1983 Subaru Gl Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1983 Subaru Gl, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Seat belts240.0%
- Body & structure120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Suspension120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
FRONT SEAT BELT EX TENDERS HAVE A GAP WHERE CHILDREN CAN PUT THERE FINGERS IN AND GET CUT WHEN SEAT BELT RETURNS TO ITS REST POSITION
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED DUE TO SUN DETERIORATION. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
SUNVISOR CONTINUOUSLY COMES DOWN WITHOUT ASSISTANCE, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT VISOR WHEN GETTING IN VEHICLE. (0THER VEHICLE ON 486858) *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
ENGINE FIRE, CAUSING DEATH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR INNER ARM ASSEMBLY FAILED ON BOTH SIDES CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL . TT VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE CURRENTLY IN CONUMER'S GARAGE, CONSUMER STATES THE PASSENGER SIDE ARM BROKE ON A GRADUAL LEFT TURN, AS CONSUMER TURNED THE WHEEL TO CORRECT THE SKID THE DRIVER SIDE ARM BROKE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SPIN 360 DEGREE TO THE RIGHT WITH BOTH REAR WHEELS COLLAPSED UNDER THE VEHICLE.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .