What 295 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Subaru Outback Wilderness

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE SHUDDERED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DREYER & REINBOLD SUBARU (1301 SOUTH, US-31 STE 2, GREENWOOD, IN 46143), TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 104,000.

NHTSA ODI 11322115

DIRECTIONAL STABILITY; DIFFICULT TO KEEP CAR CENTERED IN LANE; WANDERS OFF FROM WHERE STEERING IS SET; STEERING WILL NOT CENTER, BUT WILL STAY IN A GENTLE CURVE BY ITSELF UNTIL CORRECTED, THEN WILL WANDER OFF CENTER AGAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO PROBLEM IS TOO MUCH FORCE IS REQUIRED IN A STEERING ACTION TO CORRECT A WANDER CAUSING A SLIGHT OVERSHOOT WHICH NO MATTER HOW CAREFULLY CONTROLLED, CANNOT KEEP THE CAR GOING IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION, WHETHER IN A CURVE OR KEEPING STRAIGHT. THE FASTER THE CAR IS GOING, NATURALLY THE MORE INTENSE THE PROBLEM BECOMES. THE CONSTANT ATTENTION REQUIRED TO ADJUSTING STEERING IS FATIGUING AND HENCE THE CAR IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE. DEALER AND INDEPENDENTS HAVE ALWAYS SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND; ALIGNMENTS MAKE NO DIFFERENCE, NEW TIRES MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AN ENGINEERING FLAW, AND/OR AN ATTEMPT TO HIDE ANOTHER MORE SERIOUS SAFETY OR DRIVABILITY ISSUE. SUBJECTIVELY IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE OVER TIME.

NHTSA ODI 11319422

USE MORE THAN A QUART OF OIL A WEEK AND JUST CHANGE BRAKES AND THEY SHIMMY AND JOLT

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A RED LIGHT, THE ENGINE REVVED UP. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND DROVE TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND LATER WAS TOWED TO SCHUMACHER SUBARU LOCATED AT (3021 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409) AND WAS DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,145.

NHTSA ODI 11316225

FOR THE LAST 50K MILES, OIL CONSUMPTION HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE. NOW IT NEEDS A QT OF OIL EVERY 600 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11315547

SUBARU HAS FAILED TO COMPLY WITH THE TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. I BEGAN BY CALLING THE PHONE NUMBER SUPPLIED ON THE RECALL LETTER, BUT THE OPERATOR THERE PROVIDED NO INFORMATION ABOUT ACCOMPLISHING THIS RECALL. I NEXT TRIED THE SUBARU WEBSITE, UNDER RECALLS. ALTHOUGH THE SITE PURPORTED TO PROVIDE A MECHANISM TO EFFECT THE RECALL, IN FACT IT DID NOT FUNCTION SUCH THAT I COULD SCHEDULE SUCH A REPAIR. THIRD, I TRIED EMAILING SUBARU. AS OF THIS WRITING I HAVE HAD NO RESPONSE. FINALLY, I TRIED CALLING THE SUBARU 800 NUMBER. THEY WERE UNABLE (OR UNWILLING) TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO EFFECT THE REPAIR.

NHTSA ODI 11310616

MY 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS THREE OPEN RECALLS, NUMBERED 19V009000 (AIRBAG), 18V626000 (PARKING BRAKE), AND 16V694000 (WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR). SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS TOLD ME, WITHIN THE PAST WEEK, THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAG. I LIVE 138 MILES FROM THE NEAREST SUBARU DEALER. I HAVE GIVEN SUBARU TWO QUOTES, REQUESTED BY THEM, INCLUDING CONTACT INFORMATION AT TWO COMPANIES, FOR TRANSPORTING THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALER, RIMROCK SUBARU IN BILLINGS, MT. SUBARU OF AMERICA REFUSES TO CONTACT OR MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE TWO COMPANIES AND REFUSES TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIRS UNLESS I PAY IN ADVANCE, APPROXIMATELY $1,700.00, FOR ROUND TRIP TRANSPORTATION AND CAR RENTAL, TO GET THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND BACK. SUBARU TOLD ME, IN AN EMAIL TODAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020, FROM [XXX] OF SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE, "MY ABILITY TO ASSIST IS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS. THERE IS NO WORKAROUND FOR THIS." HIS EMAIL IS CUSTDLRSERVICES@SUBARU.COM THIS IS AN EXTREME HARDSHIP FOR ME AS I AM RETIRED WITH LIMITED DISCRETIONARY FUNDS. I HOPE YOU CAN CONVINCE SUBARU TO FULFILL ITS LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO COMPLETE THESE RECALLS WITHOUT MY FINANCIAL INVOLVEMENT. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 11308689

THIS CAR IS AN EXTREME OIL BURNER. WE HAVE TO ADD OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES. THERE WAS A LAWSUIT AND SUBARU IS OFFERING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE BLOCK, BUT OUR DEALERSHIP SAYS THE CAR CONTINUES TO PASS THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. ALSO, THE CLUTCH JUST WENT OUT AT 58,000 MILES. AFTER AN ONLINE SEARCH, I AM SEEING THIS IS TYPICAL OF THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11308612

DATE OF EVENT: 01/11/2020 TIME OF EVENT: 14:00 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE ONTO INTERSTATE 84 OUR 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK CHUGGED THEN COMPLETELY STALLED, REQUIRING AN EMERGENCY LANE SHIFT ONTO THE SHOULDER TO AVOID ENTERING THE BUSY FREEWAY WITH NO ENGINE POWER. LUCKILY THE CAR STARTED UP AGAIN (ALBEIT VERY ROUGHLY) AND WE WERE ABLE TO LIMP IT TO THE NEXT EXIT TO A LOCATION TO BE TOWED. THIS WAS A VERY INTENSE AND SCARY SITUATION THAT THANKFULLY ENDED IN NO INCIDENT. UPON RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM IT APPEARS THIS STALLING ISSUE IS NOT UNCOMMON YET SUBARU DOES NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. THIS WAS A NEAR MISS THAT I ATTRIBUTE TO A RECALL THAT SHOULD HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED VOLUNTARILY BY THE OEM.

NHTSA ODI 11299075

I NEED TO PUT A QUART OF OIL EVERY 250 MILES. I DID AN OIL CHECK WITH GRAYSON SUBARU KNOXVILLE TN, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS FINE.

NHTSA ODI 11296821

WATER POURS INTO VEHICLE FROM CENTER REAR BRAKE LIGHT EVERY TIME IT RAINS. BLOOMINGTON SUBARU CONFIRMED ISSUE IS WATER LEAK VIA CENTER REAR BRAKE LIGHT. SOA CONTACTED, NO RESPONSE RECEIVED. ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE NEW, CURRENT MILEAGE IS 30,000. STILL LEAKS.

NHTSA ODI 11291661

CVT TRANSMISSION MANY ISSUES INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATING AND CAUSING THE CAR TO COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. PROBLEMS PERSEIST AND DEALERSHIP CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG INITIALLY , BUT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN BECOMING WORSE AND WORSE SICNCE THESE ISSUES STARTED AND THE TRANSMISSION STALLS THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11282567

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

NHTSA ODI 11282568

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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I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS OVERHEATING. I NOTICED STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR CEASED FORWARD MOMENTUM AND CAME TO A HALT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD (CURVY AND HILLY COUNTRY ROAD). INSPECTION SHOWED TRANSMISSION FLUID GUSHING OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION. A LARGE PUDDLE JOINED WHAT I LATER DISCOVERED TO BE NEARLY TEN MILES OF TRANSMISSION FLUID TRAIL. THIS IS THE FOURTH TRANSMISSION TO GO INTO THE CAR.

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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.

NHTSA ODI 11271021

WE RECENTLY HAD OUR VEHICLE SERVICE FOR THE TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO US, WE FOUND A PLASTIC CLIP/FASTENER ON ONE OF THE FLOOR MATS, SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS. WE ARE LEFT WONDERING WHERE THIS COMPONENT BELONGS, ITS FUNCTION, WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND HOW WE SHOULD PROCEED.

NHTSA ODI 11267358

HAVING MAINTAINED MY SUBARU OUTBACK AT A SUBARU DEALER SINCE PURCHASE, I EXPECTED FEW MAJOR PROBLEMS. OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS, A SMALL BUZZING SOUND FROM THE TRANSMISSION HAS GROWN TO A LOUD SOUND. THE SUBARU TECH SAID MY TRANSMISSION WAS DONE. 133000 MILES AND SUBARU OFFERED $1000 TOWARD A NEW CAR OR NEW $8000 TRANSMISSION. THE CAR IS NOW WORTHLESS.

NHTSA ODI 11258542

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

NHTSA ODI 11254991

TOOK IT HOME FROM DEALER AND THE ELECTRONIC PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ALSO BLINKING. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, ON THE WAY TO DEALER, I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE. IT WORKED THIS TIME, BUT WHEN I GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE, THE ELECTRIC PARKING BRAKE WOULDN'T TURN OFF. I WAS STUCK. THERE WAS NO WAY TO MOVE IT. I WAS BLOCKING THE GAS PUMP FOR ABOUT AN HOUR WAITING FOR A TWO TRUCK. TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD DIFFICULTY LOADING VEHICLE AND TAKING OFF VEHICLE BECAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ON AND IT WAS AN AWD MEANING NONE OF THE WHEELS CAN MOVE.

NHTSA ODI 11253364

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.

NHTSA ODI 11253243

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.

NHTSA ODI 11253245

ALLOY WHEELS FAILURE. THE WHEELS HAVE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE (LARGE CRACK AND HOLE IN CENTER OF RIM) WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THERE WERE NO POT HOLES OR DEBRIS IN HIGHWAY. LOCATION: EXIT 1, US 7 IN NORWALK CONNECTICUT. DATE/TIME: AUGUST 23, 2019 @ 6:00PM IN FULL DAYLIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11246653

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.

NHTSA ODI 11245142

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT A FUEL STATION, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE AND THE EYESIGHT COLLISION WARNING FAILED TO ACTIVATE. THE CONSUMER STATED PARKING ACCELERATOR BRAKE FAILED AND DEALER REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,600. *TT *TR

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