2014 Subaru Outback problems

“The Roll Connector Harness failed, and use of the horn was disabled. It is due to the mechanical steering of the vehicle, and fails over time. As a multiple Subaru owner this has been a topic of safety with most of the owners with 2014 Subarus. Subaru changed the design/engineering of this part in 2016 due to the concern. Because they won't issue a recall, and the cost of repair is high ($400+), mainly due to the location of the part, many will not fix the issue. There is no way to warn other drivers or deer without use of the horn. This has put me in harm's way multiple times until I finally got it fixed. I have contacted my dealer who says it is one of the more common issues they see with this year and probably 2015 as well. It needs to be recalled so everyone with this problem can get their cars fixed instead of Subaru charging for a known problem and making money over safety.”

“The car had been recently serviced through the dealer and had 66,000 miles (9 yrs old). It was 6k miles past warranty. While driving, the radiator hose exploded—loud noise, white steam, and all the warning lights came on and the car heated up. I had the car towed and was told that the radiator hose, the radiator and the head gasket had been destroyed and the engine would need to be rebuilt. The car was essentially a total loss given the repair costs. There was no warning at all that anything was wrong with the car prior to the engine blowing. It is my understanding that many years of Subaru Outbacks have required recalls for head gasket problems.”

“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Subaru Outback. It was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 132,000. A Carfax report was not purchased. The contact stated that the mileage on the title from the DMV was 205,690.”

“I am just the mechanic and this is my customer's vehicle, but whilst doing some regular maintenance on the vehicle and also replacing part number 383485200 which Subaru calls "HOLDER, AXLE BRG" due to a crack which ran thru one of the 5 fastener holes. Upon normal cleaning of the threads in the rear differential casting where the "holder, axle brg" is bolted up to the left output shaft side I noticed a massive cavity in the casting which was drilled into and tapped for a bolt. This cavity is so large it presents a huge risk of catastrophic rear differential failure resulting in potential loss of control and increasing the risk of a crash. When I called the dealership to obtain the answers to the questions I know my customer is going to ask me, they shrugged it off as no big deal and couldn't even get me a price on a new rear diff housing or complete assembly. Using my brake rotor thickness calipers I was able to measure what I believe is the closest part of the cavity to the hole where the "holder, axle brg" is fastened in place. This "holder, axle brg" is the output shaft seal housing, plus, the outer race for the differential carrier is pressed into this…”

“My 2014 Subaru Outback, with only 42,000 miles on it, is unfortunately among the 3% (per Consumer Reports) with undiagnosable, therefore, unrepairable, brake failure issues. The brake failures began in April 2023 as I pulled out of my driveway in the Tucson Mountains, headed into town. On the downhill, I pressed my brakes to slow down. My foot went to the floor - no brakes. Terror! I pumped the brakes and gradually they came back. Luckily, no one was ahead of me. The brake fluid was down a very slight bit, so I brought it back up. No problem for two weeks, until the exact same thing happened again. Tucson Subaru has an excellent Service Center. I've kept the service on my Subaru up, so I booked in for a regular tuneup, plus advised them of the brake issue. The shop mechanic flushed the brake cylinder along with the usual tuneup: brake pads, etc. There was no problem for about two more weeks when brakes failed again. Took back to Subaru on a Friday. They kept over the weekend, but by Monday afternoon, brakes were still working "fine". They Ubered me to test, but I didn't need to even pull out of parking lot, everything seemed okay. Took my Outback home and all…”

“The contact owns a 2014 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH or above, the front end and the steering wheel were shaking abnormally. While driving at various speeds, there was a metallic grinding sound coming from the passenger side of the vehicle. The contact stated that while depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and the braking distance became extended. The contact stated that the brakes were squeaking while the brake pedal was depressed. The contact stated that the brakes, check engine, power steering, and engine overheating warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer seven times; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failures. The contact stated that the dealer replaced the passenger’s side rear wheel bearing. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 201,206.”