NHTSA Complaint #10091338 — 1999 SUBARU LEGACY

DOWNSHIFTING ON INCLINES: PURCHASED A 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK LEGACY WAGON NEW ON NOV. 11/11/98, AT FUCILLO IMPORTS, WATERTOWN, NY. THE DOWNSHIFTING PROBLEMS OCCUR WHEN GOING DOWN LARGE HILLS AROUND 60 MPH, GENTLY APPLYING THE BRAKES TO SLOW THE VEHICLE, LETTING OFF THE BRAKES, AND THE DOWNSHIFT JERKS YOU FORWARD. WHEN THE AUTOMOBILE WAS BRAND NEW, THE ABRUPT JERK WOULD PUT MY HEAD INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE SALESPERSON TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE WAY I DROVE THE CAR. ODOMETER FAILURE DURING AUGUST, 2002, THE VEHICLE STARTED INTERMITTENT ODOMETER FAILURES. THE ODOMETER WOULD DROP FROM ?? TO 0 FOR A FEW SECONDS, AND THEN GRADUALLY RESUME. AFTER 6 MO. THE DEALERSHIP DID REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND I HAD TO HAVE THE ODOMETER REPLACED FOR APPROXIMATELY $200. TRANSMISSION HESITATION AND ABRUPT ENGAGEMENT IN AUGUST 2002 (ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE INTERMITTENT ODOMETER FAILURE, AND THE CRANK SEAL LEAK / REPLACEMENT) THE CAR DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH A HESITATION WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO DRIVE. ON A COLD INCLINE START, THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS SEVERAL FEET BEFORE ENGAGING IN DRIVE. AFTER REVERSING, THE HESITATION WILL LEAVE ME WITHOUT ANY DRIVE POWER, BEFORE JERKING INTO GEAR. THE DEALERSHIP SAW THE CAR IN DECEMBER 2002 (AT 65,179 MILES) AND DOCUMENTED (BUT NOT DUPLICATED) THE PROBLEM. TRANSMISSION CONDITIONER TREATMENTS HAVED EASED THE JERKING. NOW, 2 YEARS LATER, A SERVICE MANAGER FINALLY DUPLICATED THE HESITATION AND ROLL BACK. AND SUGGESTED TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT FOR $2,500. TODAY, THE CAR IS OVER THE 60,000 MILE WARRANTY AT 93,418 MILES. I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THAT THESE PROBLEMS ARE RELATED, AND ARE DEFINITELY A SAFETY CONCERN. *AK