2008 Subaru Outback

SUBARU HAS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAULTY WIRING ISSUE WITH AN LED PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD THAT IS PART OF THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT SYSTEM THAT RESIDES IN THE MAPLIGHT ASSEMBLY ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY COUNTLESS VEHICLE OWNERS ACROSS A NUMBER OF MODELS (INCLUDING OUTBACK AND FORESTER) ACROSS A NUMBER OF MODEL YEARS. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH USING THE KEYWORDS: "SUBARU CODE 26 AIRBAG" REVEALS A TREASURE TROVE OF INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FREQUENT, PERSISTENT AND WIDESPREAD. THIS ISSUE HAS SPANNED A NUMBER OF MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. THE COMPANY AND ITS DEALERS CANNOT HELP BUT BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THERE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH INADEQUATE SOLDERING OF THE ELECTRONICS ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) RELATED TO THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT DISPLAY. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS DEFECT IMPAIRS THE ABILITY OF AN AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. SUBARU REFUSES TO WARRANTY THIS DEFECT. IN ADDITION, SUBARU REFUSES TO HONOR THE TAKATA RECALL IF THIS FAULTY WIRING SYSTEM IS NOT FIRST REMEDIED. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN PRESENT ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. MANY WEB-BASED ACCOUNTS OF THE PROBLEM HAVE REPORTED THAT CHANGES IN VEHICLE TEMPERATURE DUE TO WEATHER (PARTICULARLY ON COLD DAYS) MAY BE RELATED TO THE SOLDERING JOINT TO MALFUNCTION.

TAKATA RECALL-- SUBARU "REPAIR" OF DEFECTIVE AIRBAGS DANGEROUS. WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES REGULARLY. SUBARU REFUSES TO FIX. ----NOTE SUBARU ALSO REFUSED TO REPAIR LONG REPORTED ISSUES WITH BRAKES, AIR BAG, WINDSHIELD. THEY SOUGHT $$THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIR BILLINGS. ALL THREE OF THESE LATER SUBJECT OF RECALLS. SUBARU REPORTED OIL CONSUMPTION DUE TO GASKET LEAKAGE, CONCERN FOR CAT CONVERTER AS POTENTIAL REPAIR BILLING. THIS APPEARS TO BE A FOURTH POTENTIAL SUBJECT OF RECALL NOW. ----- WHAT MORE HAS TO BE DEFECTIVE ON ONE CAR BEFORE ENTIRE CAR RECALLED?!

BRAKE LINE FAILURE, LOSS OF BRAKES WHILE DRIVING ON US HWY 221. BRAKE FLUID WAS LEAKING OUT FROM THE GAS TANK SPLASH SHIED. THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. ACCORDING TO RECALL BULLETIN A DESIGN FLAW IN THE SPLASH SHIELD ALLOWS SALT TO ACCUMULATE IN THIS AREA. I TRULY BELIEVE THIS IS WHY I HAVE HAD THIS FAILURE.RECALL PERFORMED PREVIOUSLY DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. SUBARU APPLIES BAND AID BY SPRAYING WITH ANTI-CORROSION NOXRUST. THIS DOES NOT ALLEVIATE/SOLVE THE CORROSION ALREADY OCCURRING LEADING TO FAILURE LATER ON, AS IN MY CASE. THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE LOSS OF LIFE OCCURS. I HAVE CONTACTED SUBARU TO INFORM OF THE ISSUE INVOLVING MY SITUATION. THEIR AGENT INDICATES THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE DUE TO PREVIOUSLY PERFORMING SERVICE WQK47. THIS DOES NOT REMOVE THE FAILING COMPONENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO DETERIORATE DUE TO SURFACE CORROSION. THIS SHOULD CAUSE AN IMMEDIATE ALARM TO ANY OWNERS KNOWING THEY COULD POSSIBLY EXPERIENCE MY SITUATION. I WAS LUCKY. NO ONE WAS INJURED OR NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. THIS WILL NOT ALWAYS BE THE CASE. BE AWARE SUBARU IS TURNING A BLIND EYE TO THE REAL DANGER OF THESE FAULTY, CORRODED BRAKE LINES. I DO NOT TRUST THEM TO DO ANY FURTHER INSPECTION OR REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE AND WILL TRUST IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO HAS MY FAITH. SUBARU HAS FAILED!!!! MY HOPE IS THAT THE NHTSA WILL OPEN AN INVESTIGATION BEFORE THIS GOES MAINSTREAM NATIONALLY. WHO CAN REPLACE A LOST LIVE?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V323000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. A UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT PARTS WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR THREE MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE WIRING HARNESS PASSING FROM THE VEHICLE BODY THROUGH TO THE HATCHBACK IS CHAFFING AND HAS BROKEN WIRES. I DISCOVERED THIS WHEN MY REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. AFTER REPLACING THE MOTOR THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. ONLINE SEARCH PROVIDED MANY REPORTS OF THIS PHENOMENON. I CALLED SUBARU SERVICE AND THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REPORT THE FIX IS AROUND $500-600 AND ENTAILS REPLACING THE WIRING HARNESS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRES GET BRITTLE WITH AGE AND IT IS A TIGHT FIT. MY ISSUE IS ON THE RUBBER BOOT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY GARAGE AS I WAS TROUBLESHOOTING THE INOPERATIVE REAR WIPER MOTOR. 85,150 MILES ON THE CAR, NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND ALWAYS PARKED IN GARAGE. I CAN UPLOAD PHOTO DOCUMENTS IF REQUESTED. AS BARE WIRES ARE PRESENT IN THIS AREA I FEEL THAT THIS IS A POTENTIAL HAZARD. REAR WIPER IS ALSO INOPERATIVE DUE TO BROKEN WIRE AND COULD RESULT IN LIMITED REAR VISIBILITY. SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY AWARE OF THIS COMMON PROBLEM. ONLINE RESEARCH SHOWED REPORTS OF REAR BACK UP LIGHTS BECOMING INOPERATIVE AS WELL.

I WAS DRIVING AND WITHOUT NOTICE THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUT OFF, BECAUSE OF A MINOR PROBLEM WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER EFFICIENCY. HAD THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME BEEN ANY CLOSER I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED. IT TURNS OUT THAT SUBARU HAS PROGRAMED THEIR VEHICLES TO DO THIS. WHY WOULD ANYONE PROGRAM A CAR TO HAVE A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OVER SUCH A MINOR ISSUE.RECALLS FOR "KEYS TURNING OFF" HAVE HAPPENED, AND THE MANUFACTURERS KNEW ABOUT IT. SUBARU KNOWS THIS HAPPENS AND I HOPE THERE WILL BE A RECALL TO FIX THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I HOPE THIS IS BOUGHT TO THE HIGHEST OFFICIALS AT NHTSA AND IS ADDRESS PROPERLY. I HOPE NO ONE GETS KILLED BEFORE THIS IS ADDRESSED.