2006 Subaru Outback suspension problems

“The vehicle becomes uncontrollable on light ice. The rear end will "ghost walk" (seems to steer on its own). I have driven in snow my entire life and have never experienced this issue in any other vehicle. I am also an ASE certified master technician. It only happens if I have passengers in the rear seat or groceries in the cargo area. The car is not even close to its cargo limit. The tires have been replaced and an alignment performed and the issue remains. I found that this is a commonly reported problem in the forums. The car is absolutely unsafe in this condition. I was being passed by every other car on the road. The rear end will float back and forth over 35 mph regardless of any driver input (acceleration, deceleration, steering input etc).”

“MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY FROM 2NS-3RD GEAR WHILE DRIVING, IT JERKS PRETTY HARD IF COLD, I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS BRAKE PROBLEMS, TAKES A LONG TIME TO STOP AT SLOW SPEEDS, & I'M HAVING NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH SUSPENSION. BALLJOINTS KEEP CLICKING WHILE REVERSING, (CONTROL ARMS,BALLJOINTS, BUSHINGS, BEARINGS, HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED, ETC.) THIS CAR HAS BEEN BABIED AND HAS ALMOST NO MILES. IT IS BECOMING A MONEY-PITT AND NOBODY WANTS TO FIX IT.”

“PURCHASED THIS CAR USED LAST JAN. NO INCIDENTS YET, BUT CAN NOT DRIVE (WITH PASSENGERS IN THE BACK OR WEIGHT IN THE CARGO AREA) OVER 35 MPH IN CERTAIN ROAD CONDITIONS, MAINLY WHEN THERE IS ICE AND DRY PAVEMENT TOGETHER. HAS DANGEROUS REAR STEER PROBLEM IN THOSE CONDITIONS. I HAVE DRIVEN EVERY TYPE OF VEHICLE FROM SEMI'S TO OLDER SUBARU OUTBACKS AND WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MICHIGAN. THIS CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH MY FAMILY OR OTHER PASSENGERS IN THE CAR! HAVE TRIED TIRES, STIFFER SPRINGS AND STRUTS AND ALIGNMENT. THE CAR IS 90% BETTER WHEN I AM THE ONLY ONE IN THE CAR. NOTE** I AM NOT AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER AND NOT EXPECTING TOO MUCH BECAUSE IT'S AWD. *TR”

“WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN SNOW COVERED, SLUSH COVERED ROADS CONDITIONS VARIED DURING DAY. THE VEHICLE KEPT FEELING LIKE IT WAS WASHING OUT SIDE TO SIDE. I HAD 5 PASSENGERS IN VEHICLE AND THEY ALL COULD FEEL IT AND IT SCARED THEM AND I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO A DANGEROUSLY SLOW SPEED ON INTERSTATE, THAT WAS CAUSING DISRUPTION TO TRAFFIC FLOW. ON WAY HOME TOOK SECONDARY ROADS SO AS TO NOT DISRUPT TRAFFIC. THIS WAS MY FIRST EXPERIENCE IN TAKING THIS VEHICLE FOR DRIVE IN SNOW CONDITIONS SINCE IT IS NEW TO ME. WE PURPOSELY TOOK SUBARU FOR LEGENDARY HANDLING IN SNOW, IT DOWNRIGHT SHOOK ME UP AND WISHED WE HAD OUR FRONT WHEEL DRIVE PONTIAC VIBE. I INSPECTED VEHICLE, MADE SOME CHANGES TO FRONT SUSPENSION, BALL JOINTS, SWAY BAR LINKS, CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, ONLY TWO CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS WERE NOTABLY BAD ALL OTHER PARTS CHANGED BECAUSE I WAS THERE. BOTH TIE RODS WERE GOOD. I HAVE SINCE EXPERIENCED SAME ISSUE WHEN ENCOUNTERING PATCHES OF BLACK ICE, SNOW COVERED ROADS AS WELL AS DRIVING ON GRAVEL ROADS. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A CAR HANDLING LIKE THIS IN MY 35 YEARS OF DRIVING! THIS VEHICLE IS DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS!!! AND TOO THINK I BOUGHT THIS TO BE MY WINTER VEHICLE. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A TOXIC ODOR EMITTED FROM OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE AXLE BOOT HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.”

“SUBARU OUTBACK BEGAN TO EXHIBIT "GHOST WALKING" WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT DURING A WINTER STORM. REAR END ATTEMPTED TO RACE THE FRONT END, AND COULD NOT REGAIN CONTROL. THIS "GHOST WALKING" IS WELL DISCUSSED IN THE ONLINE FORM AT SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG. CAR EVENTUALLY MADE IT TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT THEN PROCEEDED TO ROLL 3 TIMES. THE EXPERIENCE WAS NOT THE NORMALLY SLIDING ON ICE. THE REAR END SEEMED TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN. *TR”