2006 Subaru Outback

I SEE THE SAME COMPLAINT SEVERAL TIMES ON THIS SITE. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST INSTANCE FOR US EITHER, IT HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WITH ONLY 17,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN CHECKED BY BOTH SUBARU AND PRIVATE REPAIR SHOPS SEVERAL TIMES. THE CAR WONDERS / GHOST WALKS / SWERVES UNEXPECTEDLY ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS, YOU DROP REAL FAST FROM 65 TO 40 - 45 MPH OR YOU FEEL AS THOUGH YOU WILL GO OUT OF CONTROL OFF THE ROAD, INTERMITTENT SLIPPERY CONDITIONS ARE THE WORST. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ALIGNMENTS DONE - 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT PERHAPS HELPS ONLY SLIGHTLY. WE HAVE HAD NEW TIRES ETC. WE ARE TIRED OF BEING TOLD THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, ITS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN, PROBABLY HAS. WHERE OTHERWISE IN GOOD SHAPE IT IS A CAR THAT WE CANNOT EVEN TRANSFER TO OUR CHILDREN. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH IN MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN I BRAKE FOR SLOWING TRAFFIC, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND IT APPEARED THAT THE CAR'S ENGINE WENT INTO IDLE MODE. I WAS LOSING SPEED AND PULLED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I SHUT OFF MY ENGINE AND A FEW MINUTES LATER I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL SEEMED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY, ALTHOUGH THE TWO WARNING LIGHTS WERE STILL ILLUMINATED. THE NEXT DAY I STARTED THE CAR A COUPLE OF TIMES, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FUNCTIONED NORMALLY AND BOTH WARNING LIGHTS WERE NO LONGER LIT. MY CODE READER FOUND AN ERROR CODE OF P2138, (UNRECOGNIZED CODE), THE CAR OPERATED NORMALLY UNTIL 12/18/2012. THIS IDENTICAL PROBLEM RECURRED AND I AGAIN READ THE ERROR CODE AS P2138. THIS IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. ALTHOUGH BOTH TIMES THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, I WAS ON A ROAD WITH VERY FEW CARS AND HAD NO DIFFICULTY GETTING SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DANGEROUS IF I WAS AT FREEWAY SPEED WITH TRAFFIC AROUND ME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER. ELECTRIC WAS STILL ON. GAS PEDAL DID NOT WORK. CEL AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS BOTH BLINKING. WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN 15 MPH ON FLAT ROAD, AND BARLEY ANY SPEED ON INCLINE. GOT OFF HIGHWAY NEAR HOME AND SHUT OF ENGINE. WAITED AND TRIED TO START BACK UP. 30 SECONDS OF CRANKING, AND NOTHING. WAITED ANOTHER MINUTE AND IT STARTED. GOT HOME AND PULLED A P2138 CODE. PULLED WIRING HARNESS OFF GAS PEDAL AND RESEATED IT. RESET THE CEL AND EVERYTHING HAS BEEN FINE SINCE. SCARY SITUATION, ESPECIALLY AT 65MPH DURING THANKSGIVING EVE RUSH-HOUR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STOPPED RESPONDING. I COULDN'T ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN SPEED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS NOW ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I PULLED OVER AND THE IDLE WAS AT 2,000 RPMS AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS STILL NOT RESPONDING. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, THE ACCELERATOR WAS WORKING BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT WAS FLASHING. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CRUISE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING. THE GAS PEDAL WAS NON FUNCTIONING. SHE WAS ABLE TO COST TO A SAFE PLACE. WHEN I ARRIVED THE CAR WAS RUNNING. THE GAS PEDAL WAS UNRESPONSIVE. I SHUT THE CAR OFF AND TOOK HER TO WORK. AN HOUR LATER I RETURNED TO THE CAR AND TRIED TO START IT. IT TOOK SEVERAL SECONDS TO START, BUT DID. THE GAS PEDAL WORKED. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON STEADY AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS FLASHING. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR HOME. TODAY 10/20/12 THE CAR HAS NO SYMPTOMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SCARY AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE BUSIEST STREET IN MONTANA DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NO. 1 PISTON DEFECTIVE ENGINE REPLACED COVERED BY WARRANTY. 2ND ENGINE & TURBO FAILURE AT 94,591 MILES NOV 10 2010 NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY WE PAID $5005.00 IN REPAIR BILLS THERE WAS COOLANT, OIL, & OTHER FLUID LOSS & A LOT OF SMOKE. THE 3RD ENGINE & TURBO FAILURE AUGUST 2012 DIAGNOSIS BY INTERNATIONAL AUTO/SUBARU SHOWED NO.1 PISTON CAME LOOSE ALSO THERE WAS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IN ALL 3 INCIDENTS WE WERE TOLD $9000.00 TO START WE SAID NO HAD IT TOWED TO OUR DRIVEWAY WHERE IT SITS NOW IT HAS 136,000 MILES ON IT. ALSO THERE WAS AN OIL PUMP FAILURE 121,115 MILES $495.00 11/22/2011. ALSO $853.87 TO REPAIR A SERIOUS OIL LEAK AT 96,650 MILES 11/26/2010,FRONT & REAR CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS REPLACED SPLIT 96,647 MILES $482.33 ,RIGHT & LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILURE REPLACED 118,072 MILES 10/12/2011 $897.49. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DECELERATED DESPITE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BEING DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,052 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 45,078.

I TOOK MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND TIRE ROTATION. WAS TOLD THAT MY LEFT OUTER CV BOOT WAS TORN. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHO VERIFIED THE PROBLEM AND WAS GIVEN A PRICE TO REPAIR, WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD. SINCE THE CAR ONLY HAD APPROX. 55,000 MILES, AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD JUST LAPSED, I CONTACTED SUBARU AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR HALF OF THE COST OF THE REPAIRS IF THEY WERE MADE AT A SUBARU AUTHORIZED MECHANIC, I.E. DEALERSHIP. THE COST MY MECHANIC OF CHOICE QUOTED WAS LESS THAN HALF OF THE DEALERSHIP FEE, SO I DECLINED THE OFFER FROM SUBARU. JULY 2012, 60,000 MILES, TOOK CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICING AGAIN AND WAS TOLD THE RIGHT INNER CV BOOT IS TORN AND THE LEFT REAR STRUT IS LEAKING. I CANNOT AFFORD THESE REPAIRS AND HAVE DONE RESEARCH TO FIND OUT THAT CV BOOT TEARS ARE QUITE COMMON IN SUBARU'S. THEY WILL NOT COVER THE COST OF REPAIR OR DO A RECALL EVEN THOUGH SINCE MY EXPERIENCES, I HAVE TALKED TO MANY SUBARU OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD CV BOOT ISSUES. AS IT STANDS NOW, I DO NOT FEEL THE CAR IS SAFE TO DRIVE, SO IT SITS IN THE GARAGE WHILE MY FRIENDS PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION. I PAID MORE THAN $20,000 TO BUY A CAR THAT SITS IN THE GARAGE. *TR

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

I WAS DRIVING ON HWY 287 FROM CASPER BACK TO LARAMIE, WY AT AROUND 40 MPH, WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE SPEED LIMIT OF 65 MPH, THE CAR STARTED FISHTAILING BY ITSELF SUDDENLY AND SPAN 360 TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, THERE'S BLACK ICE ON THE ROAD BUT OVERALL CONDITION WAS GOOD. THE REASON WHY I DROVE MUCH SLOWER THAN OTHER CARS (FWD CARS) WAS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE WITH THE SUBARU, IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS 'FLOATING' ON THE ROAD, THE REAR END TENDS TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT ALL BY ITSELF, WITHOUT ANY HARD BRAKING, FAST STEERING, OR SUDDEN PUSHING ON THE THROTTLE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED LAST YEAR WITH ABOUT 84K MILES ON IT, IT CAME WITH A SET OF SNOW TIRES, I HAD THIS PROBLEM ONCE WHILE THE CAR SKIDDED AND SPAN 360 ON THE INTERSTATE AT 45 MPH ( I WAS MUCH SLOWER THAN MOST OF THE CARS ON THE HIGHWAY), I CHANGED THE TIRED AND HAD IT RE-ALIGNED AFTER THE WINTER, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN THIS WINTER, ALL PARTS ON THE SUSPENSION ARE FROM STOCK, NO AFTERMARKET PARTS WERE EVER ADDED TO THE CAR EXCEPT FOR THE TIRES, SO I THINK THERE MAY BE SOME ISSUES WITH THE SUSPENSION DESIGN OF MY CAR THAT'S BEEN THERE FROM THE FACTORY. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND THE TERM 'GHOSTWALKING', IT APPEARS TO BE PRETTY COMMON ON OUTBACK FROM 05 TO 09, I WONDER IF SUBARU HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THIS ISSUE AND HOW CAN I GET THIS FIXED. *TR