NHTSA Complaint #10731640 — 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK

STEERING ON THIS VEHICLE IS SO HEAVY THAT IT CAUSES ORTHOPEDIC PROBLEMS. THE STEERING DRAG TENSION IS SET SO HIGH THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO PARKING PLACES AT LOW SPEEDS. PARALLEL PARKING IS PAINFUL. I HAD OTHER PEOPLE DRIVE IT TO ELIMINATE MY SUBJECTIVE VIEW OF THIS, AND EVERY PERSON THOUGHT IT WAS HARD TO DRIVE. SUBARU THINKS THIS IS NORMAL, AND REFUSES TO ALLOW ITS SERVICE DEPARTMENTS TO ADJUST THE TENSION IF IT'S WITHIN IT'S "SPECS" EVEN WHEN THE DRIVER OF THIS EXPENSIVE VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING IT. SUBARU SERVICE DEPARTMENT'S REASONING WAS THAT "IT FELT LIKE EVERY OTHER SUBARU OUTBACK." THIS DOESN'T MAKE IT OK; IT JUST CONFIRMS THAT SUBARU IS SELLING MORE THAN ONE DANGEROUS CAR. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SUBARU IS ALLOWING TO PERSIST RATHER THAN ACTUALLY ADDRESSING THE OTHER ISSUE THE UNREASONABLY TIGHT TENSION IS MASKING - STEERING WHEEL SHAKES. THIS IS MY SECOND SUBARU AND IS THE LAST ONE I WILL EVER PURCHASE - NOT BECAUSE THE CAR COULDN'T OTHERWISE BE A GOOD VEHICLE, BUT BECAUSE THIS IS A LEGITIMATE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SUBARU IS IGNORING AND WILL CONTINUE TO IGNORE UNTIL FORCED TO CHANGE, PROBABLY AFTER A LARGE LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY THE ESTATE OF A SUBARU OWNER WHO WAS KILLED IN THEIR VEHICLE. AND, BECAUSE SUBARU HAS SUCH TERRIBLE CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT IT THINKS IT'S FINE TO TELL SOMEONE WHO JUST BOUGHT A $30K+ CAR THAT THEY JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH AN UNSAFE CONDITION BECAUSE SUBARU DOESN'T SEE FIT TO FIX IT.