2014 Subaru Outback

The Roll Connector Harness failed, and use of the horn was disabled. It is due to the mechanical steering of the vehicle, and fails over time. As a multiple Subaru owner this has been a topic of safety with most of the owners with 2014 Subarus. Subaru changed the design/engineering of this part in 2016 due to the concern. Because they won't issue a recall, and the cost of repair is high ($400+), mainly due to the location of the part, many will not fix the issue. There is no way to warn other drivers or deer without use of the horn. This has put me in harm's way multiple times until I finally got it fixed. I have contacted my dealer who says it is one of the more common issues they see with this year and probably 2015 as well. It needs to be recalled so everyone with this problem can get their cars fixed instead of Subaru charging for a known problem and making money over safety.

my air bags didn't deploy when I hit a tree, and the seat belt gave loose. A police report was filed, and the car was evaluated by a collision center. The insurance company has not yet evaluated the vehicle. The air bag indicator light indicated the air bags were in good working order. I slid off the road in snow and hit a tree dead on and my entire front end crumpled, but my air bags didn't deploy and my seat belt was fully extended when I exited the vehicle to get into the ambulance.

The ODS in our 2014 Subaru Outback has failed, and there is a constant beeping indicating that the air bag system is not functioning properly. This was definitely an issue the last two winters, too, but with covid quarantine and illness, we were not able to address it then. The airbag warning lights and sounds persist whether the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a child (14 or 16) or adult. The dealer has diagnosed that the passenger seatbelt switch is also not working properly. Their recommended remedy is replacing the entire seat base (~$1,300). This vehicle also had a recall of the passenger side airbag inflator, which was replaced in May 2019 when our mileage was 88,000. The issue started when weather turned cold in the winter of 2019. When it is below about 45 degrees, the beeping starts, and it only ceases when the vehicle is warmed up and the engine is turned off then on again. Our temperatures here in Eastern Washington get up to 115 in summer and down to 10 in winter. We are thinking that this ODS defect may be due to a loosening of the components during the airbag service or the exact same faulty ODS component that was recalled in the Subaru Forrester recall (NHTSA campaign number 19V701). It is important to us to have a functional airbag in case of a crash.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE T-BONED THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THE CONTACT SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR FIRST DEGREE BURNS AND A CUT ON ONE SIDE OF THE FACE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, HIS VEHICLE T-BONED THE FRONT OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AS A RESULT THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH EXCESSIVE FORCE. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS PRESENT AND A REPORT WAS ISSUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

OVER THE LAST YEAR, THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO DISTINCT TAKATA AIRBAG RECALLS. I HAVE RECEIVED NOTICES FROM OUR DEALERSHIP AND FROM SUBARU CORPORATE, ATTACHED. I AM LIVING IN BOSNIA AS A US DIPLOMAT. THERE IS NOT A SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN THIS COUNTRY. I ACCOMPLISHED THE LAST RECALL, WITH SIGNIFICANT LOGISTICAL DIFFICULTY, WITH THE HELP OF THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP IN CROATIA. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CURRENT OPEN RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG (RECALL ID BTM3-EFX). DESPITE MULTIPLE EMAILS TO THE DEALER (BYER SUBARU IN ALEXANDRIA, VA) WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR AND TO MY CONTACTS IN CROATIA, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY ASSISTANCE. THE DEALERSHIP IN CROATIA WAS, SUPPOSEDLY, CONTACTING SUBARU ITALIA, BUT TO DATE, I HAVE NOT MADE ANY PROGRESS IN RESOLVING THIS RECALL. I VERY MUCH NEED GUIDANCE AS THIS IS A FAMILY CAR AND, ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICES, THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I CONTACTED SUBARU CORPORATE IN THE PAST, I WAS ADVISED THAT, BECAUSE THE CAR WAS OVERSEAS, THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE ABSOLVED OF ANY RESPONSIBILITY, A RIDICULOUS CLAIM.

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 65 MILES/HOUR ON HIGHWAY 17 NEAR APALACHIN, NY, WHEN A DEER JUMPED FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AND HIT THE FRONT OF MY CAR. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. IMMEDIATELY, THE GAS RELEASED FROM THE AIRBAGS COMPLETELY FOGGED THE WINDSHIELD REDUCING VISIBILITY ZERO, SO I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING DURING THE BRAKING PERIOD. FORTUNATELY, I ONLY SHIFTED TO THE OTHER LINE AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS AROUND. THE GAS DEPOSIT REMAINED ON THE WINDSHIELD AND I HAD TO USE A CLOTH TO CLEAN IT. IN MY OPINION, THE FOGGED WINDSHIELD RESULTING FROM THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WAS A MUCH HIGHER SAFETY HAZARD THAN THE COLLISION WITH THE DEER ITSELF. AN UNRELATED COMPLAINT IS THAT AFTER THE CAR STOPPED, THE DOORS WERE BLOCKED (WOULD NOT OPEN) FOR HALF A MINUTE OR SO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING ABOUT 35 MPH, WHEN AN ONCOMING VEHICLE LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, HIT THE GUARD RAIL AND CAUSING THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TO REAR END THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT AND TWO OF HER CHILDREN, IN THE VEHICLE, RECEIVED CUTS AND BRUISES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. ALL THREE WERE TAKEN TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V009000 (AIR BAGS)) WAS REPAIRED BY THE SHEEHY SUBARU OF SPRINGFIELD DEALER (70- 957-1623, LOCATED AT 6571 BACKLICK ROAD, SPRINGFIELD, VA 22150. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.