NHTSA complaint: 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY SUBARU, FORESTER XT HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS SINCE IT HAD 5000 MILES. THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE IS INCONSISTENT. THE CAR HAS AN INTERMITTENT MISS AT IDLE, CRUISE CONTROL THAT DISENGAGES AT WILL, IS DIFFICULT TO START INTERMITTENTLY; SPITTING AND SPUTTER FOR 30 SECONDS, ACTS AS IF IT WILL STALL OCCASIONALLY WHILE BRAKING, AND THE CLUTCH DOES NOT GRIP THE FLYWHEEL PROPERLY. WHILE PASSING ON 2 LANE ROADS, I HAVE NEARLY HAD NUMEROUS HEAD-ON ACCIDENTS; THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE CONSISTENTLY. THE CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT HAS NEARLY CAUSED MANY OTHER ACCIDENTS IN DISTINCT CONDITIONS: 1. WHILE ASCENDING HILLS, I HAVE NEARLY BEEN REAR-ENDED BY OTHER CARS WHEN MY CAR LOSES SPEED WITHOUT WARNING 2. WHILE DESCENDING HILLS, I HAVE NEARLY LOST CONTROL AS THE CAR ACCELERATES WHILE CRUISE CONTROL HAS DISENGAGED I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR WHEN I MUST TAKE OFF HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN CROSSING A BUSY STREET. WHEN LAUNCHING HARD, THE CLUTCH WILL SLIP EXCESSIVELY. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE; IT WILL ONLY BURN THE CLUTCH CREATING A LARGE CLOUD OF SMOKE. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH GEAR I SWITCH TOO OR HOW MUCH THROTTLE I APPLY; THE CLUTCH WILL NOT GRIP UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN. I HAVE NEARLY BEEN HIT NUMEROUS TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS. I AM EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL. AFTER BRAKING TO A STOP, WHEN THE ENGINE IDLES DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL SINK AN ADDITIONAL HALF AN INCH. I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS, AND INVOLVED SUBARU'S REGIONAL SERVICE MANAGER. ALL E
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation