2006 Subaru Outback electrical system problems

“The accelerator pedal position sensor is faulty. It is prone to wear in these vehicles based on my research. This caused my car to go into limp-mode on the highway, rapidly cutting my speed in half. The accelerator provides no response until vehicle was restarted. The ECU put out the code P2138 for loss of voltage in throttle system.”

“OBD Code P2138 (Throttle/ Pedal Position Sensor/ Switch D / E voltage correlation). This code pops up intermittently resulting in the car going into "limp mode". Truly dangerous, if this occurs when traveling at speed in traffic or when pulling away from a stop light. It is hard to pin down; but, it generally happens with high humidity or When you start the car after a cool night when there has been a lot of condensation that has formed on the car. A check of Subaru forums shows that this is a prevalent and / or recurring problem with many Subaru models. (I have also found mention of similar problems with other manufactures.) Dealers and mechanics have confirmed this problem with other Subaru makes. There is no advance warning of this malfunction until after it occurs. Once it occurs the car goes into "limp mode", the check engine light flashes and the cruise control light flashes.”

“2006 SUBARU OUTBACK HEAD GASKETS WENT BAD AT ABOUT 35,000 MILES.HAD TO REPLACE THOSE CALLED SUBARU AND THEY HELP ME GET THOSE REPLACED. THOUGHT ALL WAS WELL SOON AFTER, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM INCLUDING THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE HEATER .THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE DEFAULTED AND TO BRING IT INTO REPLACE THEM WHICH I DID. THE FINAL STRAW IS THAT THEY CALLED ME AGAIN TWO WEEKS AGO TO BRING THE RIGGING TO REPLACE THAT SAME AIRBAG AGAIN. I ASKED THEM WHY THEY GAVE ME A CAR THAT WASN'T SAFE. THE WHEEL BEARINGS ALSO WORE OUT VERY EARLY AROUND 50 MILES. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SO EXPENSIVE. AND NOW THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A SECOND RECALL ON THE AIRBAG. SO I BRING IT IN FOR THE SECOND TIME REALIZING THAT NOW IN 2021 THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN SAFE THE WHOLE TIME I'VE BEEN DRIVING IT WITH MY FAMILY MY DAUGHTER LEARNED HOW TO DRIVE IN THIS CAR AND SO DID MY SON. AS THEY WERE REPAIRING THE FAULTY AIRBAG THEY CRACKED THE DASHBOARD AND THEN INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD BE $300 TO FIX IT BECAUSE IT HAD A TINY CRACK IN IT. PLEASE NOTE THAT THEY WERE THE ONES THAT TOOK THE DASHBOARD OFF IN THE FIRST PLACE. SUPER RUDE! I CALLED SUBARU OF AMERICA AND THEY DECIDED TO REIMBURSE…”

“NO HEAT, AIR AND OF ALL DEFROST FOR THE FRONT WINDOW STOPS WORKING WHILE DRIVING, ALSO EVERYTHING IS CONTROLLED THRU THE RADIO WHICK COULD HAVE BAD COLD SOLDER JOINTS . VERY DANGEROUS WHEN SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS WERE THEN ILLUMINATED AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE BATTERY TERMINALS WERE DISCONNECTED AND THEN RECONNECTED AND THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”

“VEHICLE DEVELOPED ISSUE ERROR CODE P2138, THROTTLE SENSOR ON GAS PEDAL DESYNCHRONIZES CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO EMERGENCY SAFETY MODE WHERE POWER IS LOST, GOES INTO A HIGH IDLE, AND VEHICLE MUST BE PARKED AND RESTARTED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE POWERTRAIN REACTIVATES. CAUSED BY FAULTY DESIGN OF POTENTIOMETER ON THROTTLE PEDAL THAT WEARS A BARE SPOT. REPLACEMENT OF THROTTLE (GAS PEDAL) REQUIRED TO RESOLVE ISSUE, WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY START OCCURRING AGAIN DUE TO POOR DESIGN. HAS OCCURRED WHEN PEDAL ISN'T BEING USED (CRUISE CONTROL ONLY), AS WELL AS DURING NORMAL DRIVING AT ALL DIFFERENT SPEEDS.”