1995 Subaru Legacy Problems

10/162017 - I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO MEET MY WIFE FOR DINNER AFTER PARKING MY CAR. AS I WATCHED HER PULL INTO THE PARKING LOT IN FRONT OF ME IN THE LEGACY I SAW THE WINDSHIELD GET BLOWN OUT BY THE PASSENGER AIRBAG BEING DEPLOYED. SHE WAS STOPPED WAITING FOR TRAFFIC ON A CITY STREET TO CLEAR TO PULL IN AND WAS NOT MOVING VERY FAST AT ALL, APPROX 5 MPH. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND MY WIFE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES FROM FLYING GLASS. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY OUR MECHANIC SAID HE BELIEVED THAT THE AIRBAG RECALL # 96V315000 PERFORMED ON 12/11/1998 APPARENTLY WAS NOT PERFORMED PROPERLY AND HE SUSPECTED THAT THE POORLY REMOVED TOW-HOOK WAS NOT CUT OFF SHORT ENOUGH (NOT TO THE RECALL SPEC) TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL INFLATION OF THE AIRBAG. I BELIEVE THAT THE REMAINING STUB OF THE TOW-HOOK MAY HAVE IMPACTED THE DRIVEWAY AS SHE PULLED IN DEPLOYING THE AIRBAG, WE CONTACTED SUBARU AND THEY BASICALLY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. SEE ATTACHED PICTURES FROM OUR MECHANIC AND EMAIL CORRESPONDENCES FROM SUBARU.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FROZE AND WAS RESISTANT TO ENGAGEMENT. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 174,278.

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FROZE AND WAS RESISTANT TO ENGAGEMENT. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT PLACE OF RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE FAILURE OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 174,278.

CONSUMER STATED ALTERNATOR FAILED. AS A RESULT, TAIL LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. *AK

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR THAT HOLDS THE HEAD LIGHT INTO SOCKET HAS SHORTED OUT 4 TIMES. THIS ACTUALLY MELTS AND SMELLS LIKE A ELECTRICAL FIRE. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH HEAD LIGHT CONNECTOR'S 2 TIMES. THIS IS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE DEALER IN ANGLES CAMP,CA HAS TOLD US HE HAS SEEN THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES FOR THE MODEL AND YEAR OF OUR CAR. *NLM

FUEL TANK FILLER NECK LEAK AND FAILURE. *TR

LEAKING FUEL FILLER NECK, LINES AND TANK ON OLDER SUBARU'S. OWNED 2 SUBARUS A 1993 IMPREZA AND A 1995 LEGACY BOTH GAS TANK SEAMS GET RUSTED OUT DUE TO CLIMATIC CONDITIONS AND LEAK SAME AS FILLER NECKS AND LINES. CAUSES EMISSION PROBLEMS, TRIGGERS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON OBD2 CARS. *JB

WE HAD A SLOW OIL LEAK AND OUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER STARTED GOING BAD AT THE SAME TIME. THE OIL LEAKED DOWN THE EXHAUST TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WHICH WAS OVER HEATING AND CAUSED A FLASH FIRE BURNING UP MY ENTIRE CAR. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT NOTICED AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND GOUGED THE TIRE DOWN PAST THE STEEL BELT. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT CALL THE CONTACT BACK. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 01V216000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000.

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. *TR

SEAT BELT WEBBING STARTED DISINTEGRATING IN LAST 6 MONTHS. I HAVE SHORT VIDEO CLIP SHOWING THE DEFECT THAT I CAN FORWARD. *TR

THE CROTCH STRAP BUCKLE FAILED TO HOLD THE HARNESS STRAP TONGUE SECURELY. *JG *JB

APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH AGO I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL HIGHWAY WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY HOOD WAS PARTIALLY UNLATCHED (HELD BY SAFETY). I EXITED THE HIGHWAY, CLOSED THE HOOD AND MADE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. *AK THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE LATCH, BUT RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. ANOTHER SERVICE TECH AT THE DEALERSHIP RELAYED THAT HE ALSO HAD A HOOD LATCH FAILURE ON A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON. PLAN TO REPLACE HOOD MECHANISM.

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON I-90 AT 65 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE HOOD OF MY 1995 LEGACY SUBARU WAGON FLEW UP AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD AND CAUSED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO FLY OFF INTO THE CAR. THE LATCH AND THE SAFETY LATCH FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAPPENED LAST WEEK AND I HAVE DONE NOTHING TO REPAIR THE CAR. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. IN WET WEATHER CONDITIONS WINDSHIELD WIPERS DON'T CLEAR WELL ENOUGH FOR DRIVER TO SEE THE ROAD, THEY SMEAR. SUBARU IS DOING NOTHING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. *AK *ML

WINDOW OF RIGHT REAR DOOR SHATTERED ONTO ROAD AND REAR SEAT(UNOCCUPIED). NO CAUSE SUCH AS PROJECTILE FOUND. TEMPERATURE 68, ALL WINDOWS UP. *AK

VEE RUBBER VITRON TIRES PURCHASED NEW 12/23/2011. ONE TIRES STEEL BELT SEPARATED, POPPED THROUGH THE TIRE IN TWO PLACES ON 09/07/2013. TIRE HAS LESS THAN 5K MILES ON IT. TWO SERVICE STATIONS (PEP BOYS, AND VINCE'S AUTO IN RESEDA, CA) INSPECTED THE TIRE AND ADVISED IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIRE. NEITHER COULD ADVISE OF ANY SCENARIO TO JUSTIFY WHAT HAPPENED. VINCE'S AUTO IS REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE TIRE FOR "NO CHARGE"; HOWEVER, THERE ARE 3 REMAINING TIRES. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE. I'M SURPRISED THERE IS NO MENTION OF VEERUBBER NOR VITRON ON YOUR DROPDOWN LIST FOR RECALL SEARCH. TIRES ARE VEE RUBBER VITRON 195/60 R15 88H DOT 6MSJ 4910. PLEASE HELP. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SUBARU LEGACY. THE VEHICLE HAS COOPER LIFELINER TOURING SLE, SIZE 185/70R14 TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VEERED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOBBLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT AS EXTENSIVE WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH OR GREATER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIRES CAUSED THE FAILURE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06T016000 (TIRES: TREAD/BELT) WAS REFERENCED. AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 160,000. UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE IN ONE YEAR, THE STARTER ALSO FAILED ONCE. NLM

I WAS ADVISED BY THE SUBARU REPAIR MANAGER THAT THIS CLUTCH IS NOT GOOD. HE RECOMMENDED I INSTALL A HIGHER PRICED FORRESTER CLUTCH BECAUSE IT WILL LAST LONGER. HE SAID FAILURE OF THIS CLUTCH IS COMMON. I ALSO UNDERSTAND PREVIOUS YEARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK

THE LEFT REAR STRUT TOWER ON THE CAR ROTTED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF . THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING AS THE CAR WAS INSPECTED. OUT THAT ALMOST ALL OF THE REAR CROSSMEMBER WAS ROTTED AWAY ON THE LEFT REAR SIDE AND THE RIGHT REAR SIDE HAS A COUPLE OF ROT HOLES IN IT GETTING READY TO DO THE SAME THING THE LEFT SIDE DID. IF THE LEFT STRUT TOWER HAD COMPLETELY BROKE OFF THE TIRE WOULD HAVE GONE RIGHT INTO THE ROTTED WHEEL WELL PROBABLY CAUSING THE TIRE TO BLOW BECAUSE I'M SURE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN SLICED OPEN FROM THE JAGGED RUSTED METAL WHICH WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE CAR BODY ON THE LEFT SIDE TO DROP AND START TO SCRAP ON THE PAVEMENT. IF YOUR NOT FAMILIAR WITH A SUBARU THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR TIRES AND IT JUST ABOUT POKES INTO THE WHEEL WELL AREA. IN MY CALCULATIONS THE GAS TANK WOULD HAVE BEEN SCRAPPING THE PAVEMENT AND IT WAS FULL BY THE WAY. I HAVE EMAILED SUBARU ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID A VIN# CHECK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NO RECALL FOR MY STATED PROBLEM AND THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR. *TR

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95 IN DELAWARE NEAR PA BORDER, IN A HIGH WIND, MY CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. I DONT KNOW IF IT WAS CAUSED BY WIND OR NOT. IN TRYING TO STRAIGTEN OUT CAR, I SEEMED TO HAVE OVERCORRECTED AND SWERVED LEFT, ACROSS A LANE AND INTO A GUARDRAIL, GIVING ME NECK AND BACK INJURIES, TRAUMA, AND 28000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO CAR. I REMEMBERED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT SOMETHING SIMILAR HAD HAPPEND ON A RAINY DAY A WHILE BACK ( I HAVE HD THIS CAR A YEAR OR SO) . I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION AND THE CAR SUDDENTLY SWERVED LEFT ( DIFFERENT DIRECTION THIS TIME). I WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THAT SUCCESSFULLY. I CONTACTED SUBARU WHICH HAS NO RECORD OF PROBLEMS LIKE I AM DESCRIBING. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR ON A HIGHWAY, SINCE IT FELT UNTRUSTWORTHY. WHILE THERE WAS HIGH WIND THAT DAY, I DID NOT SPECIFICALLY FEEL A GUST CARRY THE CAR- THE SWERVING SEEMED TO BE FOR NO REASON.*AK

WHEN TRYING TO TURN QUICKLY ON ICE AND WET SURFACES THE CARS BECOME UNSTABLE AND CONTROLABLE. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION IN DETAILS.*AK

COSUMER HAVE EXPERIENCE ALL WHEELS LOCKING UP AFTER PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION AT APPROXIMATELY 9 MPH, NORMAL ROAD CONDITION, REASON UNKNOWN. MANUFACTURER. WAS NOTIFIED. *AK

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED. *SD

THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDALS ON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SUBARU LEGACY MODELS ARE SO CLOSE TOGETHER THAT A MAN OF AVERAGE SHOE SIZE, WEARING BOOTS OF ANY KIND, IS LIABLE TO INADVERTENTLY APPLY PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. THE "FIX" IS SIMPLE: SUBARU OF AMERICA SHOULD HANG THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION BRAKE PEDAL, WITH ITS SMALLER PAD FOOTPRINT, ON ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LEGACY MODELS. PROBLEM SOLVED. WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, AND IF WEARING BOOTS, I MUST MAINTAIN CONSTANT VIGILANCE TO AVOID THE POTENTIALLY LETHAL CONSEQUENCE OF APPLYING PRESSURE TO BOTH PEDALS AT THE SAME TIME. *TR

CONSUMER NOTICED SPOTS ON DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. DEALER DETERMINED THAT O RINGS WERE LEAKING, ALSO FRONT CRANK SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REMOVED CARBON BUILD UP AT THE THROTTLE PLATE, ALSO WORK WAS NEEDED ON THE POWERTRAIN.*JB

CONSUMER NOTICED SPOTS ON DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. DEALER DETERMINED THAT O RINGS WERE LEAKING, ALSO FRONT CRANK SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK. CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE DEALER REMOVED CARBON BUILD UP AT THE THROTTLE PLATE, ALSO WORK WAS NEEDED ON THE POWERTRAIN.*JB

DRIVESHAFT AND CASE ON MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED, CONSEQUENTLY DESTROYING CLUTCH, HAD TRANSMISSION REPAIRED, FAILED AGAIN AFTER ONE WEEK. *AK

CONSUMER STATED ALTERNATOR FAILED. AS A RESULT, TAIL LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE. *AK

LOW BEAM LEFT HEADLIGHT GIVES POOR ILLUMINATION AT ANY PRACTICAL WAY. SUBARU SAYS SHOULD MODIFY LIGHT W/AUXILLIARY LIGHTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED. *SD