NHTSA Complaint #10536262 — 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. IT WAS WINTER IN WISCONSIN. THE ROADS WERE MOSTLY CLEAR, BUT IT WAS STARTING TO SLEET. WHILE DRIVING, ANY TIME I WOULD GO UNDER A BRIDGE, THE REAR OF THE CAR WOULD DRAMATICALLY SHIFT TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. I SLOWED DOWN TO 45 MPH, AND THE PROBLEM ALMOST SEEMED TO GET WORSE. IT WOULD BE FINE UNTIL I WENT UNDER A BRIDGE WHERE THE ROAD SEEMED TO BE A LITTLE ICY. IT WAS ACTING LIKE THE REAR TIRES WERE COMPENSATING TOO MUCH FOR THE CAR. MY TIRES HAD 75% TREADLIFE LEFT ON ALL 4 TIRES. THERE WAS A LITTLE EXTRA WEIGHT IN THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE 3 PEOPLE IN THE CAR ALONG WITH APPROXIMATELY 200LBS IN THE REAR CARGO AREA. WHEN THE ROADS GOT A LITTLE MORE ICE ON THEM, SO THAT IT WASN'T JUST UNDER BRIDGES, THE CAR WAS MOVING ALL OVER THE PLACE AND I WAS CONVINCED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THIS WHEN DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT IF THERE IS ANY WEIGHT IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE REAR TIRES HIT A BUMP OR A CRACK IN THE ROAD, IT WILL SHIFT THE REAR END OF THE CAR TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, USUALLY TO THE RIGHT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND IT IS A VERY COMMON THING KNOW AS GHOSTWALKING IN SUBARU OUTBACKS. *TR