2006 Subaru Legacy Fuel system Problems

THIS ONLY AFFECT 05-06 LEGACY GT OWNERS. THE UP-PIPE FOR THE SUBARU LEGACY GT IN THESE GIVEN YEARS HAVE A CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN THERE AND AFTER A CERTAIN MILEAGE, THE DEBRIS OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BREAKING DOWN WOULD SHOOT BACK INTO THE TURBOCHARGER. THAT WOULD CAUSE THE TURBO FAILURE AND STALL THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN THE UP-PIPE DOES NOT HAVE ANY INDICATION OF % OF WEAR AND MOST NON-CAR ENTHUSIASTS WOULD NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS CAUSED BY EXCEPT FOR AN EXPENSIVE TURBO REPLACEMENT AND UP-PIPE REPLACEMENTS. MOST OF THE OWNERS OF THESE ISSUES TURN OVER TO CATLESS UP-PIPE BUT THAT WOULD CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND OVERBOOSTING OR THE ENGINE RUN RICH, FURTHER DAMAGING THE ENGINE. THIS CAN BE PRETTY DANGEROUS IF A PERSON IS ON A ROAD TRIP AND HAVING A LONG DRIVE AS IT DIRECTLY IMPACT THE DRIVABILITY OF THE VEHICLE. SUBARU HAS RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE AND THEREFORE 07+ TURBO MODELS ALL HAVE A CATLESS UP-PIPE WITH THE ECU TUNED TO THAT SPECIFICATION. I BELIEVE IT IS NOT FAIR FOR 05-06 LEGACY GT OWNERS TO HAVE TO SUFFER FROM SUCH A CRITICAL ISSUE WITHOUT SOME SORT OF COMPENSATION OR RECALL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

NHTSA ID

11204499

Incident

Dec 22, 2018

Mileage

147,000 mi

CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE UPON ENTERING THE HIGHWAY AFTER PUSHING ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING . I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF TO THE SIDE AND MISSED BEING HIT FROM BEHIND FROM ON COMING TRAFFIC...I NOTICE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND FLASHING CRUSE CONTROL LIGHT... SECOND TIME SOME WEEKS LATER IT DID THE SAME THING THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THIS WILL HAPPEN.

NHTSA ID

11024196

Incident

Sep 19, 2017

Mileage

136,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THERE IS NO POWER TO THE GAS PEDAL. THE CAR IS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE OR MAINTAIN SPEED AND THE DRIVER NEEDS TO AVOID POTENTIAL COLLISIONS BY PULLING OVER ON THE ROAD OR FREEWAY.

NHTSA ID

10981185

Incident

Mar 23, 2017

Mileage

145,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS, LOSE ACCELERATION AND NEED TO COAST AND PULL OVER. JUST BEFORE SHUTTING OFF ENGINE, RPMS JUMP TO 3-4,000 WHEN IN PARK. NEED TO TURN OFF ENGINE FOR AT LEAST 30 SECONDS BEFORE BEING ABLE TO TURN CAR BACK ON WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND CRUISE LIGHT FLASHING, BUT HAVE ACCELERATION AGAIN. AFTER DRIVING FOR AROUND 100 MILES, CHECK ENGINE AND CRUISE LIGHT TURN OFF, BUT RANDOMLY INCIDENT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN. HAD A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, CONFIRMING THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON.

NHTSA ID

10967542

Incident

Jun 1, 2016

Mileage

215,000 mi

TWO OCCURRENCES SO FAR ON WEDNESDAY MARCH 23 AND TUESDAY APRIL 5. VEHICLE SUDDENLY DISPLAYS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES AND VEHICLE DROPS INTO "LIMP MODE." PROBLEM IS APPARENTLY DUE TO WEAR ON THE POTENTIOMETERS IN THE DRIVE-BY-WIRE SYSTEM. THIS WEAR CAUSES DIFFERENT READINGS WHICH MAKES THE MOTOR THINK SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE PEDAL AND CUTS THE VEHICLE SPEED TO ROUGHLY 5 MPH. FIRST OCCURRENCE DRIVING ALONG AT POSTED SPEED OF 45 MPH. SECOND INSTANCE TRYING TO LEAVE FROM A STOPLIGHT, GOT INTO THE INTERSECTION AND THE VEHICLE SPEED DROPPED, WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET VEHICLE OUT OF INTERSECTION. (CEL CODE P 2138 - THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR)

NHTSA ID

10854332

Incident

Apr 5, 2016

Mileage

149,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT AND CRUISE LIGHTS COME ON AND VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. I ALMOST GOT REARENDED BECAUSE OF IT. IT SET A CODE #P2138. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON IT.

NHTSA ID

10823381

Incident

Jan 2, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

I EXPERIENCED TWO ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR IN MY 2006 SUBARU LEGACY. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 35 MPH AND THE RPM'S BEGAN INCREASING RAPIDLY. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE SAFELY WHEN THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED. I SAT THERE THINKING THAT THE MOTOR WAS GOING TO BLOW UP IF I ATTEMPTED TO START IT AGAIN. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HE THOUGHT THAT IT COULD BE THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AS HE HAS REPLACED MANY OF THEM ON SUBARUS. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR AND MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS NOT GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. THE CAR WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE MECHANIC WHERE HE CLEANED THE SENSOR AND SAID IF I HAVE A PROBLEM AGAIN THEN I SHOULD REPLACE IT. FAST FORWARD 4 MONTHS LATER AND I EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ON A BUSY STREET WHERE THE CAR LOST POWER AND COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN AFTER RPMS SKYROCKETED AND I WAS LEFT WITH NO CONTROL. UPON START UP, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, OBVIOUSLY TRIGGERING A CODE THAT SAYS THE CAR IS A DEATH TRAP WITH A REALLY POORLY DESIGNED THROTTLE. I PLAN TO HAVE THE PART REPLACED IMMEDIATELY, BUT THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR SOMEONE NOT IN A POSITION TO MOVE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS IT JUST HAPPENS RANDOMLY WITH NO WARNING SIGNS.

NHTSA ID

10775435

Incident

Jul 11, 2015

Mileage

129,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY SON (9) DURING THE EVENING OF 12/16/14 ON SIDE ROADS LOOKING AT CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. I WAS GOING 15-20 MPH. NIGHT WAS DRY AND CLEAR. SUDDENLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON STEADY, CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO ACCELERATION! I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN "PARK". ENGINE REVVED BETWEEN 2000-3000 EVEN THOUGH I WAS NOT PRESSING ANYTHING, JUST IDLING IN P. TURNED CAR OFF FOR A MIN, BACK ON, DASH LIGHTS STILL ON - CE & CC. STILL HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE GAS PEDAL BUT WHEN TAKEN OUT OF P, CAR GOT ITSELF UP TO 15 MPH SOMEHOW. WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO HOME SO COASTED HOME AND INTO THE DRIVEWAY. WHEN SHIFTED TO P AT HOME, ENGINE REVVED AGAIN. NEXT MORNING I DROVE IT TO SCHOOL, CE & CC LIGHT STILL ON BUT CAR DROVE OK. WHEN I DROVE IT AGAIN, DASH LIGHTS WERE OFF AND IT DROVE FINE. SAME EXACT ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN ON 12/23/14, AGAIN AT A LOW SPEED ON A SIDE ROAD, THANKFULLY. ERROR CODE ON THE CAR IS P2138 - THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE THIS HAPPENS, CAR IS FINE AND THEN SUDDENLY IT IS NOT. FROM WHAT I SEE ONLINE, THIS HAS BEEN A COMMON OCCURRENCE LATELY WITH THIS CAR. I AM TERRIFIED THAT IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE I AM IN TRAFFIC OR ON THE HIGHWAY AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT! PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS WITH SUBARU, I SEE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE GETTING IT RESOLVED AND I DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON SUBARU DEFECT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION TO THIS SERIOUS ISSUE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10668625

Incident

Dec 16, 2014

Mileage

36,000 mi

MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK LL BEAN HAS BEEN CUTTING OUT ON ME WHILE DRIVING. ONE INCIDENT WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGH SPEED. THE GAS PEDAL WENT LIMP AND I HAD TO NAVIGATE OVER 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. GAS PEDAL WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. EVERY TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IT WAS EITHER RAINING OR SNOWING OUTSIDE. TOOK THE OUTBACK INTO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY WEREN'T SURE WHAT THE CAUSE WAS BECAUSE THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN IT BEFORE. THEY SUGGESTED REPLACING THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY, BUT THEY WERE NOT CERTAIN. THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENED ONCE WHEN I TURNED ON THE CRUISE CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

10653717

Incident

Sep 9, 2013

Mileage

92,000 mi

WHILE CROSSING A FOUR-LANE ROAD, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT LIMP AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO BECOME UNRESPONSIVE. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND BARELY MADE IT ACROSS THE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO THE MEDIAN SAFELY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WHEN PLACED INTO PARK, THE ENGINE REVVED TO APPROXIMATELY 2500RPM WITHOUT MY FOOT BEING ON THE PEDAL. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND RESTARTED IT ONLY TO HAVE IT REV AGAIN ON ITS OWN TO 2500RPM. IT TOOK 5-6 ATTEMPTS TO RESTART IT BEFORE THE ENGINE IDLED APPROPRIATELY AND THE ACCELERATOR BECAME RESPONSIVE AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND OBD CODE P2318 WAS RETURNED WHEN I PLUGGED IN A SCANNER TO THE PORT. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS EVENT HAS OCCURRED; IT HAS BEEN RANDOM AND SPORADIC FOR ABOUT 8 MONTHS NOW, SOMETIMES OCCURRING AS OFTEN AS 3-4 TIMES PER WEEK TO GOING 2 MONTHS IN BETWEEN EPISODES. SPEED DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A FACTOR, IT'S HAPPENED AT BOTH FREEWAY AND PARKING LOT SPEEDS, IN ALL KINDS OF WEATHER AND AT VARIOUS TEMPERATURES, WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON AND WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10640043

Incident

Sep 29, 2014

Mileage

66,100 mi

THE VEHICLE STOPPED RESPONDING TO THROTTLE PEDAL INPUT, RESULTING IN HAVING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, ACROSS LANES OF TRAFFIC. ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES. AFTER RESTARTING 3 TIMES THE LIGHTS GO AWAY. DEALER COULDN'T REPLICATE SO WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE, USUALLY ONLY IN SUMMER. CODE IS P2138 AND APPEARS TO BE A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH SUBARU VEHICLES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10606646

Incident

Mar 9, 2012

Mileage

63,892 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR AT 65MPH WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY DECELERATED. NOTHING HAPPENED WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TRAFFIC WAS VERY HEAVY AND AGGRESSIVE. SOMEHOW I MANAGED TO GET ACROSS THE LANES AND OFF THE ROAD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED AT LEAST 5 MINUTES. I TURNED IT BACK ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. I DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP (OVER 20 MINUTES) WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN THE CAR WAS SERVICED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS OUT, BUT THERE WAS A RECORD OF P2138 WHICH IS A THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR ERROR. THE TECHNICAL COULDN'T FIND ANY FAILURE OR CONNECTION ISSUES. NO REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENTS WERE MADE. AFTER READING NUMEROUS ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME DANGEROUS PROBLEM, I BELIEVE MY CAR IS UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587207

Incident

May 7, 2014

Mileage

107,300 mi

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH, MY LEGACY'S THROTTLE BECAME UNRESPONSIVE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE CRUISE LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY COAST OFF THE ROAD AND A SUBSEQUENT CODE CHECK REVEALED A CODE 2138 (THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR). IN THE ENSUING MONTHS I REPLACED THE TPS, WHICH DIDN'T HELP, THEN RESEATED THE CONNECTION ON THE THROTTLE ITSELF, WHICH WORKED FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS. THE PROBLEM HAS RECENTLY RECURRED AND SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10513569

Incident

May 11, 2011

Mileage

85,000 mi

AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE ACCELERATION PEDAL SUDDENLY BECAME COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE BY DEPRESSING THE PEDAL TWICE BUT, TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS POINT, I WAS COASTING BUT, THE CAR WAS IDLING AT EXACTLY 2K RPMS. LUCKILY, THE ROAD I WAS ON WASN'T TOO BUSY AND I WAS TO SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD, INTO THE GRASS. AFTER WHICH, KILLED THE ENGINE. I WAITED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, STARTED THE CAR, TESTED MY ACCELERATOR, AND IT WORKED AGAIN. SO, I WAITED FIVE MORE MINUTES, TESTED AGAIN, AND DROVE HOME. NO OTHER INCIDENTS THUS FAR. I'M GOING TO TEST THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR'S (AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL SENSOR'S) SEATING, CLEAN THE CONNECTORS AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE ONE OR BOTH OF THE SENSORS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10508316

Incident

Apr 13, 2013

Mileage

140,000 mi

COMPLAINT PERTAINS TO A 2006 SUBARU LEGACY 4DR SEDAN. IN 2009, WE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INSTANCES OF WHERE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHEN THE DRIVER STOPPED AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. COULD NOT RE-START FOR A MINUTE OR TWO. MULTIPLE TRIPS TO THE DEALER OVER 9 MONTHS UNTIL FINALLY DIAGNOSED AS A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. REPLACED BY DEALER (N/C). MY REASON FOR THE REPORT IS THAT THIS COULD OF OCCURRED (BUT DID NOT) ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN A DRIVER WOULD COME TO A STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC. A STALL ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY COULD PUT THE DRIVER IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10327291

Incident

Jul 9, 2009

Mileage

29,899 mi

(1) FUEL SYSTEM CEASED TO OPERATE WHILE VEHICLE IN MOTION. THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM (SUPPOSEDLY, SERVICING CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AFTER THE FIRST TIME) (2) CAR WAS STUCK INSIDE A NATURE RESERVE THAT HAS LIMITED ACCESS. ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE FULL WARRANTY PACKAGE, I COULD NOT GET APPROPRIATE SERVICE TO TOW THE CAR OUT FOR 1.5 DAYS, AND SO MISSED 1 DAY OF WORK. (3) THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, THE FUEL PUMP AND RELATED PARTS WERE REPLACED. THIS TIME, I FOUND AND REPLACED A BURNT-OUT FUSE FOR THE FUEL PUMP, AND THE NEW FUSE IMMEDIATELY BURNT OUT WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR. IT HAS NOW BEEN TOWED TO MY DEALER (1.5 HOURS AWAY FROM WHERE THE PROBLEM OCCURRED). (4) I HAVE NO FAITH IN THE SAFETY OF THIS PARTICULAR (BRAND NEW) VEHICLE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN HIT BY VEHICLES FROM BEHIND. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER CARS OF THIS SAME MODEL.*JB

NHTSA ID

10154465

Incident

Apr 2, 2006

Mileage

5,300 mi