2006 Subaru Outback

I OWN A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5 WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. THIS VEHICLE IS AN EARLY WARNING INDICATOR FOR BLACK ICE ON THE ROAD SURFACE. THE OUTBACK VEHICLE HAS A STABILITY CONTROL PROBLEM IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS. WHILE DRIVING AT CONSTANT SPEED (CONSTANT AND LOW THROTTLE POSITION) ON A FLAT ROAD, THE BACK END OF THE VEHICLE TENDS TO OSCILLATE FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN ICY CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE FEELS LIKE IT IS GOING TO SPIN OUT, ALTHOUGH THAT HASN'T HAPPENED TO ME YET. OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD AT THE SAME TIME SEEM TO HAVE ADEQUATE TRACTION (2WD, AWD, 4WD). THE PROBLEM IS NOT TRACTION WHILE: 1) CORNERING UNDER SLIPPERY CONDITIONS, 2) HARD ACCELERATION ON ICE, OR 3) BRAKING ON ICE. ROAD CONDITIONS THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE OSCILLATION ON ARE VERY THIN ICE (BLACK ICE). I SUSPECT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION DESIGN ON MY OUTBACK. THE PROBLEM IS MORE PREVALENT AND PRONOUNCED WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS OCCUPANTS IN THE REAR SEATS. THE STABILITY OF THIS VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE MARGINAL AND IT ONLY TAKES CERTAIN CONDITIONS (ROAD AND VEHICLE PARAMETERS) TO BE ON THE EDGE OF DISASTER. SUBARU RELEASED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN 05-36-07 WHICH ELIMINATED THE POSITIVE SIDE OF THE ORIGINAL TOE TOLERANCE FOR REAR TIRE ALIGNMENT. I THINK THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES LARGE REAR TIRE TOE IN WHEN WEIGHT IS ADDED. I SUSPECT THIS LARGE REAR TIRE TOE IN WHEN WEIGHT IS ADDED CONTRIBUTES TO THE STABILITY PROBLEM IN ICY CONDITIONS I HAVE BRAND NEW (JAN 2010) HANKOOK IPIKE W409 STUDLESS WINTER TIRES. ITS NOT THE TIRES. THOSE WHO HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS SITUATION NATURALLY RESPOND BY SAYING IT IS ICE, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTING, JUST SLOW DOWN. I HAVE LIVED IN COLORADO SINCE 1981 AND CONSIDER MYSELF A COMPETENT DRIVER IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. PLEASE RESPOND AS I WOULD LIKE TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED IF POSSIBLE...THE CAR JUST TURNED 50,000 MILES.

AFTER SLOWING TO A NEAR STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY EXIT RAMP, MY CAR SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING, DIED AND I LOST ALL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING ENGINE AND POWER STEERING. ALL I WAS ABLE TO DO WAS DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SUBARU INITIALLY BELIEVED THAT THE ECM HAD FAILED. AFTER REPLACING THE ECM, IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. SUBARU ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HOUSING HAD MELTED AGAINST THE COOLANT CROSSOVER PIPE, EXPOSING WIRING WHICH WAS THEN SHORTING OUT. SUBARU COULD GIVE ME NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THE WIRING HARNESS WAS INSTALLED AGAINST A HOT COMPONENT OF MY ENGINE SUCH THAT IT WOULD MELT. HAD THIS HAPPENED 1 MINUTE EARLIER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON INTERSTATE 95 DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WITH A DEAD CAR. GIVEN THE SUDDENNESS WITH WHICH MY CAR DIED, IT IS LIKELY I WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DISPUTE INVOLVING THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TURBO IN VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPAIR THE TURBO WAS $ 6,508. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE MACHINED SURFACES AND BEARINGS IN THE ENGINE WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TURBO WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB

WHEN DRIVING ON POOR TRACTION ROADS (ICE OR COMPACTED SNOW), THE REAR OF THE CAR IS VERY UNSTABLE AND SHIFTS LEFT TO RIGHT BY AS MUCH AS 2-3 FEET - WHILE GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE, STRAIGHT ROAD - MAINTAINING A CONSTANT SPEED (NO ACCELERATION OR BRAKING). THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, OVER A 3400 MILE ROAD TRIP THIS WINTER - SOMETIMES LASTING FOR HOURS, MAKING FOR VERY DIFFICULT AND UNSAFE DRIVING, ALMOST GOING OUT OF CONTROL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS - EVEN AT VERY SLOW SPEEDS (20-30 MPH)! THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR, BUT A LOT OF LUGGAGE - PROBABLY EXCEEDING 400 LBS OF WEIGHT IN THE REAR, BUT NOTHING EXCESSIVE, AND WELL WITHIN THE SPECIFIED LIMITS FOR THIS CAR. I HAD MY ALIGNMENT ADJUSTED 3 MONTHS AGO TO FACTORY SPECS. IT HOWEVER APPEARS THAT WHEN THE CAR HAS ANY WEIGHT IN THE REAR, THE TOE-IN ADJUSTMENT CHANGES SIGNIFICANTLY TO CAUSE "REAR STEERING" WHICH LEADS TO THE UNSTABLE BEHAVIOR ON SLIPPERY ROADS, AND UNEVEN WEAR OF TIRES (THAT I HAVE ALSO NOTICED). THERE APPEARS TO BE NO WAY TO KEEP THE ALIGNMENT STABLE - DIFFERENT LOADS SHOULD NOT AFFECT THE GEOMETRY IN THIS WAY. I REALLY HOPE SUBARU CAN HELP US SOLVE THIS PROBLEM, IT IS VERY UNSAFE AND THIS CAR IS ADVERTISED AS AN AWD SNOW VEHICLE! I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.

I HAVE A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT MORE THAN ABOUT 40' IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT ON HIGHWAY 108 BETWEEN SONORA AND JAMESTOWN, CALIFORNIA. THERE WAS A PEDESTRIAN WALKING ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE HIM UNTIL I WAS LESS THAN 40' AWAY. THERE WAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR HITTING THE PEDESTRIAN, LUCKILY HE WAS OFF THE ROAD. THIS IS JUST ONE INCIDENT WHERE I FELT MY HEADLIGHTS FAIL. ANY TIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT, I HAVE LIMITED VISIBILITY TO THE FRONT OF ME, WHICH MEANS I CANNOT SEE POTHOLES OR ANIMALS IN THE ROAD. ALL OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE DRIVEN OR RIDDEN IN MY CAR AT NIGHT ARE SHOCKED BY THE LACK OF VISIBILITY WITH THE LOW-BEAMS. AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, I DRIVE WITH MY HIGH-BEAMS ON AT NIGHT, BUT OFTEN THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO OTHER TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. THE LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT ADJUSTABLE BY ANY MECHANIC, THE PROBLEM IS NOT ALLEVIATED BY INSTALLING BRIGHTER BULBS, AND THIS VISIBILITY ISSUE HAS BEEN REPORTED IN MANY COMPLAINTS. PLEASE SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM IN 2005, 2006 SUBARU MODELS. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD, AND SUBARU SHOULD BE FORCED TO MANUFACTURE REPLACEMENT LOW BEAM HOUSINGS TO RECTIFY THE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF MOMENTARILY AND THE FAILURE WOULD RESET ITSELF UNTIL RECURRING WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN WHICH A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ACCELERATOR HAD FAILED. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS REPLACED YET THE FAILURE RECURRED. A SECOND DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED WHICH ALSO INDICATED A FAILURE WITHIN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FURTHER. UPDATED 02/23/11 *BF UPDATED 04/28/11

2006 SUBARU IS UNSAFE ON SLIPPERY ROADS. THE CAR HAS A TENDENCY TO "STEER" FROM THE REAR. IT MAY BE SOMETHING WITH THE CENTER DIFFERENTIAL THAT CAUSES MORE POWER TO THE REAR AND THUS MAKES THE REAR WANT TO FISHTAIL OUT WHILE DRIVING SLOW IN A STRAIGHT LINE. IT IS BY FAR THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN ON ICE. EVEN WITH SNOW TIRES. AND I HAD A RWD COUGAR WITH BAD TIRES WHEN I WAS YOUNG. *TR

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK AUTO TRANS. ON MANY OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE'S REAR-END SIDE-STEPS, FISHTAILS OR OSCILLATES ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN DESCRIBED AS "GHOST-WALKING" WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE AWD SYSTEM IN THE REAR IS OVER COMPENSATING, LEADING TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE BEHAVIOR SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THE 40-60MPH RANGE. YOU MUST SLOW DOWN TO UNSAFE SPEEDS, EVEN FOR THE WEATHER, TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. OTHER NON-AWD VEHICLES DRIVING ON THE SAME ROADS ARE NOT HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SAFE CONTROL AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT IS FRIGHTENING WHEN OTHER 2WD CARS AND TRUCKS ARE PASSING YOU GOING 20MPH FASTER AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR CAR ON THE ROAD OR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON STRAIGHT FLAT ROADS WITHOUT BRAKING, ACCELERATING OR TURNING WITH FAIRLY NEW ALL SEASON TIRES - NO MORE THAN 15,000 MILES ON THEM (REGULARLY ROTATED).