8.3

pretty bad
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
4,100 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2007 Subaru Outback:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Nov 292007

Outback 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 6,000 miles
On 2 lane hwy, had to brake sharply ( 60 to 10) for deer. Semi behind me, not close. Deer crossed. Floored accelerator, engine sat at redline 3 sec before transmission engaged. Semi jacknifed behind us, but did not hit us. This action is repeatable. I suspect it's related to the cruise control downhill failure (un-coupling the torque converter"?").

- Kelseyville, CA, USA

problem #1

Sep 202007

Outback 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,200 miles
The latest incident date is shown below, the first time of the incident was in Feb 07. There have been four occurrences. In each event the automobile was in heavy traffic and had been decelerating for a period of time prior to an immediate need to accelerate to avoid a rapidly approaching vehicle while either making an evasive maneuver due to road obstacles or while merging in congested high speed traffic. Upon depressing the accelerator, the engine speeds up to near "red line" with no accompanying acceleration or engagement of the transmission. After a period of time in excess of one full second to an estimated three seconds the transmission engages and the vehicle begins to accelerate. In each instance, there was a great deal of concern on the part of the drivers (three different ones) that a "near accident" occurred. When the service department was first notified at the dealership, an explanation of the latest "drive by wire" transmissions with "fuzzy logic", anticipating computer programming was offered. Though plausible, it did not seem a very likely "normal" expectation. The manufacturer was contacted and declared that only the local service department should be trouble shooting the systems. I was assured that they had the ability to work through the manufacturing technical departments, and I had no need to contact them. The service department thoroughly tested the systems, drove it at length, and again assured me that this was a known condition and we should be careful to avoid any situation where any unanticipated rapid changes from deceleration to acceleration would be needed.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA