Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine › gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.
What fails
Component
Reports
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
2
0
0
0
Wheels › Multi Piece
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
1
0
0
0
Vehicle Speed Control
1
0
0
0
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
1
0
0
0
Power Train › Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive)
1
1
0
0
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
1
0
0
0
Fuel System, Gasoline › Carburetor System
1
0
0
0
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
1
0
0
0
1 safety recall
Part 573 reports
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.
What owners reported
Newest filings
Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jan 10, 2002NC
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A 20-25 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY . PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. NLM
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 23, 2000WA
THIS CAR HAS DIED ON THREE OCCASIONS WITH NO WARNING, AND WITH ONE INCIDENT OCCURING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 60+ MPH. DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS. MY CONCERN IS SAFETY - THIS FORTUNATELY HAS SO FAR NOT RESULTED IN ANY INJURY. THE DEALER HAS NOT REPORTED THIS TO MANUFACTURER - SAID THAT IT WASN'T A WARRANY PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T FIND THE "PROBLEM". *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Oct 11, 1999NJ
THE NUT WORKED LOOSE OFF OF THE OIL PUMP GEAR. THE GEAR WALKED FOWARD,EATING THRUGH THE TIMING COVER,FINALLY WIPING OUT THE TIMING ASSEMBLY. FINAL RESULT - THE ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN,CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE IN TRAFFIC.ENGINE WAS A LOSS. THIS ALL COULD OF BEEN AVOIDED IF A LOCK NUT WAS USED TO HOLD THE OIL PUMP GEAR IN PLACE. A 5 CENT NUT COST ME $3000.AND PLACED MY FAMILY IN DANGER. SAD,SAD,SAD!
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Hood › Latch
Filed Aug 6, 1999WI
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE HOOD FLEW OPEN, SAFETY LATCH WAS STUCK DUE TO CORROSION. DEALER NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEMS STILL OCCURS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
Filed Aug 30, 1998CT
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM FAILED DURING COLD OR HUMID WEATHER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. ALSO ELETRICAL SYSTEM AND POWER WINDOWS FAILED.
Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 21, 1997VA
VEHICLE3 HESITATES WHILE ACCELERATING THEN SHUTS DOWN AND COMES TO A STOP. ALSO ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON/OFF. *AK
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jun 9, 1997VA
THE VEHICLE HAS AN OIL LEAKAGE THAT IS POSING AN IGNITION HAZARD. *AK
Wheels › Multi Piece
Filed Feb 26, 1996NY
WHEEL BEARINGS CONTINUALLY FAIL, MAKING NOISE. *DH
Fuel System, Gasoline › Carburetor System
Filed Nov 2, 1995MD
VEHICLE HESITATES, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. *DSH
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Oct 11, 1995TX
SEAT RELEASE KNOBS ARE DIRECTLY BEHIND PASSENGERS HEAD, WHICH COULD CAUSE INJURY IF HIT FROM BEHIND. *DSH
Power Train › Transfer Case (4-wheel Drive)Crash
Filed Jul 7, 1995VT
DRIVING VEHICLE AT SPEED 30 MPH, GOING OVER UNEVEN PAVEMENT HWY, 5 SPEED, 4 WHEEL DRIVE KICK IN CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE, IMPACT 12:00. *AK
Electrical System › Ignition
Filed May 5, 1995WV
WHILE GOING UP HILL VEHICLE STALLS OUT WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. TT
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control
Filed Apr 13, 1995VA
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY IDLE SPEED CONTROL MODULE FAILED ,RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER. 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: Mar 23, 1994. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.