NHTSA Complaint #10151257 — 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK

IN OCTOBER 2003, THE ENGINE OF MY 1999 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH 80,000 MILES OVERHEATED, SEIZED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE TIME AND REALIZED THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER AND THE THERMOSTAT GAUGE WAS ABOVE "H". I CONTACTED SUBARU PRIOR TO THE REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LIKELY DUE TO IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AND BESIDES, MY VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS WAS SUBARU'S RESPONSE EVEN THOUGH I REGULARLY MAINTAIN MY CAR. I DID GET THE ENGINE REPLACED AT SIGNIFICANT OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSE. LAST WEEK, WHILE TRAVELING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE AGAIN WAS ON "H" AND I QUICKLY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON AND I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SUBARU MECHANIC AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE AFTER ONLY 30,000 MILES ON A FACTORY REBUILT ENGINE. ALTHOUGH I AM NOW AWARE THAT SUBARU SENT OUT A RECALL / NOTIFICATION LETTER IN FEB. 2004, I DID NOT RECEIVE ONE, APPARENTLY BECAUSE I HAVE THE TYPE OF ENGINE THAT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY THE NOTIFICATION. IT IS CLEAR FROM A REVIEW OF THIS WEBSITE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN MY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE OUTBACK'S ENGINE AND COOLING SYSTEM, AND THE FACT THAT SUBARU IS NOT STANDING BEHIND ITS PRODUCT. *JB