10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
144,464 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1996 Subaru Outback brakes problems

brakes problem

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1996 Subaru Outback Owner Comments

problem #3

Dec 232013

Outback 4-cyl

  • 258,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Whenever the car has been parked in sub-zero temperatures for a minimum of three hours, the check valve in the brake booster vacuum hose will freeze in place and results in no power assist braking. The first application of the brakes would be normal as there was residual vacuum in the booster. Additional application of the brakes would have no power assist at all. Multiple pumps of the brake pedal would be required to break loose the check valve and restore normal braking. This car was new to me in 2013 and I was unaware of this defect. The first few times it happened to me, I went through stop signs not knowing that I had no power assist brakes. Now that I know what to expect- before putting the car into gear, I would test the brake pedal at least three times. When the check valve is frozen, I would feel normal pedal pressure the first time then the pedal would go hard the second time. I would then have to depress the pedal multiple times until I felt the check valve break free and normal pedal pressure was restored.

- Hudson, WI, USA

problem #2

Feb 052014

Outback 4-cyl

  • 87,696 miles
Recently purchased (1/17/14) vehicle a catastrophic loss after pax side T-bone @ A/B pillar subsequent to hill holder self-activation caused unrecoverable yawed slide/skid (to a non-inputted stop from 40-0mph in +/-.25mi.) during brake/downshift control input on (istha FOIA file)% uphill grade in 4-6" snow accumulation on neglectfully maintained [unclosed/fema/iema] eisenhower interstate highway system (to wit: Il tollway: Sb I-294 @ mph 39.5). Cdl'd owner/operator suffering effects ptsd + right side bft/hard-impact orthopedic joint/related injuries. Il state police dist. #15 star #6274 contributed to cause via improper lane usage (+/-20mph/#2ln {vs. #4/5} w/4way hazards on/duty E-lights off/obscured) in virtually unrecognizable snow-covered (incl. Greenhouse) marked duty vehicle, + failure to stop/cite semi-truck (like speed) in #1ln.

- Lincolnshire, IL, USA

problem #1

Feb 052014

Outback 4-cyl

  • 87,696 miles
Recently purchased (1/17/14) vehicle a catastrophic loss after pax side T-bone @ A/B pillar subsequent to hill holder self-activation caused unrecoverable yawed slide/skid (to a non-inputted stop from 40-0mph in +/-.25mi.) during brake/downshift control input on (istha FOIA file)% uphill grade in 4-6" snow accumulation on neglectfully maintained eisenhower interstate highway system (to wit: Il tollway: Sb I-294 @ mph 39.5). Cdl'd owner/operator suffering effects ptsd + right side bft/hard-impact orthopedic joint/related injuries.

- Lincolnshire, IL, USA

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