2013 Subaru Outback

STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE IS SO HEAVY THAT IT CAUSES ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEMS. THE STEERING DRAG TENSION IS SET SO HIGH THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO PARKING PLACES AT LOW SPEEDS. PARALLEL PARKING IS PAINFUL. I HAD OTHER PEOPLE DRIVE IT TO ELIMINATE MY SUBJECTIVE VIEW OF THIS, AND EVERY PERSON THOUGHT IT WAS HARD TO DRIVE. SUBARU THINKS THIS IS NORMAL, AND REFUSES TO ALLOW ITS SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO ADJUST THE TENSION IF IT'S WITHIN IT'S "SPECS" EVEN WHEN THE DRIVER OF THIS EXPENSIVE VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S REASONING WAS THAT "IT FELT LIKE EVERY OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK." THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT OK; IT JUST CONFIRMS THAT SUBARU IS SELLING MORE THAN ONE DANGEROUS CAR. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SUBARU IS ALLOWING TO PERSIST RATHER THAN ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THE OTHER ISSUE THE UNREASONABLY TIGHT TENSION IS MASKING - STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. THIS IS MY SECOND SUBARU AND IS THE LAST ONE I WILL EVER PURCHASE - NOT BECAUSE THE CAR COULDN'T OTHERWISE BE A GOOD VEHICLE, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A LEGITIMATE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SUBARU IS IGNORING AND WILL CONTINUE TO IGNORE UNTIL FORCED TO CHANGE, PROBABLY AFTER A LARGE LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY THE ESTATE OF A SUBARU OWNER WHO WAS KILLED IN THEIR VEHICLE. AND, BECAUSE SUBARU HAS SUCH TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT IT THINKS IT'S FINE TO TELL SOMEONE WHO JUST BOUGHT A $30K+ CAR THAT THEY JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE SUBARU DOESN'T SEE FIT TO FIX IT.

STEERING WAS MAKING A NOISE (AS IF STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED ALL OF THE WAY TO ONE SIDE) WITH ONLY SLIGHT MOVEMENT BUT IT WORKED. THIS NOISE OCCURRED WITH EVERY TURN. AFTER RUNNING AN ERRAND WITH APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES OF USE, I RETURNED TO THE PARKED CAR AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING TO FIND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNING BUT THE WHEELS WERE NOT! I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. NOTE: A RECALL OF THE STEERING WAS DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP IN OCT 2013 AND NO ISSUES HAD OCCURRED WITH THAT REPAIR UNTIL NOW.

WONDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. TOOK BACK TO DEALER THEY CHECK ALIGNMENT. SAID EVERYTHING WAS IN SPECTS. THERE WAS NO CHARGE THIS TIME FOR ALIGNMENT BUT WOULD NOT DO IT AGAIN FOR FREE. WE PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY AT TIME OF PURCHASE. WHAT A WASTE! MY DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW BORROWED IT LAST SUMMER. PUT 8000 MILES ON IT DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY. HAD A TERRIBLE TIME KEEPING IT ON THE ROAD. THEY WHERE GOING TO BUY A OUTBACK BUT QUICKLY CHANGED THEIR MIND. CALLED DEALER AGAIN AND THE SERVICE MANGER TOLD ME TO CHANGE TIRES AND CROSS ROTATE THEM. I TOLD HIM WE ALREADY DID THAT AND MY HUSBAND CROSS ROTATED THEM. HE SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE A CHARGE TO LOOK AT IT. SINCE THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING THE FIRST TIME WHY PAY THEM MORE TO TELL ME IT IS IN SPECTS? I THINK THEY ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED OR BE KILLED. THIS IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL DRIFTED TO THE LEFT AND HAD TO BE CONSTANTLY TURNED TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN ITS APPROPRIATE LANE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND ALSO AT LOCAL SPEEDS. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AND THE ALIGNMENT WAS NORMAL. THE DEALER DID NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500. UPDATED 10/22/14*CN UPDATED 08/28/2017*CT

WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OVER 40 IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE CAR CENTERED IN A LANE. THE DEALER CHECKED AND CORRECTED THE ALIGNMENT WITH LITTLE OR NO IMPROVEMENT. THE SERVICE REP DID ADMIT THAT OUTBACKS DO WANDER. EMAIL SENT TO SUBARU HAS APPARENTLY BEEN IGNORED. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION IN OUR CROWDED INTERSTATES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AND NEEDED CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE, BUT PERFORMED A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND INCREASED THE TIRE PRESSURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V194000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THE HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE 2012. HE NOTICED HIS STEERING WHEEL WOULD DRIFT WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSIS AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AFTER THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE CONTACT LOCATED RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V194000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL ALTHOUGH IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT LISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ..UPDATED 04-23-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED UNDER WARANTY. UPDATED 04/25/2014 *JS.. UPDATED01/20/15 *BF *TR

SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED VEHICLE I NOTICED DIFFICULTY KEEPING IT CENTERED IN LANE. CONTINUOUSLY HAVING TO CORRECT STEERING AND HARD STEERING. I DRIVE ON INTERSTATE OFTEN AND I HAVE CHECKED TIRES CONTINUOUSLY AND NO DIFFERENCE IN THE HANDLING OF THE OUTBACK. ON FIRST SERVICE I TOLD THE SERVICE REP ABOUT IT AND SAID THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT, I BELIEVE THEY CHECKED THE ALIGNMENT, WHEN PICKED UP THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. IS IT UNSAFE, YES. NOW I HAVE 25000 MILE ON IT AND STILL CONTINUES. STILL MENTION IT AT SERVICE TIME BUT THEY DON'T REALLY EVEN RESPOND ANYMORE. *TR

THE NEW OUTBACK IS EXHIBITING LANE WANDERING AS OTHERS DESCRIBED IN GOOD DETAIL. OTHER VEHICLES I'VE DRIVEN GO IN A (MORE-OR-LESS) STRAIGHT LINE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT AND MINIMAL CORRECTIONS. THE OB IS ALL OVER THE ROAD, ABLE TO STAY IN THE LANE WITH A LOT OF EFFORT AND CORRECTION. THERE IS A BIG FLAW IN THE STEERING (MAYBE NOT ALL BUT A LOT OF THEM) AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IS IT GOING TO TAKE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND/OR A DEATH BEFORE NHTSA AND SUBARU TAKES A LOOK AT THIS ISSUE?? *TR

I HAVE OWNED OVER 20+ CARS RANGING FROM 4RUNNERS, S2000, TO LANCER EVO. MY 2013 OUTBACK IS BY FAR THE HARDEST CAR TO STEER ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WANDERS TO BOTH DIRECTIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND ITS DIFFICULT TO CORRECT IT BACK TO CENTER. SOME OWNERS HAVE BEEN ACCUSED OF DRIVING DRUNK IN A OUTBACK, SUBARU NEEDS TO FIX THIS BEFORE LOOSING YOUR MOST LOYAL OWNERS! MANY 2012 2013 OUTBACK OWNERS HAVE BEEN CALLING THIS ISSUE STIFF, HEAVY, HARD, NOT RETURN TO CENTER STEERING. HERE ARE MY OBSERVATIONS AFTER SOME RESEARCH: -2013+ NEW FB25 ENGINE 2ND GEN CVT RETURNED SUSPENSION -I ALSO OWN A 2014 FORESTER WITH ELECTRIC STEERING (DRIVES NORMAL), OUTBACK HAS HYDRAULIC STEERING -I TEST DROVE COUPLE OTHER 2013 OUTBACK 2.5I SAME FIRM STEERING -I TEST DROVE A 2013 OUTBACK 3.6R (STEERING FEELS NORMAL MUCH SOFTER) -CHECK STEERING EFFORT SHOULD NOT HAVE MORE THAN 6.6 LB (MEASURED WITH SCALE) -SOME OWNERS HAD SUCCESS READJUSTING THEIR GEARBOX BACKLASH TO LESS THAN 3 LBS GO TO: HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/104-GEN-4-2010-PRESENT/31638-OB-LANE-WANDERING-122.HTML -ON PAGE 114 THERE ARE 3 PICTURE ATTACHMENTS POSTED BY J DELMAN -STEERING COLUMN RECALL FOR 2013 LEGACY/OUTBACKS MANUFACTURED FROM 2012 FEB15-JUN15 (I DON'T THINK THIS WILL FIX THE WANDERING ISSUE) *TR