2014 Subaru Outback

The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH or above, the front end and the steering wheel were shaking abnormally. While driving at various speeds, there was a metallic grinding sound coming from the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the braking distance became extended. The contact stated that the brakes were squeaking while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the brakes, check engine, power steering, and engine overheating warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer seven times; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failures. The contact stated that the dealer replaced the passenger’s side rear wheel bearing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 201,206.

The Roll Connector Harness failed, and use of the horn was disabled. It is due to the mechanical steering of the vehicle, and fails over time. As a multiple Subaru owner this has been a topic of safety with most of the owners with 2014 Subarus. Subaru changed the design/engineering of this part in 2016 due to the concern. Because they won't issue a recall, and the cost of repair is high ($400+), mainly due to the location of the part, many will not fix the issue. There is no way to warn other drivers or deer without use of the horn. This has put me in harm's way multiple times until I finally got it fixed. I have contacted my dealer who says it is one of the more common issues they see with this year and probably 2015 as well. It needs to be recalled so everyone with this problem can get their cars fixed instead of Subaru charging for a known problem and making money over safety.

CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GO TO MAKE A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN AND WILL LOOSE ALL POWER STEERING ABILITY AND THE NEXT TIME THE STEERING WILL WORK FINE. I HAVE ALMOST HAD ACCIDENTS DUE TO THIS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS IN CITY STREETS OR TURNING OFF HIGHWAY.ALSO HAS HAPPENED WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING STALL. SEEMS TO ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN AT LOWER SPEEDS. HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I WILL NOT LET MY WIFE DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE SHE DON'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO QUICKLY TURN THE WHEEL WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. ONE MINUTE IT WILL WORK THEN IT WON'T. IT DOES GIVE YOU A WORK OUT WHEN YOU LOOSE STEERING ABILITY FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD BUT YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION WHEN YOU TURN LEFT OR RIGHT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL LOOSE YOUR POWER STEERING. MY WIFE HAS REFUSED TO DRIVE MY CAR BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED TO HER ONCE AND DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE WHICH IS SAD WHEN YOU SPEND THAT MUCH MONEY ON A CAR. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AND WITHIN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AFTER PURCHASE THIS PROBLEM CAME ABOUT. I JUST HOPE THIS PROBLEM CAN BE RESOLVED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. PRESTIGE SUBARU (LOCATED AT 585 TUNNEL RD, ASHEVILLE, NC 28805, (888) 854-4293) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

STARTED CAR NORMALLY, POWER STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. RESTARTED CAR A FEW TIMES IN HOPES IT WOULD START WORKING AGAIN, IT DID NOT. NO DASH WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. DROVE HOME WITH MANUAL STEERING ~30 MIN. RESTARTED AGAIN AT HOME, THEN IT WORKED PROPERLY. ONCE CAR SITS FOR A WHILE IT GOES BACK TO NOT WORKING. THIS PATTERN HAS CONTINUED FOR ABOUT A WEEK NOW. NO SQUEALING AND NO FLUID LEAKS. MUST BE ELECTRICAL ISSUE SOMEWHERE. BATTERY IS GOOD, ALTERNATOR IS GOOD. 2014 OUTBACK, 55,000 MILES, 2.5I BASE MODEL, MANUAL TRANSMISSION

I PURCHASED THE OUTBACK 3.6 R LIMITED BRAND NEW AND SOON AFTER I NOTICED THAT VEHICLE PULLED RIGHT AND I HAD TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT IT -WHICH BECAME EXHAUSTING AND A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO ALL WHEEL DRIVE (SINCE I NEVER OWNED AN ALL WHEEL DRIVE). AFTER SOME RESEARCH I REALIZED VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM WHEN I TOOK IT TO DEALER FOR ITS FIRST MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AT 3,000 MILES. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THEY FIXED. THE PROBLEM APPEARED TO BE RESOLVED AT FIRST BUT AFTER 1 WEEK IT STARTED PULLING RIGHT AGAIN -BUT NOT AS NOTICEABLE AS BEFORE. I REPORTED TO DEALER BUT WAS TOLD THAT THAT IS THE WAY ITS SUPPOSE TO DRIVE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AS MANY OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT AND APPEARS TO BE A REPETITIVE PATTERN AND I AM VERY CONCERNED. *JS

CAR STOPS WITHOUT WARNING. A CLICKING SOUND IS HEARD AND THEN THE FRONT DISPLAY PANELS BECOME BLANK. THERE IS NO STEERING OR BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 10 TIMES. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHEN THIS MIGHT HAPPEN AND THERE IS NO PRECIPITATING FACTORS. HAVE HAD THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND AND AM STILL DRIVING THIS UNSAFE CAR. *TR

DATE COMPLAINT FILED: 10/18/2014 COMPONENT(S): STEERING DATE OF INCIDENT: 10/17/2014 NHTSA ID NUMBER: 10648531 DEAR NHTSA CONCERNING ODI COMPLAINT NUMBER 10648531. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RESOLVED. AFTER FILING THE COMPLAINT I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/23/2014. THEY TEST DROVE THE CAR AND PERFORMED A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. . SO IF OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE OF WANDERING, ALIGNMENT MAY BE IN NEED OF ADJUSTMENT FOR THEIR VEHICLE AS WELL. *TR