Manufacturer: FUJI HEAVY INDUSTRIES U.S.A., INC. (C/O SUBARU OF AMERICA)
Manufacturer Id: 1075
Model: Legacy
Model Year: 2001
Note: Body Type: Station Wagon and Outback Wagon
Plant City: Lafayette
Plant Company Name: SIA
Plant Country: United States (USA)
Plant State: Indiana
Seat Belts All: Manual
Transmission Speeds: 4
Transmission Style: Automatic
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2010
POWER TRAIN
SUBARU OUTBACK STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY AND VIBRATION. I PURCHASED MY 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK NEW IN OCTOBER OF 2010. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AND SPENDING A FEW MILES GETTING USED TO THE FEEL AND SENSATION OF A NEW CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE RIDE OF THE CAR WAS SOMEWHAT UNSETTLED, VIBRATING AND SHAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE NEW TIRES AND SLIGHTLY OVERLY INFLATED TIRE PRESSURE. I PRECISELY ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND SPENT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WAITING FOR THE TIRES TO "SETTLE IN" AND SMOOTH OUT. MY WIFE STARTED DRIVING THE CAR REGULARLY AND DID NOT MENTION ANY ISSUE ABOUT THE RIDE. I DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AFTERWARDS AND ON EACH TRIP FOUND THE CAR VERY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. THE RIDE IS NOTICEABLE LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY BUT IS MOST APPARENT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, MOST ESPECIALLY IN LOW POWER SITUATIONS LIKE COASTING DOWN DESCENTS AT GREATER THAN 60MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES DRAMATICALLY IN THIS SITUATION. THINKING THAT THE CAUSE OF THE SHAKING WAS THE OEM TIRES, I REMOVED THE CONTI CONTISPORT TIRES AND REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN DEFENDER XT'S FROM COSTCO. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE NO SMOOTHER THAN THE OEM'S. I HAD COSTCO REMOVE AND REBALANCE THE TIRES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AND VIBRATION REMAINED EVEN AFTER THE REBALANCE. I WAS ABOUT TO RETURN THE CAR TO COSTCO WHEN I FOUND THE LINK ON THE SUBARU FORUM ABOUT "SHAKY SUBARUS" AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SO WIDESPREAD THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) HAD BEEN ISSUED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, MANDATING THAT MAJOR MODIFICATIONS BE MADE TO THE CAR. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED BY SOA ABOUT THE TSB. *TR
2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I WAS TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT 65-70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED DOWN SUDDENLY. MY FIRST REACTION IN THIS CASE IS TO PULL THE SPEED CONTROL LEVER TOWARDS ME TO DISENGAGE IT AND TAKE MANUAL CONTROL OF THE CAR TO SLOW DOWN BY BRAKING OR DOWNSHIFTING, AS PER USUAL PROCEDURE. IN THIS CASE THROTTLE FAILED TO DECELERATE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, UPON WHICH I THEN REPEATEDLY STAMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL, WHICH WAS ALSO UNRESPONSIVE (DID NOT CANCEL ACCELERATION OR SLOW THE VEHICLE). OUT OF OPTIONS, I SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE TRACTOR-TRAILER DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME AND REAR ENDED A MOVING VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE. WITH BRAKES STILL UNRESPONSIVE, I MANAGED TO CUT ACROSS TO THE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BY DOWNSHIFTING IN ADDITION TO USING THE HANDBRAKE. *TR