What 295 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Outback Wilderness

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. THE CAR GOES THROUGH A QUART OF OIL ABOUT EVERY 700-800 MILES DESPITE REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTAINCE

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THE CAR LOOSES POWER TO THE POINT WHERE IT OCCASIONALLY STALLS WHEN I DECELERATE AND COME TO A STOP OR JUST BEFORE THE STOP. I REPLACED THE BATTERY AS IT WAS ON ITS WAY OUT ANYWAY AND THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I DON'T THINK IT HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE ALTERNATOR AND I HAVEN'T BROUGHT THE CAR TO A DEALER OR MECHANIC YET. BUT WANT TO RAISE THE FLAG ON THE ISSUE I'M HAVING BECAUSE I'VE SEEN LOTS OF FORUMS WHERE OTHER FOLKS ARE EXPERIENCING A SIMILAR ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL AND ADDITIONAL OIL HAD TO BE ADDED BY THE CONTACT. IN ADDITION, THE LOW OIL WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTONATION SUBARU ARAPAHOE (9955 E ARAPAHOE RD, CENTENNIAL, CO 80112, (303) 578-6119) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST AND OIL CHANGE WERE NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1-35088528581. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,000.

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I HAVE A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK AND IT STUTTERS DRIVING BETWEEN 20-40 MPH. IT SEEMS TO LOOSE POWER WHEN DRIVING ON CITY STREETS. DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERY TIME

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OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. SUBARU OF AMERICA AUTHORIZED SUBARU OF SONORA, CA TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS AND RELATED ITEMS/PARTS. THE WORK WAS STARTED ON 8/2/17 AND COMPLETED ON 8/29/17 WITH 95,007 MILES ON THE CAR. THIS REPAIR WORK WAS COMPLETED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. I HAVE A 3 PAGE RECEIPT FROM SUBARU OF SONORA FOR THIS WORK.

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WHILE GOING UP OVER THE GRAPEVINE ON I-5 SOUTHBOUND, I NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED CREEPING UPWARD. WHEN I GOT TO THE TOP, EVERYTHING RETURNED TO NORMAL, BUT I WAS CONCERNED. AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM SO. CA, AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BY SUBARU OF SONORA TO RECTIFY OUR REPAIR COSTS ISSUE, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT I CALL SUBARU OF AMERICA IN NEW JERSEY. LATER THAT DAY, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL OFFERING A 50/50 COST COVERAGE OF THE $3,636 REPAIR BILL. IN OTHER WORDS, I WOULD PAY HALF AND HALF WOULD BE PAID BY SUBARU OF AMERICA IN NJ. SOA THEN AUTHORIZED SUBARU OF SONORA, CA TO REPLACE THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS ONCE AGAIN (FIRST REPLACED AT 95,000 MILES) AND RELATED ITEMS/PARTS. THE WORK WAS STARTED ON 7/15/19 AND COMPLETED ON 9/3/19 WITH 133,336 MILES ON THE CAR. I HAVE A 2 PAGE RECEIPT FROM SUBARU OF SONORA FOR THIS WORK, ALONG WITH AN EMAIL FROM SOA.

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2013 OUTBACK LIMITED 3.6R BOUGHT NEW AND HAS 40K MILES. ON 3 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 5 MONTHS, THE VEHICLE CAN'T CATCH 2ND GEAR AND REVS HIGH AND THEN A HEAVY JOLT PHYSICALLY FELT AND A LOUD CLUNK. HAVE TAKEN IT TO SUBARU SERVICE 3 TIMES AND THEY CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. EVEN AFTER FLUSHING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND RELEARNING THE TRANSMISSION, AND VEHICLE DID IT THE SAME DAY DRIVING HOME AFTER PICKING THE VEHICLE UP FROM RELEARNING THE TRANSMISSION. THIS IS AGGRAVATING, STRESSFUL, AND DANGEROUS. SUBARU NEEDS TO OWN UP AND ADDRESS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND DO A RECALL.

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116,700 MILES AND NEED TO REPLACE VALVE BODY. CONCERN RAISED AT 83,000 MILES BUT WAS ADVISED TO FLUSH TRANSMISSION. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION TEMPERATURE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON EVERY SUMMER, AND CONCERN RAISED BUT WAS ONLY ADVISED TO PULL OVER AND LET IT COOL. ALSO HAVING PROBLEM WITH LOW ENGINE OIL WARNING AND NEED TO ADD 1 - 2 QUARTS BETWEEN 6000 MILE OIL CHANGE. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THE SHORT BLOCK MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED TO REPAIR THIS

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VEHICLE USES OIL EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL AND THIS YEAR OF OUTBACK HAS HAD RECALLS BUT SAID VIN # HAS NOT HAD A RECALL FOR EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION.

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ISSUE IS ONGOING FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLS WHEN AT IDLE AND PLACED IN GEAR. HESITATION WHEN ACCELERATING WHILE DRIVING (ACTS AS IF IT NOT GETTING ENOUGH POWER.) I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS AND CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND I AM NOT GETTING ANYWHERE. DEALERSHIPS CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEREFORE CAN'T DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE VIDEO RECORDS OF THIS ISSUE OCCURRING.

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LEAKING SEAL ON ENGINE

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THE ENGINE MAKES A PINGING TYPE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX. I GUESSING ITS A POSSIBLE BAD VALVE SPRING.

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SUBARU OUTBACK SELF-ACCELERATED (UNINTENDED ACCELERATION) ON MARCH 22, 2018 AS I WAS ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE CAR IN A PARKING LOT. DUE TO THE SELF-ACCELERATION THE CAR HOPPED OVER THE CURB IN THE PARKING LOT AND RAN OVER A BUSH. MY FOOT WAS NO WHERE NEAR THE ACCELERATOR AND EVEN WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKE, I HAD TO PRESS EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. WHILE IT SELF-ACCELERATED THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD REVVING SOUND. ON MARCH 23, 2018 THE CAR SELF-ACCELERATED AGAIN WITH MY HUSBAND DRIVING ON THE OPEN ROAD. AFTER THIS INCIDENT WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR CAR DEALERSHIP. SUBARU HAS HAD THE CAR SINCE MARCH 23 AND DENIES ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR OR CAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED AND APPROACHING A STOP, THE ENGINE STALLED. UPON ACCELERATING, IT TOOK THREE TO FIVE SECONDS FOR THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

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EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATES EVERY 3000 MILES INSTEAD OF PURPORTED 7500 MILES. PROBLEMS STARTED IN 2016 AT ABOUT 70,000 MILES. DEALERSHIP DID TEST , CONFIRMED EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION AND IS REPLACING SHORT BLOCK IN VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP STATES EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PROBLEM.

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ABOUT EVERY 3,000 MILES, I HAVE REFILL ENGINE OIL TO REQUIRED LEVEL. ALL HAPPENED ON HIGHWAY - THE ENGINE CONSUMES TOO MUCH OIL

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EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE, ABOUT EVERY 2,000 MILES THE ENGINE OIL SEEMS TO VANISH, AND I HAVE TO ADD ABOUT A QUART. I RUN THROUGH ABOUT 7 QUARTS A YEAR. WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, I ASKED THE DEALER WHY THE OIL DIPSTICK INDICATED THE OIL LEVEL WAS WAY ABOVE THE FULL LEVEL. THE DEALER JUST SAID IT MUST HAVE BEEN FILLED TOO MUCH IN THE LAST OIL CHANGE. I THINK IT WAS OVER FILLED SO I WOULDN'T NOTICE IT LEAKING OUT UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAVE TO KEEP A SPARE QUART IN THE CAR AT ALL TIMES. IF THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT EVER FAILS, I'M WORRIED I COULD SEIZE THE ENGINE.

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ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE STALLED, AS IN THE ENGINE DIED. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. USUALLY IT HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED, THE ENGINE WILL DIE, THIS WILL HAPPEN 2-3 TIMES ON EACH OCCURRENCE. IT DOES EVENTUALLY START AND RUN CORRECTLY. A SIMILAR ISSUE OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE ENGINE WILL "FLUTTER" ALMOST DIE AND THEN RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. SO FAR IT HAS NOT LEFT US STRANDED, HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE AND AT WHAT POINT WILL IT STALL AND NOT START AGAIN. I PLAN ON TAKING IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT, HOWEVER, THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS NOT COME ON SO I DON'T EXPECT THE COMPUTER HAS STORED ANY CODES FOR THE MECHANIC TO BE ABLE TO TROUBLESHOOT.

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2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEMS AFTER REPLACEMENT OF OIL SENDING UNIT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION, BEFORE THE OIL SENDING UNIT WAS REPLACED. OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS, THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT AN INCREASING RATE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO MASK THE PROBLEM BY OVER-FILLING THE RESERVOIR, TELLING THE AMOUNT OF OIL CONSUMER WAS NORMAL, ETC.*JB

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VIN: [XXX] YEAR: 2013 VEHICLE: OUTBACK MODEL: 2.5I PREMIUM VEHICLE PURCHASE DATE 08/05/2013 AUGUST 2013 (LESS THAN 2500 MILES IN THE CAR) RETURNING FROM A TRIP PEMBROKE PINES, FL TO CLIFTON, NJ TO PEMBROKE PINES, FL. ON RETURNING TRIP SATURDAY, 11:00 AM OR SO. SOUTHBOUND ON I-95 BEFORE JACKSONVILLE, FL, OIL LIGHT TURN ON. SUBARU ROAD ASSISTANCE RECOMMENDED SUBARU OF JACKSONVILLE, FL. WENT THERE AND THEY POUR SOME OIL AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. AUGUST 31ST, 2015, STARTED TO TRAVEL TO JACKSONVILLE, TALLAHASSEE AND GAINESVILLE, FL. MORE THAN 3 SIMILAR INCIDENTS IN 2015. JANUARY 2016 SITUATION INCREASES. BETWEEN DEC 2015 AND JAN 2016, CAR REPEATED THE LOW OIL LEVEL SITUATION 3 TIMES. JAN 25, 2016, SUBARU OF JAX RAN A 1200 MILES OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. RESULT WAS NEGATIVE. MISSING OIL WAS BETWEEN SUBARU STANDARDS. WEEKEND ON FRI, 04/08/2016 7:30 PM, DRIVING FROM JAX TO PEMBROKE PINES, FL, LOW OIL LEVEL LIGHT CAME BACK ON. TRIED TO RESET IT SEVERAL TIMES, TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON. ONLY BY FORT LAUDERDALE LIGHT WENT OFF COMPLETELY. OIL LEVEL CHECKED NEXT DAY 04/09/2016. OIL MISSING ON THE STICK. 2/3 OF QTR. OIL ADDED. MON, 04/11/2016, VISITED SUBARU OF JAX AND REGISTER THE OCCURRENCE. FRI, 05/06/ 2016, FROM JAX TO PEMBROKE PINES, FL AND BACK ON SUN, 05/08/2016. LOW OIL LEVEL LIGHT CAME ON SEVERAL TIMES. NEXT GAS STATION, PURCHASED MOST COMPATIBLE FULL SYNTHETIC QUARTER OIL AND POUR HALF OF THE BOTTLE. LIGHT WENT OFF FOR THE REST OF TRIP. THU, 05/12/2016, WENT TO SUBARU OF JAX TO REPORT PROBLEM EXPERIENCED AND TO MAKE OIL CHANGE AT 49,702 MILES. AGREED WITH SERVICE MANAGER TO USE OIL WITH MORE VISCOSITY, 5W30 INSTEAD OF SUBARU RECOMMENDED 0W20. THEY CHECK OIL LEVEL AND DETERMINE THAT 3/4 OF A QUARTER OF OIL WAS MISSING. SO WE ARE TALKING OF QUARTER OR MORE OF TOTAL OIL MISSING BETWEEN OIL CHANGES. I DIDN'T LIKE THAT. 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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THIS VEHICLE HAS SEVERAL ISSUES. I HAD AN OIL CHANGE AND WITHIN 1 WEEK THEY HAD TO ADD 1.3 QUARTS. CAR HAD 23,767 MILES. IN JUST OVER A MONTH I HAVE HAD TO ADD ALMOST 4 QUARTS OF SYNTHETIC OIL AND SPENT CLOSE TO $100 FOR THE OIL. THE CAR IS AN AUTOMATIC WITH A MANUAL OPTION AND I AM ALSO HAVEING PROBLEMS WHERE THE GEARS WON'T CHANGE IN AUTO NOR MANUAL OPERATION. IT REVS THE ENGINE AND I HAVE TO STOP, TURN IT OFF THEN RESTART. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME BUT THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT..THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH VIBRATION OF THE STEERING WHEEL ALL THE TIME AND THE BRAKES DON'T WANT TO CATCH ALL THE TIME. SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES 2 OR 3 TIMES TO GET THEM TO ENGAGE.

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THIS CAR CONSUMES OIL. IT'S BEEN A CONSISTENT PROBLEM SINCE TURNING 25K, WE HAVE HAD 3 OIL CONSUMPTION TESTS AND SUBARU STATES THAT LOSING BETWEEN 1.1QTS BETWEEN SERVICE INTERVALS IS NORMAL. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. THESE ENGINES ARE FLAWED. NO MODERN CAR SHOULD CONSUME/LOSE OIL. HAVING OWNED A 2009 SUBARU OUTBACK IMPREZA SPORT AND KNOWING OTHERS WITH SUBARU OUTBACKS W/OUT THIS PROBLEM IT IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT SUBARU DOES NOT WANT TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR. I URGE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS AND FORCE SUBARU TO RECALL THE EFFECTED ENGINES.

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ENGINE IS BURNING OIL INTO ATMOSPHERE. GETTING LESS THAN 800 MILES BEFORE OIL LIGHT COMES ON. CONSUMES OVER A QUART OF SYNTHETIC MOTOR OIL EVERY TWO WEEKS. SUBARU HAS BEEN REPLACING MOTORS FOR ONLY WHEN PEOPLE COMPLAIN AND ONLY IF THEY ARE IN WARRANTY, I WAS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY WHEN I EXPERIENCED THIS, THANKFULLY I BOUGHT SOME EXTENDED INSURANCE, HOWEVER THEY ONLY REPLACE THE MOTOR WITH A JUNKYARD MOTOR, WHICH MAY FAIL AGAIN, I ALREADY SUSPECT I AM BURNING OIL AND AM INDEED FACING THE SAME ISSUE AFTER ONLY 4 WEEKS. SUBARU NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS MFGR. DEFECT. THEY ARE POLLUTING THE ATMOSPHERE AND DOING AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE. THIS ISSUE APPEARS TO AFFECT A GOOD PORTION OF THESE CARS AS EVIDENCED BY ALL OF THE ONLINE CHATTER ABOUT IT. THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE UPON NOTICING LACK OF POWER AND HAVING MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED DUE TO IT BEING CLOGGED. I AM ALREADY NOTICING THIS SAME ISSUE THERE TOO. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR, THE ISSUE WAS ALREADY KNOWN TO SUBARU. YET THEY DID NOT TO RESOLVE THE POLLUTING ISSUE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS TO PREVENT ANY WORSE DAMAGE TO THE ENVIRONMENT. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING RID OF THIS VEHICLE, BUT SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE STUCK WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS HAPPENS DURING ALL DRIVING SITUATIONS.. EG: HIGHWAY OR ON LOCAL ROADS.

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SEVERE BURNING OIL ISSUE. RELEASING TOXIC SMOKE INTO ATMOSPHERE. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE WITH SUBARU 2.5 MOTORS. THEY ARE ONLY OFFERING A FIX FOR ANYONE IN WARRANTEE. THIS IS PREVENTING MANY VEHICLES FROM BEING REPAIRED DUE TO COST OF REPAIR. THIS HAPPENS MAINLY ON HIGHWAY DRIVING FOR ME. I HAD MY ENGINE REPLACED OUT OF WARRANTY AND NOW THE JUNKYARD MOTOR THEY GAVE ME IS DOING THE SAME THING. SUBARU NEEDS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THIS ISSUE, AND NEEDS TO FIX ALL OF THESE AFFECTED MOTORS.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON OVER TWO OCCASIONS WHERE THE FAILURE WAS ABLE TO BE REPLICATED, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. IN ADDITION, THE OIL WARNING LIGHT RANDOMLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE STARTED HESITATING AND, AS THE FAILURE PROGRESSED, CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO PROGRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

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