1999 Subaru Outback Electrical Problems

1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD WHILE TRYING TO REMOVE KEYS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE, PLACED IT IN PARK, AND LEFT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION, SO SHE COULD CHECK OUT THE NEW HALOGEN BULBS THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED. WHEN SHE RETURNED TO REMOVE THE KEY, WITH THE DOOR BEING OPEN, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS, AND THE OPENED DOOR PUSHED HER TO THE GROUND. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CAREFULLY CHECKED AND MADE SURE, THE VEHICLE WAS SECURELY IN PARK, BEFORE SHE EXITED TO CHECK THE LIGHTS, AND DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING WHEN SHE RETURNED. SHE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE SUFFERING FROM SEVERE HEAD, BACK AND NECK INJURIES AND SPENT 2 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL. THE VEHICLE ROLLED INTO TWO OTHER PARKED CARS AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH. UPDATED 05/20/14 UPDATED 06/19/14

NHTSA ID

10564122

Incident

Jul 13, 2013

1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER FAILURE. INTERMITTANT PROBLEM. INFORMED BY DEALER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1999 SUBARU'S. DEALER INFORMS CUSTOMER THAT PROBLEM IS ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT BOARD ISSUE. SPEEDOMETER REPLACED BY DEALER AT COST OF $315. SUBARU PART NUMBER 85020AC330. CONSUMER HAS OLD, FAILED UNIT. THIS IS NOT AND SHOULD NOT BE A "WEAR" TYPE ITEM. THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS SUBARU MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10259767

Incident

Dec 1, 2008

Mileage

160,000 mi

SPEEDOMETER PERIODICALLY DOES NOT WORK. I HAVE FOUND THIS IS COMMON PROBLEM IN THESE MODELS AND IT IS NOT EASY TO GET IT REPLACED. KNOWING THE SPEED WHEN DRIVING IS VERY IMPORTANT. I AM PETRIFIED MOST OF THE TIME THAT CHP IS GOING TO PULL ME OVER ON HIGHWAY. IT TYPICALLY GOES OUT IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. I JUST BOUGHT THIS, BUT IT IS OBVIOUS PRIOR OWNER HAD ISSUES WITH IT AS MANY OTHER PEOPLE ONLINE WITH SAME YEAR MODEL. IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. ALSO, NONE OF THE BELLS, BUZZERS, ALARM GIZMOS ASSOCIATED WITH OPENING THE DOOR AND PUTTING ON SEATBELTS IS WORKING. I THINK THIS IS ALL RELATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10244387

Incident

Feb 14, 2008

Mileage

65,000 mi

SPEEDOMETER FAILS SPONTANEOUSLY, INTERMITTENTLY AND FREQUENTLY. INDICATED SPEED DROPS TO ZERO. RETURNS SPONTANEOUSLY AFTER 10 SECONDS TO 15 MINUTES. NOT VEHICLE SPEED SENSOR (VSS) OR WIRING/CONNECTOR RELATED. SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND SPEEDOMETER CIRCUIT BOARD DELAMINATED, CAUSING COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE FROM CIRCUIT BOARD. STATED THIS APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY OEM SEALANT USED ON THE CIRCUIT BOARDS AS SEEN IN OTHER SUBARUS AND MANY HONDA VEHICLES. SPEEDOMETER IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY AND LEGAL LIABILITY COMPONENT, WHICH PROVIDES CRITICAL FEEDBACK TO VEHICLE OPERATOR. MANY OTHER FAILURES REPORTED ON INTERNET. RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED IF FURTHER INVESTIGATION CONFIRMS DEFECT FREQUENCY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10186303

Incident

Mar 27, 2007

Mileage

131,070 mi

THERE WAS NOTHING ABNORMAL THAT PRECLUDED THE FAILURE. THE SPEEDOMETER COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING WHILE DRIVING AND NOW ONLY INTERMITTENTLY WORKS. FORTUNATELY, THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. HOWEVER, IT COULD LEAD TO EXCESSIVE SPEED WHICH MAY LEAD TO VEHICLE ACCIDENTS AND INJURIES. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE. A CALL TO SUBARU OF AMERICA YIELDED NO INFORMATION. HOWEVER, ONLINE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS IS OCCURRING QUITE FREQUENTLY AMONG THIS MAKE AND MODEL YEAR. A NEW PART WILL LIKELY HAVE TO BE ORDERED.*JB

NHTSA ID

10175265

Incident

Nov 26, 2006

Mileage

91,350 mi

I HAVE A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN USING THE UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR THE CAR STARTED WITHOUT A KEY IN THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE TO REPEAT THIS OCCURENCE AT LEAST 5 TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10128220

Incident

Jul 10, 2005

THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES GOING ON WITH MY 1999 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK VEHICLE: 1) THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE DROPS DOWN TO EMPTY ALTHOUGH THE GAS TANK WAS JUST FILLED WITH GAS. 2) THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECT. AFTER THE GAS TANK IS FULL, THE GAUGE FLUCTUATES BACK AND FORTH (SOMETIMES THE GAUGE READS NEAR EMPTY, SOMETIMES THE GAUGE READS 3/4 OF THE TANK FULL) WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE. 3) THE CAR DID NOT PASS THE CALIFORNIA SMOG TEST. 4) THE RPM GAUGE DOES NOT STAY CONSTANT WHILE DRIVING AT AN EVEN SPEED. ONCE THE GAUGE HITS BETWEEN TWO TO THREE THOUSAND RPM, THE GAUGE DROPS BACK TO BETWEEN ONE AND TWO THOUSAND RPM ON AND OF WHEN DRIVING. 5) THE GAS TANK DOES NOT MAINTAIN PRESSURE EVEN THOUGH THE LID WAS SCREWED ON TIGHT. THE LID WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE BUT THIS PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ALL THESE ISSUES OCCUR WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO LOOK AT THESE ISSUES WITHOUT HAVING ME PAY THEM TO LOOK AT MY CAR. THESE ISSUES MY CAR HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING HAVE BEEN ON AND OFF SINCE 2001 TO PRESENT. THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO GET WORSE.

NHTSA ID

10005527

Incident

Feb 8, 2003

I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT WHEN THE CAR JOLTED TO A STOP. THE MECHANIC SAID THE WIRES HOLDING POWER HARNESS IN PLACE HAD BROKEN AT AN EARLIER POINT IN TIME. THIS CAUSED THE POWER HARNESS TO SHIFT TO REST ON TOP OF THE SWAY BAR. THE CONSTANT RUBBING AGAINST THE SWAY BAR CAUSED 3 WIRES TO SHORT, BLOWING ALL FUSES AND THE COMPUTER MODULE. A SUBARU REP SAID THERE WAS ONE OTHER CASE LIKE THIS IN THE UP OF MICHIGAN. BUT HE BLAMED PACKED SNOW IN THE WHEEL WELLS. THIS DOES NOT MAKE SENSE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS IN MAY. SUBARU ALSO CONFIRMED HAD I BEEN IN TRAFFIC I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. NO ONE HAS EXPLAINED WHY THE WIRE TIES BROKE CAUSING THE POWER HARNESS TO MOVE. AT 40000 IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND WE HAD TO PAY THE DEDUCTIBLE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH PARTIES HAVE SAID IT IS POSSIBLE THE WIRE TIES BROKE WHILE THE CAR WAS IN WARRANTY. *TS *NLM **DIMSII IVIES ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12-12-02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS**762507

NHTSA ID

10009361

Incident

May 3, 2002

Mileage

40,493 mi