2002 Subaru Outback

MY 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT (BASED ON THE IMPREZZA) DISPLAYS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ABS SYSTEM BEING INEFFECTIVE WHEN BRAKING OVER BUMPS AS THE 2002, 2003 WRXS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED BY ODI (PE03-029). THIS PROBLEM IS NOT JUST LIMITED TO THE WRX VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED UNDER LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING EFFORT, IF THE VEHICLE ENCOUNTERS A SHARP BUMP (E.G. A RAISED PAVEMENT SECTION AT AN EXPANSION JOINT) WHILE THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. NORMAL ABS FUNCTION WOULD MOMENTARILY EASE UP THE BRAKING PRESSURE ON THE FRONT WHEELS AS THEY BECOME UN-WEIGHTED ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE BUMP, SO THAT THEY DO NOT LOCK-UP. AFTER THE FRONT WHEELS ARE FULLY WEIGHTED AGAIN THE ABS SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW THE PREVIOUS BRAKING EFFORT TO BE RE-ESTABLISHED ALLOWING THE CAR TO STOP ALMOST NORMALLY. THUS THE BRAKING DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE EXTENDED BY THE LENGTH OF THE BUMP (PERHAPS 6 INCHES). THIS CORRECT BEHAVIOR IS EXHIBITED BY MY 1994 PROBE GT. IF I DRIVE MY SUBARU OVER THE SAME ROAD CONDITIONS, WHEN THE VEHICLE HITS A SHARP BUMP, THE ABS SYSTEM START FUNCTIONING AND CONTINUES FOR A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD OF TIME, EVEN AFTER PASSING OVER THE BUMP. THIS, IN ITSELF, SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM, BUT DURING THIS TIME THE BRAKING EFFICIENCY IS DRASTICALLY REDUCED. THIS TYPICALLY EXTENDS THE STOPPING DISTANCE OF THE SUBARU BY 10-30 FEET (WHEN STOPPING FROM 30MPH) OVER WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED IF THE BUMP HAD NOT OCCURRED. IF I IMMEDIATELY RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDDLE, AND THEN FULLY APPLY THE BRAKES THE CAR DOES STOP. SO THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIRES ABILITY TO GRIP THE ROAD, OR THE BRAKES ABILITY TO STOP THE ROTOR/DRUM. I BELIEVE IT TO BE A PROGRAMMING ERROR IN THE ECU. THIS PROBLEM IS REPEATABLE AND FULLY DEMONSTRABLE. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SUPPLY FURTHER DETAILS TO HELP GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. *JB

ON THE EVENING OF 21 JUN 04 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. AS I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN IN TO MY DRIVEWAY. I FELT AND THEN HEARD WHAT SEEMED TO TO A FLAT TIRE ON THE RIGHT (PASSENAGER) SIDE OF THE CAR. I HAD FILLED UP WITH GAS ON EITHER THE PREVIOUS FRIDAY OR SATURDAY. WHEN I FILL UP WITH GAS I CHECK MY OIL AND TIRE PRESSURE. ALL WAS OK. WHEN I GOT INTO MY GARAGE, I WENT AROUND TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR AND CLEARLY SAW A FLAT RIGHT REAR TIRE. I CALLED AAA TO PUT ON A SPARE. THE AAA REPAIR MAN THOUGHT THE TIRE LOOKED DEFECTIVE. THE NEXT MORNING I WENT TO NTW AND REPLACED THE FLAT TIRE AND A SECOND TIRE WITH NEW MICHELIN TIRES. THE MANAGER AT THE NTW IN ROCKVILLE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS THE SECOND TIRE HE HAD SEEN THAT WEEK WITH THE SAME DEFECT. BECAUSE I ONLY HAD 19,600 MILES ON THE TIRES, HE GAVE ME A DISCOUNT ON EACH TIRE. HE ALSO AGREED THAT THE FLAT TIRE LOOKED DEFECTIVE. THEY CHECKED MY REMAINING TWO TIRES FOR ANY WEAKNESS. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS EASILY UNSNAPPED. THE THUMB RELEASE BUTTON IS VERY SENSITIVE, THEREFORE IF MY ARM/ELBOW TOUCHES IT, THE LATCH WILL RELEASE. THE ACTUAL RELEASE IS DESIGNED SO THAT THE RELEASE BUTTON IS SLIGHTLY ELEVATED MAKING THIS POSSIBLE. ON MY 1994 LEGACY, THE BUTTON IS LEVEL OR SLIGHTLY RECESSED. THE SEATBELT HAS RELEASED SEVERAL TIMES UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT SEEMS IN A ROLL-OVER, SOMETHING IS GOING TO HIT THIS BUTTON, WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF RELEASE. THANK YOU, BOB. *AK

2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON REPEATEDLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY STALLS WHILE DRIVING. HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR NEARLY 2 YEARS. HAS BEEN EXAMINED ON MULTIPLE OCCASSIONS (AT LEAST 4) AT RYE FORD SUBARU IN RYE NEW YORK WITH THE ONGOING RESULT THAT THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS TO HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM AND UNABLE TO REPLICATE. CAR WAS DELIVERED BACK TO DEALERSHIP ON A FLATBED AFTER STALLING 5 OR 6 TIMES IN MAIN THOROUGHFARE THAT RESULTED IN BEING REAR ENDED BY A TRUCK BEHIND ME. I HAVE REPEATEDLY INFORMED THE DEALER AND CONTACTED SUBARU OF AMERICA THAT I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEATH TRAP WAITING TO HAPPEN. I WAS NEARLY KILLED BY A NARROW MISS WHEN THE CAR STALLED ABRUBTLY IN A SNOW STORM. THIS IS A VERY VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND THE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. *AK

I HAVE OWNED A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK STATION WAGON SINCE AUGUST 2002, AND HAVE EXPERIENCED A VERY FREQUENT (DAILY TO WEEKLY) BUT INCONSISTENT HESITATION AND SHUDDER WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT OCCURS IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR, AND IS PRONOUNCED IN COLD STARTS ONLY. THE HESITATION AND CLUTCH SHUDDER ALSO IS PRONOUNCED IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR - IN THIS SITUATION, THE CAR LUNGES OR LURCHES FORWARD UNTIL THE SPEED INCREASES TO OVER 10 OR 15 MPH. THIS CAUSES A SAFETY CONCERN AT LOW SPEEDS, AND THE START OF ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE SUBARU DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE QUITE PROMINENT IN OTHER SUBARU OUBACKS AND OTHER MODELS (BASED ON OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINTS, AND POSTINGS ON THE WWW.UTLIMATESUBARU.NET (SEARCH FOR SHUDDER OR HESITATION AND YOU CAN FIND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS). A TROUBLE FILE HAS BEEN SET UP WITH SUBARU AMERICA. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO PERSIST.*AK