NHTSA Complaint #10475892 — 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK

PURCHASED 2005 OUTBACK IN APRIL 2012 WITH APPROXIMATELY 190000 MILES. CAR FELT VERY UNSTABLE WHEN GOING OVER ANY UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE. REPLACED REAR STRUTS WITH NO IMPROVEMENT. TRIED DIFFERENT TIRES WITH NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE. DECIDED IT MUST BE AN ODD BUT NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE VEHICLE. TODAY, 9/18/12, DROVE CAR IN LIGHT RAIN ALONG A 2-LANE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50-55 MPH AND CAR WAS VERY UNSTABLE IN THE REAR. THE REAR "STEERED" LEFT/RIGHT AND FELT VERY UNSTABLE. THERE WAS A SENSE THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO ABRUPTLY CROSS INTO THE OTHER LANE. I HAVE OVER 40 YEARS OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND REALIZE THIS IS NOT NORMAL VEHICLE PERFORMANCE. I LIVE IN A CENTRAL NY AND PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL WHEEL DRIVE AFTER OWNING A 1995 SUBARU IMPREZA AND A 1997 SUBARU OUTBACK. GIVEN THE SITUATION I HAD TODAY, I AM AFRAID OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN ICE/SNOW CONDITIONS COMMON IN NY. I BEGAN TO RESEARCH THE ISSUE ONLINE IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT MY SITUATION BEFORE WINTER ARRIVES. I FOUND MANY ONLINE CONCERNS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. WHILE I HAVE NOT YET APPROACHED SUBARU DIRECTLY, I GET AN OVERWHELMING SENSE FROM ONLINE COMMENTS THAT SUBARU WILL NOT BE VERY HELPFUL. I AM MAKING THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT IN HOPES THAT MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS COMBINED WILL EXPOSE WHAT I FEEL IS A VERY SERIOUS/DANGEROUS HANDLING ISSUE WITH A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. *TR