2001 Subaru Legacy problems

“WHEN STARTING CAR IN COLD WEATHER THERE IS A VERY STRONG GAS ODOR IN CABIN. SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH HAS INDICATED THAT OTHER 2001 LEGACY WAGONS HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO EXACT SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR WAS NOT RECALLED, WHICH IS CONFUSING GIVEN THAT THE EXACT SAME RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED. *TR”

“TOOK MY 2001 BH5 GTB E-TUNE FOR SERVICE AT SUBARU KENYA. DEALER BLED THE OIL WITHOUT REPLACING IT(AS I FOUND OUT LATER). CRUISING AT 80KPH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, CAR LOST ALL POWER, WAS TOWED BACK TO DEALER. DEALER SAID ENGINE HAD CEASED, SO THEY OVERHAULED IT. SAME THING HAPPENED AFTER 234KM. DEALER SAYS THEY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT PROBLEM WAS AND ARE UNABLE TO FIX IT, SO I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. FHI JAPAN SAYS MY INITIAL ENGINE WAS NOT BUILT FOR AFRICAN MARKET. SURELY, THEY SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER. I AM SO MAD AT SUBARU KENYA( THE MOST INEXPERIENCED SUBARU DEALERS IN THE WORLD) AND FHI JAPAN!! *TR”

“DRIVING ON SECONDARY ROAD - WELL KNOW TO ME - AT DUSK @ 45 MPH APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH A MAJOR ROAD. BEGAN TO TAP GENTLY ON BRAKE TO EASE TO MY "YIELD" OR STOP IN CASE DRIVER ON OTHER ROAD DID NOT DO SO. EACH TIME I HIT BRAKES, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP & PULL FORWARD @ INCREASED SPEED. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO BRAKE, I ATTEMTED TO DOWNSHIFT, PUT IN PARK AND PULL UP PARKING BRAKE -- ALL TO NO AVAIL, EXCEPT ENGINE AND FRONT END MADE LOUD GRINDING NOISES. THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT STOP AND WHEN I WAS ABOUT 25' FROM THE INTERSECTION, I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE INTO A "SNOW BANK" WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW OVER A PILE OF GRAVEL. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR & IT WAS TOWED. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER HAD A DIFFICULT TIME STARTING THE CAR SO HE COULD WINCH IT ONTO HIS FLATBED TRUCK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE SUBARU DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE CAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER MAINTAINS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY "BIRDSEED IN THE FILTER" IN THE AIR BOX GOING TO THE THROTTLE. (HE ALSO SAID THE SEED INDICATED THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A MOUSE NEST, BUT HE FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A NEST AT THAT TIME.) I TOLD HIM THAT I FOUND THAT HARD TO…”

“Headed home from a vet appointment in mountain home. Was driving on the freeway at 80mph when the tire blew at the Wendell exit. Checked the tire to find that the inside wall had failed and had a blowout. The tire was installed June 8th 2025 and had less than 1,000 miles on it. I have never in 26 years of being around vehicles had a brand new tire fail in less than 1,000 miles. Tire was a good year reliant all season 195/65/R15. That tire blowout could have killed me and my family. I stopped at the Walmart that I bought the tire from with the receipt and was told "oh that sucks. We can replace it for you if you want to buy a new one a full price." How can a company sell a tire from a brand like good year that isn't even covered for a 1,000 miles? That's absolutely mind blowing. Had anyone gotten injured from the accident I would filling charges against Walmart for selling me a faulty tire”

“The contact owns a 2001 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his son was driving at highway speeds, the vehicle would wobble without warning. After the contact test drove the vehicle and experienced the failure himself, he took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and discovered that the rear control arm had rotted out due to severe corrosion. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the vehicle had been placed under NHTSA Campaign Number: 03V153000 (Suspension). The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and confirmed the prior recall on the vehicle; however, they could not offer any further assistance. The contact also took the vehicle to the dealer where they informed him that the entire subframe had rotted out due to corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in their possession. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.”

“THIS CAR WAS "INSPECTED" ON JULY 25, 2011 AT AFFORDABLE AUTO GLASS, 806 ELM STREET, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA (MASSACHUSETTS INSPECTION STATION PB 024377). UPON PURCHASING THIS CAR IN OCTOBER, 2011, I ATTEMPTED TO GET A RI INSPECTION STICKER FOR IT WHEN REGISTERING IT IN RI. IT FAILED ON SEVERAL COUNTS (BALD TIRES, BAD REAR BRAKES, 2 BAD FRONT AXLES). I WOULD LIKE THIS STATION INVESTIGATED TO FIND OUT HOW THIS CAR COULD HAVE PASSED A MASS INSPECTION ONLY 3 MONTHS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. IN ADDITION TO THE FAILED ITEMS, ONE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER WAS FROZEN AND THE BRACKET HOLDING THE OTHER FRONT BRAKE CALIPER WAS BROKEN.”