NHTSA Complaint #10553529 — 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK

SUBARU OUTBACK STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY AND VIBRATION. I PURCHASED MY 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK NEW IN OCTOBER OF 2010. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE HOME AND SPENDING A FEW MILES GETTING USED TO THE FEEL AND SENSATION OF A NEW CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE RIDE OF THE CAR WAS SOMEWHAT UNSETTLED, VIBRATING AND SHAKING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I INITIALLY ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE NEW TIRES AND SLIGHTLY OVERLY INFLATED TIRE PRESSURE. I PRECISELY ADJUSTED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND SPENT THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WAITING FOR THE TIRES TO "SETTLE IN" AND SMOOTH OUT. MY WIFE STARTED DRIVING THE CAR REGULARLY AND DID NOT MENTION ANY ISSUE ABOUT THE RIDE. I DROVE THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES AFTERWARDS AND ON EACH TRIP FOUND THE CAR VERY VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO DRIVE. THE RIDE IS NOTICEABLE LEAVING THE DRIVEWAY BUT IS MOST APPARENT AT HIGHWAY SPEED, MOST ESPECIALLY IN LOW POWER SITUATIONS LIKE COASTING DOWN DESCENTS AT GREATER THAN 60MPH. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES DRAMATICALLY IN THIS SITUATION. THINKING THAT THE CAUSE OF THE SHAKING WAS THE OEM TIRES, I REMOVED THE CONTI CONTISPORT TIRES AND REPLACED THEM WITH MICHELIN DEFENDER XT'S FROM COSTCO. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I NOTICED THAT THE TIRES WERE NO SMOOTHER THAN THE OEM'S. I HAD COSTCO REMOVE AND REBALANCE THE TIRES. THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AND VIBRATION REMAINED EVEN AFTER THE REBALANCE. I WAS ABOUT TO RETURN THE CAR TO COSTCO WHEN I FOUND THE LINK ON THE SUBARU FORUM ABOUT "SHAKY SUBARUS" AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SO WIDESPREAD THAT A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) HAD BEEN ISSUED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, MANDATING THAT MAJOR MODIFICATIONS BE MADE TO THE CAR. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED BY SOA ABOUT THE TSB. *TR