT STATED TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE WHILE I WAS ON THE PHONE LINE THAT THE "FLYWHEEL IS MAKING THOSE GO OUT SO THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THAT TOO." *JB

JUST STARTED CAR AND PULLED UP TO STOP LIGHT AND HIT BREAK PEDAL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND THE CAR STARTED FORWARD AND I HAD TO LEAN ON THE BREAK VERY HARD TO STOP. THIS OCCURRED 2 TIMES BOTH AFTER STARTING THE CAR AFTER AT LEAST A 1 HOUR OFF TIME. I THOUGHT AT FIRST IT WAS MY FOOT ON BOTH PEDALS BUT THE SECOND TIME I STOPPED THE CAR WITH MY LEFT FOOT AND WAS NOWHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR. I CONTACTED SUBARU BUT THEY DENIED ANY PROBLEM. I PUT IF OFF UNTIL I SAW AN ARTICLE IN ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH TO LETTERS TO TOM AND RAY MAGLIOZZI THE CAR GUYS AND THE LETTER WAS FROM ANOTHER SUBARU OUTBACK OWNER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *NM