2014 Subaru Outback

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/30/2021· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTSCrash

  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.

• 12/28/2019· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WINDSHIELD CRACKED IN AN ARC PATTERN STARTING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE RESULTING IN A PERFECT SYMMETRICAL PATTERN. IT WAS AROUND 10 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE VEHICLES DEFROST AND HEAT WERE ON HIGH. NO OBJECT HIT WINDSHIELD BEFORE CRACK FORMED. VERY LOUD CRACKING NOISE AND SLOW FROM LEFT TO RIGHT FORMATION. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT WHAT CAUSED CRACK AND THEY SAID "MUST HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A ROCK". AT THAT TIME THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A CHIP IN WINDSHIELD, JUST THE CRACK. LATER IN THE YEAR I AGAIN WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN ABOUT CRACKS HAPPENING IN THIS LOCATION ON THE WINDSHIELD AND WHILE USING DEFROSTER. THEIR RESPONSE WAS NOT OCCURRING WITH 2014 OUTBACKS. IN JUNE I WENT TO LOU FUSZ DEALERSHIP TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM. BY NOW MORE THAN 6 MONTHS SINCE OCCURRENCE, THERE ARE ROCK CHIPS IN WINDSHIELD THEREFORE THEY SAID CAUSED BY ROCK. I FIRMLY BELIEVE THIS HAPPENED DUE TO THE DEFROST MECHANISM LOCATION AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE WINDSHIELD GLASS.

• 12/28/2015· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  I NEED TO PURSUE A CRITICAL PROBLEM THAT THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO RE-CREATE/SOLVE. APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN TIMES(10 BY MY WIFE AND 3 BY ME), WE'VE TURNED LEFT FROM A STOP(TYPICALLY AT A RED-LIGHT) ONLY FOR THE CAR TO STALL FROM 3 TO 6 SECONDS. THE 3 TIMES I WAS DRIVING, MY WIFE AND A GRANDCHILD WERE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NARROWLY MISSED A DIRECT SIDE IMPACT. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, WE DON'T DRIVE WITH OUR LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND WE ESTIMATE IT TO OCCUR ONCE OUT OF EVERY 60 TO 75 LEFT TURNS AND WHILE I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DEALER STATING THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE RE-CREATED AND THE COMPUTER ANALYSIS SHOWING NO PROBLEMS THUS MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SOLVE, WHAT I WILL NOT UNDERSTAND IS WHEN ONE OF MY FAMILY MEMBERS ARE CRITICALLY INJURED BECAUSE "WE CAN'T RECREATE THE PROBLEM". YOU'RE PROMPT ATTENTION ON THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED AS WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM 3 TIMES(THE CAR IS AT THE DEALER NOW AND AGAIN NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND).

• 12/27/2014· ENGINE

  BRAND NEW CAR AND ENGINE BURNING OIL ISSUE: SUBARU OF GEORGETOWN, TX, DEALER TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT HAVE TO CHANGE THE OIL UNTIL I REACHED 7500 MILES ON MY BRAND NEW 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. AT 4900 MILES, OIL PRESSURE AND LOW OIL LIGHTS CAME ON BRIEFLY, THEN TURNED OFF 30 MILES LATER. I DIDN'T CHECK THE LEVEL SINCE THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. THEN 50 MILES LATER, BOTH TURNED ON AGAIN. I CHECKED THE DIPSTICK, AND THERE WAS APPROX. 1MM OF OIL REGISTERING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE DIPSTICK. THE SUBARU OF BATON ROUGE, LA DEALER TOLD ME THIS WAS NORMAL AND CHANGED THE OIL AT 5400 MILES. *TR

• 12/25/2022· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  I noticed when driving that my horn had stopped working. I am unsure if this is related to the airbag replacement or some other issue. The concern is that most people do not check their horns for functionality before it is really needed. I was able to get it repaired at a cost of 529.58

• 12/20/2016· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

  AIRBAG ALARM SETOFF AND BLINKING WHETHER SOMEONE OCCUPIES THE PASSENGER SEAT OR NOT. CAN NOT TURN THE ALARM OFF

• 12/17/2015· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  PERIODICALLY THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE FOR 3-5 SECONDS FROM A STANDING STOP WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED . THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN SEVERAL SUBARU USER GROUPS ON THE INTERNET. WHEN PULLING INTO BUSY TRAFFIC THIS PROBLEM IS TERRIFYING. THE CAR WILL JUST NOT ACCELERATE. THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND, AS EXPECTED, HE COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. WE TOLD THE DEALER THAT THE PROBLEM MAY ONLY OCCUR ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK, AND THAT HE WOULD NOT EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM WITH A TEST DRIVE. THE DEALER SAID THAT SUBARU BUILT IN A "SAFETY SYSTEM" THAT MAY CAUSE THIS IF ONE WAS DRIVING WITH TWO FEET. IN OTHER WORDS IF I HAD ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND ONE ON THE ACCELERATOR THE CAR WOULD "DIE". I TOLD HIM I DON'T DRIVE WITH TWO FEET. HE INSISTED THAT THAT MUST BE THE PROBLEM.

• 12/16/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  BURNING OIL. EXCESSIVE OIL CHANGES

• 12/16/2014· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  ENTERING A MAIN STATE HIGHWAY FROM A RURAL ROAD I PRESSED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR RESULTING IN NO RESPONSE PLACING MYSELF IN JEOPARDY FOR A A COLLISION FROM RAPIDLY APPROACHING CARS BEHIND ME THIS INTERMITTENT STALLING PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY AT SLOW SPEEDS UPON EXITING A SHOPPING MALL ON TO A BUSY LOCAL HIGHWAY. *TR

• 12/15/2016· ENGINE

  PURCHASED FEB 2014, SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE OIL LIGHT COMING ON. THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 3400 MILES AND THE OIL IS LOW. I HAVE ADDED UP TO A QUART OF OIL. MY CAR HAS ABOUT 34,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND I HAVE HAD THE OIL LIGHT COME ON WITH LOW OIL ABOUT 7 TIMES. THE LIGHT COMES ON USUALLY BETWEEN 3400 & 4000 MILES. THIS IS MY SECOND OUTBACK AND I NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES WITH THE FIRST ONE. I HAVE BEEN OUT OF TOWN ALL BUT 1 OF THESE TIMES WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. I LIVE 1-1/2 HOURS FROM THE NEAREST SERVICE CENTER AND THEY KEEP HAVING ME COME EVERY 1200 MILES TO DO A OIL CHECK. THE FIRST TIME THE LIGHT CAME ON IT WAS FEBRUARY 5, 2014 AND HAS COME ON 5-6 TIMES SINCE THEN. *TR

• 12/13/2018· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  REAR TAIL RUNNING LIGHT BULBS INSIDE THE LIFT/TAIL GATE WERE BURNT OUT AND WHEN REPLACING THE BULBS THE PLASTIC HOUSING THE BULBS PRESS INTO WERE CHARRED AND CRACKED. I FEAR THIS IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD GIVEN THE STATE OF CHARRING. MY VEHICLE DID NOT EXPERIENCE A FIRE, BUT I AM SUBMITTING THIS COMPLAINT IN CASE SIMILAR VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT FIRE FROM THIS AREA.

• 12/09/2021· AIR BAGS

  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.

• 12/09/2019· POWER TRAIN

  CVT TRANSMISSION STALLED ON FREEWAY, THEN LOCKED UP, PUTTING US INTO SKID. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY ACCIDENT. WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND LIMP TO EMERGENCY LANE. SPEED WAS 65 MPH ZONE. VERY SCARY FOR US. HAD PREVIOUSLY COMPLAINED TO SUBARU OF PROBLEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T GIVE IT A FULL DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID TO DRIVE IT UNTIL IT BROKE. WE HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH SUBARU AMERICA.

• 12/07/2019· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  BATTERY FAILING PREMATURELY EVEN NEW. LEAVING DRIVERS AND OCCUPANTS STRANDED IN WINTER FREEZING , OR SUMMER HOT WEATHER. I HAD TOTAL OF 4 EPISODES OF BATTERY FAILURE IN MY 2014 OUTBACK BOUGHT NEW ON 8/12/2014. SUBARU FACTORY BATTERY FAILED TWICE WHEN CAR WAS LESS THEN 20K MILES IN JANUARY 2017, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, THEN AGAIN FAILED TWICE AGAIN WITH THE REPLACED BATTERY 11/26/2019 AT 47K MILES. SUBARU DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE BATTERY THIS TIME STATING WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. RESEARCHED ONLINE FOUND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT SUBARU BATTERIES BELOW: VEHICLE 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I LIMITED 4DR SUV AWD (2.5L 4CYL CVT) REVIEW I HAVE HAD PERSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH A DEAD BATTERY. IF I DON'T DRIVE THE CAR FOR AT LEAST ONE-HALF HOUR EACH DAY,THE ... 3.9/5(196) MILEAGE: 106400 DRIVE TRAIN: ALL WHEEL DRIVE MPG: 25 COMBINED MPG SUBARU BATTERY PROBLEMS? QUESTIONS ABOUT SUBARU BATTERY ON ... HTTPS://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/TOPICS-BATTERY SUBARU BATTERY PROBLEMS A CAR OR AUTOMOBILE BATTERY IS A DEVICE WHICH STORES AND SUPPLIES ELECTRICAL ENERGY. THIS IS SUPPLIED TO THE IGNITION SYSTEM, APPLIANCES AND LIGHTS, AND TO POWER THE STARTER MOTOR. AN AUTOMOBILE BATTERY CAN BE RECHARGED WHICH BEGINS TO HAPPEN ONCE THE ENGINE IS STARTED. BATTERY ON MY NEW 2017 SUBARU FORESTER RUNS DOWN - CAR ON ... NOV 18, 2017 ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO I HAD A DEAD BATTERY THAT I NEEDED ... JUL 21, 2012 SUBARU ALTERNATOR TROUBLESHOOTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED

• 12/04/2017· AIR BAGS

  TAKATA RECALL

• 11/28/2015· POWER TRAIN

  WHEN ACCELERATING AFTER A NEAR STOP, THE ENGINE HESITATES FOR AT LEAST 3 SECONDS AT ACCELERATION WHICH IN MANY INSTANCES HAS BEEN VERY DANGEROUS UPON ENTERING TRAFFIC, ESPECIALLY TURNING LEFT AND ENTERING A HIGH TRAFFIC STREET OR ROAD.

• 11/26/2018· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

  THE SEAT SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT WORKING IN COLD WEATHER, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO BE DEACTIVATED. THE SEATBELT INDICATOR SIGNAL BEEPS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SOMEONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT WITH THE SEATBELT ON OR NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND HAPPENS ANY TIME THE TEMPERATURE IN THE VEHICLE IS BELOW FREEZING.

• 11/23/2015· AIR BAGS,SEAT BELTS

  I WAS HIT BY A 1979 DODGE PICKUP THAT RAN A RED LIGHT ON 6TH STREET WHILE I WAS DRIVING 30 MPH HEADED NORTH ON JACKSON STREET IN TOPEKA, KANSAS. IT IMPACTED MY SUBARU ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN THE AREA OF THE FRONT FENDER AND FRONT DOOR. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED NOR DID MY SEAT BELT RESTRAIN ME. I HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH MY CHEST....UPDATED 12/03/15 *BF UPDATED 04/25/18 *JB *TR

• 11/22/2022· ENGINE

  Suburu Outback had been showing signs of needing more oil between routine changes and frequent top-offs. When took to a Suburu Dealer in September 2021, prior to reaching 100,000 miles, Suburu said it was normal. Now at 118,000 miles as of November 2022, the engine jerks and makes noises. Upon taking to Suburu, short engine block repair was recommended, which would cost over $6,000. The issues of needing repair align with the 2016 extended warranty bulletin put out for other Suburu Outbacks, which goes through 100,000, but we were told that the VIN is outside of the extended bulletin and we are out of warranty. Being told our oil consumption is normal but suddenly experiencing a deterioration in the engine so suddenly is concerning; the jerky engine is not safe for the passengers or others on the road.

• 11/15/2014· STEERING

  DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 10/18/2014 COMPONENT(S): STEERING DATE OF INCIDENT: 10/17/2014 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10648531 DEAR NHTSA CONCERNING ODI COMPLAINT NUMBER 10648531. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. AFTER FILING THE COMPLAINT I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/23/2014. THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR AND PERFORMED A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. . SO IF OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE OF WANDERING, ALIGNMENT MAY BE IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT FOR THEIR VEHICLE AS WELL. *TR

• 11/13/2018· STEERING

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. PRESTIGE SUBARU (LOCATED AT 585 TUNNEL RD, ASHEVILLE, NC 28805, (888) 854-4293) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

• 11/13/2013· STEERING

  I RECEIVED MY OUTBACK ON NOV 1 2013 AND HAVE BEEN HAVING A STEERING LANE CENTERING ISSUE SINCE DAY ONE. THE CAR WILL NOT DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE WITHOUT MAJOR INTERVENTION BY CONSTANT CORRECTION. THE CAR WILL GO LEFT OR RIGHT, BUT WILL NEVER GO STRAIGHT. IF I CHECK MY MIRRORS AND BLIND SPOT FOR A LANE CHANGE BY THE TIME I LOOK BACK MY CAR HAS DRIFTED OUT OF LANE OR NEARLY OUT OF LANE. I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS MORE DANGEROUS AT THIS POINT CHECKING MY BLIND SPOT OR NOT CHECKING MY BLIND SPOT, SINCE EITHER CAN LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT. I DRIVE BETWEEN 25K-50K MILES A YEAR, AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. HOWEVER, THE DEALER TELLS ME THIS IS NORMAL AND WAS DESIGNED BY SUBARU TO DUE THIS. I CAN'T SEE HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE. I CHECKED WITH A FEW OTHER FLEET OUTBACK DRIVERS WITHIN THE COMPANY, AND ALL OF THEM HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE. (FOUR) HOWEVER, NOT ALL THEIR LOCAL DEALERS SAY IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO IT, BUT SAY THERE IS NO FIX TO THE PROBLEM. I AM NERVOUS THAT I AM GOING TO LOOK LIKE A DRUNK DRIVER TO SOMEONE BECAUSE I AM CONSISTENTLY SWERVING, OR THIS ISSUE CAUSES A ACCIDENT. I HAVE FOUR KIDS AND I CAN'T RISK HAVING AN ACCIDENT. I AM REALLY NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO WINTER THIS YEAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. I AM REPORTING THIS IN HOPES THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES, IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY. *TR

• 11/11/2018· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  MY CAR IS USING WAY TOO MUCH OIL FOR A 4 YEAR OLD CAR. SOMETHING IS WRONG AND TWO PLACES I'VE GONE HAVE SUGGESTED IT COULD BE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE PISTOLS IN THE ENGINE. I'VE READ ABOUT OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL EXPERIENCING THE SAME TROUBLE. THIS IS HIGHWAY AND STREET DRIVING.

• 11/11/2014· POWER TRAIN

  MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF LAG WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY INTO CROSS TRAFFIC OR FROM A DEAD STOP THAT SOMETIMES LAST UP TO SEVERAL SECONDS THAT HAS RESULTED IN SOME VERY CLOSE CALLS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE WORST TIMES HAVE BEEN WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC WHEN YOU ARE CREEPING OUT AND TRY TO ACCELERATE AND NOTHING HAPPENS! I HAVE CALLED THE DEALER AND TAKEN IT INTO THE DEALER AND THEY TELL ME IT IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR CVT TRANSMISSION AND THAT THERE IS NO FIX AT PRESENT. THEY DID SOME UPDATES TO THE CARS COMPUTER AND THOUGHT THAT MIGHT HELP BUT ON A TRIP IN ST. GEORGE UT A FEW DAYS LATER WE WERE ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT MERGING RIGHT INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC WHEN WE WERE LEFT SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET FOR SEVERAL SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR WOULD MOVE. THE SERVICE WRITER SAID HIS 20013 LEGACY DOES THE SAME THING AND THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ON LINE AND CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT IT, WHY? THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM, WE PURCHASED THIS CAR WITH THE EYESIGHT ACCIDENT PREVENTION SYSTEM BECAUSE WE WANTED ALL THE SAFETY FEATURES IT HAS, NOW WERE TOLD THAT IT'S NORMAL TO LEAVE YOU HANGING IN TRAFFIC WAITING FOR THE CAR TO RESPOND? *TR

• 11/05/2018· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES

  ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR FAILED. WHEN THIS OCCURS YOU CAN'T USE THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE EYESIGHT SAFETY EQUIPMENT DOES NOT WORK. THIS OCCURS AT STARTUP, WHEN THE VEHICLE GOES THROUGH IT'S DIAGNOSTIC CHECKS. CAR HAS STRANDED US TWICE WITH THE BRAKE NOT ALLOWING US TO DISENGAGE. EVENTUALLY, AFTER STARTING CAR MULTIPLE TIMES OR REMOVING BATTERY, IT WILL WORK BRIEFLY TO ALLOW TO DISENGAGE. NOW WE DON'T SET THE PARKING BRAKE, OR USE THE EYESIGHT. SUBARU HAS RECALLED THEIR MANUAL TRANSMISSION MODELS WITH THIS ISSUE, BUT NOT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MODELS.

• 11/05/2016· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  SUBARU OUTBACK MOON ROOF IS THE PROBLEM. AND APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SUBARU VEHICLES, AND YET,THEY CHOOSE TO NOT SHARE THIS INFORMATION, EVEN WHEN SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSED PRIOR TO PURCHASE. EVEN IF YOU DO NOT OPEN THE ROOF, THERE ARE DRAINS THAT CAN CLOG, AND WHEN THEY CLOG, THE CAR STARTS FILLING WITH WATER. THE CLOG, IN MY CASE, WAS FROM FIR NEEDLES, SINCE I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS. BUT THEY ALSO SAY THAT SIMPLY A SPIDERWEB OR ROAD DIRT CAN CAUSE A CLOG OF THESE VERY SENSITIVE DRAINS. IN MY CASE, WATER WAS RUNNING DOWN THROUGH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT SHAFT, AND ON TO THE BACK SEAT FLOOR. SINCE IT RAINS A LOT, THEN LOTS OF WATER CAN COME IN. MANY, MANY GALLONS OF WATER. IT HAPPENS BOTH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND WHEN IT IS MOVING. WE HAD TWO OCTOBER STORMS THAT DROPPED A GREAT DEAL OF RAIN, WHICH CAUSED SO MUCH WATER TO ENTER THE CAR THAT IT SLOSHED WHEN DRIVEN; LITERALLY, LIKE DRIVING A SWIMMING POOL! AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION, SUBARU AGREED TO CLEAN THE DISASTER ONCE ONLY UNDER WARRANTY, AND THEN THEY WERE DONE. THERE IS NOTHING IN THEIR MANUALS ABOUT KEEPING THESE MYSTERY DRAINS CLEAR. THEY JUST HOPE THAT IT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THEY WILL LIE TO YOUR FACE ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE WATER TIGHT NATURE OF THAT ROOF WINDOW. REPEATEDLY. AND ONCE THOSE HIDDEN DRAINS START TO CLOG, THE WINDOWS INITIALLY START FOGGING UP, FOLLOWED BY LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOLD AND OTHER NASTINESS. THEN THE CARPETING, UPHOLSTERY AND ALL OTHER "SOFT" COMPONENTS OF THE CAR NEED TO BE REPLACED. BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO CLEAN THE AIR VENT SYSTEM, SO MOLD IS THERE TO STAY.

• 11/03/2015· STEERING

  WE PURCHASED A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK, NOVEMBER 2014. I WANT TO REPORT THAT THE STEERING PULLS TO THE RIGHT. WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ALIGNMENT DONE YET. I'M SEEING OTHER DOCUMENTED COMPLAINTS AND THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS AS WELL. SOUNDS LIKE HAVING IT ALIGNED WON'T CORRECT THE ISSUE. PLEASE RESPOND IF ANYONE HAS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION.

• 11/01/2017· STEERING

  STEERING WHEEL WILL NOT LOCK IN EITHER UP OR DOWN POSITION

• 11/01/2013· STEERING

  WE RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW 2014 OUTBACK. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND I NOTICED THE STEERING FELT A BIT "OFF" UPON DRIVING IT HOME BUT WAS CERTAIN IT WAS JUST AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, WHO CORRECTED THE ALIGNMENT. THE CAR STILL FELT OFF. I NOTICE THAT THE WHEEL RETURNS TO CENTER WHEN TURNING LEFT, BUT THE WHEEL WILL NOT RETURN TO CENTER WHEN TURNING RIGHT. IT WILL MOSTLY CENTER, BUT THE WHEEL REMAINS OFF BY ABOUT 15-DEGREES. THIS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS THE CAR WILL NOT POINT/TRACK STRAIGHT AFTER A TURN. ALSO, IT KEEPS TURNING ANY TIME YOU SLIGHTLY TURN THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, BUT NOT THE LEFT. SO, YOU CAN BE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND BUMP THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO GO RIGHT AND DRIVE OFF THE ROAD. THIS IS NOT SAFE! *TR

• 10/31/2017· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  REGULAR DRIVING LIGHTS FOR NIGHT TRAVEL ARE TOTALLY INSUFFICIENT AND DO NOT FULLY LIGHT STREET MORE THAN 1- 2 CAR LENGTHS IN FRONT OF CAR. DEALER CHECKED DIRECTION AND POWER OF LIGHTS AND CLAIMS ALL IS NORMAL. WHEN I DRIVE IN A DARK AREA, I FEEL UNSAFE. I CAN;T BELIEVE THIS IS NORMAL BUT DEALER CLAIMS IT IS.

• 10/30/2023· SERVICE BRAKES

  My 2014 Subaru Outback, with only 42,000 miles on it, is unfortunately among the 3% (per Consumer Reports) with undiagnosable, therefore, unrepairable, brake failure issues. The brake failures began in April 2023 as I pulled out of my driveway in the Tucson Mountains, headed into town. On the downhill, I pressed my brakes to slow down. My foot went to the floor - no brakes. Terror! I pumped the brakes and gradually they came back. Luckily, no one was ahead of me. The brake fluid was down a very slight bit, so I brought it back up. No problem for two weeks, until the exact same thing happened again. Tucson Subaru has an excellent Service Center. I've kept the service on my Subaru up, so I booked in for a regular tuneup, plus advised them of the brake issue. The shop mechanic flushed the brake cylinder along with the usual tuneup: brake pads, etc. There was no problem for about two more weeks when brakes failed again.  Took back to Subaru on a Friday. They kept over the weekend, but by Monday afternoon, brakes were still working "fine". They Ubered me to test, but I didn't need to even pull out of parking lot, everything seemed okay.  Took my Outback home and all okay until brakes failed again. Took on AAA's and my friends' recommendations to Tucson's Primarily Japanese auto shop. The brakes failed once more in the interim, but worked fine at the shop. The owner thought possible a failing ABS unit. However, both Tucson Subaru/Primarily Japanese were reluctant to try replacing either the brake cylinder or the ABS unit as both are expensive fixes and they were unable to duplicate the failure. In the meantime, I went online and found that other owners of Outbacks across a range of years/mileage had the same problem - and the same results, none of fixes reliably worked. That included flushing/replacing the brake cylinder, the ABS unit, cleaning/replacing brake pads, etcs. Some owners were not as "lucky" as I was. The car is parked.

• 10/29/2019· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE, AND ATM OIL TEMPERATURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE GEARS AND CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GROVE SUBARU OF SILVERTHORNE (171 9TH ST, SILVERTHORNE, CO 80498, (970) 276-6039) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT CODE: P0971 FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE REPAIR FEES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

• 10/27/2018· VISIBILITY/WIPER

  I BOUGHT OUTBACK FROM DEALER ON 9/26/2018, AND WHEN WEATHER TURNED COOL, WINDSHIELD CRACKED. I HAD SAFELITE/LIBERTY REPLACE ON 10/22/2018, AND DIDN'T DRIVE UNTIL WEDNESDAY, 10/24/2018 WHEN I DROVE ON I81. TRUCK THREW STONE AND I CALLED TO REPAIR, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIX IN AFTERNOON. THURSDAY AT 8 A.M. THE WINDSHIELD WAS ALREADY CRACKED BEYOND REPAIR. HAD TO CALL INSURANCE COMPANY AND REPLACE AGAIN ON 10/25/2018. SEEMS WINDSHIELDS ARE DEFECTIVE ONLY ON HIGHWAY TWICE, CRACKED TWICE! I HAD MY PREVIOUS CAR 17 YEARS AND NEVER CHANGED WINDSHIELD. I HAVE ONLY PUT APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES ON CAR AND HAVE TO CHANGE TWICE. AFRAID TO GO ON HIGHWAY. THANK YOU

• 10/26/2014· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  DRIVING WITH CRUISE CONTROL (CC) ENGAGED ON ROLLING TERRAIN, THE VEHICLE SPEEDS UP ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE UNTIL BRAKES ARE APPLIED (BY CC), THEN AT BOTTOM OF HILL PICKUP IS SLUGGISH AND SPEED FALLS OFF 2-3 MPH BELOW SET POINT. THEN THE POWER COMES ON LATE AND HARD, AND THE VEHICLE GOES OVER THE CREST OF THE HILL ACCELERATING AT PEAK POWER LEVEL, 2-3 MPH ABOVE SET POINT. AN ASSOCIATED ISSUE, OBSERVED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW, IS THAT WHEN CLIMBING A UNIFORM 3-4% GRADE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE RPM CYCLES CONSTANTLY OVER A RANGE OF 800-1000 RPM AT A FREQUENCY AROUND 4 CYCLES/MINUTE. THIS IS ANNOYING TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, AND INCREASES THE STRESS LEVEL ON THE DRIVER. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, AND A FACTORY REP HAS EVALUATED IT, THE RESPONSE WE GET IS THAT THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS, AND NO ACTION WILL BE TAKEN, NOR WILL ANY ADJUSTMENTS BE MADE. *TR

• 10/24/2017· POWER TRAIN

  DANGEROUS! INTERMITTENT DELAY OF 4 TO 6 SECONDS TYPICALLY PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC FROM A COMPLETE STOP. OTHER CARS SLAMMING ON BRAKES TO PREVENT WRECK, SWERVING TO MISS MY STALLED CAR. MY WIFE AND GRAND-KIDS HAVE BEEN ON PASSENGER SIDE WHEN THIS OCCURS WHERE THEY ARE MOST VULNERABLE SINCE MOST INCIDENCES OCCUR WHEN TURNING LEFT. THIS CAR IS LIKELY TO KILL OR MANGLE SOMEONE IF THIS IS NOT RESOLVED. THE OL 'WE CAN'T CREATE IT' IS GETTING REALLY STALE FROM THE DEALER WHEN LIVES ARE AT RISK. I'M ASSUMING IT'S GOING TO TAKE A FEW DEATHS BEFORE A RECALL OCCURS. I WOULD LOVE TO RAISE THE MONEY TO PUT A FULL PAGE IN USA TODAY TO GET THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION SOME ATTENTION IF NOBODY ELSE IS GOING TO.

• 10/22/2019· AIR BAGS

  TURNING AT LOW SPEED, AIRBAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED.

• 10/20/2016· ENGINE

  TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN INTERNAL OIL CONSUMPTION FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES, THE VEHICLE PASSED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST TWICE. THE SERVICE ENGINE AND OIL INDICATORS RANDOMLY ILLUMINATED FOR MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

• 10/19/2016· ENGINE

  OIL SENSOR LIGHT ON DASH ILLUMINATES. OIL IS LOW. SENSOR MEASURES PRESSURE NOT LEVEL. OIL PUMP HAS NOT BEEN REPLACED. DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX ISSUE(4 TIMES). REPLACED SENSOR, OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. VEHICLE IN AGAIN AT 34000 MILES FOR SAME ISSUE. DEALER MENTIONED SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. LAST RESORT IS A COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT.

• 10/18/2014· STEERING,SUSPENSION

  STEERING NEEDS CONSTANT CORRECTION, IF THE CAR DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT AND YOU CORRECT BY SLIGHTLY TURNING LEFT IT WILL OVER CORRECT & DRIFT TO THE LEFT FORCING THE DRIVER TO CORRECT BY SLIGHTLY TURNING RIGHT, WHICH IS THE CONSTANT CYCLE WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. IT WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO WEAVE BACK & FORTH IN THE LANE. YOU CAN NOT GET THE CAR TO TRACK STRAIGHT, IT IS ALWAYS EITHER PULLING RIGHT OR PULLING LEFT. THE DRIFTING IS NOT DRASTIC BUT IT IS CONSTANT. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND TRUCKS INCLUDING 4 WD, THIS IS NOT NORMAL. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN ORDER TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF THIS HAZARDOUS CONDITION WHICH IS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT IT CAUSES DRIVER FATIGUE, LESSENING THE DRIVER'S ABILITY TO REACT TO THE VEHICLES CONSTANT NEED FOR STEERING CORRECTION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. UPDATED 12/02/14*JB

• 10/15/2023· ENGINE

  The car had been recently serviced through the dealer and had 66,000 miles (9 yrs old). It was 6k miles past warranty. While driving, the radiator hose exploded—loud noise, white steam, and all the warning lights came on and the car heated up. I had the car towed and was told that the radiator hose, the radiator and the head gasket had been destroyed and the engine would need to be rebuilt. The car was essentially a total loss given the repair costs. There was no warning at all that anything was wrong with the car prior to the engine blowing. It is my understanding that many years of Subaru Outbacks have required recalls for head gasket problems.

• 10/15/2014· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

  THE CAR DOES NOT STAY ON. STARTED THE CAR BY TURNING THE KEY TO THE "START" POSITION FROM THE "ON" POSITION. THE CAR STARTS BUT ONCE THE KEY MOVES BACK TO "ON", THE CAR STOPS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I'VE BEEN STRANDED BY THIS OCCURRENCE. AFTER 20-30MINS, THE CAR STARTS AGAIN. BOTH INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHEN IT WAS RELATIVELY HOT (+85 DEGREES F). SEEMS TO BE AN IGNITION ISSUE. *TR

• 10/13/2017· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  V-BELT CHIRPING WHEN RUNNING ESPECIALLY WITH A/C ON

• 10/09/2014· POWER TRAIN,ENGINECrash

  THERE IS A HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING, IT HAPPENS FROM COMPLETE STOPS BY STEPPING ON THE GAS, AND WHILE TURNING YOUR VEHICLE. I WAS ON A 35MPH. BACK ROAD AND WENT TO TURN LEFT ONTO A SIDE STREET, I YIELDED FOR 2 CARS AND THEN WENT INTO THE TURN AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, IT HESITATED AND THEN I WAS HIT IN THE REAR SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. IF IT WOULD HAVE RESPONDED CORRECTLY I WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE ACCIDENT. *TR

• 10/06/2021· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was at a standstill when the contact saw unknown warning lights were flickering on and off. The contact parked the vehicle and went inside a store when approximately 10 minutes later the vehicle was on fire. Fire marshals and police extinguished the fire and a report was taken; no one was injured. The vehicle was then towed to an insurance lot where the contact was awaiting a diagnosis. The manufacturer was informed of failure and was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

• 10/03/2019· SERVICE BRAKES

  EBRAKE COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN.

• 09/30/2017· ENGINE

  OUTBACK 2.5L. WE NOTICED OIL CONSUMPTION AFTER THE 3-4TH OIL CHANGE. ALL OIL CHANGES WERE PREFORMED AT SUBARU DEALERSHIP ( BROWNS MANASSSAS OR SHEEHY SPRINGFIIELD). WE ASKED WHY WE WERE HAVING TO ADD OIL AND TOLD THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. THE SITUATION HAS GOTTEN WORSE WITH LOW OIL LIGHT COMING ON AT ABOUT 4,000 MILES ON THE OIL CHANGE. WE NOTIFIED SUBARU HEADQUARTERS AND THEY SUGGESTED AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT HAD BEEN SUGGESTED. THE MILEAGE WAS ABOUT APPX 72,000 MILES. WE DID THEY OIL CONSUMPTION TEST ON THE NEXT OIL CHANGE AT APPX 78,800. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN AFTER 1,200MILES (80,000 MILES). THE VEHICLE USED 3 OZ. OF OIL IN 1,200 MILES. WE WERE TOLD THAT WAS IN NORMAL LIMITS OR SPECS. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE THAT USED THAT MUCH OIL WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE SINCE I HAD THIS START TO HAPPEN ABOUT 22,500 MILES.

• 09/30/2015· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THREE TIMES ENGINE HAS FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATOR INPUT. DURATION, 3 TO 15 SECONDS. HAPPENS AT LOW SPEED (<20MPH) JUST AFTER COASTING FOR A FEW SECONDS AND AS ENGINE IS HEATING UP. LAST INCIDENT, 9/27/2015, BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE, THEN SHIFTED INTO FORWARD, DID NOT USE ACCELERATOR BECAUSE COLD ENGINE SPEED WAS HIGH ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN 5MPH THROUGH VERY CONGESTED PARKING LOT. 20 SECONDS LATER ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO 35MPH, ENGINE SPEED NEVER RESPONDED FOR THE NEXT 15 SECONDS, THEN ENGINE STARTED RESPONDING NORMALLY. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THESE FAILURES STARTED 4 MONTHS AGO, AND HAPPENS WHEN CVT TRANSMISSION IS IN AUTO OR MANUAL MODE. I CHECKED INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL SIMILAR REPORTS. DEALERS AND SUBARU CORP., NO HELP AT ALL. IN CERTAIN DRIVING SITUATIONS, LOSS OF ENGINE CONTROL COULD BE JUST AS DANGEROUS AS LOSS OF BRAKES.

• 09/26/2018· ENGINE

  MY VEHICLE KEEPS BURNING ENGINE OIL AFTER 3,000 TO 4,000 MILES DRIVING. I HAVE HAD THE ISSUE SINCE NOVEMBER 2017 AND WENT TO SUBARU DEALER TO CHECK IT AND THEY SAID AS LONG AS ENGINE OIL IS THE SAME LEVEL AFTER 1,200 MILES, ENGINE OIL BURNING IS NORMAL. WHEN I ASKED SUBARU DEALER TO ADD THE OIL, THEY CHANGED THE ENGINE OIL AND CHARGED ME BY SAYING THAT IT IS A NORMAL CONDITION. EVEN SUBARU ISSUED TECHNICAL BULLETIN FOR THE ENGINE OIL BURNING ISSUE, THEY TREAT THE COMPLAINING CUSTOMERS IN A SNEAKY WAY. THE SYNTHETIC OIL SHOULD RUN OVER 5,000 MILES WITHOUT BURNING IN THE ENGINE AND I HAD NO ISSUES WITH OTHER BRAND CARS SUCH AS FORD. NHTSA SHOULD WARN SUBARU TO MANAGE CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS IN A PROPER WAY. IT IS RELATED TO DRIVER'S SAFETY AS I FIND ONLY 1/4 QUART OIL LEFT AFTER 4,000 MILES DRIVING, WHICH I DON'T THINK IS NOT A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THANKS FOR HELPING IN ADVANCE.

• 09/23/2020· STRUCTURE

  VEHICLE LEAKS WATER INSIDE ON DRIVER SIDE FLOOR AND PASSENGER FLOOR.

• 09/16/2019· AIR BAGS,STRUCTURE,VISIBILITY/WIPERCrash

  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.