Page 3 of 3 · complaints 101–111 of 111

1999 Subaru Outback complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1999 record →

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 20, 1999NY

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Pedals and Linkages
Filed Oct 4, 1999CT

BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE SO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER THAT WHEN STEPPING ONE OF THE PEDALS, CONSUMER IS APPLYING BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash
Filed Sep 16, 1999NY

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND GOING UP A INCLINE, APPLIED THE BRAKES AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOFT, AND WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING CONSUMER TO SLOW DOWN AND REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Sep 7, 1999CT

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DRIVER'S FOOT CAN HIT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND APPLY BOTH BY MISTAKE. DEALER SAYS ITS PART OF DESIGN AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 13, 1999NY

WHEN DRIVING DOWN HILL, IF YOU TOUCH THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTS CAUSING THE CAR TO JOLT SHARPLY AND STARTLE THE DRIVER. THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT UPSHIFT UNTIL THROTTLE IS APPLIED FOR A MOMENT WHICH CAUSES YOU TO SHOOT UP ON THE CAR AHEAD. NOT APPLYING THROTTLE RESULTS IN A LOT OF ENGINE BREAKING AND HIGH RPM'S. I FEEL THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IF IT HAPPENS ON A SLIPPERY SURFACE BECAUSE THE ABRUPT AND UNANTICIPATED BRAKING CVOULD CAUSE A LOSS OF CONTROL AND/OR SKID. THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO FIX - IT'S DESIGNED THAT WAY. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THEY HAD RECEIVED OTHER COMPLAINTS.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 9, 1999PA

CONSUMER WAS COASTING UP A SLIGHT HILL WHEN VEHICLE TOOK OFF TO RIGHT WITH BRAKES APPLIED, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments1 injured
Filed Jul 14, 1999MA

COMSUMERS PANT LEG GOT CAUGHT ON A SMALL 2 INCH ROUND MECHANISM THAT STICKS OUT OF THE SIDE OPENING OF THE BACK DOOR CAUSING HER TO FALL TO THE CONCRETE RESULTING IN BRUISES. NLM

Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft › Seal
Filed Jul 6, 1999OR

WHEEL BEARING WAS LEAKING GREASE WHEN IT WAS LUBRICATED WHICH CAUSED AN UNUSUAL NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE SEAL FOR THE WHEEL BEARINGS. *AK

Suspension
Filed Apr 8, 1999WA

VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 1, 1999CA

A NEW DESIGN CHANGE WITH THE CHIP WITHIN TRANSMISSION IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES.THERE IS NO WAY TO FIX IT AT PRESENT MOMENT. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 20, 1998CA

'SLOPECONTROL' CAUSES THE CAR TO DOWNSHIFT ANY TIME THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED ON A SLOPE OF A CERTAIN PITCH. THIS IS AN ACCEPTABLE FEATURE AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH, BUT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THE CAR REACTS VIOLENTLY AND DECELLERATES TO AN UNSAFE SPEED WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING TO FOLLOWING TRAFFIC. SUBARU IS NOT ADVERTISING THIS FEATURE AND THE CAR WAS SOLD TO US WITH NO DISCLOSURE CONCERNING 'SLOPECONTROL'. WE HAVE NARROWLY ESCAPED TWO REAR-END COLLISIONS AND ARE SELLING THE CAR BACK AT A LOSS TO PURCHASE A SAFER STICK SHIFT.

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 1999 Subaru Outback → · Every Outback year → · How the figures are calculated →