NHTSA Complaint #11297886 — 2012 SUBARU LEGACY

CAR INITIALLY BEGAN TO STALL EVERY TIME THE CAR WOULD COME TO A REST ON AN INCLINE, THEN BEGAN TO STALL WHILE TURNING (MOST OFTEN WHILE TURNING RIGHT AT LOW SPEEDS) AND THEN ADDITIONALLY BEGAN STALLING WHEN SHIFTING FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE TO BACK INTO PARKING SPACES. THIS PROGRESSION OCCURRED OVER THE PERIOD OF LESS THAN A MONTH. I CALLED DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT SERVICED. BEFORE I COULD GET AN APPOINTMENT FROM THE DEALER, THE ENGINE BEGAN CAUSING THE CAR TO MAKE A BUCKING MOTION ON THE HIGHWAY TO THE POINT I HAD TO PULL OFF AND DRIVE IT UNDER 10 MILES AN HOUR TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF THE ROAD. SINCE THE INITIAL DEALER COULDN'T GET ME IN (DUE TO SERVICING NUMEROUS AIRBAG AND WIPER RECALLS) I WENT TO A DIFFERENT DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS MISFIRING CYLINDERS 1,2, AND 3. THE ENGINE HAD HAVE THESE CYLINDERS RE-MACHINED, THE ENGINE WAS REBUILT, AND THE CAR GIVEN A TUNE-UP. THIS MADE THE BUCKING STOP, BUT THE STALLING PERSISTED- BUT WAS MORE INTERMITTENT. A MONTH LATER I BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THE STALLING WAS DUE TO THE COMPUTER NOT COMMUNICATING WITH THE ENGINE PROPERLY- AND THEY PERFORMED A "RE-LEARN TO SYSTEM" AND SAID THE CAR TESTED AS DESIGNED. IT IS STILL INTERMITTENTLY STALLING ON INCLINES AND WHEN SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. TOTAL REPAIRS HAVE AMOUNTED TO OVER $4000 BETWEEN THE TOW, INITIAL ENGINE/CYLINDER REPAIR ATTEMPT, ENGINE REBUILD, AND SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS. IT SEEMS TO BE UNFIXABLE- AND I AM NOT THE ONLY SUBARU OWNER COMPLAINING OF IT. I HAVE HEARD FROM LEGACY AND OUTBACK OWNERS WITH SIMILAR STALL ISSUES (BUT NONE HAVE REPORTED THE BUCKING ISSUE THAT HAPPENED ON 7/5/19.