NHTSA Complaint #10148955 — 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 35 WE ENCOUNTERED PATCHY ICE ON THE ROAD SURFACE. ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WITH CONSTANT SPEED (60 MPH, 10 MPH BELOW THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT), ON STRAIGHT STRECHES OF ROAD, THE REAR END OF OUR 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK AWD WOULD SKID SUDDENLY. THE SKIDS WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING AND WERE LARGE ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME BODY ROLL. IN ALL CASES THE CAR RECOVERED WITHOUT INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. WHEN THE AWD SYSTEM WAS DEACTIVATED PER THE SUBARU MANUAL NO SUCH SKIDS OCCURED ON THE SAME TRIP IN IDENTICAL SITUATIONS. I HAVE DRIVEN IN MINNESOTA FOR OVER 20 YEARS IN REAR WHEEL, FRONT WHEEL, AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLES AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THE SUDDEN SKIDDING IN STEADY STATE CONDIDITONS. THE OUTBACK WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL SUBARU DEALER AND THE AWD SYSTEM WAS CHECKED WITH NO FAULTS FOUND. AN INTERNET SEARCH INDICATED THAT THE COMBINATIION OF BRIDGESTONE POTENZA RE92 225/60R 16 TIRES (STANDARD FROM THE FACTORY) AND THE AWD OF THE SUBARU MAY BE A DANGEROUS COMBINATION. AS STATED EARLIER, WITH THE AWD SYSTEM DEACITVATED AND THE CAR IN FRONT WHEEL DRIVE, NO SKIDS WERE EXPERIENCED. WE HAVE THE SAME TIRE ON OUR 2004 HONDA CIVIC AND HAVE HAD NO WINTER ISSUES WITH IT.