NHTSA Complaint #10484082 — 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK

I HAVE AN 2005 OUTBACK XT. THIS CAR IS DANGEROUS ON PACKED SNOW. I AM A VERY EXPERIENCED WINTER DRIVER AND HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE HANDLE THIS "LOOSELY" ON SNOW. ABOVE APPROX 40MPH THE BACK END WANTS TO SNAP AROUND EVEN ON FLAT, STRAIGHT ROADS WITHOUT THE BEING ON THE ACCELERATOR OR BRAKE. AFTER THE FIRST INCIDENT IN 06, I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC IT WAS DUE TO UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND AN ALIGNMENT ISSUE. SO AFTER ONLY 15K MILES, I REPLACED THE TIRES AND HAD THE CAR ALIGNED. YEARS LATER, I AM NOW CONVINCED THAT THE "GHOSTWALKING" ISSUE CAUSED THESE OTHER ISSUES AND WAS NOT THE RESULT OF THEM. I HAVE SINCE REPLACED THE SHOCKS/STRUTS AND USE STUDDED SNOW TIRES IN THE WINTER. THIS HAS HELPED, BUT THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO COME BACK ERRATICALLY. IT ALWAYS OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND NOW IS SOMETIMES EVEN FELT ON WET FREEWAYS. I PERSONALLY KNOW OF THREE OTHER 05 OUTBACK OWNERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAVE ALL EXPERIENCED THE "GHOSTWALKING" PROBLEM AT SOME POINT. I HAVE PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 92 LEGACY WAGON AND A 96 IMPREZA AND BOTH WERE OUTSTANDING ON SNOW, EVEN WITHOUT SNOW TIRES. THE 05 OUTBACK HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE FURTHER EXAMINED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR