1999 Subaru Outback

IN THE MORNING, WHEN I BACK UP THE CAR FROM MY DRIVEWAY, GO FORWARD AND THEN APPLY THE BRAKES, THERE IS A LOUD, MECHANICAL BANGING SOUND (LIKE METAL HITTING ON METAL) COMING FROM EACH OF THE 4 WHEELS - EITHER THE PADS HITTING THE ROTOR OR THE PISTON HITTING THE PADS WHICH IN TURN HIT THE ROTOR. THIS ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR 2-3 HOURS AND THE CAR IS PUT INTO REVERSE, THEN FORWARD, THEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. RECENTLY THE BANGING SOUND IS BECOMING LOUDER - SO MUCH SO THAT IT ATTRACTS PEDESTRIANS' ATTENTION. THE DEALER SAID HE COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. A SUBARU REGIONAL INSPECTOR SAID THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE TOLD ME TO LIVE WITH THE SOUND/PROBLEM. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH OTHER SUBARU OWNERS AND THEY TELL ME THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND THAT SUBARU DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PROBLEM. THE CAR DOES STOP, BUT I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY THE BRAKES WILL FAIL WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. ... IN ADDITION THE BRAKES ARE VERY, VERY SPONGY/SOFT. IT FEELS LIKE I AM STEPPING ON AN AIR MATTRESS - THERE IS NO SENSATION OF STOPPING UNTIL THE BRAKE PEDAL OF ALMOST FULLY DEPRESSED. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO FEEL/FEEDBACK WHEN THE BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED - I KNOW I AM STOPPING BECAUSE I SEE THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT SLOWING DOWN, NOT BECAUSE I FEEL THE CAR STOPPING. CONSUMER REPORTS (MAR,2000) SAID "THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND NOT REASSURING. WE ALSO EXPERIENCED SOME MODERATE BRAKE FADE".*AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD APPLIED BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED HARD INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN BRAKES WOULD GRAB. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING 35MPH WITH SNOW ON THE ROAD AND COMING OFF A RAMP, TAPPED THE BRAKES, AND ALL WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING A POLE. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS BEING REDESIGNED. *AK

THERE WAS DIFFICULTY DOWNSHIFTING WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TIGHT. IN MAY, 1999, AFTER EXTENSIVE CLUTCH USE ON A TRIP TO SAN FRANCISCO, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 4TH TO 5TH OR 5TH TO 4TH. IT SEEMED TO BE OK LATER. WITHIN A COUPLE WEEKS WE NOTICED A TERRIBLE BURNING SMELL FROM STARTING ON A HILL AND EXTENSIVE CLUTCH SLIPPAGE. THE CLUTCH WAS EVENTUALLY REPLACED IN AUGUST, 1999, BUT THE NEW CLUTCH SHOWED THE SAME PROBLEMS. THE DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND MY SON WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN HE NEEDED TO DOWNSHIFT FROM THIRD TO SECOND TO CHANGE LANES IN BAD FREEWAY TRAFFIC. HE HAD BEEN USING THE CLUCH A LOT, BECAUSE IT WAS STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM OF BEING UNABLE TO CHANGE GEARS HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE AND IS VERY SCARY. THE CLUTCH CONTINUES TO SLIP AND BURN. WE HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO GET SUBARU TO BUY BACK THE CAR WITH NO SUCCESS. *AK