AFTER PARKING THE CAR IN -18 DEGREE AIR TEMPERATURE, FOR ONLY 20 MINUTES, THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING. I CALLED THE DEALER FROM WHERE I BOUGHT THE NEW CAR 2 MONTHS EARLIER, TO ASK FOR AN APPOINTMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT CHARLIE'S MOTOR MALL IN AUGUSTA, MAINE SAID THAT THEY HAD THREE INCIDENCES OF THIS HAPPENING THE DAY BEFORE AND THAT IS WEATHER RELATED. SHE TOLD ME THAT ALL THEY DO IS PARK THE CAR INSIDE, LET IT WARM UP, THEN RETURN IT TO THE OWNER. I FIND THAT "SOLUTION" UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN. *TR
2013
STEERING
MY WIFE AND I USED TO LOVE THIS CAR BUT......WHILE DRIVING MY RELATIVELY NEW 2013 CROSSTREK 11,000 MILES FROM WISCONSIN TO DETROIT TO ATTEND THE WINTER HOCKEY CLASSIC HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH GHOSTWALKING. (THIS IS MY 4TH SUBARU AND MY 36TH WINTER DRIVING SEASON SO NOT AN INEXPERIENCE PROBLEM.) IT WAS SNOWING BUT THE ROADS WERE CLEAR OF THICK SNOW BUT HAD A THIN GREASY SHEEN. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO KEEP A STRAIGHT LINE AND THE REAR END FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO SPIN OUT (THE OLD REAR WHEEL DRIVE FEEL) ESPECIALLY IF THE WIND BLEW. MOST CARS WERE PASSING ME OLD NEW BIG SMALL. AS A SUBARU DRIVER I AM USED TO PASSING OTHERS ON WINTER ROADS AND DID NOT LIKE FEELING LIKE THE LITTLE OLD MAN EVERYONE WAS STEERING AROUND. THINKING THE PROBLEM WAS THE FACTORY INSTALLED TIRES, WE BOUGHT NEW SNOW TIRES FOR $925 AT BELLE TIRE THE MORNING OF THE RETURN HOME. SIMILAR WEATHER (SNOWY BLOWING GREASY ROADS). THE CAR HANDLED SLIGHTLY BETTER. BUT EACH TIME WE GOT UP TO SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH THE CAR WOULD TRY TO TURN ABRUPTLY WHENEVER WE WENT UNDER OR OVER AN OVERPASS ON A STRAIGHTAWAY....VERY NERVE RACKING. ENDED UP BAILING OUT IN A HOTEL IN TOLEDO UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THE ROADS WERE MOSTLY BARE AND DRY. I AM VERY FAMILIAR AND LIKE THE FEELING OF THE AWD KICKING IN TO ENHANCE THE TRACTION AND CONTROL OF THE CAR. IN THIS SITUATION IT FEELS LIKE THE AWD IS KICKING IN AND TRYING TO TURN THE CAR ANYTIME THERE IS A SLIGHT SLICK SPOT. DID CHECK TO SEE IF THE CAR WOULD TRY TO DRIFT LEFT OR RIGHT ON A DRY FLAT STRAIGHTAWAY (GOES STRAIGHT). I AM HOPING THE PROBLEM IS RELATED TO A REAR END ALIGNMENT ISSUE BUT DISCONCERTED BY MY CAR WHICH FEELS DANGEROUS WHEN I MOST NEED IT TO BE RELIABLE. VERY SIMILAR COMPLAINT DESCRIPTIONS ON THIS WEBSITE FOR OUTBACKS DESCRIBED AS GHOSTWALKING. *TR