Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Sep 13, 2017
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 93 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1
What this page shows
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Owner reports naming driver-assistance
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 13, 2017
I RECENTLY HAD MY OUTBACK TOWED BECAUSE MY CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT OUT OF PARK. 1ST I CHECK THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH, GOOD TO GO NO PROBLEM. THEN MOVE ON TO MY FUSES, OKAY GREAT. INVESTIGATE SOME MORE TO FIND OUT THE WIRING ON THE OUTBACK HAS SOME DEFAULTS, I LOOK MORE INTO IT AND IT SEEMS IT'S NOT JUST ME WITH THE PROBLEM. MY CAR IS OLD AND CARRIES A LOT OF MILES, KEEP IN MIND THIS CAR IS MADE FOR THAT, BUT PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS ME WITH LOWER MILES. THE CARS LIFTGATE WIRE HARNESS IS A HUGE WEAKNESS ON THIS CAR. I REALLY HOPE YOU GUYS WILL LOOK MORE INTO THIS AND RECALL IT. I LOVE MY SUBY AND HAVE GREW UP IN IT AND NOW HAVE THE HONOR OF OWNING IT. WE STILL HAVE MANY MORE YEARS OF DRIVING TOGETHER SO PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SO I CAN KEEP HER AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. TEMP FIX IT TO REMOVE BRAKE #4 HARNESS AND UNPLUG TO KEEP FROM BLOWING AND SMOKING. KEEP IN MIND ONLY LEAVES ME WITH 3 BRAKE LIGHTS. (THE ONE UNPLUGGED IS THE ONE ON THE HATCHBACK RIGHT SIDE) THIS IS VERY UNSAFE TO NOT HAD STABLE WIRING IN THE BRAKE LIGHTS, MY CAR WAS SMOKING. I CURRENTLY DO HAVE A 30 FUSE IN THAT SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO HOLD BETTER.
NHTSA ID
11023309
Incident
Aug 12, 2017
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 6, 2012
CPSC#I11C0409A. 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *LN THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP AND HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR GARAGE. THE MECHANIC FOUND DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. *JB
NHTSA ID
10443069
Incident
Dec 12, 2011
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 10, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. SHE HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS THEN ABLE TO DRIVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER. THE DEALERS DIAGNOSIS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG SINCE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FLOOR MAT HAD TO BE THE CAUSE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87000. 11/9/10 *CN THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE. THE ACCELERATOR BECAME STUCK WHILE TRAVELING UP A 9% GRADE. THE CONSUMER STATED HER FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, HITTING THE BRAKE DISENGAGED THE ACCELERATOR. UPDATED 11/16/10
NHTSA ID
10348489
Incident
Aug 5, 2010
Mileage
85,000 mi
Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed May 15, 2010
SUBARU OUTBACK, 2003, 4-CYLINDER WITH 90,000 MILES S/N: [XXX] SIGNIFICANT ACCELERATION FROM VERY SLOW SPEED; TURNING OFF THE ENGINE WAS THE ONLY METHOD OF STOPPING THE CAR. DROVE THROUGH GARAGE WALL; OCCURENCE OVER SIX MONTHS; ABOUT ONE-TIME PER MONTH. PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE UNTIL THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE GARAGE WALL. PER DEALER: "SIGNIFICANT CARBON BUILD-UP IN THROTTLE HOUSING & IDLE CONTROL VALVE. CARBON BUILD-UP CAUSED BY REFORMULATED GASOLINE." REPIAR ACTION: CLEAN THROTTLE HOUSING & REPLACE IDLE CONTROL VALVE = $ 750.00 AT MAY 11, 2010. NO SERVICE BULLETINS OR HISTORY, PER DEALER. MY COMMENT: "POTENTIAL DISTEROUS SAFETY ISSUES: NOT ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE, BUT SIGNIFICANT PERSONAL INJURY COULD BE CAUSED IF THIS HAPPENS IN PARKING LOTS, CROSSWALKS, DRIVEWAYS, ETC." [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
NHTSA ID
10330546
Incident
May 12, 2010
Mileage
94,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 17, 2008
Crash reported1 injury reported
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, ENGAGING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO THE HIGHEST RPM'S AND HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE VEHICLE STEERING, BRAKES, GEARS WERE ALL LOCKED. THE GAS PEDAL WAS STUCK AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY. SHE WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF BY USING THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FRONT END IN THE FENDER AREA WAS DAMAGED AND THE PASSENGER DOOR DID NOT OPEN. SHE SUSTAINED A BRUISE FROM MID PALM TO HER WRIST, AND SKIN REMOVED FROM KNUCKLE TO WRIST FROM THE LEFT HAND. A POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE. THE OTHER VEHICLE'S REAR END AND PASSENGER SIDE PANEL WERE ALSO DAMAGED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS 10/2003.THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 37,000.
NHTSA ID
10221473
Incident
Mar 11, 2008
Mileage
37,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 27, 2005
ACCELERATOR ON VEHICLE STUCK ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. TRIED TO PUT VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL HOWEVER RPM'S SPUN TO 7000. HAD TO EVENTUALLY TURN CAR OFF IN DRIVE AFTER RIDING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES WITH BOTH FEET ON BRAKE. DEALERSHIP UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES, AND TOLD ME "IT'LL PROBABLY NOT HAPPEN AGAIN"
NHTSA ID
10122351
Incident
May 25, 2005
Mileage
70,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 26, 2005
Crash reported
ON A VERY COLD MORNING THE VEHICLES GAS PEDAL BECAME STUCK AND CAUSED SUDDEN ACCELERATE. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO 4 OTHER CARS. *AK *SB *NM
NHTSA ID
10119359
Incident
Apr 30, 2005
Mileage
20,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Aug 17, 2004
SERIOUS HESITATION IN FIRST GEAR WHEN STARTING AT INTERSECTIONS (MANUAL TRANSMISSION, 2.5L ENGINE). ENGINE SPEED DROPS SHARPLY. MUST STOMP GAS PEDAL IN UNSAFE MANNER TO RECOVER. VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC - SPEED IS IMPOSSIBLE TO MODULATE IN FIRST GEAR WITHOUT USING CLUTCH. ENGINE IS STRONG AND PREDICTABLE IN ALL OTHER GEARS. *JB
NHTSA ID
10088106
Incident
Aug 13, 2004
Mileage
10,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 17, 2004
THROTTLE STIFF WHEN FIRST OPENED. RPM'S WILL JUMP WHEN THROTTLE PRESSED. NOT SMOOTH AT ALL. HARD TO REGULATE SPEED, WITHOUT BUCKING. DEALER SAYS THIS IS NORMAL FOR COMPUTER REGULATED CAR. BALONEY.*AK
NHTSA ID
10066366
Incident
Apr 17, 2004
Mileage
1 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Oct 22, 2003
THE VEHICLE SURGED AFTER COMING TO A STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER RESET THE COMPUTER, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE SURGED NUMEROUS TIMES AFTER THAT, ALWAYS AFTER COMING TO A STOP. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT DEALER, WHO SUGGESTED THE COMPUTER BE REFRESHED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT SURGED SINCE THEN. *AK *SCC *JB
NHTSA ID
10040053
Incident
Nov 10, 2002
Mileage
1,300 mi
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own