2006 SUBARU OUTBACK AUTO TRANS. ON MANY OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE'S REAR-END SIDE-STEPS, FISHTAILS OR OSCILLATES ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. THIS HAS ALSO BEEN DESCRIBED AS "GHOST-WALKING" WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THE AWD SYSTEM IN THE REAR IS OVER COMPENSATING, LEADING TO THE VEHICLE BEING UNCONTROLLABLE. THE BEHAVIOR SEEMS TO HAPPEN IN THE 40-60MPH RANGE. YOU MUST SLOW DOWN TO UNSAFE SPEEDS, EVEN FOR THE WEATHER, TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. OTHER NON-AWD VEHICLES DRIVING ON THE SAME ROADS ARE NOT HAVING THIS PROBLEM AND ARE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SAFE CONTROL AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT IS FRIGHTENING WHEN OTHER 2WD CARS AND TRUCKS ARE PASSING YOU GOING 20MPH FASTER AND IT'S DIFFICULT TO KEEP YOUR CAR ON THE ROAD OR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING ON STRAIGHT FLAT ROADS WITHOUT BRAKING, ACCELERATING OR TURNING WITH FAIRLY NEW ALL SEASON TIRES - NO MORE THAN 15,000 MILES ON THEM (REGULARLY ROTATED).
2012
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 2011 MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE, CVT TRANSMISSION. WE HAD TO WAIT A DAY FOR OUR OUTBACK BECAUSE IT WAS BEING REPAIRED DO TO A BRAKE SYSTEM RECALL. EVER SINCE PURCHASING THE OUTBACK WE HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN USING THE PADDLE SHIFTERS TO SLOW DOWN FOR A STOP. WHEN THE TACH SLOWS TO ABOUT 1100 RPM IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR THE ENGINE THEN ACCELERATES TO UP TO 2500 RPM, SLOWING DOWN AND THEN SPEEDING UP AGAIN THEN REPEATING THE CYCLE OVER EVEN IF YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUST RUN AT 2500 RPM UNTIL YOU BRAKED TO A STOP. I TOOK THE OUTBACK TO OUR DEALER AND THE SUBARU SERVICE ADVISOR WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I DROVE IT TO DEMONSTRATE THE VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. IT DID EXACTLY AS I HAVE DESCRIBED AND EVEN STAYED AT 2500 RPM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AND WHO I PRESUME WAS THE OVERALL MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE WITHOUT ME. WHEN THEY RETURNED I WAS TOLD THAT THE WAY IT OPERATED WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. I STATED I DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE THAT EXCUSE AND LEFT. SINCE THAT FIRST VISIT, THE OUTBACK HAS STARTED DOING THE VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUE ALSO IN AUTOMATIC DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS. I RETURNED ON JULY 19, 2012 TO GET MY FIRST SERVICE DONE. I LEFT THE CAR FOR THE SERVICE AND TESTED AN EXACT (EXCEPT FOR COLOR) 2012 OUTBACK. THIS OUTBACK HAD NONE OF THE VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUES THAT MY OUTBACK HAS. WHEN RETURNING TO PICKUP MY OUTBACK I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF THIS OUTCOME AND HE STATED I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT SUBARU OF AMERICA TO ELEVATE THE ISSUE. RESPOND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS TO WHERE I CAN TAKE THE OUTBACK FOR REPAIR OF THIS VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUE. MY WIFE AND I WILL BE TRAVELING VIA THE OUTBACK VERY SOON AND NEED THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE RESOLVED BEFORE WE LEAVE. *TR