2008 SUBARU OUTBACK Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

IN JULY FOLLOWING THE REPLACEMENT OF OUR CATALYTIC CONVERTER I WROTE TO SUBARU TO INQUIRE ABOUT REIMBURSEMENT. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE REPLACEMENT COST WAS $728.08. APPARENTLY ONLY SEVEN STATES ISSUED A MANDATORY RECALL. VIRGINIA ISN'T ONE OF THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS RELIGIOUSLY MAINTAINED, ALL SUPPORTED BY DOCUMENTATION. AT 97,600 MILES THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WEARING OUT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PART ITSELF. REIMBURSEMENT FOR THIS CATALYTIC CONVERTER WOULD GO A LONG WAY IN OUR FUTURE DECISION OF WHICH BRAND CAR TO BUY. IT'S KNOWN IN MARKETING IT COSTS A LOT LESS TO KEEP A CUSTOMER THAN TO GAIN A NEW ONE. *TR

VEHICLE OVERHEATED, DROVE TO NEAREST SERVICE STATION. RADIATOR FLUSHED AND TESTED FOR LEAKS, NONE FOUND. NO OTHER DETERMINATION MADE. CAR OVERHEATING, SLOW COOLANT LOSS. SUBARU DIAGNOSED MAJOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE PROBABLY OCCURRED PRIOR TO 73000 MILES, BUT BEYOND POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. SUBARU HQ DECLINED TO HELP WITH COST CONSIDERING THE SERVICE TECH MGR STATED A 2008 MODEL CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS FAILURE. PREVIOUSLY OWNED 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK WITH SIMILAR GASKET FAILURE SOME TIME AFTER POWER TRAIN WARRANTY EXPIRED. COSTLY REPAIR. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED RUNNING BIT ROUGH WHILE IDLING AT INTERSECTION; UPON ACCELERATION, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OTHER INSTRUMENT LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING AND CAR STALLED. RESTARTED NORMALLY. *TR

MY CAR ENGINE STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN IN A SIGNAL, WHILE WAITING ON THE RED LIGHT AND WHILE STOPING AND IDLING AT THE PARKING LOT. WHEN THIS ISSUE HAPPENS ALL THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH LIGHTS UP AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES LOCKED. THIS ENGINE STALLING ISSUE HAPPENS RANDOMLY. SOME TIMES EVERY DAY IN A WEEK, 2 DAYS IN A WEEK OR 3 DAYS IN A WEEK. SOME TIMES THE ENGINE STALLS MORE THAN 10 TIMES IN A DAY. IN ORDER TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE, I TOOK MY CAR TO SUBARU DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN THE PROBLEM. FIRST TIME, I WAS ASKED TO LEAVE MY CAR AT THE DEALER SHIP OVERNIGHT TO SEE IF DEALER CAN RECREATE THE PROBLEM. DEALER TOLD ME HE COULDN'T RECREATE THE ISSUE. SECOND TIME, DEALER FOUND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AND USED...

THE PROBLEM IS THE CAR SUDDENLY LOOSING POWER AT VARIOUS SPEEDS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. HAS OCCURRED OVER 6 TIMES IN THE PAST MONTH, 4 TIMES IN THIS LAST WEEK. THE MOST RECENT ON 4/30/10 THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 20 MPH. NO WARNING INDICATORS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD. FIRST TIME WAS WHEN ACCELERATING UP AN ON RAMP AND SEVERAL MORE TIMES ON OTHER INCLINED RAMPS, THEN LEAVING A STREET TO ENTER A HWY 4/28/10, ANOTHER AT A COMPLETE STOP THE CAR SHUDDERED 4/29/10, SAME DAY TRAVELING AT 60 MPH LOST POWER FOR A BRIEF MOMENT THEN RESUMED, THESE TWO INCIDENTS WERE WITHIN 5 MINUTES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER WHERE PURCHASED AND SERVICED TO HAVE THEM LOCATE AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. HAVE NOT RECEIVED INFORMATION AS YET. *TR