NHTSA Complaint #10253921 — 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK

I AM IN MY THIRD SEASON DRIVING MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK TO LAKE TAHOE FOR WINTER SKI SEASON. I'VE ALWAYS FELT CONFIDENT DRIVING ON SNOWY OR ICY ROADS UNTIL MY LAST TWO TRIPS--CHRISTMAS 2008, AND NEW YEAR'S 2009. ON THESE TRIPS, I EXPERIENCED VERY DISTURBING FISHTAILING THAT EVERYONE IN THE CAR NOTICED, AND I HAD TO FIGHT TO COMPENSATE FOR. THIS OCCURRED EVEN ON LONG STRAIGHT SECTIONS. EACH TIME I HAD TO SLOW DOWN WELL BELOW THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, AND THE SPEED OF PREVIOUS TRIPS. THIS ISSUE MADE ME WONDER ABOUT IMPROPER TIRE INFLATION PRESSURE, SO WE CALLED THE TIRE DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED THIS WAS NOT THE CAUSE. IT FELT AS IF THE REAR WHEEL TRACTION WAS OVERCOMING FRONT WHEEL TRACTION, THAT MADE ME ALSO WONDER WHETHER THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE WAS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I ALSO CONSIDERED WEIGHT AS A CAUSE, BECAUSE ONE DAY I DROVE FROM RENO TO TAHOE WITH ONLY ONE PASSENGER, AND LITTLE CARGO, AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. BUT, THE FULLY LOADED VEHICLE WAS NO DIFFERENT THAN MANY TRIPS THE PREVIOUS TWO SEASONS, WHEN THE FISHTAILING DID NOT OCCUR, AND I COULD MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED TO STAY WITH THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC. SAME VEHICLE, SAME TIRES, SAME LOADS, SAME ROAD, SAME CONDITIONS, YET MUCH DIFFERENT PERFORMANCE. I NOTICED OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, SOME OF WHICH REFER TO "GHOSTWALKING." PLEASE WORK ON IDENTIFYING THE CAUSE AND SOLUTION FOR THIS ISSUE, TO PREVENT SERIOUS ACCIDENT/INJURY. THANK YOU. *TR