NHTSA Complaint #10256638 — 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK

I HAVE A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5I. OCCASIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING ON SNOWPACKED/ICY ROADS THE REAR END BEGINS TO SWAY ABRUPTLY BACK AND FORTH, EVEN ON STRAIGHT SECTIONS OF ROAD. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO BECOME ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE AS IT WANTS TO START FISHTAILING. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT IS TO SLOW WELL BELOW A SAFE SPEED AND THE SPEED OF TRAFFIC, CREATING ANOTHER POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN THE CAR IS LOADED WITH 3 TO 5 PASSENGERS PLUS SKI GEAR. I DO A LOT OF DRIVING IN WINTER CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF CO AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS. I JUST HAD MY CAR IN TO THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP (FOR THE 2ND TIME) AND THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM OR FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT OTHER CUSTOMERS HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEIR VEHICLES EITHER. HIS ONLY RECOMMENDATION WAS TO GO TO A MORE AGGRESSIVE SNOW TIRE. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS WOULD ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF WHY THE CAR IS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH IN THE FIRST PLACE. IT WOULD JUST CREATE MORE FRICTION ON THE ROAD SURFACE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM SLIDING SIDE TO SIDE. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IT CREATES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH A POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE TRAVELING AT SAFE SPEEDS FOR THE CONDITIONS. THERE IS NO REASON A VEHICLE SHOULD BE TRYING TO FISHTAIL WHILE TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT SECTION OF ROAD, REGARDLESS OF HOW SLIPPERY IT IS. *TR