5.3% of complaints about the 1999 Subaru Outback came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 1999 vehicle — around the middle of the 201 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 4.9 yr in service. The most-reported system is power train (28 complaints), typically at 4.3 yr or about 68,000 miles.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH FRONT COIL SPRINGS ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, KENTUCKY, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, NEW HAMPSHIRE, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN, AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE PRODUCED WITH POOR PAINT QUALITY WHICH, AFTER CONTINUED EXPOSURE TO CORROSIVE SALT, CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE SPRING.
DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION OF THE FRACTURE, A BROKEN SPRING COULD MOVE PAST THE SPRING SEAT AND CONTACT A FRONT TIRE. SOME TIRES HAVE DEFLATED DUE TO CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SPRING.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD APPLIED BRAKES AND TRANSMISSION JUMPED HARD INTO A LOWER GEAR AND THEN BRAKES WOULD GRAB. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING 35MPH WITH SNOW ON THE ROAD AND COMING OFF A RAMP, TAPPED THE BRAKES, AND ALL WHEELS LOCKED UP, AND VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, HITTING A POLE. CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL. WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TRANSMISSION WAS BEING REDESIGNED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT 70MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON, HAD TO APPLY BRAKES BECAUSE OF A SLOW MOVING VEHICLE IN FRONT. VEHICLE LOCKED AND THE RPMS SHOT UP HIGH, AND SHIFTED INTO A LOWER GEAR. SHUT OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL AT THIS TIME, AND IT WAS STILL LOCKED INTO THAT MODE.*AK
HEATED MIRRORS, HEATED SEATS, AND SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER ALL QUIT WORKING AND ALTHOUGH SERVICE TECHNICIANS TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG ORIGINALLY, THEY DID FINALLY ADMIT TO A SHORT WITHIN EACH UNIT. THERE MUST BE SOMETHING ELECTRIAL SHORTING OUT TO CAUSE ALL THE MISC. THINGS TO GO OUT. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THERE IS NO CONCERN DUE TO REPEATED ELECTRICAL SHORTAGES IN THE VEHICLE.
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