2006 Subaru Outback

I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED I ATTEMPTED TO GIVE THE CAR GAS TO BEGIN MOVING AND THERE WAS NO POWER IN THE PEDAL. ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE ON AND THE RADIO WAS PLAYING. I HAD SOME POWER AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE OUT OF THE FLOW OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I PARKED BUT DID NOT TURN THE CAR OFF. I TURNED ON MY HAZARDS AND TRIED THE PEDAL AGAIN. NOTHING! I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. AT THIS POINT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. I ATTEMPTED AND THIS TIME THERE WAS POWER IN THE PEDAL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT IS FLASHING. I HAVE DROPPED THE CAR OFF AT MY MECHANIC. THIS WAS SCARY WITH TRAFFIC BEARING DOWN ON ME AT RUSH HOUR AND NO WHERE TO GO INITIALLY. I AM JUST VERY THANKFUL I WAS NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN THIS OCCURRED. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON A 3-LANE HIGHWAY AT THE POSTED MILEAGE (60 MPH). SIMULTANEOUSLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAS PEDAL LOST ALL POWER. THE CRUISE LIGHT WAS ALSO FLASHING. I TRIED FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AND THE SPEED RAPIDLY DECREASED TO LESS THAN 20 MPH. THIS HAPPENED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AND NO TIME TO GET OFF A BUSY THOROUGHFARE. THIS OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 3:00 PM, SO FORTUNATELY THE TRAFFIC WAS NOT EXTREMELY HEAVY. I WAS ABLE TO CUT ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC THAT WAS GOING 60 MPH +, EXIT ON AN OFF-RAMP, AND GET TO A SAFE LOCATION TO CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THE OUTCOME WAS CODE P2138 (ACCELERATOR SENSOR). THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $340. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2006, AND HAVE KEPT IT WELL MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP PER THEIR SERVICE SCHEDULE. HOWEVER, UNTIL THIS PROBLEM OCCURS, THERE?S NO DOUBT IT WOULD HAVE EVER BEEN CAUGHT BY THE DEALER TO REPAIR. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY TO ME AND OTHER DRIVERS. IF IT HAD BEEN AT ANOTHER TIME, I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR-ENDED BY DRIVERS GOING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. *TR

P2138 CODE - THROTTLE ISSUE --- TODAY AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, LUCKILY ON A SIDE STREET,WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN TO BLINK. THEN I LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE WHILE IT WAS STILL RUNNING. I NORMALLY TAKE THE HIGHWAY TO WORK BUT THIS DAY THERE WAS SNOW AND ICE SO I DECIDED TO TAKE THE SIDE STREETS INSTEAD. I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL WITH NO RESPONSE. I COASTED TO A SIDE STREET AND TURNED IN WITH NO INCIDENT, THANK GOD. I WAS NEAR A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND I ASKED FOR THEIR HELP BUT THEY SAID THEY DID NOT WORK ON SUBARU. I WAS JUST ABOUT TO CALL AAA WHEN I THOUGHT TO RESTART THE CAR TO SEE IF IT WOULD GO SO I COULD TAKE IT SOMEWHERE ELSE. I GAVE IT GAS AND IT WENT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CRUISE CONTROL WAS STILL ON. I DROVE SLOWLY TO ANOTHER SERVICE PLACE AND THEY FOUND THE CODE P2138 AND SAID I COULD DRIVE IT BUT TO GET IT TO A DEALERSHIP AS SOON AS I COULD. THE SUBARU DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT LOCATED IN MY TOWN AND TAKES 20-30 BY HIGHWAY TO GET TO ONE OF THEM. I AM VERY UNSURE OF DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY NOW AND HAVE THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. I DRIVE THE HIGHWAYS A LOT IN ORDER TO FIT MY DAILY SCHEDULE. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR ME TO SEE ELDERLY MOTHER WHO LIVES 30 MINUTES AWAY BY HIGHWAY. I LOVE MY SUBARU EVEN AFTER HAVING HAD THE TYPICAL 2006 PROBLEMS LIKE HEAD GASKET LEAK AND SUCH WHICH I CONSIDER ACCEPTABLE FOR THE MILEAGE I HAVE ON HER. I HAD PLANNED ON GETTING ANOTHER SUBARU IN THE FUTURE BUT NOT HAVING POWER IS EXTREMELY SCARY AND WILL MAKE ME SHOP ELSEWHERE IF THIS IS TYPICAL. *TR UPDATED 4/21/16 *JS

VEHICLE IS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK SEDAN 'LL BEAN EDITION. UPON TRAVELING TO WORK AT 5:30AM, GOING UP HILL AT 40 MPG, THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING BUT THE ENGINE WAS AT HIGH RPM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON STEADY WITH CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHING. HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, PUT ON HAZARD LIGHTS AS THIS WAS A DARK ROAD. TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY TWICE TO GET THE CAR TO START. ON THE THIRD TRY IT STARTED AND PEDAL DID WORK BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON WITH THE CRUISE LIGHT FLASHING. DROVE SLOWLY TO WORK WHICH WAS A MILE AWAY AND THE SAFEST PLACE TO PARK THE CAR. UPON GETTING IT TO MY GARAGE LATER THAT DAY THEY SCANNED THE CODES FROM THE COMPUTER AND IT SHOWED A P2138-THROTTLE /PEDAL POSITIONING SENSOR. HAD TO GET THE COMPLETE GAS PEDAL WITH SENSOR FROM A AUTHORIZED SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND REPLACE IT. WAS FORTUNATE I WAS NOT IN TRAFFIC OR A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! *JS

WHILE TRAVELING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD, MY 2006 OUTBACK SEDAN LOST ACCELERATION CONTROL AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE IN WHICH IT WAS ONLY IDLING AND HAD NO CONTROL FROM ACCELERATOR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN BLINKING. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF FROM DRIVE, MOVED THE SHIFTER TO PARK AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER A MINUTE OR SO. IT STARTED UP FINE BUT SEEMS TO BE IDLING LOW, SPUTTERING AND HESITATING A LITTLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN REVERSING SLOWLY OR PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR VERY LIGHTLY FROM IDLE. A MECHANIC NEARBY SAID THE PROBLEM CODE WAS READING "BAD THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR." I BELIEVE THE ERROR CODE WAS P2138. UPON RESEARCHING THE ISSUE AND AS OTHERS HAVE SUGGESTED, THIS IS SUPPOSEDLY A COMMON PROBLEM YET NO REAL REASON FOR THE FAILURE CAN BE IDENTIFIED. SOME HAVE SAID THAT REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY WHICH INCLUDES THE AFOREMENTIONED SENSOR HELPED THE SITUATION. OTHER SAID THAT REPLACING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR HAS HELPED. IN A FEW CASES WITH BOTH REPAIRS, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. I AM BRINGING MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO READ THE HISTORY OF FAILURE CODES AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. A NOTE TO FELLOW COMPLAINANTS OUT THERE, PLEASE UPDATE YOUR POST IF YOU HAD A REPAIR DONE WHICH SOLVED THE PROBLEM AND HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN SINCE AN RECURRENCE IF ANY SINCE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, IT REALLY WOULD HELP THE REST OF US OUT THERE WHO DON'T WANT TO LET THE DEALERSHIPS SCRATCH THEIR HEADS AND CHARGE US FOR UNNECESSARY REPAIRS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO IDLE NORMALLY, BUT DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR HAD NO AFFECT ON THE ENGINE. SEARCHING FORUMS RETURNS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON AND DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE THROTTLE OF THESE VEHICLES. HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AS OPPOSED TO A 30MPH RESIDENTIAL STREET, IT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. SHE WAS DRIVING IN WINTER CONDITIONS. SHE WAS DRIVING THE 2 MILE BRIDGE TO OUR HOME WHEN THE ACCELERATION SUDDENLY FAILED AND THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY SLOWED FROM 55 MPH TO 35 MPH. THE ROADS HAD SNOW AND ICE ON THEM. THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER CLOSED IN ON THE REAR OF OUR SUBARU AND BEGAN HONKING AND FLASHING ITS LIGHTS. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IN OUR CAR CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL FLASHED. SHE WAS SCARED BY THE MISFUNCTION. THE CAR REVVED UP ABOVE 4000 RPMS WHEN SHE PUT IT INTO PARK. SHE SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND I CHECKED AND FOUND AN ERROR CODE. P2138. THE ACCELERATOR HAS 2 CIRCUITS THAT RELAY THE DESIRED SPEED TO THE CAR'S COMPUTER. WHEN THE CIRCUITS DON'T MATCH THE COMPUTER CUTS THE SPEED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I THINK THAT THE ENGINEERING BEHIND THIS SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE RE THOUGHT SO THAT THIS DOESN'T OCCUR. I READ OTHER REPORTS ONLINE OF PEOPLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHO HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS. *TR

WHILE COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT. WHEN I STARTED UP THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. MY CAR STARTED TO ROLL AND GOT UP TO 10 MPH ( THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 45 MPH). THE RPM GAUGE STAYED AT 2000 RPMS. I PULLED ON TO A SIDE STREET WITH MY FLASHERS ON AND PARKED. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND STARTED IT. STILL NO RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF A SECOND TIME. THIS TIME THE ENGINE DIDN'T START. I TRIED AGAIN AND IT TAKE A LONG TIME (10 SECONDS) BUT IT FINALLY STARTED. NOW THE GAS PEDAL RESPONDED. I DRIVE MY CAR HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE CRUISE STILL FLASHED. I WENT TO AUTO ZONE WHERE THEY SAID THE CODE WAS P2138. THANK GOODNESS THE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND I WAS ABLE TO FIND A SIDE STREET. *TR UPDATED 12/21/15 *JS

SLOWING AT INTERSECTION TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN WHEN CHECK-ENGINE-LIGHT CAME ON. CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STARTED FLASHING (VEHICLE WAS NOT IN CRUISE CONTROL AT THE TIME) ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE (COULD GET NO ACCELERATION OUT OF THE CAR WHEN PRESSING THE PEDAL) AND WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET THROUGH INTERSECTION TO TURN. AFTER A MINUTE OR SO WAS ABLE TO GET ENOUGH POWER TO RUN AT ABOUT 10MPH TOPS WITH HAZARDS ON TO GET A LOCATION WHERE I COULD PULL OVER OUT OF TRAFFIC. CAR WOULD NOT START IMMEDIATELY AFTER (THREE CRANKS WITH NO RESPONSE) AFTER A FEW MINUTES, THOUGH, IT RESTARTED AND SEEMED TO OPERATE NORMALLY, NO PROBLEMS WITH SPEED. DIAGNOSTIC CODE WAS P2138 (THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH "A"/"B" VOLTAGE CORRELATION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND I IMMEDIATELY HAD NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. THANKFULLY IT WAS 10:30PM AND THERE WAS A LOWER VOLUME OF TRAFFIC. I COASTED OFF TO THE SHOULDER. TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, RESTARTED, AND STILL NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. TURNED OFF AGAIN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THIS TIME THERE WAS THROTTLE RESPONSE, BUT CEL WAS STILL ON. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CEL LIGHT WAS OFF AND VEHICLE RUNNING FINE. NOW, A WEEK LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION TO ALL OF A SUDDEN HAVE NO POWER WHILE DRIVING. ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS TRAFFIC AROUND. THE FEAR IS BEING RUN INTO FROM BEHIND, OR BEING STUCK ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND BECOME PREY FOR THE UNSAVORY. THIS SITUATION NEEDS TO BE REMEDIED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *TR