Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine. It has been recalled 4 times.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Seat Belts
2
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
2
0
0
0
Tires › Tread/Belt
1
0
0
0
Tires › Sidewall
1
0
0
0
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
1
0
0
0
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
1
0
0
0
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
1
0
0
0
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
1
0
0
0
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
1
0
0
0
4 safety recalls
Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly95V103006
Filed May 24, 1995100,825 vehiclesSubaru Of America, Inc.
Defect. THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY.
Risk. THE SAFETY BELTS WOULD NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO AN OCCUPANT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy. OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD ENSURE THAT BOTH BUCKLES ARE OPERATING PROPERLY BY INSERTING EACH LATCH PLATE INTO ITS BUCKLE, TUGGING ON THE BELT TO MAKE SURE THE LATCH IS SECURELY LOCKED, AND THEN PRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON. THE LATCH PLATE SHOULD POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHEN THE BUTTON IS PRESSED. IF EITHER RELEASE BUTTON SHOWS A SIGN OF BREAKING OR CRACKING OR IF EITHER BUCKLE FAILS TO OPERATE PROPERLY, OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CONTACT THEIR AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE BUCKLE REPLACED OR REPAIRED, FREE OF CHARGE. THE MANUFACTURER IS DEVELOPING A REMEDY DESIGNED TO PREVENT FAILURE OF THE BUTTONS THAT ARE NOT CURRENTLY BROKEN.
Power Train › Manual Transmission94V052000
Filed Mar 23, 199431,295 vehiclesSubaru Of America, Inc.
Defect. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES (-22 DEGREES F.) AND HIGH HUMIDITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHING (AIR) VENT CAN BE BLOCKED DUE TO MOISTURE FREEZING AT THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE. IF THIS OCCURS, PRESSURE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE WILL INCREASE AND PUSH OUT THE REAR OIL SEAL, CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKAGE. THE LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN BURN THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP.
Risk. SUDDEN STOPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAN CAUSE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN AROUND THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE OIL GAUGE PIPE AND MODIFY THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) OR REPLACE IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DIPSTICK IN THE VEHICLE.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission91V091000
Filed Jun 11, 199119,763 vehiclesSubaru Of America, Inc.
Defect. TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE MAY BE INCORRECTLY ADJUSTED AND WOULD NOT BE ENGAGED IN A FULL PARK POSITION WHEN PLACED IN PARK.
Risk. IF TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM IS NOT IN PARK WHILE THEVEHICLE IS RUNNING OR ON AN INCLINE, A RUNAWAY SITUATION WOULD OCCUR WHICHCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy. REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM.
Power Train › Automatic Transmission91V082000
Filed May 30, 199176,000 vehiclesSubaru Of America, Inc.
Defect. UNDER CERTAIN LOAD CONDITIONS, THE PARK GEAR MAY NOT DISENGAGE IMMEDIATELY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED FROM PARK TO REVERSE.
Risk. DELAYED RELEASE OF TRANSMISSION FROM PARK CAUSES DELAYEDAND POSSIBLY ABRUPT VEHICLE MOVEMENT THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLECONTROL AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy. INSTALL A MODIFIED PARKING BRAKE PAWL TO PREVENT DELAYED RELEASE INTO REVERSE GEAR.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Tires › Sidewall
Filed Aug 20, 2002RI
OUT OF THE FOUR NEW TIRES THAT WERE PURCHASED TWO TIRES IN THE REAR BLEWOUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. REPLACEMENT TIRES, 50000 MILES, P175/70R13, MOUNTED ON A SUBARU, ROYAL, 1990. *AK CONSUMER STATE TIRE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT. DOT. # MKEV5BHR 195. *YH
CAR LEAKS OIL ON TAIL PIPE, CAUSING OIL TO BURN AND SMOKE. *AK
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Cooling Unit and Lines
Filed Aug 3, 1999PA
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID/ HORN HAS NO SOUND WHEN IT'S HIT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE MAKES GRINDING NOISE, LIKE METAL TO METAL. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES. NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT COULD BE CORRECTED.
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Oct 20, 1997MA
POWER SEAT BELT MOTOR FAILED.
Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Aug 27, 1996CT
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE WATER PUMP BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.*AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Jul 17, 1995CT
ENGINE HEADS CRACKED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/OIL LEAKS. *SKD
Seat Belts
Filed May 8, 1995NM
2 FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE NOT LOCKING UP IN SUDDEN STOPPING SITUATION. TT
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 25, 1995MI
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM GASKET LEAK. TT
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Mar 27, 1995VA
THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS SOME TIMES VERY HARD TO LOCK . TT
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Mar 8, 1995MT
ALL FOUR SEAT BELT SYSTEMS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. TT
Seat Belts
Filed Mar 6, 1995WI
HAD TO BREAK DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT TO EXIT FROM IT. TT
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 1, 1995KY
WHEN TURNING TO RIGHT, OIL IN ENGINE SWINGS OVER TO LEFT IN OIL PAN; GETS SUCKS UP INTO TUBE THAT GOES TO FUEL INTAKE; STARTS SMOKING; CANNOT ACCCELERATE. TT
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: May 24, 1995. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.