1999 SUBARU Outback

The hood flew open while I was driving 65 mph on the freeway. The car had NOT had its hood opened for at least three months.

I own a 1999 Subaru outback wagon with a 2.5L DOHC. My mechanic suggested to me that at 80K thae head gasket would blow,this due to a enginering problem. It seems that in the DOHC vehicle they used only fours bolts for the head,just like its counterpart with a SOHC. The problem occurs because of the fact that only four bolts were used and that it doesn’t keep enough pressure on the head. I don’t feel that this should happen at such a meager mileage for a Subaru.

I keep getting a chirp when the clutch is out; goes away when it\’s fully depressed. Problem is the throw-out bearing assembly. Seems the pins that hold it in place keep failing, causing the bearing to rub agains the clutch assembly, wearing it out prematurely. It\’s a very expensive repair for such a small, inexpensive part. And it keeps failing. First at 18,500, then at 43000, then again at 45000.

I bought a 1999 Subaru Outback 30th Anniversary Limited Edition in June of 1999. Within six months, the car began to exhibit clutch and transmission problems. I brought this to the immediate attention of the Subaru dealer. For three years they denied that there was anything wrong with the vehicle, always saying they were unable to duplicate the problems.Finally in June of 2002, I was able to get a Regional Service Supervisor to admit that the car definitely had problems. His first solution was to suggest that I trade the car in on a new one. When I declined, he offered to have the car properly repaired, as it should have been three years prior.After four trips to two different Subaru dealers and after supposedly having the entire clutch assembly replaced three times, the car is in worse shape than it ever has been. Subaru has refused to repair the car, despite the fact that it’s under an extended warranty that covers the entire transmission. I have had to retain an attorney to deal with Subaru of America. Subaru claims that the car now “operates as designed” and that any problems I am now experiencing are a result of my driving habits. Subaru refuses to replace the car because they were able to stall any repairs until the car passed the two year Lemon Law exclusion.This is not the only problem with this car. I have had repeated brake failures. The car went through a set of Michelin radial tires in less than 20,000 miles. The driver’s side seat belt is defective. I have experienced repeated electrical system failures. This car cannot be driven in snow (contrary to Subaru’s commercials) because the tires become compacted with snow and are thrown out of balance. The brakes also become compacted with snow and ice and have failed repeatedly, almost causing serious injury. The radio antenna refuses to retract in cold weather. I could go on and on, but Subaru refuses to listen or repair the car.I have been told by several mechanics that these problems are common with this particular vehicle. Combine this with the fact that I have never been so blatantly abused as I have been by Subaru of America.

\’99 Subaru Outback has finally been diagnosed as having the radiator fluid leaking into the head gaskets, which are defective and need replacing, following radiator losing fluid internally, losing heat, and random over-heating of vehicle on numerous occasions.

The vehicle is using its power to make the car think it is in neutral and does not start properly. it will start if you pull the fuse out and then put it back in to put it in drive. also, lending way to problems with the transmission system. effecting mileage on the counter. car was stationery upon occurrence. the car itself is good it runs pretty well yet, to put it in drive it burns transmission fluid because it is always telling the car it is in neutral.

Front coil spring broke in half while vehicle was stationary - almost puncturing tire, and rendering vehicle immobile - the broken end of the coil was wedged into the tire sidewall. if this had happened while vehicle was moving, it would have caused a blowout and possible accident. subaru has a recall for coil springs, but said the vehicle was not covered because it was outside the vin range - but was clearly still affected by the problem.

1999 subaru legacy outback. consumer writes in regards to vehicle began to roll backward while trying to remove keys. *smd the consumer stated she parked the vehicle, placed it in park, and left the keys in the ignition, so she could check out the new halogen bulbs that had been installed. when she returned to remove the key, with the door being open, the vehicle began to roll backwards, and the opened door pushed her to the ground. the consumer stated she carefully checked and made sure, the vehicle was securely in park, before she exited to check the lights, and did not touch anything when she returned. she was subsequently, taken to the hospital by ambulance suffering from severe head, back and neck injuries and spent 2 days in the hospital. the vehicle rolled into two other parked cars and caused damage to both. updated 05/20/14 updated 06/19/14

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 subaru outback. the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond to acceleration attempts. the contact stated that she had to constantly change the gear from reverse to drive in order for it to work. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but they could not determine the cause of failure. the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. the failure mileage was 42,000.

1999 subaru outback ltd power steering rack leak and cam seal leak which ruined timing belt. this car is a piece of junk! *tt

99 subaru legacy outback /w automatic transmission. the automatic transmission dos not engage when placed from p to d, or disengage from gear when vehicle stop. i was on a slight hill stopped. car disengaged from gear and i could not move. in d - when i released brake the car rolled backwards causing contact with the car behind me. *tr

My daughter was driving on the highway about 65 mph, the hood flew open smashed the windshield, she crossed a lane of traffic went into the ditch, hit her head on the steering wheel and received a mild concussion. *tr

We experienced an incident in which a front suspension coil spring failed. parking our 1999 subaru legacy outback, the vehicle was perfectly fine. in the morning the vehicle had a flat driver¿s side tire. jacking the car, it was difficult to remove the flat tire and wheel. the reason it was hard to remove was that a sharp long piece of the front coil spring has broken away, and punctured the sidewall of the tire. when the tire and wheel were finally removed, the broken coil spring could be seen sitting atop the front strut. the remainder of the coil spring had a long sharp point that had shot down over the spring seat on the strut and was protruding into the wheel well area where it had damaged the tire. also, many pieces of black paint which had been coating the coil spring could be seen now lying on the ground. the coil spring itself was rusted over the entire spring surface of the spring. the broken piece of the coil spring which was separated from the rest of the spring was pulled off of the strut and put into the car. the remainder of the broken coil spring was then able to be lifted up and suspended above the strut coil spring seat in order to drive the car to a subaru dealer. the subaru dealer checked my vehicle vin# telling me that there were no recalls on this vehicle for any failed coil springs. i referenced a recall notice i had found online which detailed the exact failure in which i had experienced, a broken coil spring, caused by defecting paint coating the spring, leading to rusting of the spring and breakage, also occasionally puncturing tires in the process. i was told a call would be place to the subaru rep to inquire about such a recall. i received notice that no such recall existed and no warranty coverage existed for the failed coil spring and tire puncture. i can only imagine how such a failure at highway speed and the subsequent damage to vehicle and driver and passenger might ensue. *tr

99 subaru outback hit in rear bags did not deploy minor neck and lower back bruises. also, another front wheel bearing failure after 50,000 miles. *tr

Fuel filler tube corrosion causes leak of fuel and fuel vapor. check engine light illuminates code p0440 (evap emissions malfunction). fuel filler tube and valve assembly parts cost is $200. labor $275. common problem on subarus that should be investigated and recalled due to fuel vapor leakage poses an environmental safety hazard. *tr

Head gasket failed on 1999 subaru at 38,000. car was maintained religiously. subaru recall was never sent to me. i was told my car was the 'wrong phase engine' to be covered under warranty. car had overheated 3 months earlier. subaru flushed the system and added 'special coolant lubricant'. this was worthless. i was told it would cost $2000+, even though my family has purchased 4 subaru's from the same dealer. after a lot of screaming and yelling, they replaced both gaskets, radiator, thermostat and water pump. i ended up paying $250. dealer, (wakefield surbaru, wakefield ma.) helped convinced subaru corporate to foot most of the expense. later when subaru oil filters failed (leaks) and after more screaming and yelling with this dealer ship, (after they said i was making up the leak problem) i've changed dealerships who has a more professional service center. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 subaru outback. the vehicle has goodyear regatta 2 tires, size 205/70/15. while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle began vibrating. the vibrations worsened as the speed increased. in addition, the contact heard a loud noise outside of the vehicle. there were no prior warnings. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and he stated that the front driver's and passenger tires exhibited excessive road force variations. a road force balancing measurement was performed on the defective tires; however, the four tires mounted on the vehicle exhibited uniform wear and tread life. the tires were temporarily rotated to the rear of the vehicle. the technician recommended replacing the defective tires. the contact is in the process of replacing all four tires. the failure mileage was 125,355 and current mileage was 127,305. updated 8/10/09 *cn updated 08/13/09.*jb

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 subaru outback. while driving in reverse at an unknown speed, the passenger side coil spring failed and punctured the front passenger side tire. the contact did not realize the failure until the tire was changed. the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign id number (01v216000). the current and failure mileages were 171,798.

Engine and engine cooling: blown head gaskets 1999 subaru legacy outback dohc. *tr

1999 subaru legacy outback speedometer/odometer failure. intermittant problem. informed by dealer that this is a common problem with 1999 subaru's. dealer informs customer that problem is electronic circuit board issue. speedometer replaced by dealer at cost of $315. subaru part number 85020ac330. consumer has old, failed unit. this is not and should not be a "wear" type item. this type of failure is subaru manufacturer's defect. *tr

Speedometer periodically does not work. i have found this is common problem in these models and it is not easy to get it replaced. knowing the speed when driving is very important. i am petrified most of the time that chp is going to pull me over on highway. it typically goes out in highway driving. i just bought this, but it is obvious prior owner had issues with it as many other people online with same year model. it should be recalled. also, none of the bells, buzzers, alarm gizmos associated with opening the door and putting on seatbelts is working. i think this is all related. *tr

Head gasket failed at 125k miles. i spent $1725 getting the head gasket & cylinder bolts replaced. the head gasket is now failing again 9 mos & 12k miles later. i have always meticulously maintained this car. *tr

My 1999 subaru outback wagon issued a cel with a 440 code. in finding the source of the problem, i discovered that the gas fill pipe below the gas cap has rotted out and has developed, holes leading to raw gas spillage and failure of the emissions system. the design of the cover around the outside of this pipe caused the accumulation of dirt and debris over the years that has rusted the pipe from the outside in. this is a poor design that allows the dirt to collect here. there is nothing in the manual that indicates any cleaning of this area is required to prevent this from occurring. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 subaru outback. while driving 40 mph, the contact crashed into the guardrail. the air bags failed to deploy and he went through the windshield. the insurance company stated that the vehicle was destroyed. the current and failure mileages were 39,000.

Speedometer fails spontaneously, intermittently and frequently. indicated speed drops to zero. returns spontaneously after 10 seconds to 15 minutes. not vehicle speed sensor (vss) or wiring/connector related. service technician found speedometer circuit board delaminated, causing components to separate from circuit board. stated this appeared to be caused by oem sealant used on the circuit boards as seen in other subarus and many honda vehicles. speedometer is an obvious safety and legal liability component, which provides critical feedback to vehicle operator. many other failures reported on internet. recall should be issued if further investigation confirms defect frequency. *jb

Collision at approx 40 mph, significant damage to rt front quarter and bumper. air bag did not deploy, seat belt did not restrain driver. *nm

There was nothing abnormal that precluded the failure. the speedometer completely stopped working while driving and now only intermittently works. fortunately, there has been no incidents because of this failure. however, it could lead to excessive speed which may lead to vehicle accidents and injuries. nothing has been done to correct this issue. a call to subaru of america yielded no information. however, online research has shown that this is occurring quite frequently among this make and model year. a new part will likely have to be ordered.*jb

The hood flew open while i was driving 65 mph. this car had not recently had its oil changed or its hood opened. the hood needs to be replaced, as well as the rear view mirror. *nm

My driver side seat belt locked me in and i had to crawl out from under it. it cannot be released. *jb

At 1 p.m. on 23 apr '06, my husband was driving our 1999 subaru legacy outback at about 50 mph. we had just entered a curve when the car's hood latch failed and allowed the hood to fly up and slam into the windshield and roof. that completely blocked our forward view and we entered the oncoming lane. fortunately, no one was coming in the opposite direction. we were able to slow down and make our way on to the shoulder. we were covered with glass particles but thank god neither one of us was injured. i am now very nervous when i drive the car. the hood was last opened about two weeks before the accident but the car had been driven for over 200 miles and some of that was on the interstate. there was no warning. we had to pay over $2300 to repair windshield, hood and miscellaneous damage in the motor compartment. *nm

I was quite hurt (to the degree of having to go on ssd) in a rear end collision in a 1998 subaru legacy wagon. in trying to recover the original head rest of this car i learned it is no longer available and can only be replaced with a much safer model. in doing a recent crash analysis with this new head rest i realized the significant differences and how much safer the new head rest is. i learned on your car safety web site of the national caution on the whole seat of this model seats and head rest. i have had numerous orthopedic (left arm, all/whole back, right leg, both knees, posture) and brain injury problems from my car accident. i recently learned (3/06), that subaru started unofficially replacing the seat and head rest of this model legacy 1998 thru 1999 whenever possible. meaning whenever these models requested new parts, there is an unofficial recall in that it is impossible to get the original part only the safer new parts. i keep thinking about how easy a recall for approximately a 2 and a half years model car is (i have experienced a gm recall of a part that went very smoothly). there is a great cost to society and myself of there not being an official recall. please respond to this email with a letter or i will send another letter by signed receipt email. sincerely, marcie ellis. *jb

In october 2003, the engine of my 1999 subaru outback with 80,000 miles overheated, seized and required replacement. i was on the highway at the time and realized the car was losing power and the thermostat gauge was above "h". i contacted subaru prior to the repair and was told that the problem was likely due to improper maintenance and besides, my vehicle was out of warranty. this was subaru's response even though i regularly maintain my car. i did get the engine replaced at significant out-of-pocket expense. last week, while traveling along the interstate, my temperature gauge again was on "h" and i quickly pulled off the road. the "check engine" light was on and i immediately shut off the engine. the car was towed to a subaru mechanic and i was told that the head gasket had failed and needed replacement. another significant expense after only 30,000 miles on a factory rebuilt engine. although i am now aware that subaru sent out a recall / notification letter in feb. 2004, i did not receive one, apparently because i have the type of engine that may not be covered by the notification. it is clear from a review of this website that i am not alone in my complaints about the outback's engine and cooling system, and the fact that subaru is not standing behind its product. *jb

The 1999 subaru outback is equipped with a dual overhead cam engine. the timing belt pulley for the cams are made of plastic. my wife and 2 year old daughter had just exited interstate 20 near atlanta when the engine "sounded like an explosion" according to my wife. the engine immediately lost all power and seized, and she had difficulty steering and stopping the car without power steering and brakes. the vehicle was towed to the local dealer and it was discovered that the right cam pulley (plastic) had shattered causing the engine to seize. had this happened on the interstate at speed, there could have been a very serious accident and injuries. the car had been maintained, including replacement of timing belt at recommended interval. the engine is ruined and requires replacement or rebuilding. car has been sitting in my garage since. *nm

Dt: the contact stated when leaving the dealership after getting the vehicle serviced the driver's side front coil spring fractured. this punctured the tire and caused it to go flat in a matter of seconds. the mechanic took the tire off and found that the coil spring fractured. there was nhtsa recall, 01v216000, but this vehicle was not included due to vin. the vehicle is currently at the dealership getting repaired.

We were in a rather hard front end collision and the air bags in our vehicle did not deploy. *nm

The trunk door on my subaru legacy outback station wagon will not open. once you lock it, you can not open it again unless you jiggle the lock over and over with the key. this is a very frustrating failure because when you have a station wagon, a working trunk door is vital. i was told by a subaru dealer that it would cost about $300 to $400 to fix so i have delayed fixing it because i can sometimes work on it and get it to open. when i brought the car to a local mechanic, he told me he had 3 to 4 other subaru owners come in with the same problem which he is not capable of fixing. apparently, the back inside panel has to be removed and a body shop has to do the work. yesterday, i was at a supermarket parking lot trying to open the back when a couple approached me and told me they had to replace their lock because it wouldn't open. they have a subaru station wagon also (i don't know the year, but it was not brand new) i believe there is a defect in the motor or lock. *b

Speedometer intermittently fails about 25% of the time. odometer stops also. there is no pattern to when it fails or under what conditions. unable to determine speed accurately. repair not yet done. subaru is charging for this repair. *nm

I have a 1999 subaru outback. when using the unlock button on the driver's side door the car started without a key in the ignition. i was able to repeat this occurence at least 5 times.

Dt: caller speedometer head is broken or there is something broke inside. called dealer said subaru said they new there is problem with that model and speedometer head. subaru was not going to recall due to not being a safety concern. *ak speedometer and odometer operates sporadically at times recording speed and mileage, other times not at all. *sb

I had just paid approx. $450 for the major 90,000 mile dealer service and they told me my vehicle is in great shape. i've maintained it religiously. i had an extended warranty of 6 years/100,000 miles that just ended sep. '04. i just drove it up to the mountains and 90 miles from my destination, with the car driving perfectly, i noticed the temp. gauge was spiked. ultimately it turned out that the head gasket went. i have 91,000 miles on my subaru. i spoke to numerous garages in mammoth lakes and they see this problem on a daily basis. doing research on the internet, you will find thousands and thousands of people with the same issue. i was told by one of the mechanics that all of the double overhead cam 4 cylinder subaru engines blow head gaskets at some point after approx. 80,000 miles and that this engine has since been discontinued. i also have come to find out that the "phase 2" version was recalled and they will fix that one, but the "phase 1" engine that i, and thousands of others, have they won't do a damn thing about. what kind of company is this? it ain't rocket science... they put out a defective product and all they will do is stick it to the consumer. this company needs to be held accountable for their glaring and obvious screw up. how can they get away with this?*jb

While driving the vehicle's engine stalled. *nm the engine stalled due to head gasket failure. in reviewing the manufacturer's website the consumer saw a recall related to head gasket failure. the consumer request reimbursement for the cost of the repairs. *nm

I own a 1999 subaru outback. car light came on at about 85000. dealer unable to determine problem & light turned off. light back on shortly after - had 90000 mile maintainence completed - dealer still unsure of problem. shortly after this, when accelarating to highway speed, clear power loss noted - engine running rough. took vehicle into dealership - reported that valve broken - head required replacing. dealer/ mechanic stated that they had never seen this problem before. total cost of dealer bills - over 3500. subaru refused to reimburse for problem - blamed on mileage. i've had well-maintained vehicles with over 150000 miles and never have encountered this problems before.*ak

99 outback - tranny wont engage when shifting into drive from park, nuetral, or reverse. rev the motor and then c-lunk into drive after long delay. got worse over time. subaru and other service shops say it's common on 99's, probably the main pump seals, and the tranny has to come out to fix or replace. i changed the fluid twice in a week to "flush" it - much better now, almost "ok" (compared to $2500 fix) but still not "normal". *ak

Approximately 6 months ago automatic transmission started having trouble shifting from reverse to drive. car would hesitate and finally lurch forward. took it to the dealer and was at first told they couldn't find anything, then was told i needed a new $3400 transmission. i was told to baby the car for as long as i could. 4 months later car became stuck in reverse and would not shift to drive. took it to another service center (not the dealer) that specializes in subaru's and was told this was a common subaru problem with automatic transmissions. i was also told that i could have gotten at least 15 - 20,000 more miles out of the transmission is the transmission filter had ever been replaced and the fluid flushed. (up until this time i had always had the car serviced under warranty at the dealer). i am being told now that i will have to get a new transmission. this seems ridiculous being that the car is only 5 years old. *ak

The vehicle overheated and was towed. the radiator was replaced. vehicle broke down a second time. the vehicle was serviced again and the head gasket was found to be defective.*ak

Slid off the road on ice at @ 35 mph, went down an embankment, jumped a creek and hit the side of a hill head on however the driver's side had more damage so it probably hit first. neither airbag deployed. *nm

While applying the brakes pedal went to the floor. consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer. mechanic determined that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. *ak

Automatic transmission lines running from transmission to the radiator split resulting in loss of transmission fluid. these were the metal lines not the rubber connectors. *ak

Consumer's vehicle experienced the same problem as mentioned in nhtsa recall 01v216000. passenger vehicles equipped with front coil springs originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, new jersey, new hampshire, ohio, the front coil springs were produced with poor paint quality which, after continued exposure to corrosive salt, can result in breakage of the spring. dealership indicated this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *ak

Front right coil spring broke which and caused the front tire to become shredded. the car was undriveable and needed to be towed to our mechanic. we discovered that a recall had been issued for this exact problem (nhtsa campaign id number : 01v216000). however, subaru refussed to pay for the repair because the car was not included in the batch of cars involved in the recall. we therefore had our mechanic repair the vehicle.

Random overheating in my 1999 subaru legacy outback wagon, 85000 , lead to being stranded on a rural road. after replacing thermostat, problem was not fixed. eventually, my mechanic said it was due to a failed head gasket. at 85000, this problem should not occur. subaru has issued a recall on phase ii, 2.5l engine head gaskets because of failure, however have chosen to ignore the owners of the phase i engines. i found a web-site forum with many other victums of subarus neglect, many of whom were also stranded on the roadside because of this defect in cars with 50-100k mileage. clearly the head-gaskets on these engines are defective and this is serious defect that subaru should acknowlege and fix.*ak

While shifting the gears gear shift failed, a loud banging noise was heard coming from the front. consumer was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the hydraulic clutch master cylinder needed replacement due to worn out part. *ak

At around 74,000 miles the cam shaft began to fracture, causing the engine to seize. the engine had to be replaced with a remanufactured engine. subaru refused to provide any compensation because it was outside the warranty period.*ak

Concern regarding the top tether for the child's car seat that is mounted on the ceiling of the car.*mr the consumer installed three car seats in the backseat of the vehicle and the top tethers were mounted to the provided mounts. visibility out of the rear window was hindered greatly due to the position of the tethers. the consumer would like to know why the top tethers cannot be remounted behind the rear seats as they are in the sedan. *nm

I keep getting a chirp when the clutch is out; goes away when it\\'s fully depressed. problem is the throw-out bearing assembly. seems the pins that hold it in place keep failing, causing the bearing to rub agains the clutch assembly, wearing it out prematurely. it\\'s a very expensive repair for such a small, inexpensive part. and it keeps failing. first at 18,500, then at 43000, then again at 45000.

I bought a 1999 subaru outback 30th anniversary limited edition in june of 1999. within six months, the car began to exhibit clutch and transmission problems. i brought this to the immediate attention of the subaru dealer. for three years they denied that there was anything wrong with the vehicle, always saying they were unable to duplicate the problems. finally in june of 2002, i was able to get a regional service supervisor to admit that the car definitely had problems. his first solution was to suggest that i trade the car in on a new one. when i declined, he offered to have the car properly repaired, as it should have been three years prior. after four trips to two different subaru dealers and after supposedly having the entire clutch assembly replaced three times, the car is in worse shape than it ever has been. subaru has refused to repair the car, despite the fact that it's under an extended warranty that covers the entire transmission. i have had to retain an attorney to deal with subaru of america. subaru claims that the car now operates as designed and that any problems i am now experiencing are a result of my driving habits. subaru refuses to replace the car because they were able to stall any repairs until the car passed the two year lemon law exclusion. this is not the only problem with this car. i have had repeated brake failures. the car went through a set of michelin radial tires in less than 20,000 miles. the driver's side seat belt is defective. i have experienced repeated electrical system failures. this car cannot be driven in snow (contrary to subaru's commercials) because the tires become compacted with snow and are thrown out of balance. the brakes also become compacted with snow and ice and have failed repeatedly, almost causing serious injury. the radio antenna refuses to retract in cold weather. i could go on and on, but subaru refuses to listen or repair the car.

Dealer will replace the engine at 115000 miles. *ak

When pressure is released from the brake pedal and the vehicle is in drive it rolls backwards. also, gears are slow to engage. dealer determined that automatic transmission needed to be replaced. *ak

Head gasket failed on my 1999 subaru legacy outback. the material on the gasket is completely gone in a few areas, causing leakage into the engine and subsequent engine failure. subaru specialist that fixed it said he had repaired 10 subaru head gaskets in just the past 2 weeks alone. another friend has a 1999 subaru forester that had its head gasket fail within 3 weeks of mine. according to the subaru repair specialist, subaru does not admit the head gasket is defective. 2 days after getting the head gasket fixed, the alternator failed and the car shut down while driving 65 mph on a highway. barely had enough momentum to ease the car off the road out of traffic. oh, one more thing. the check engine light comes on and the repair facilities can't seem to find anything wrong but the emissions inspection repeatedly fails due to the light being on.*ak

My 1999 subaru legacy outback limited developed an automatic transmission problem characterized by hesitation and harsh, abrupt engagement of the transmission when starting from a stop. originally the problem only arose as the car was placed from park or reverse into drive. i took it to armando's subaru in canfield, oh and was told they could find nothing wrong. later this problem became more frequent and pronounced. the engine would rev up and the car would jerk when the transmission engaged. also, the problem started occuring not only when i originally set the at into gear, but also from stops after the car was already in gear. i would sometimes have to rev the engine more than once to get it to engage and it jerked. when i returned to the dealer i was told it might be the control model but probably would need a new transmission at a cost of several thousand dollars. i did not feel the car was safe anymore because i could not be sure whether the transmission would engage or hesitate when pulling into traffic. incident date listed is approx time problem first developed, it got worse over time.

Rear washer pump total failure car less than 5 years old when problem arose with under 55,000 miles. *ak

Keyless entry control module total failure. car is less than 6 years old & has less than 76,000 miles. replacement part is $200 + labor to install. dealer says this is a rare problem. *ak

My 1999 subaru outback overheated and problem attributed to cracked head gasket. dealer states that 99-01 are covered as warranty despite mileage if has a phase 2 engine. mine is phase 1. trying to determine amount of similar problems.*ak

The hood latch of my 1999 outback is faulty. took it back 2 x to be repaired. they looked at my like i was crazy. they "cleaned" the latch on 1/6/04, then the problem happened 1 week later while i was on the highway. i called the service dept. and insisted on a replacement hood latch. took it to the dealership on 1/21, the "tightened the cable", less than 24 hrs. later the hood latch opened again. when the service manager was called, he told my husband "well, we didn't charge her anything!". today, 1/23 the hood opened again. when talking about this to a coworker she stated this also happened to her outback last year. this is definitely a safety issue. *la

Engine overheated after a 30-minute trip. temp gauge read normal. thermostat, water pump, radiator, head gasket all ok, but exhaust valves and cylinder walls damaged beyond repair.*ak

Check engine indicator light illuminated. also, while driving at highway speeds vehicle pulls to the left. the cause of the problems have not been determined. *ak

Big hesitation (car is warmed up) when starting again from stop when turning left across traffic. if i don't allow 3x normal distance i'd get slammed. i start with a slow steady depression of accelerator and end up having to put it to the floor for it to even move. dealer keeps telling me they couldn't dupli9cate and nothing is wrong. subaru.com just blew me off and told me to go back to dealer. i'm afraid one day it won't move at all; and i believe in prevention with a capital p. this has been going on since the day i drove it off the lot.*ak

I heard a clicking in my car when on an entrance ramp. it did not sound too serious, but i made a note of it. i went on the highway and within a half a mile my car began to weave. the steering appeared to fail and i went into a spin. i could not steer the car and lost control. the brakes were working but at the speed i was going (40-45mph) i hit the left barrier after going over two lanes. there was no rain or ice but the road was in really bad shape from construction. i had experienced that weaving sensation before in the subraru on uneven roads but nothing like this ever happened. i am lucky to be alive. the airbags deployed and the car was totaled. the shop did not really check what went wrong they said the axle and brakes and tires seemed fine. the car could not start and apparently the timing chain had been damaged. *la

My 1999 subaru outback stalls when it is cold. the car has been to the dealership for tune-ups and repairs with no resolution. the dealership and subaru's area service representative, bob wiseman, have closed the case. i am stuck with a car that won't run. *la

Break failure - 1999 subaru outback. when the breaks are applied the pedal goes to the floor. owner replaced pads - rotors, etc to improve the problem. the repair did not improve the problem so the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership. the dealership indicated that the protective boots around the caliper pistons were completely deterioated and that the calpers needed to be completely replaced. this appears to be a manufacturing defect and i suggested that this could be wide spread, and a safety hazard. i was told that there is no wide spread problem and that my issue was one of a kind. i have been involved with various types of failure analysis in industry and i am very sure that the breakdown of the rubber piston boots is caused from defective material. i would suggest that this is a wide spread problem and that it needs to be addressed immediately. david slocum

Vehicle has a manual transmission.when driving in 5 th gear the transmission will pop out of gear without warning. subaru tech explained that a packing nut on the gear shaft was not properly peened. the nut backed-off over time and damaged the transimission.*ak

I bought a 1999 subaru outback 30th anniversary limited edition in may of 1999. within six months, the car began to exhibit clutch and transmission problems. i brought this to the immediate attention of the subaru dealer. for three years they denied that there was anything wrong with the vehicle, always saying they were unable to duplicate the problems. finally in june of 2002, i was able to get a regional service supervisor to admit that the car definitely had problems. his first solution was to suggest that i trade the car in on a new one. when i declined, he offered to have the car properly repaired, as it should have been three years prior. after four trips to two different subaru dealers and after supposedly having the entire clutch assembly replaced three times, the car is in worse shape than it ever has been. subaru has refused to repair the car, despite the fact that it's under an extended warranty that covers the entire transmission.subaru claims that the car now "operates as designed" and that any problems i am now experiencing are a result of my driving habits. subaru refuses to replace the car because they were able to stall any repairs until the car passed the two year lemon law exclusion.*ak

Transmission failure due to seal leaking fluid to front differential. requires new transmission. *ak

The manufacturer failed to peen packing nut on 5th gear which caused the nut to back off. this caused the vehicle to drop out of 5th gear. *ph *cb *nlm

The vehicles abs failed. *nlm returned usps, 2nd attempt made 06/21/2007 failed. *lj

Speedometer and odometer cut out intermittently. *nlm

Head gasket was leaking and needed to be replaced. ph *cb

Sunroof shattered and fell on driver and passenger. no rocks were present, nor any wind. it simply exploded.

I was backing out of a parking spot when the car jolted to a stop. the mechanic said the wires holding power harness in place had broken at an earlier point in time. this caused the power harness to shift to rest on top of the sway bar. the constant rubbing against the sway bar caused 3 wires to short, blowing all fuses and the computer module. a subaru rep said there was one other case like this in the up of michigan. but he blamed packed snow in the wheel wells. this does not make sense in northern illinois in may. subaru also confirmed had i been in traffic i would have been seriously injured or killed. no one has explained why the wire ties broke causing the power harness to move. at 40000 it was out of warranty, and we had to pay the deductible for the extended warranty, even though parties have said it is possible the wire ties broke while the car was in warranty. *ts *nlm **dimsii ivies entry posted after 12-12-02 cut over to artemis**762507

Only three months after my purchase the car developed a noise. i took it to my mechanic who recommended replacing the clutch release bearing. i was shocked that this piece had gone bad so early, and i couldn¿¿t understand why. i authorized the repairs, and as they began working on it they discovered why it had gone bad prematurely. one of the clips on the clutch release bearing had broken, causing the bearing to sit crooked. this then allowed the clutch release bearing to wear a groove on the snout that the bearing rides on. the bearing was then getting caught in the groove, preventing it from releasing fully. i not only have to replace the bearing and the clips but also the entire transmission housing because the snout is cast into the housing

We have an auto repair garage, and we have seen a recurring problem on 1999 subaru legacy outback cars with manual transmissions. these cars develop a "tweety" clutch release bearing. when we go in to replace the bearing, we have found that one of the two clips for the bearing is always missing. this is what causes the bearing to go bad prematurely. each time we find the same thing. one of the clips on the clutch release bearing had broken, causing the bearing to sit crooked. this then allowed the clutch release bearing to wear a groove on the snout that the bearing rides on. the bearing was then getting caught in the groove, preventing it from releasing fully. we then not only have to replace the bearing and the clips but also the entire transmission housing because the snout is cast into the housing. this is a very expensive repair for such an inexpensive clip. we feel that these clips need to be looked into further to find a stronger one to prevent this problem.

Clutch chirps like a bird when out, is silent when fully depressed. diagnosis: bad throw out bearing. this is the third clutch in this car for this same problem. the first at approximately 18,000 miles; the second at approximately 43,000, and now again just 1500 miles later! clutch actually disengaged permanently on the shop floor while the dealer was examining the car -- he was poking around the bearing and it "fell out" of alignment, completely preventing the clutch from working. this could've happened to me on the road, while driving.*jb

Engine make a noise. the dealer and technician diagnosis the piston was worn-out at premature mileages . please provide further information. ph

There are several issues going on with my 1999 subaru legacy outback vehicle: 1) the check engine light goes on when the fuel gauge drops down to empty although the gas tank was just filled with gas. 2) the fuel gauge does not read correct. after the gas tank is full, the gauge fluctuates back and forth (sometimes the gauge reads near empty, sometimes the gauge reads 3/4 of the tank full) when operating the vehicle. 3) the car did not pass the california smog test. 4) the rpm gauge does not stay constant while driving at an even speed. once the gauge hits between two to three thousand rpm, the gauge drops back to between one and two thousand rpm on and of when driving. 5) the gas tank does not maintain pressure even though the lid was screwed on tight. the lid was replaced with a new one but this problem still occurs. all these issues occur with the check engine light on. the dealer does not want to look at these issues without having me pay them to look at my car. these issues my car has been experiencing have been on and off since 2001 to present. the problems seem to get worse.

Jan 6, 2003 (your web site won't let me select the current year, so i selected 2002, the last available date that can be selected, below) i own a 1999 subaru outback. it currently has approximately 43,000 miles on it. the clutch mechanism has failed twice, once at 18,651 and once at 42,500. both times the throw-out bearing failed. i've owned 8 cars and driven them in 10 states and three provinces. i've driven in the desert, the mountains and by the ocean with most of these cars. in all cases, i've never had to replace a clutch below 75,000 miles! i've driven standard/stick my whole life and have never, ever seen clutch failure like this subaru. i don't ride the clutch, i engage and disengage it properly, etc. and yet the throw-out bearing keeps failing prematurely.

Rear wheel bearing has worn out, rear end started making a loud noise, and vehicle became hard to control also, smoke and oil came from wheels. this was the 10th time tha consumer had to replace it. contacted dealer. *ak

Vehicle started smoking under hood, then stalled at a stop. taken to dealer who repaired vehicle, one week later engine light came on, vehicle overheated, but did not stall, dealer replaced engine. wiper blades were replaced. *slc

While driving on rainy road at approximately 25 mph vehicle hydroplaned and picked up speed to 35 mph, and hit telephone pole head-on. but, dual airbags did not deploy, causing head and jaw injuries. seatbelts were not worn at the time.*ak

On two occasions vehicle suddenly accelerated. first time while applying brakes and coming to a stop light, and second time while in reverse. dealer was notified. feel free to provide further details. *ak

While traveling and upon depressing the brakes they would make a loud noise,like metal to metal . dealer has been contacted.please provide further information. *ak

While driving on highway traveling at 70mph with cruise control on, had to apply brakes because of a slow moving vehicle in front. vehicle locked and the rpms shot up high, and shifted into a lower gear. shut off the cruise control at this time, and it was still locked into that mode.*ak

Whenever brakes are applied there is sudden acceleration. (cruise control was not used). dealer was not notified. *ak

While driving down road applied brakes and transmission jumped hard into a lower gear and then brakes would grab. driving on highway, travelling 35mph with snow on the road and coming off a ramp, tapped the brakes, and all wheels locked up, and vehicle went out of control, hitting a pole. contacted dealer. dealer informed consumer that the transmission was causing the problem. also, this was the second time vehicle went out of control. was also told that transmission was being redesigned. *ak

Brake pedal and accelerator pedal are so close to each other that when stepping one of the pedals, consumer is applying both pedals at the same time. *ak

Tailgate & the bottom of station wagon has a gap between it which is getting wider. the seal is allowing air to come in. the seal is around the inside & not holding tight. taking vehicle to dealer. *ak

When applying the brakes driver's foot can hit the accelerator pedal and apply both by mistake. dealer says its part of design and nothing can be done. *ak

When driving at highway speed and going up a incline, applied the brakes and brake pedal was soft, and went straight to the floorboard, causing consumer to slow down and rear end another vehicle. *ak

Consumer was coasting up a slight hill when vehicle took off to right with brakes applied, causing a loss of control. *ak

Wheel bearing was leaking grease when it was lubricated which caused an unusual noise. dealer replaced the seal for the wheel bearings. *ak

A new design change with the chip within transmission is causing the vehicle to downshift when applying brakes.there is no way to fix it at present moment. *ak

Front crank seal fails. causing oil leakage and possible fire under hood. research on internet shows to be a common problem with subarus. research also shows subaru has released 3 different parts in attempt to fix problem. subaru denies this to be a fire hazard or even a problem with their vehicles.*ak

Odometer failures - also possibly causing transmission problems

I had stopped and put car into park and it suddenly accelerated into the brick. *ak

My engine light came on at 36,000 miles the dealer charged me $75 to reset it and was not able to determine why the light came on within 2 weeks the light came on again sicne the warranty expired at 36,000 miles i will have to pay for another "computer reset" words used by dealer is this a common complaint for this moodel and year ? i also understand that there is an alternator recall could that have made the engine light come on ? thank you as. *ak

Heated mirrors, heated seats, and speedometer/odometer all quit working and although service technicians told me there was nothing wrong originally, they did finally admit to a short within each unit. there must be something electrial shorting out to cause all the misc. things to go out. the dealership tells me there is no concern due to repeated electrical shortages in the vehicle.

Travel at approx 30-35 mph hit another vehicle in the front drivers side of oncoming vehicle - neither air bag deployed. *ak

In the morning, when i back up the car from my driveway, go forward and then apply the brakes, there is a loud, mechanical banging sound (like metal hitting on metal) coming from each of the 4 wheels - either the pads hitting the rotor or the piston hitting the pads which in turn hit the rotor. this also occurs when the car has not been used for 2-3 hours and the car is put into reverse, then forward, then the brakes are applied. recently the banging sound is becoming louder - so much so that it attracts pedestrians' attention. the dealer said he could not find a problem. a subaru regional inspector said there is nothing wrong. subaru customer service told me to live with the sound/problem. i have spoken with other subaru owners and they tell me they have similar problems and that subaru does not acknowledge their problem. the car does stop, but i am afraid that one day the brakes will fail without any notice. ... in addition the brakes are very, very spongy/soft. it feels like i am stepping on an air mattress - there is no sensation of stopping until the brake pedal of almost fully depressed. there is absolutely no feel/feedback when the brakes are depressed - i know i am stopping because i see the surrounding environment slowing down, not because i feel the car stopping. consumer reports (mar,2000) said "the brake pedal felt soft and not reassuring. we also experienced some moderate brake fade".*ak

There was difficulty downshifting when the car was new. i thought it was just tight. in may, 1999, after extensive clutch use on a trip to san francisco, while driving on the freeway, the car would not shift from 4th to 5th or 5th to 4th. it seemed to be ok later. within a couple weeks we noticed a terrible burning smell from starting on a hill and extensive clutch slippage. the clutch was eventually replaced in august, 1999, but the new clutch showed the same problems. the difficulty in shifting has gotten worse and my son was almost in an accident when he needed to downshift from third to second to change lanes in bad freeway traffic. he had been using the cluch a lot, because it was stop and go traffic. the problem of being unable to change gears has been getting worse and is very scary. the clutch continues to slip and burn. we have been attempting to get subaru to buy back the car with no success. *ak

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

When driving down hill, if you touch the brakes to slow the transmission abruptly downshifts causing the car to jolt sharply and startle the driver. the transmission will not upshift until throttle is applied for a moment which causes you to shoot up on the car ahead. not applying throttle results in a lot of engine breaking and high rpm's. i feel this is very distracting and potentially dangerous if it happens on a slippery surface because the abrupt and unanticipated braking cvould cause a loss of control and/or skid. the dealer says there is no fix - it's designed that way. they also told me they had received other complaints.

'slopecontrol' causes the car to downshift any time the brakes are applied on a slope of a certain pitch. this is an acceptable feature at speeds below 40 mph, but at freeway speeds the car reacts violently and decellerates to an unsafe speed with little or no warning to following traffic. subaru is not advertising this feature and the car was sold to us with no disclosure concerning 'slopecontrol'. we have narrowly escaped two rear-end collisions and are selling the car back at a loss to purchase a safer stick shift.

Consumer could hear a grating sound coming from the rear passenger side of the vehicle, dealer sated that the wheel bearing was defective and needed replaced. *slc

Vehicle has been experiencing hesitation after accelerating from a stopped position, this problem has been occurring every day and the dealer can find no remedy for it, the mechanics say it is a fuel problem and have had the consumer use high octane gas, the fuel filter was plugged and the dealer found the fuel was contaminated, all the work that has been completed on this vehicle has not remedied the hesitation problem. *slc

Rear right tire went flat (michelin radial tire style xw4.205/70r15). yh

Comsumers pant leg got caught on a small 2 inch round mechanism that sticks out of the side opening of the back door causing her to fall to the concrete resulting in bruises. nlm

Vehicle vibrates while driving.