1999 Subaru Outback

1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE KEYS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT IN PARK, AND LEFT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, SO SHE COULD CHECK OUT THE NEW HALOGEN BULBS THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO REMOVE THE KEY, WITH THE DOOR BEING OPEN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, AND THE OPENED DOOR PUSHED HER TO THE GROUND. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CAREFULLY CHECKED AND MADE SURE, THE VEHICLE WAS SECURELY IN PARK, BEFORE SHE EXITED TO CHECK THE LIGHTS, AND DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING WHEN SHE RETURNED. SHE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE HEAD, BACK AND NECK INJURIES AND SPENT 2 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE ROLLED INTO TWO OTHER PARKED CARS AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH. UPDATED 05/20/14 UPDATED 06/19/14

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO ACCELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE HAD TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE THE GEAR FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE IN ORDER FOR IT TO WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

99 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK /W AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOS NOT ENGAGE WHEN PLACED FROM P TO D, OR DISENGAGE FROM GEAR WHEN VEHICLE STOP. I WAS ON A SLIGHT HILL STOPPED. CAR DISENGAGED FROM GEAR AND I COULD NOT MOVE. IN D - WHEN I RELEASED BRAKE THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS CAUSING CONTACT WITH THE CAR BEHIND ME. *TR

99 OUTBACK - TRANNY WONT ENGAGE WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM PARK, NUETRAL, OR REVERSE. REV THE MOTOR AND THEN C-LUNK INTO DRIVE AFTER LONG DELAY. GOT WORSE OVER TIME. SUBARU AND OTHER SERVICE SHOPS SAY IT'S COMMON ON 99'S, PROBABLY THE MAIN PUMP SEALS, AND THE TRANNY HAS TO COME OUT TO FIX OR REPLACE. I CHANGED THE FLUID TWICE IN A WEEK TO "FLUSH" IT - MUCH BETTER NOW, ALMOST "OK" (COMPARED TO $2500 FIX) BUT STILL NOT "NORMAL". *AK

APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTED HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. CAR WOULD HESITATE AND FINALLY LURCH FORWARD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS AT FIRST TOLD THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, THEN WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW $3400 TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD TO BABY THE CAR FOR AS LONG AS I COULD. 4 MONTHS LATER CAR BECAME STUCK IN REVERSE AND WOULD NOT SHIFT TO DRIVE. TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SERVICE CENTER (NOT THE DEALER) THAT SPECIALIZES IN SUBARU'S AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A COMMON SUBARU PROBLEM WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I COULD HAVE GOTTEN AT LEAST 15 - 20,000 MORE MILES OUT OF THE TRANSMISSION IS THE TRANSMISSION FILTER HAD EVER BEEN REPLACED AND THE FLUID FLUSHED. (UP UNTIL THIS TIME I HAD ALWAYS HAD THE CAR SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY AT THE DEALER). I AM BEING TOLD NOW THAT I WILL HAVE TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS SEEMS RIDICULOUS BEING THAT THE CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD. *AK

MY 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK LIMITED DEVELOPED AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM CHARACTERIZED BY HESITATION AND HARSH, ABRUPT ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION WHEN STARTING FROM A STOP. ORIGINALLY THE PROBLEM ONLY AROSE AS THE CAR WAS PLACED FROM PARK OR REVERSE INTO DRIVE. I TOOK IT TO ARMANDO'S SUBARU IN CANFIELD, OH AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. LATER THIS PROBLEM BECAME MORE FREQUENT AND PRONOUNCED. THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND THE CAR WOULD JERK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. ALSO, THE PROBLEM STARTED OCCURING NOT ONLY WHEN I ORIGINALLY SET THE AT INTO GEAR, BUT ALSO FROM STOPS AFTER THE CAR WAS ALREADY IN GEAR. I WOULD SOMETIMES HAVE TO REV THE ENGINE MORE THAN ONCE TO GET IT TO ENGAGE AND IT JERKED. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE CONTROL MODEL BUT PROBABLY WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS. I DID NOT FEEL THE CAR WAS SAFE ANYMORE BECAUSE I COULD NOT BE SURE WHETHER THE TRANSMISSION WOULD ENGAGE OR HESITATE WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. INCIDENT DATE LISTED IS APPROX TIME PROBLEM FIRST DEVELOPED, IT GOT WORSE OVER TIME.

I BOUGHT A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK 30TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION IN JUNE OF 1999. WITHIN SIX MONTHS, THE CAR BEGAN TO EXHIBIT CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE SUBARU DEALER. FOR THREE YEARS THEY DENIED THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, ALWAYS SAYING THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. FINALLY IN JUNE OF 2002, I WAS ABLE TO GET A REGIONAL SERVICE SUPERVISOR TO ADMIT THAT THE CAR DEFINITELY HAD PROBLEMS. HIS FIRST SOLUTION WAS TO SUGGEST THAT I TRADE THE CAR IN ON A NEW ONE. WHEN I DECLINED, HE OFFERED TO HAVE THE CAR PROPERLY REPAIRED, AS IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THREE YEARS PRIOR. AFTER FOUR TRIPS TO TWO DIFFERENT SUBARU DEALERS AND AFTER SUPPOSEDLY HAVING THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY REPLACED THREE TIMES, THE CAR IS IN WORSE SHAPE THAN IT EVER HAS BEEN. SUBARU HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR THE CAR, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT COVERS THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE HAD TO RETAIN AN ATTORNEY TO DEAL WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA. SUBARU CLAIMS THAT THE CAR NOW OPERATES AS DESIGNED AND THAT ANY PROBLEMS I AM NOW EXPERIENCING ARE A RESULT OF MY DRIVING HABITS. SUBARU REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CAR BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO STALL ANY REPAIRS UNTIL THE CAR PASSED THE TWO YEAR LEMON LAW EXCLUSION. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE HAD REPEATED BRAKE FAILURES. THE CAR WENT THROUGH A SET OF MICHELIN RADIAL TIRES IN LESS THAN 20,000 MILES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED REPEATED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES. THIS CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN SNOW (CONTRARY TO SUBARU'S COMMERCIALS) BECAUSE THE TIRES BECOME COMPACTED WITH SNOW AND ARE THROWN OUT OF BALANCE. THE BRAKES ALSO BECOME COMPACTED WITH SNOW AND ICE AND HAVE FAILED REPEATEDLY, ALMOST CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. THE RADIO ANTENNA REFUSES TO RETRACT IN COLD WEATHER. I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT SUBARU REFUSES TO LISTEN OR REPAIR THE CAR.