THERE IS VIBRATION COMING FROM FRONT RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE. IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP STEERING WHEEL ALMOST JERKED OUT OF DRIVER'S HAND. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
2001 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 2001 record →
OVERDRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO MECHANIC. MECHANIC STATED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND STATED THAT OXYGEN SENSOR WAS BAD. *AK
SINCE NEW, THE CLUTCH IN THIS CAR HAS HAD A BAD SHUDDER WHEN COLD OUTSIDE -- BAD ENOUGH TO SHAKE THE ENTIRE CAR AS THE CLUTCH ENGAGES. IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT'S COLD, BUT NOT ALL THE TIME WHEN IT'S COLD, MAKING IT NIGH IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DEALER TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. 20K MILES LATER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS FOR ME AND APPARENTLY MANY, MANY OTHER OUTBACK DRIVERS. INTERNET POSTS CONFIRM THAT THIS IS A "COMMON" SUBARU PROBLEM, ALTHOUGH A FIX IS NOT READILY AVAILABLE. THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THERE ARE KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH SOME LEGACY/OUTBACK CLUTCHES, BUT UNTIL THE CLUTCH WILL RELIABLY FAIL WHILE THEY HAVE IT, THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MOST PEOPLE, LIKE ME, JUST DEAL WITH THE HORRIBLE SHAKING, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SEE HOW THIS COULD LEAD TO A HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN SOMEONE TRIES TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC AND BECOMES STARTLED BY THE SHUDDERING CAR, BACKING OFF THE GAS AND POSSIBLY GETTING HIT.
THE CLUTCH OR FLYWHEEL APPEARS DEFECTIVE. THE CLUTCH SHUDDERS OR CHATTERS WHEN ENGAGED WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO HESITATE UPON ACCELERATION. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 9,000 MILES AND HAS CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY TILL NOW AT 18,000 MILES. SUBARU HAS AGREED TO REPLACE MY CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL, BUT I AM CONCERNED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AMONG OTHER SUBARU DRIVERS AND THE SERVICE TECHS REPORT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMEN AND NORMAL FOR SUABRUS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OR MANUFACTORING OF THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL ASSEMBLY. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO SPEAK TO ANYONE REGARDING THIS ISSUE. WHEN YOU ENGAGE THE CLUTCH UPON ACCELERATION THE CAR JERKS AND TREMBLES, CHATTERS, SHUDDERS BEFORE ENGAGING. THIS SHOULD NOT BE ACCEPTED AS NORMAL OPERATION. THANK YOU.*AK
BRAKES ARE UNEVEN AND UNDEPENDABLE. CAR BUCKS FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN DOWNHILL BRAKING APPLICATION
ON SIX OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE DRIVER'S FOOT SLIPPED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THERE WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM DUE TO INSUFFICIENT SPACE BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL ARE TOO CLOSE. *AK ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS, WHILE MOVING SLOWLY AHEAD, THE VEHICLE HAD GONE OUT OF CONTROL. SCC
AT 30 MPH IN A CURVE ON CR73 FROM CONIFER TO EVERGREEN, CO. IN 3RD GEAR, STEERING RACK AND PINION BROKE, AND CAR DID A 360 DEGREE SPIN ON DRY PAVEMENT AND SLID INTO A DIRT MOUND. ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD, HAPPENING WITH NO TRAFFIC, AND IN THIS LOCATION, WAS MY WIFE'S LIFE SPARED.POLICE REPORT WITH COLORADO STATE PATROL ON FILE.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NO FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. SUBARU HAS ACKNOWLEDGED IN PRINT, 'DRIVE' MAGAZINE THAT THEIR EXPENSIVE VDC SYSTEM IS A LIBILITY IN CERTAIN COMMON WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS AND HAVE INCLUDED ON ALL NEW MODELS AN 'OFF' SWITCH AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. WINTER IS COMING, AND WE HAVE A VEHICLE WHICH COULD ACTUALLY BE RENDERED IMMOBILE BY ITS TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. WE HAVE REQUESTED TWICE THAT A SWITCH BE ADDED AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED WITH SUBARU ONLY SAYING THAT THE MATTER IS BEING REFERRED TO MARKETING AND ENGINEERING. WE HAVE THE ARTICLE AND INFORMATION FROM THE NEW MODELS CONCERNING THIS AND WOULD BE PLEASED TO FORWARD THEM TO YOU. REGARDS, BETSY KUC. *AK
SIDEWALL ON RIGHT/REAR TIRE SHREDDED WHILE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH. THEN, RIGHT REAR TIRE DROPPED, AND CONSUMER PULLED OFF THE ROAD. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, 6000 MILES MOUNTED ON A 2001, SUBARU, OUTBACK WAGON.*AK *YD
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE GOES TO THE RIGHT. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER, BUT NO NOTATION HAS BEEN MADE CONCERNING THE PROBLEM. ONE OF THE DEALERSHIPS EMPLOYEE'S TEST DROVE VEHICLE WITH CONSUMER, AND DID NOT NOTICE WHEEL TURNING. DEALER HAS SHOWEN NO CONCERN TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE ADD THE VIN# AND MILEAGE TO FORM.*AK
TIRE SIDEWALL SEPARATED AND THE TIRE DEFLATED RAPIDLY. THE CAR HANDLED WELL BUT THE TIRE WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK
AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM CAN BE TRIGGERED BY TWO BUTTONS INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, THIS LOCKS ALL DOORS IN VEHICLE. HAVEN'T CONTACTED DEALER YET. *AK AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM EASILY ENGAGES WITH THE MOTOR RUNNING, LOCKING KEYS INSIDE. THE DEALER STATES THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN ADDED SAFE GUARD AGAINST LOCKING KEYS INSIDE,PARTICULARLY WITH MOTOR RUNNING. *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK (TIRESIZE: 225/60/16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 225/60/16 )
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CONSUMER EXPERIENCED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE BY DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, SLOWLY THE VEHICLE CAME TO A FULL STOP, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO DEALERSHIP AND MECHANIC DISCOVERED THERE WAS A DEFECTIVE MASTER CYLINDER. *JB
WHILE ON LINE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER PUT FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME. CONSUMER ACCELERATED INTO REAR OF SOMEONE'S CAR. CONSUMER FELT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IN THESE PEDALS.*AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT BRAKE PEDAL AND ACCELERATOR ARE POORLY LOCATED DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. *YH
WHILE TRAVELING AT 20MPH AND WHEN STOPPING AT A LIGHT DEPRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, NOTICED PEDAL TRAVELING TO FLOORBOARD, AND LOST BRAKE POWER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN YOU PUT CAR IN R AND START TO GO ALL 4 TIRES DONT ENGAGE AT THE SAME TIME. *AK
ENGINE ACCELERATES SPONTANEOUSLY AT SLOW SPEED ENTERING GARAGE WITH FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL WHILE BRAKING TO KEEP SPEED LOW.
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 2001 Subaru Outback → · Every Outback year → · How the figures are calculated →