Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 06/11/2005 | 38000 | 1 | |
| Head gasket failed on 1999 subaru at 38,000. car was maintained religiously. subaru recall was never sent to me. i was told my car was the 'wrong phase engine' to be covered under warranty. car had overheated 3 months earlier. subaru flushed the system and added 'special coolant lubricant'. this was worthless. i was told it would cost $2000+, even though my family has purchased 4 subaru's from the same dealer. after a lot of screaming and yelling, they replaced both gaskets, radiator, thermostat and water pump. i ended up paying $250. dealer, (wakefield surbaru, wakefield ma.) helped convinced subaru corporate to foot most of the expense. later when subaru oil filters failed (leaks) and after more screaming and yelling with this dealer ship, (after they said i was making up the leak problem) i've changed dealerships who has a more professional service center. *tr | |||
| 08/15/2008 | 100000 | 1 | |
| Engine and engine cooling: blown head gaskets 1999 subaru legacy outback dohc. *tr | |||
| 02/16/2006 | 113000 | 1 | 03/27/1999 |
| In october 2003, the engine of my 1999 subaru outback with 80,000 miles overheated, seized and required replacement. i was on the highway at the time and realized the car was losing power and the thermostat gauge was above h. i contacted subaru prior to the repair and was told that the problem was likely due to improper maintenance and besides, my vehicle was out of warranty. this was subaru's response even though i regularly maintain my car. i did get the engine replaced at significant out-of-pocket expense. last week, while traveling along the interstate, my temperature gauge again was on h and i quickly pulled off the road. the check engine light was on and i immediately shut off the engine. the car was towed to a subaru mechanic and i was told that the head gasket had failed and needed replacement. another significant expense after only 30,000 miles on a factory rebuilt engine. although i am now aware that subaru sent out a recall / notification letter in feb. 2004, i did not receive one, apparently because i have the type of engine that may not be covered by the notification. it is clear from a review of this website that i am not alone in my complaints about the outback's engine and cooling system, and the fact that subaru is not standing behind its product. *jb | |||
| 01/25/2004 | 83200 | 1 | 11/22/1998 |
| My 1999 subaru outback overheated and problem attributed to cracked head gasket. dealer states that 99-01 are covered as warranty despite mileage if has a phase 2 engine. mine is phase 1. trying to determine amount of similar problems.*ak | |||
| 05/01/2003 | 49150 | 1 | 07/15/1999 |
| Head gasket was leaking and needed to be replaced. ph *cb | |||
| 01/29/2003 | |||
| Engine make a noise. the dealer and technician diagnosis the piston was worn-out at premature mileages . please provide further information. ph | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 06/11/2005 | 38000 | 1 | |
| Head gasket failed on 1999 subaru at 38,000. car was maintained religiously. subaru recall was never sent to me. i was told my car was the 'wrong phase engine' to be covered under warranty. car had overheated 3 months earlier. subaru flushed the system and added 'special coolant lubricant'. this was worthless. i was told it would cost $2000+, even though my family has purchased 4 subaru's from the same dealer. after a lot of screaming and yelling, they replaced both gaskets, radiator, thermostat and water pump. i ended up paying $250. dealer, (wakefield surbaru, wakefield ma.) helped convinced subaru corporate to foot most of the expense. later when subaru oil filters failed (leaks) and after more screaming and yelling with this dealer ship, (after they said i was making up the leak problem) i've changed dealerships who has a more professional service center. *tr | |||
| 03/20/2007 | 125654 | 2 | 01/25/2002 |
| Head gasket failed at 125k miles. i spent $1725 getting the head gasket & cylinder bolts replaced. the head gasket is now failing again 9 mos & 12k miles later. i have always meticulously maintained this car. *tr | |||
| 11/17/2003 | 126000 | 1 | 03/31/1999 |
| Engine overheated after a 30-minute trip. temp gauge read normal. thermostat, water pump, radiator, head gasket all ok, but exhaust valves and cylinder walls damaged beyond repair.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/17/2004 | 99200 | 3 | |
| The vehicle overheated and was towed. the radiator was replaced. vehicle broke down a second time. the vehicle was serviced again and the head gasket was found to be defective.*ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 10/14/2004 | 68849 | 1 | |
| While driving the vehicle's engine stalled. *nm the engine stalled due to head gasket failure. in reviewing the manufacturer's website the consumer saw a recall related to head gasket failure. the consumer request reimbursement for the cost of the repairs. *nm | |||
| 02/04/2005 | 91000 | 1 | 01/10/2000 |
| I had just paid approx. $450 for the major 90,000 mile dealer service and they told me my vehicle is in great shape. i've maintained it religiously. i had an extended warranty of 6 years/100,000 miles that just ended sep. '04. i just drove it up to the mountains and 90 miles from my destination, with the car driving perfectly, i noticed the temp. gauge was spiked. ultimately it turned out that the head gasket went. i have 91,000 miles on my subaru. i spoke to numerous garages in mammoth lakes and they see this problem on a daily basis. doing research on the internet, you will find thousands and thousands of people with the same issue. i was told by one of the mechanics that all of the double overhead cam 4 cylinder subaru engines blow head gaskets at some point after approx. 80,000 miles and that this engine has since been discontinued. i also have come to find out that the phase 2 version was recalled and they will fix that one, but the phase 1 engine that i, and thousands of others, have they won't do a damn thing about. what kind of company is this? it ain't rocket science... they put out a defective product and all they will do is stick it to the consumer. this company needs to be held accountable for their glaring and obvious screw up. how can they get away with this?*jb | |||
| 01/14/2005 | 88000 | 1 | 07/10/1999 |
| I own a 1999 subaru outback. car light came on at about 85000. dealer unable to determine problem & light turned off. light back on shortly after - had 90000 mile maintainence completed - dealer still unsure of problem. shortly after this, when accelarating to highway speed, clear power loss noted - engine running rough. took vehicle into dealership - reported that valve broken - head required replacing. dealer/ mechanic stated that they had never seen this problem before. total cost of dealer bills - over 3500. subaru refused to reimburse for problem - blamed on mileage. i've had well-maintained vehicles with over 150000 miles and never have encountered this problems before.*ak | |||
| 01/17/2004 | 99200 | 3 | |
| The vehicle overheated and was towed. the radiator was replaced. vehicle broke down a second time. the vehicle was serviced again and the head gasket was found to be defective.*ak | |||
| 08/08/2004 | 85000 | 1 | 07/15/2003 |
| Random overheating in my 1999 subaru legacy outback wagon, 85000 , lead to being stranded on a rural road. after replacing thermostat, problem was not fixed. eventually, my mechanic said it was due to a failed head gasket. at 85000, this problem should not occur. subaru has issued a recall on phase ii, 2.5l engine head gaskets because of failure, however have chosen to ignore the owners of the phase i engines. i found a web-site forum with many other victums of subarus neglect, many of whom were also stranded on the roadside because of this defect in cars with 50-100k mileage. clearly the head-gaskets on these engines are defective and this is serious defect that subaru should acknowlege and fix.*ak | |||
| 01/23/2004 | 74000 | 1 | 10/15/2000 |
| At around 74,000 miles the cam shaft began to fracture, causing the engine to seize. the engine had to be replaced with a remanufactured engine. subaru refused to provide any compensation because it was outside the warranty period.*ak | |||
| 04/08/2004 | 115000 | 1 | |
| Dealer will replace the engine at 115000 miles. *ak | |||
| 01/24/2004 | 120000 | 2 | 04/21/1999 |
| Head gasket failed on my 1999 subaru legacy outback. the material on the gasket is completely gone in a few areas, causing leakage into the engine and subsequent engine failure. subaru specialist that fixed it said he had repaired 10 subaru head gaskets in just the past 2 weeks alone. another friend has a 1999 subaru forester that had its head gasket fail within 3 weeks of mine. according to the subaru repair specialist, subaru does not admit the head gasket is defective. 2 days after getting the head gasket fixed, the alternator failed and the car shut down while driving 65 mph on a highway. barely had enough momentum to ease the car off the road out of traffic. oh, one more thing. the check engine light comes on and the repair facilities can't seem to find anything wrong but the emissions inspection repeatedly fails due to the light being on.*ak | |||
| 11/17/2003 | 126000 | 1 | 03/31/1999 |
| Engine overheated after a 30-minute trip. temp gauge read normal. thermostat, water pump, radiator, head gasket all ok, but exhaust valves and cylinder walls damaged beyond repair.*ak | |||
| 2 | 05/15/2003 | ||
| Check engine indicator light illuminated. also, while driving at highway speeds vehicle pulls to the left. the cause of the problems have not been determined. *ak | |||
| 09/01/2003 | |||
| My 1999 subaru outback stalls when it is cold. the car has been to the dealership for tune-ups and repairs with no resolution. the dealership and subaru's area service representative, bob wiseman, have closed the case. i am stuck with a car that won't run. *la | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 02/08/2003 | 0 | 02/12/1999 | |
| There are several issues going on with my 1999 subaru legacy outback vehicle: 1) the check engine light goes on when the fuel gauge drops down to empty although the gas tank was just filled with gas. 2) the fuel gauge does not read correct. after the gas tank is full, the gauge fluctuates back and forth (sometimes the gauge reads near empty, sometimes the gauge reads 3/4 of the tank full) when operating the vehicle. 3) the car did not pass the california smog test. 4) the rpm gauge does not stay constant while driving at an even speed. once the gauge hits between two to three thousand rpm, the gauge drops back to between one and two thousand rpm on and of when driving. 5) the gas tank does not maintain pressure even though the lid was screwed on tight. the lid was replaced with a new one but this problem still occurs. all these issues occur with the check engine light on. the dealer does not want to look at these issues without having me pay them to look at my car. these issues my car has been experiencing have been on and off since 2001 to present. the problems seem to get worse. | |||
| 11/20/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1999 | |
| Front crank seal fails. causing oil leakage and possible fire under hood. research on internet shows to be a common problem with subarus. research also shows subaru has released 3 different parts in attempt to fix problem. subaru denies this to be a fire hazard or even a problem with their vehicles.*ak | |||
| 10/12/1999 | 4 | 05/04/1999 | |
| Vehicle has been experiencing hesitation after accelerating from a stopped position, this problem has been occurring every day and the dealer can find no remedy for it, the mechanics say it is a fuel problem and have had the consumer use high octane gas, the fuel filter was plugged and the dealer found the fuel was contaminated, all the work that has been completed on this vehicle has not remedied the hesitation problem. *slc | |||
| 10/17/2000 | 2 | 12/01/1998 | |
| Vehicle started smoking under hood, then stalled at a stop. taken to dealer who repaired vehicle, one week later engine light came on, vehicle overheated, but did not stall, dealer replaced engine. wiper blades were replaced. *slc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 11/30/2004 | 110000 | 1 | 08/28/2003 |
| The 1999 subaru outback is equipped with a dual overhead cam engine. the timing belt pulley for the cams are made of plastic. my wife and 2 year old daughter had just exited interstate 20 near atlanta when the engine sounded like an explosion according to my wife. the engine immediately lost all power and seized, and she had difficulty steering and stopping the car without power steering and brakes. the vehicle was towed to the local dealer and it was discovered that the right cam pulley (plastic) had shattered causing the engine to seize. had this happened on the interstate at speed, there could have been a very serious accident and injuries. the car had been maintained, including replacement of timing belt at recommended interval. the engine is ruined and requires replacement or rebuilding. car has been sitting in my garage since. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 02/08/2003 | 0 | 02/12/1999 | |
| There are several issues going on with my 1999 subaru legacy outback vehicle: 1) the check engine light goes on when the fuel gauge drops down to empty although the gas tank was just filled with gas. 2) the fuel gauge does not read correct. after the gas tank is full, the gauge fluctuates back and forth (sometimes the gauge reads near empty, sometimes the gauge reads 3/4 of the tank full) when operating the vehicle. 3) the car did not pass the california smog test. 4) the rpm gauge does not stay constant while driving at an even speed. once the gauge hits between two to three thousand rpm, the gauge drops back to between one and two thousand rpm on and of when driving. 5) the gas tank does not maintain pressure even though the lid was screwed on tight. the lid was replaced with a new one but this problem still occurs. all these issues occur with the check engine light on. the dealer does not want to look at these issues without having me pay them to look at my car. these issues my car has been experiencing have been on and off since 2001 to present. the problems seem to get worse. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE) | |||
| 02/08/2003 | 0 | 02/12/1999 | |
| There are several issues going on with my 1999 subaru legacy outback vehicle: 1) the check engine light goes on when the fuel gauge drops down to empty although the gas tank was just filled with gas. 2) the fuel gauge does not read correct. after the gas tank is full, the gauge fluctuates back and forth (sometimes the gauge reads near empty, sometimes the gauge reads 3/4 of the tank full) when operating the vehicle. 3) the car did not pass the california smog test. 4) the rpm gauge does not stay constant while driving at an even speed. once the gauge hits between two to three thousand rpm, the gauge drops back to between one and two thousand rpm on and of when driving. 5) the gas tank does not maintain pressure even though the lid was screwed on tight. the lid was replaced with a new one but this problem still occurs. all these issues occur with the check engine light on. the dealer does not want to look at these issues without having me pay them to look at my car. these issues my car has been experiencing have been on and off since 2001 to present. the problems seem to get worse. | |||