2006 Subaru Outback

SAME SYMPTOM HAPPENED TWICE: ONCE JUST AFTER STARTING FROM A SERVICE AREA ON THE INTERSTATE, THE SECOND ON SUBURBAN ROADS I DESCRIBE HERE. DURING A NORMAL 30 MILE SUBURBAN TRIP, AFTER ABOUT 20 MILES THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING BUT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEEMED TO HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE ENGINE SPEED OR POWER. AFTER COASTING TO A STOP AND TURNING THE ENGINE OFF FOR A MINUTE THE CAR STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, THOUGH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR A DAY OR SO. WHEN WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO INTERPRET THE CHECK ENGINE CODES; AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT THEY FOUND A P2138 CODE -- "ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR" FAILURE. THEY REPLACED THE ACCELERATOR ASSEMBLY AND THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE RUNNING CORRECTLY AGAIN. AS I UNDERSTAND IT THE ISSUE IS A FAILURE IN THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR: THERE ARE DUAL SENSORS IN THE ASSEMBLY AND IF THEIR READINGS DIFFER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS EFFECTIVELY "DISCONNECTED" AND THE DRIVER LOSES ALL POWER. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE: THE FAILURE COULD JUST AS WELL HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT HIGH SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A SAFE STOP, AND HAVING THE FIRST INDICATION OF TROUBLE BEING "LOSING ALL POWER" IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE ALSO ERRONEOUSLY DECELERATED WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. UPDATED 12/30/13*CN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

INCIDENT INITIALLY STARTED IN FEBRUARY, WENT TO ACCELERATE AFTER STARTING CAR IN THE AM, DID NOT RESPOND, CEL AND FLASHING CRUISE BUTTON CAME ON, ENGINE SEEMED TO IDLE AND WOULDN'T RESPOND TO TRYING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN. TURNED ENGINE OFF, TRIED TO TURN BACK ON, WOULD NOT START. REPEATED PROCESS WITH STARTING 2-3 TIMES UNTIL STARTED AGAIN. CEL AND FLASHING CRUISE REMAINED ON FOR A COUPLE DAYS, TOOK TO REPAIR GARAGE AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG ON THE DIAGNOSTIC RUN. THIS HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR OFF AND ON FOR THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO 2 DIFFERENT SHOPS WHO COULD NEVER FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR OR GET IT TO REPRODUCE WHEN THEY DROVE IT, AND THEN TO DEALER 2 WEEKS AGO, THEY REPLACED THROTTLE BODY AND DID A FUEL INJECTOR SERVICE. AGAIN, THIS MORNING, ACCELERATING AT 30-40 MPH IN START/STOP TRAFFIC, COULD NOT ACCELERATE AT 30 MPH, ENGINE STARTED TO REV, PULLED OVER TO SIDE, SHUT OFF ENGINE, REPEATED 2 MORE TIMES, AGAIN CEL AND FLASHING CRUISE. THESE LIGHTS ARE STILL ON BUT CAR DROVE NORMALLY. VERY FRUSTRATED AS I CANNOT GET IT TO REPRODUCE FOR SHOP OR FOR DEALERSHIP BECAUSE IT HAPPENS SO ERRATICALLY. *TR

HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE WEEK. ALL OF SUDDEN, ACCELERATOR NOT RESPONSIVE AND LOST OF POWER. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CRUISE FLASHING. AFTER TURNING ON AND OFF OR STAY OFF FOR A NIGHT, LIGHTS WENT OUT THEMSELVES. ERROR CODE P2138 ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR. CHECK SENSOR NO OBVIOUS LOOSE ON CONNECTOR. PRESS CONNECT ON AND NO ISSUE SO FAR. IT SEEMS THE CONNECTOR TOO CLOSE TO THE FLOOR AND EASY TO KICKED OR TOUCHED BY FOOT. \ CAR WAS BOUGHT IN BUFFALO WEST HERR SUBARU AND USED IN TORONTO. *TR

NO WARNING LIGHTS. NO PRECUSSORS. VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/13 W 86K ON IT. DEALER HIDES BEHIND 'AS IS' OR EXPENSIVE WARRANTY AFTER BRAGGING ABOUT 'AWARD WINNING DEALERSHIP'. FIRST OIL CHANGE AT 90896 IN 8/13= FORCED DEALER TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET-LEAKING-SMELLED OIL ON TEST DRIVE-DEALER POO-POO'D AS RECENT OIL CHANGE PRIOR TO SALE. I PAID FOR TIMING BELT. 10/13-CAR DIED PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY WITH HORRENDOUS KNOCKING SOUND. 2 QUALIFIED MECHANICS CHECKED MY CAR IN DRIVEWAY-SAW METALLIC SHEEN IN OIL, OIL DIPSTICK AT PROPER LEVEL. CAR TOWED BACK TO ABOVE 'AWARD WINNING DEALER'. SERVICE ACCUSES ME OF OVER FILLING OIL- IT WAS NEVER TOUCHED BY ANYONE OTHER THAN THEM ON 8/13, THEN TELLS ME ENGINE MUST HAVE BEEN RUN WITH NO OIL CAUSING DAMAGE.(CAR DUE NOW FOR NEXT OIL CHANGE) HAVE FORCED THEM TO RECHECK TIMING BELT FUNCTION-THEY HAVE RULED THAT OUT AND STATE MOST LIKELY A ROD OR TWO SHOT IN LOWER ENGINE. NO HELP OFFERED TO ME. POSSESSION OF CAR BY ME-LESS THAN 6 MONTHS &LESS THAN 10K MILES, PAID 11THOUSAND. TOWING IT TO A NON-DEALER DEPENDABLE LOCAL SUBARU GUY FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINE. DO NOT BUY AS IS. DO NOT BUY EXPENSIVE EXTENDED WARRANTIES. INSIST GREEDY DEALERSHIPS PUT THEIR MOUTHS WHERE THERE TROPHY SHOWCASES ARE AND MAKE IT RIGHT!!! I HAVE OWNED SUBARUS FOR OVER 2 DECADES....NO MORE IF THEIR ENGINES CONTINUE TO FAIL LEAVING LOYAL CUSTOMERS HIGH AND DRY. GOING BACK TO TOYOTA, OR MAYBE EVEN HYUNDAI! I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND I WILL NEGATIVELY SPEAK LOUD AND OFTEN ABOUT THIS DEALER TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHETHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY SO ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN HEAR. NOW OFF TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO DISSEMINATE MY TREATMENT THERE AS WELL. *TR

FOUR TIMES IN ONE MONTH PRIOR THE ABOVE DATE, THIS VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING IN TRAFFIC. IT WOULD NOT RESTART. MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF GEAR AND PUT INTO PARK!! IN ADDITION, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO PROPERLY KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING IN TRAFFIC. THE MOST RECENT TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE DRIVER WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ON A HILL AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AGAIN DID NOT PROPERLY HOLD THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER HAD TO OPEN HER DOOR, EXIT THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO PHYSICALLY STOP IT FROM ROLLING DOWNHILL IN TRAFFIC AND WAS NEARLY RAN OVER BY A PASSING SEMI TRAILER TRUCK. THIS IS A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE, OFTEN THROUGH THE DEALER IT WAS PURCHASED FROM. DURING THIS TIME, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWICE TO THE DEALER. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING CAUSED BY ELECTRONIC COMPUTER PARTS MALFUNCTION. AFTER THESE EXPENSIVE AND POSSIBLY UNNECESSARY REPAIRS THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STOP FOR NO REASON IN TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT RESTART. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE TAKEN OUT OF GEAR AND PUT INTO PARK!! I KNOW OF NO OTHER VEHICLE WHERE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED. AFTER THE LATEST BREAKDOWN, UPON INSPECTION, THE DEALER LOCATED A SECTION OF WIRE LOOM THAT HAD WORN BARE AND POSSIBLY HAD CAUSED A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THIS WORN SPOT IN THE WIRE LOOM MAY HAVE TRIPPED UP THE LOGIC IN THE VEHICLE COMPUTER AND BEEN THE REASON THE DRIVER COULD NOT PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AFTER BREAKING DOWN IN TRAFFIC. IF THIS ELECTRICAL WIRE LOOM CAUSED THIS "MALFUNCTION", IT WOULD PUT ANYONE IN THIS VEHICLE IN A POSITION WHERE THERE IS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY, OR DEATH. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO BY YOUR DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN TO SOMEONE ELSE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 70MPH IN THE FAST LANE DOWN THE HIGHWAY I TURNED CRUISE CONTROL ON. AS SOON AS THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED ALL THROTTLE WAS LOST. WHILE IN MOTION I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL THEN BACK INTO DRIVE AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR WAS DECELERATING SO I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE SAFELY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND THEN BACK ON. THE ACCELERATION CAPABILITY RETURNED BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC TO READ THE CODE WHICH CAME BACK AS THE THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DEFECT AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY SUBARU AMERICA. *TR

I WAS ACCELERATING TO GET ON THE FREEWAY ENTRANCE IN MY SUBARU OUTBACK (WITH MY WIFE AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN) WHEN I NOTICE A COMPLETE LOSS IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE CAR WAS JUST BARELY MOVING DUE TO THE ENGINE IDLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE AT THAT PACE TO A PARKING LOT TO CHECK MY OPTIONS. I HAD NOT NOTED, UNTIL NOW, THAT THIS CAR HAS NO THROTTLE CABLE AND IS COMPLETELY DRIVE-BY-WIRE. I LOOKED AT THE CONNECTION OF WIRE HARNESS TO THE PEDAL ASSEMBLY AND DID NOT SEE ANY RED FLAGS - NO CORROSION, ETC. IT APPEARED TO BE IN GOOD SHAPE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF, WAITED ABOUT 30 SEC, AND RESTARTED IT. IT THEN GOT US HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME TONIGHT, I RAN MY OBD DIAGNOSTIC TOOL AND GOT A P2138 ERROR CODE. THIS IS LISTED AS "THROTTLE/PEDAL POSITION SENSOR/SWITCH "D"/"E" VOLTAGE CORRELATION" TROUBLE CODE DESCRIPTION. I AM GOING TO CHECK INTO MY OPTIONS TOMORROW, BUT FELT THIS WAS WORTH REPORTING SINCE IT APPEARS THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. THERE IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN WITH A FAILURE OF THIS NATURE AS I WAS TRAVELING AT A GOOD RATE AND IN TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, EVERYONE IS OK - BUT MY WIFE AND I WORRY WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. THANKS. *TR