2012 SUBARU OUTBACK Engine Problems

Vehicle stalls when stopping. This is a huge safety issue because stalling at intersections can cause accidents. Dealership diagnosed a faulty torque converter. This torque converter (it should be part number 31100AB170) issue is widely known in this production series of the Subaru outback. After hundreds of complaints were filed with the NHTSA, Subaru extended the warranty on all their automatic transmissions to avoid a recall around 2017, but closed the extended warranty in 2022. Subaru now tries to convince their customers that these vehicles are too old for the issue to be attributable to them, despite knowing that they equipped these vehicles with defective parts. See the following: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Just after 100k mile service, car began to shutter when slowing and then stalls at stops. Eventually after I leave it in neutral for up to 2-20 min it will finally restart. First time it happened it wouldn’t start. I had to push vehicle out of major intersection to avoid being hit then pay to tow it to nearest mechanic. Once there, it restarted and problem couldn’t be replicated nor did it relay any codes. Happened again the next two occasions I drove it so I immediately took it to Subaru dealer using side streets to avoid potential accident. After researching my model/year and symptoms, I found this was a common complaint with 2012 Outback’s and there have been numerous CVT issues. One of these issues is a faulty torque converter that causes stalling and usually appears around 100k mile mark (of course just shy of warranty). In 2017 (prior to owning car) a bulletin was released notifying dealers of issue which led to extension of warranty due to customer complaints. Given this new information, I was not shocked when dealer diagnosed my car as needing a new torque converter. Had I known this was an issue beforehand, I would have requested an inspection when spending thousands for 100k mile maintenance. I even brought vehicle to same Subaru dealer years prior (when it would have still been under warranty) for noise and shaking when accelerating/braking. They said this was normal for box engines and test drove it without any concerns. I can’t believe with the vast complaints on CVT issues that Subaru has not issued a recall. It’s irresponsible, dishonest, and a major safety concern. Consumers have right to be notified if they may be affected or put at risk.

The car stalls out at stops. It shutters and them stalls like a 5 speed car. I have almost been rear-ended on a couple occasions. It is now in the shop for a torque converter replacement

When coming to a quick or hard stop, car will rumble then stall out. To confirm that the issue is transmission based I shift the car into neutral then brake quickly and the issue does not arise.

No issues with the car since I bought it new and was dedicated to regular Maintenance. Less than a week after a regular scheduled oil change and driving on the main interstate highway cruising at 65mph, the car just suddenly jerked. I thought I had blown a tire but the Brake light came on and then soon after the engine light came on. I was able to get off the highway but the acceleration decreased to a slow crawl. I had it towed to the nearest Subaru dealership that morning in which they said the issue is that both 1 and 4 are not correctly firing. They checked the spark plugs and checked the injector, but both did not fix the issue. They have now told me that they need to get the engine pistons/valves "machined". They are reaching out to Subaru to see if they can help since there is nothing I could have done to prevented this issue and they are hearing more of this issue occurring in Subaru cars. I'm praying that Subaru will help me with my vehicle but am waiting to hear from the Subaru dealership.

The engine shuts off while driving, especially when switching gears or when braking too hard (such as when traffic ahead suddenly stops). I had the engine shut off while I was making a left turn at an intersection and lost control abilities of the steering wheel.

When driving normally on the road the car begins to flash the following lights in the dash( Engine check, Oil Temp Light, Brakes, ABS, Traction control light, airbag light, passenger airbag light indicator) the car continues to drive normally but I cannot know that for certain when almost every indicator light is flashing, I have had the car inspected at a Subaru dealer 4 times since last year for other repairs in which they indicated a detailed inspection of all components following the repairs( radiator, ABS module, Transmission Maintenance, Differential Maintenance, Brake Fluid flush,), spent roughly 6,000$ in repairs and nothing was ever mentioned about this issue, if an inspection was done how could they not find an electrical error.This has happened twice in 3 months I do not feel safe driving a car that cannot properly indicate what internal issues are happening. The car drives fine and is in good condition however only a battery reset and new battery have been able to halt this issue until it happens again. I hope this can be investigated and looked into getting it repaired.

Coming to a stop, not super hard at a turn light. the engine just died! all the lights started flashing so I put the car in park and tried to not freak out. Turned the key off and tried to restart right away and it didn't work, gave it another minute then it started up again, no light on or flashing what the heck. Like nothing just happened, omg my heart was beating and I was shaken up. They need to fix this! this is very dangerous and nerve racking I'm afraid to drive it now because you don't know when this is happing again or not.

1. Over the past months at different times the dashboard lights all start flashing the check engine cruise control breaks Flash on and off 2. Our safety's at risk because we don't know if the engine is needing repair or if it's an electrical problem or if the car's just gonna stop dead 3. We took the car in and they charged me $1500 for a new fan coil and it's still doing it 4. Yes there were many warning lights it has been happening for the past year and I've taken it in twice and it's still happening and now they're saying they have to replace the engine strap which is another $3000 this is ridiculous

I own a 2012 Outback 2.5 Limited, which I purchased new from a Subaru dealer in Evanston IL in June 2012. It currently has about 76000 miles on it. In the last 6 months my car started to shudder when coming to a stop at a traffic signal, or sometimes while being stopped at the signal. The shudder is significant but typically momentary and happens randomly. From the last 2-3 weeks, the car has started to stall and the engine shuts down abruptly when coming to a stop. This is very stressful, but fortunately, so far I have been able to put the car in P and start it again every time. However, this is very dangerous and puts me and my family at grave risk of a serious accident from cars coming from behind as my car stalls abruptly. Again, this happens randomly which makes it even more dangerous and impossible to mitigate as a driver. This has now happened multiple times and I called a local Subaru dealership. They gave an estimate of over $8000 to repair this issue. They also said they will repair the car only if they are able to recreate the problem. I am afraid that they will not be able to recreate the problem as it happens randomly as mentioned earlier. As far as I know no warning lights on my dash are on and the car otherwise runs normally.

On October 27, 2021 while driving the car a number of vehicle light began flashing. We checked every thing we could and proceeded to drive it home, approximately 47 miles. First thing on 10/28/2021 it was examined by a Subaru dealer service department and they found no issues other than they replaced the serpentine belt and a few light bulbs. The car was driven again on 1o/29/21 and 11/1/21 with no incident. On the way home from work on 11/3/21 the same vehicle lights began flashing. We checked everything we could and found nothing wrong. We began travelling home and about 25 miles into the trip we heard what sounded like metal clanking. Shortly thereafter we began to lose power and the engine started smoking. The engine compartment was on fire by the time we were on the side of the road so we exited the car. In around 10-15 seconds the car was fully engulfed by flames and burned to the metal.

This summer, my 2012 Subaru Outback began shuddering and stalling when slowing down. This has happened approaching stop signs and stop lights, but has also happened going up steep hills and on the highway as traffic slows. Cars behind me have gotten incredibly close, and it seems only a matter of time before an accident occurs. We brought the car to the mechanic, who told us it was the torque converter, which would cost upwards of $5000 to replace. Subaru extended the warranty on 2010 - 2015 Outbacks because of the faulty torque converter - but the warranty expires at 100,000 miles, which we've surpassed. I'm not sure how this works - the manufacturer had a defect but we're responsible? It's scary when the car stalls out and I'm not sure it's safe to continue driving the vehicle. Our mechanic said the issue would get worse over time.

I experienced issues with the engine of my 2012 Subaru Outback shutting down at times when coming to a stop, and also stalling/idling when accelerating (such as when entering freeway). My engine light and brake light also turned on at the same time. Very concerned, I took it in to the local Subaru service center at around 112,000 miles. They inspected the car and replaced 2 spark plugs, and must have restart the computer to turn the warning lights off. Recently at 117,000 after entering the freeway at night , my car roughly idled and the stalled and would not properly accelerate, almost causing me to crash as it happened suddenly while driving on freeway. The engine light was flashing and brake light came on as well. I immediately pulled over. After the Subaru inspection the next day, I was told that this was being caused by the torque converter and is a known issue on this model. This is a very dangerous issue, I believe that if this incident would have happened the next morning while on my commute instead of at the less busy hour at night, a crash would have occurred. I believe a recall is warranted on this dangerous issue as it is known by Subaru that this issue affects certain models and they will not provide much help to customers if they are past the extended warranty. The issue can occur past the 100,000 mile mark on an otherwise good condition and well cared for vehicle. This puts the customer and other drivers at great risk. I am very concerned and upset about the danger this put myself and others in. I was personally left on the side of the freeway at night at 7 months pregnant, but the situation could have been much worse. Since Subaru is not required to let customers know of this issue, customers may experience this issue without proper remediation until a serious issue happens.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH AND RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEWEY GRIFFIN SUBARU (1800 IOWA ST, BELLINGHAM, WA 98229, (360) 734-8700) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 155,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 155,000

I BOUGHT THIS CARD AT THE END OF MARCH AND ONLY FOR ONE WEEK IT REGISTERED THE CAR GOT FIRED AND BURNED WHILE DRIVING LAST FRIDAY AROUND 10PM. WHEN I CHECKED THE VIN#. THIS CAR HAS OVER 16 RECALLS

ON OCTOBER 16TH, 2020 WHILE DRIVING OUR 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK ON THE HIGHWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. MY HUSBAND AND I PULLED OVER, LIFTED THE HOOD AND SAW STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE NEAR THE RADIATOR. WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND THE TECH STATED BOTH HEAD GASKETS WERE FAILING. THE VEHICLE HAD 156,000 MILES ON IT AND WE ENDED UP PAYING OVER $2500 IN REPAIR COSTS. BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE ON THE CAR, I DID NOT PLAN TO SUBMIT A REPOT TO THE NHTSA. HOWEVER, I WAS NOTIFIED BY A RELATIVE TODAY THAT HER 2009 SUBARU IMPREZA WITH ONLY 68,000 MILES JUST EXPERIENCED HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND THE DEALERSHIP QUOTED HER $4500 IN REPAIR. I HAVE ENCOURAGED HER TO SUBMIT THE ISSUE THROUGH NHTSA FOR FURTHER TRENDING PURPOSES AS I BELIEVE THIS MAY BE A SAFETY CONCERN WITH SUBARUS.

Mileage: 156,000

THE VEHICLE STALLS COMPLETELY UPON SLOWING DOWN. THIS OCCURS FREQUENTLY AT STOP SIGNS, LIGHTS AND WHILE CROSSING A MAJOR ROAD AND WAITING HALFWAY ACROSS TO JOIN THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. SUBARU DEALER SAYS IT IS A DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER BUT NO LONGER COVERED BY THE CVT WARRANTY EXTENSION. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE FIXED AT NO COST TO VEHICLE OWNER.

Mileage: 130,000

WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF A EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE CVT OF OUR OUTBACK. WE TOOK IT TO SUBARU DEALERSHIPS FOR MAINTANCE AND THEY FAILED TO TELL US ABOUT THE CVT GOING BAD CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN WE CONTACTED SUBARU CORPORATE THEY TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. NOW WE HAVE HAD THE CAR LOOKED AT WHEN IT WAS UNDER THE MILEAGE BECAUSE IT WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF THE CVT GOING BAD AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS NEGLIGENT IN LETTING US KNOW OF THE PROBLEM. NOW WE FEEL OUR VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND SUBARU IS NOT WILLING TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY KNEW ABOUT. WHEN WE FILL OUR TANK UP AT THE GAS STATION THE BREAK, TRACTION, CRUISE CONTROL LIGHTS WILL BLINK AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL STOP WORKING WHILE THE LIGHTS ARE BLINKING. WE TOOK THE CAR TO DERREL WALTRUP DEALERSHIP IN NASHVILLLE TENNESSEE, SUBARU OF NASHVILLE AND SUBARU OF GALLITAN TN. ALL THREE DEALERSHIPS AGEED THAT THE ISSUE WITH OUR CAR IS DUE TO THE CVT WARRENTY ISSUE. WE ARE THE ONLY OWNERS OF THIS SUBARU AND HAVE TAKEN GREAT CARE OF IT. WE WANT SUBARU TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THE DEFECT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE SAFE IN OUR CAR.

VEHICLE SHAKES AND SHUTTERS WHEN BRAKING AT HIGHER SPEEDS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. STALLS OUT OFTEN WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGNS AND RED LIGHTS.

Mileage: 155,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. ADDITIONALLY, THERE WAS ALSO A CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF SAN BERNARDINO (645 AUTO CENTER DR S, SAN BERNARDINO, CA 92408, (909) 571-5480) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WORKED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO SUBARU OF ONTARIO (1195 AUTO CENTER DR, ONTARIO, CA 91761, (909) 487-8325) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

Mileage: 87,000

LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD ARE ON ALL THE TIME BRAKES TRACTION ABS (ANTI BRAKE SYSTEM)ABOUT THE SAME TIME MY CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING

Mileage: 160,000

WHEN I BE DRIVING, AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, OR A STOP. MY CAR STALLS OUT. THIS HAPPENS MORE OFTEN, WHEN A DO A QUICK STOP. I BEGAN,NOTICING THIS CONDITION ABOUT A FEW MONTHS AGO,,APPROXIMATELY JANUARY 2020. *TR

Mileage: 121,000

VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND STALLS WHEN BRAKING HARD. IT WILL NOT STALL ON A GRADUAL STOP BUT WILL STALL IN ANY SITUATION WHEN STOPPING QUICKLY. DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A PANIC STOP TO STALL, JUST HARD BRAKING. RESULTING STALL MEANS LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. HAVE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND RESTART VEHICLE. HAS NO ISSUES WHEN RUNNING OR DRIVING. ENGINE RUNS VEY SMOOTH AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. IT IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND REPEATABLE IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE. NO COMPUTER CODES SET FOR THIS ISSUE. YET IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THERE IS HARD BRAKING WHICH IS EVERY TIME IT IS DRIVEN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I AM AFRAID TO HAVE MY WIFE AND SON DRIVE IT MUCH LESS MYSELF.

Mileage: 114,000

WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN LIGHTS ON DASH STARTED FLASHING ON & OFF, CRUISE, BRAKE, CHECK ENGINE, THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT WAS FLASHING BLUE & RED. I PULLED OVER TO MAKE SURE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS OFF. TURNED CAR OFF AND ON AND CHECKED GAS CAP WAS TIGHT AS I HAD GOOGLED WHY IT MIGHT BE FLASHING. I CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER MILE AND ENGINE STARTED MAKING CLICKING NOISE WHEN I PRESSED GAS. I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED, CAR LIGHTS WERE STILL FLASHING AND IT BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER HOOD. SMOKE STARTED COMING THROUGH AIR CONDITIONING VENTS AND WE GOT OUT IMMEDIATELY AND ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE.

Mileage: 170,000

FOR ALMOST 1.5 YEARS, MY 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK IS EXPERIENCING SHUDDERING AND STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP RESULTING IN THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF. IT OCCURS RANDOMLY AND I NEARLY GOT IN ACCIDENTS WITH DRIVERS BEHIND ME HAVING TO REACT TO THE SUDDEN, FULL STOPS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AT A RED LIGHT OR AN INTERSECTION, IT WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS POWERED OFF AND RESTARTED, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TACOMA SUBARU (LOCATED AT 3838 S TACOMA WAY, TACOMA, WA 98409, (253) 473-6200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

Mileage: 115,000

WHILE ON A 200 MILE TRIP ON RURAL INTERSTATE THE THERMOSTAT FAILED CAUSING HEAD GASKET TO BLOW AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. NO CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED. SUDDENLY ALL CONTROL PANEL WARNING LIGHTS BEGAN TO FLASH. ALL COOLANT WAS EXPELLED FROM RADIATOR. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES. BY SHEAR LUCK I WAS AT AN EXIT WITH A SUBARU DEALER NEAR BY. HAVE ATTACHED REPAIR REPORT FROM SUBARU DEALER.

Mileage: 97,000

THE VEHICLE STALLS AND ABRUPTLY STOPS. THIS IS APPARENTLY A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, BUT THE DEALERSHIP IS DEMANDING $1300 TO FIX IT SINCE I'M OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS SHOULD NOT BE JUST A EXTENDED WARRANTY - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE: THE VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC. IT CANNOT BE DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION. TODAY IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY INTERSECTION WHERE I WAS TURNING. I HAD A SEMI TRUCK BARRELLING DOWN AT ME ON AN ICY ROAD WHILE I DESPERATELY TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AND GET OUT OF THE INTERSECTION. THE SEMI SWERVED AND BARELY MISSED ME. THESE CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED!

Mileage: 120,000

ENGINE SHUDDERS THEN SHUTS OFF WHEN STOPPING. FREQUENTLY OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP ON A CURVED ROAD NEAR MY HOME. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT BEING REAR-ENDED. I HAVE TO THROW THE CAR IN PARK, RESTART AND THROW IT BACK IN DRIVE. DEALER REPLACED OIL SOLENOID VALVE FOR $350 AND IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW THEY WANT OVER $1500 TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER. THEY SAY IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND I HAD UNTIL JULY 2018 UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO TAKE CARE OF IT. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. I FEAR SPENDING ANOTHER $1500 WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I OWE ANOTHER YEAR OF PAYMENTS ON THIS VEHICLE AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE SUBARU. MILEAGE IS AROUND 155,000.

Mileage: 155,000

VEHICLE SHUDDERS AND STALLS WHEN BRAKING/DECELERATING. ENGINE SHUTS OFF COMPLETELY AND ABRUPTLY WITH LITTLE TIME TO REACT. I HAVE 128,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. MECHANICS DO NOT KNOW WHAT EXACLT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 128,000

STALLED WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. BELIEVE TO BE TRANSMISSION ISSUE. PURCHASED A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK ON 8 JAN 2019. THE CAR WAS SOLE AS IS. WHILE DRIVING HOME, I CAME UP TO THE BUSY INTERSECTION OF RUSSELL PARKWAY AND MOODY ROAD (WARNER ROBINS GA) AS I BEGAN TO SLOW, THE CAR STARTED TO BUCK THEN STALLED. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY THE CAR FOLLOWING ME. THE CAR ON THE SAME DAY STALLED AGAIN WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND TURNING RIGHT ON FEAGAN MILL ROAD. THE CAR FOLLOWING ME SWERVED TO THE LEFT TO AVOID A REAR END IMPACT. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY PARKED UNTIL I CAN GET IT SERVICED. AFTER RESEARCH, I FOUNDED OUT MANY CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES OF DRIVING AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. I CURRENTLY HAVE 115,000 MILES

Mileage: 115,000

I WAS TAKING IT FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND LUBE. AFTER DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 60-70 MPH, I CAME OFF THE FREEWAY, WENT 2 BLOCKS TO A STOPLIGHT. AS SOON AS I STOPPED, MANY WARNING LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BECAME ALARMED, WENT 3 BLOCKS TO THE LUBE SERVICE CENTER AND SOME STEAM STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE SERVICE MEN IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT IN TO CHECK IT OUT. THEY REPLACED SOME COOLANT, COMPLETED THE SERVICE AND TOLD ME TO HAVE IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. I DROVE IT ABOUT A MILE TO THE NEAREST AUTO SHOP, A PLACE I'VE TAKEN MY LAST 2 CARS, AND LEFT IT. THE NEXT DAY THEY SAID IT WAS FIXED, AND THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR AND IT WAS READY TO PICK UP. FROM THERE I PICKED UP THE CAR AND DROVE IT TO A FRIEND'S IN A CITY ABOUT 100 MILES AWAY. I DROVE IT THE ENTIRE WAY ON THE FREEWAY, CAME OFF THE FREEWAY, DROVE IT ABOUT 4 BLOCKS TO MY FRIEND'S HOUSE. I WEN UP HER DRIVEWAY, AND AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING PLACE, THE WARNING LIGHTS AGAIN STARTED FLASHING. I PULLED INTO A PARKING SLOT AND STOPPED IT. MY FRIEND'S SON LATER WENT OUT TO LOOK UNDER THE HOOD WITH ME. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF SOME SPRAY UNDER THE HOOD, BUT NOT MUCH. I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE I'D BOUGHT THE CAR A MONTH BEFORE, AND HE TOLD ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THEIR SHOP, WHERE I'D LEFT IT WITH THEM FOR ABOUT 2-3 WEEKS. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THE PROGRESS, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT TO RELEASE IT BACK TO ME UNTIL TO WAS REPAIRED. IN THE MEANTIME, MY FRIEND WHERE I WAS STAYING WHEN I HAD IT TOWED, TOLD ME SHE HAD AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH HER 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK AND AFTER REPLACING HOSES, THERMOSTAT, WATER PUMP, TJEY FINALLY REPLACED HER HEAD GASKET. MY DAUGHTER THEN REMINDED ME THE SAME HAPPENED TO HER 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK, SO I STARTED RESEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR ISSUES. MANY SITES, SOME WELL KNOWN SAID THIS IS COMMON WITH THE 2.5L ENGINE. THIS IS A DEFECT SUBARU SHOULD RECALL.

Mileage: 63,000

MY CAR SHUDDERS AND DIES WHEN BRAKING. IT DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A HARD BRAKE. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. IT HAPPENS WHILE I AM SLOWING FOR A STOP. MY MECHANIC TELLS ME IT IS RELATED TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX. I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE REAR-ENDED. WITH HIGHWAY DRIVING THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY DANGEROUS. I KNOW THAT SUBARU EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS ISSUE--ALTHOUGH I ONLY KNEW OF THIS BECAUSE MY MECHANIC TOLD ME. UNFORTUNATELY MY CAR JUST WENT OVER THE 100,000 MILE MARK, SO I'M UNSURE IF SUBARU WILL COVER THE REPAIR NEEDED. I REALLY BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD PROMPT A RECALL. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY INJURED OR DIE.

Mileage: 190,000

WHEN BRAKING TO COME TO A STOP AT A LIGHT ON A SECONDARY ROAD OR STOP SIGN ON MY BACK STREET IN A STRAIGHT LINE THE ENGINE STALLS, THIS HAS EVEN HAPPENED WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE TO STOP FOR BACKED UP TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FOUR TIMES IN THE PAST AND AGAIN THIS MORNING. I TOLD MY DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE I NOTICED IDLE WOULD DROP OUT AND COME BACK WHILE AT A STOP, BUT I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOT AN ISSUE. I NOW READ THIS IS NOT TRUE AND HAS BEEN AN ON GOING ISSUE WITH THIS MANUFACTURER FOR SOME TIME AND IS A WIDE SPREAD ISSUE WITH THE CVT. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFERED AND NOW EXPIRED BY SUBARU NEVER MENTIONED THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE OF STALLING DUE TO A FAULTY CVT, BUT ACTUALLY SEEMED TO SAY THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY ONLY APPLIED TO SHIFTING ISSUES SO I IGNORED IT AS THE CAR SHIFTED FINE BOTH AUTOMATICALLY AND MANUALLY AS DESIGNED. I FEEL VERY MISLED AND LET DOWN BY SUBARU WHO I ALWAYS THOUGHT WOULD PUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS FIRST, I GUESS NOT.

Mileage: 138,000

5 DAYS AFTER 120K MILE DEALER SERVICE (ALL WORK IS DONE BY SUBARU DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED) MORE DASH LIGHTS THAN WHAT SULLY SULLENBEGER HAD TO CONTENT WITH. OCCURRED WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC IN 90 DEGREE HEAT (WITH A 6 MONTH OLD IN THE CAR). DROVE IT 35 MILES TO GET IT TO THE DEALER. $2200 ESTIMATE TO REPLACE 2 HEAD GASKETS. DEALER IS TAKING $350 OFF. WORTH TALKING TO SUBARU CORP ABOUT ADDED COMPENSATION FOR A KNOW DEFECT? I SEE THE SAME ISSUE REPORTED ON LINE SHORTLY AFTER THE 100K OR 120K MILE DEALER CHECK UP.

Mileage: 120,000

AT TIMES, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT KIND OF SHUDDERS FIRST AND THEN JUST DIES. IF I'M ABLE TO ROLL THROUGH THE STOP, IT DOESN'T DIE, BUT WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, SOMETIMES IT JUST DIES. I HAVE TO QUICKLY PUT IT IN PARK OR NEUTRAL AND START IT AGAIN. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS WITH PEOPLE BEHIND ME NOT EXPECTING THAT LONG OF A STOP! I DO A LOT OF DRIVING IN TOWN AND THIS HAPPENS WHEN STOPPING AT STOP SIGNS. IT IS UNKNOWN TO ME AT THIS POINT AS TO WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.

Mileage: 107,540

MY WELL-MAINTAINED SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED WITH 102,773 MILES OVERHEATED AND BLEW A HEAD GASKET OUT OF THE BLUE. JUST HAD THE MAJOR 100K MILE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE DONE TOO. THE EXTENDED WARRANTY JUST EXPIRED AT 100K AND THE DEALER SAYS IT WILL BE OVER $3K TO REPAIR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBARUS THAT THEY HAVE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS THAT FAIL BETWEEN 80-120K MILES. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH SUBARU QUALITY WITH SUCH A MAJOR ISSUE AT HALF LIFE OF MY OTHERWISE RELIABLE VEHICLE!

Mileage: 102,773

TL* THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK COMPANY VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FITZGERALD SUBARU (11407 ROCKVILLE PIKE, ROCKVILLE, MD 20852, (301) 230-9000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE KNOCK SENSORS AND THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BODY AND HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,763.

Mileage: 73,763

ENGINE LOCKED UP TRAVELLING 80 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE HAD 90,000 MILES ON IT AND IT WAS FULLY SERVICED AT 88,000 MILES BY A DEALERSHIP. NOTES FROM THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT: 'MOTOR CAME APART AT HIGH REV SPEED, 1 PISTON CRACKED, 1 PISTON GONE. EXCESSIVE METAL SCATTERED THROUGH COMPLETE ENGINE AND INTAKE MANIFOLD' "THE ENTIRE MOTOR (BLOCK, HEADS, VALVES, CAMSHAFTS, INTAKE MANIFOLD, ETC.) WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO METAL DEBRIS THROUGHOUT MOTOR."

Mileage: 90,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MASTRIA SUBARU (1255 NEW STATE HWY, RAYNHAM, MA 02767) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WAS BURNING OIL. THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,459.

Mileage: 145,459

ENGINE SHUDDERS, OR COMPLETELY STALLS AT A SUDDEN BRAKE TO STOP COMPLETELY. DRIVER MUST PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK TO RE-START THE ENGINE. **** THE PROBLEM DESCRIBED BEGAN A YEAR AGO. DRIVER NOTICED VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER OCCASIONALLY AT A COMPLETE STOP. THE FIRST TIME THAT THE ENGINE COMPLETELY DIED, DRIVER THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO WEATHER. THIS SHUDDERING AND STALLING BEGAN OCCURRING MORE AND MORE FREQUENTLY IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. WHEN DRIVER NOTICES THE SHUDDER, IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS EASED UP, NORMAL RPMS RETURN. THE ENGINE WILL ALSO SOMETIMES SHUDDER DURING A TIGHT TURN AS WELL. WHILE TESTING DURING DRIVING/BREAKING THIS MORNING DRIVER MAINTAINED A SPEED OF 55 MPH FOR 1 MILE. DRIVER BEGAN BRAKING THE VEHICLE AT THE DISTANCE BETWEEN 2 LIGHT POLES (ON A COUNTRY ROAD) AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WITH THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT FORWARD. ENGINE DIED. THE 2ND TIME THIS WAS TESTED, SAME SPEED SAME BRAKING DISTANCE, THIS TIME THE DRIVER WAS GOING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, SO UPON BRAKING THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED AT A 45 ANGLE. THE ENGINE DIED. WARNING LIGHTS: VEHICLE DYNAMICS, CHECK ENGINE, AWD, CHARGE WARNING (BATTERY) , AND OIL PRESSURE. THE CD PLAYER STAYED ON, THE FAN FOR HEAT/AC TURNED OFF.

3.6 ENGINE USES 1/2 QUART OIL AFTER 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE. CAR HAS ALWAY HAD 5W30 MOBILE 1 OIL USED IN IT SINCE WE HAD THE CAR. HAD SOME MINOR OIL CONSUMPTION AT FIRST BUT NOW IT IS BECOMING MORE COMMON. DEALERSHIP SAID IT CAUSE THE OIL MANUFACTURES ARE MAKING THE OIL THINNER SO THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM? SORRY I WAS NO NOT BORN YESTERDAY. 2 REASONS FOR OIL CONSUMPTION THAT I KNOW IS A OIL LEAK OR DEFECTIVE PISTON RINGS WHICH SUBARU HAS HAD ISSUES WITH ON OTHER MODEL CARS.

CAR IS STALLING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED AT STOPS. ENGINE HESITATES WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP.

Mileage: 85,000

ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY STALLS WHEN STOPPING. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION CAUSED AT STOPLIGHT BECAUSE OF STALLING.

Mileage: 65,000

VEHICLE STALLS AT RED LIGHTS OR STOP SIGNS. IT ALSO HESITATES ON ACCELERATION. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN HAVING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.

Mileage: 69,500

MY SUBARU OUTBACK (2012) IS STALLING WHEN I NORMALLY OR A LITTLE HARDER USE THE BRAKE.I HAVE TO ROLL IN AND STOP VERY SLOWLY. SOMETIMES IT'S EVEN STALL WHEN I'M GOING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY IN REVERSE OR JUST STARTING UP AT A GREEN LIGHT. IT'S STALLING EVERY DAY FOR THE LAS 3 WEEKS. (TODAY IS, FEBRUARY 23, 2017).

Mileage: 87,000

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED AND THE CAR COMES TO A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF ('STALLS WHEN IDLING OR SLOWING DOWN'). THE VEHICLE THEN MUST BE PUT INTO 'PARK' MODE IN ORDER TO RE-START. THIS OCCURS NEARLY EVERYDAY OF THE WEEK, AND HAS CREATED MANY, MANY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS FOR US AND THE DRIVERS AROUND US. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN MAY CONCERNING THIS ISSUE, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AGAIN THIS WEEK, AND THE DEALERSHIP MENTIONED THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE TSB WAS APPARENTLY ISSUED IN JAN 2014, BUT CUSTOMERS WERE NOT NOTIFIED IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEFECT POSES DIRE SAFTEY RISKS. WE ARE BEWILDERED GIVEN THAT THIS ITEM IS CLEARLY A RECALL-WORTHY DEFECT THAT PLACES THE VEHICLE OWNER, AND THE CARS AROUND THEM, IN FORESEEABLE AND CONSIDERABLE DANGER. WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS ARE ALSO BEING TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP AND MANUFACTURER THAT THERE IS 'NOTHING WRONG WITH THEIR VEHICLE' IN SPITE OF THE TSB ISSUED IN JAN '14. A CYNICAL PERSON MIGHT CONCLUDE THAT AN EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO OBFUSCATE THIS SAFETY DEFECT UNTIL CUSTOMER'S WARRANTIES RUN OUT. SIMILARLY, THE MANUFACTURERS TSB LANGUAGE APPEARS TO OBFUSCATE THE DEFECT WITH EUPHEMISTIC LANGUAGE. TO BE CLEAR --- THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHEN SLOWING DOWN FOR A STOP LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT AN EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO AVOID A RECALL. ACCORDING TO THE TSB, SUBARU MODIFIED PRODUCTION IN OCTOBER 2013 TO ACCOUNT FOR AND CURE THIS SAFETY ISSUE. AGAIN, CUSTOMERS HO WERE SOLD VEHICLES WITH THE SAFETY DEFECT HAV NOT BEEN NOTIFIED.

Mileage: 60,000

I PURCHASED VEHICLE BRAND NEW, OVER THE COURSE OF 4 YEARS HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS UNTIL BRAKE MASTER WENT BAD AFTER 2 AND A HALF YEARS, OIL NOT LASTING UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE AND FINALLY THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE'S A/C DIED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC, HE FOUND THE COMPRESSOR HAD GONE. WE ORDERED A NEW ONE. TOOK THE VEHICLE OUT THE NEXT DAY TO RETURN IT TO MECHANIC AND IN ROUTE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING PROFUSELY AND DIED ON THE ROAD 2 MINUTES AFTER IT BEGAN SMOKING. THE VEHICLE IS THEN TOWED TO MECHANIC TO FIND THAT THE OIL AND COOLANT WERE MIXING, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AND DAMAGED HEAD GASKET. THIS MAKE & MODEL HAS ALSO BEEN FOUND TO HAVE ISSUES WITH "FAULTY BRAKE MASTERS & LEAKING OIL LEADING TO COOLANT AND HEAD GASKET" ISSUES. NO RECALL, SAFETY OR ADVISEMENT INFORMATION HAS EVER BEEN SENT OR CORRESPONDED TO US REGARDING THIS MATTER. THERE IS HOWEVER AN OPEN CLASS ACTION SUIT IN NEW JERSEY FOR THE ISSUE OF LEAKING OIL AND COOLING ISSUES.

Mileage: 87,000

COOLANT LIGHT THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. AFTER DRIVING 2 1/2 HOURS COOLANT APPEARED TO BE LEAKING SO FILLED COOLANT TO TOP WITH WATER.. 12 MINUTES LATER, WHILE DRIVING, LIGHTS BACK ON/ENGINE REV/ENGINE DIES/ SMOKE. LIFTED HOOD/MANY FLAMES FROM CENTER /SLAMMED HOOD SHUT AND RAN FAR AWAY. SEVERAL SMALL EXPLOSIONS AS CAR BURNED. VOLUNTARY FIRE DEPT. FINALLY ARRIVED BUT CAR ALMOST TOTALLY GONE. ONLY BACK TIRES LEFT USABLE. *JS

Mileage: 28,000

IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 2011 MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED A 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH A 4 CYLINDER ENGINE, CVT TRANSMISSION. WE HAD TO WAIT A DAY FOR OUR OUTBACK BECAUSE IT WAS BEING REPAIRED DO TO A BRAKE SYSTEM RECALL. EVER SINCE PURCHASING THE OUTBACK WE HAVE HAD A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN USING THE PADDLE SHIFTERS TO SLOW DOWN FOR A STOP. WHEN THE TACH SLOWS TO ABOUT 1100 RPM IN FIRST OR SECOND GEAR THE ENGINE THEN ACCELERATES TO UP TO 2500 RPM, SLOWING DOWN AND THEN SPEEDING UP AGAIN THEN REPEATING THE CYCLE OVER EVEN IF YOU APPLY THE BRAKES. SOMETIMES IT WOULD JUST RUN AT 2500 RPM UNTIL YOU BRAKED TO A STOP. I TOOK THE OUTBACK TO OUR DEALER AND THE SUBARU SERVICE ADVISOR WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN I DROVE IT TO DEMONSTRATE THE VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. IT DID EXACTLY AS I HAVE DESCRIBED AND EVEN STAYED AT 2500 RPM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR AND WHO I PRESUME WAS THE OVERALL MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE WITHOUT ME. WHEN THEY RETURNED I WAS TOLD THAT THE WAY IT OPERATED WAS THE WAY IT WAS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE BECAUSE OF THE ENGINE NEEDING TO BE MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY. I STATED I DID NOT REALLY BELIEVE THAT EXCUSE AND LEFT. SINCE THAT FIRST VISIT, THE OUTBACK HAS STARTED DOING THE VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUE ALSO IN AUTOMATIC DRIVE AT LOW SPEEDS. I RETURNED ON JULY 19, 2012 TO GET MY FIRST SERVICE DONE. I LEFT THE CAR FOR THE SERVICE AND TESTED AN EXACT (EXCEPT FOR COLOR) 2012 OUTBACK. THIS OUTBACK HAD NONE OF THE VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUES THAT MY OUTBACK HAS. WHEN RETURNING TO PICKUP MY OUTBACK I TOLD THE SERVICE ADVISOR OF THIS OUTCOME AND HE STATED I WOULD HAVE TO CONTACT SUBARU OF AMERICA TO ELEVATE THE ISSUE. RESPOND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS TO WHERE I CAN TAKE THE OUTBACK FOR REPAIR OF THIS VERY SERIOUS ACCELERATION ISSUE. MY WIFE AND I WILL BE TRAVELING VIA THE OUTBACK VERY SOON AND NEED THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE RESOLVED BEFORE WE LEAVE. *TR

Mileage: 3,750