2018 Subaru Outback Steering

Began hearing a clunking/rattling noise in the front end of the car. We took it to the dealer for routine maintenance and asked them to look into it. Front Steering rack was found to have excessive play. Entire steering rack was replaced. No warning lamps or messages involved. Safety was put at risk by possible loss of control of vehicle if steering rack completely failed.

While driving under normal conditions, (no hazardous weather or speeding), the steering will suddenly pull to the right, for only a moment, feeling as though a strong gust of wind had blown it, but there is no wind, it just does it on its on. A warning light comes on, and makes a pinging sound, then it turns off; it does not stay on long enough to be able to see which symbol lights up. This happens approximately once every 10 miles or so, more often when driving above 45 mph; occurring most often on the highway. It happens on every type of rode and in every lane. We've bought the car to be examined buy a Subaru dealership twice and was told both times that the wheels were out of alignment and we paid to have the alignment corrected, but this does not actually solve the problem. There has not been any incidents yet, but we fear that if the car pulls on its own in slick or icy weather, it may cause an accident.

The contact owns a 2018 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle briefly lost Electric Power Steering assist before returning to normal functionality. The failure had since become a regular occurrence. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 25,000.

THE STEERING SOMETIMES LOCKS WHEN CAR IS OPERATING IN REVERSE, TURNING OUT OF A PARKED POSITION. EXACT CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM IN MID-MARCH AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETECT THE FAULT. TODAY I ENCOUNTERED THE SAME STEERING LOCK WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND TURNING RIGHT TO GET ONTO THE STREET.

UNCONTROLLED STEERING AS DESCRIBED BY OTHER COMPLAINTS WHILE IN MOTION. DANGEROUS AT HIGH SPEEDS. HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR NEW JULY 18, 2018.

MY 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK DOES NOT HAVE STEERING ASSIST AND WAS PURCHASED NEW. AT ALL SPEEDS, THE STEERING FEELS VERY LOOSE WHEN TRAVELING RESULTING IN A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE ROAD/WHEELS AND THE STEERING WHEEL. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CAR OFTEN FEELS LIKE IT IS HYDROPLANING OR WIND IS FORCING IT TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT DESPITE DRIVING ON DRY ROADS IN CALM WEATHER. THE STEERING IS ERRATIC AND IS ESPECIALLY UNPREDICTABLE WHEN DRIVING ON UNEVEN OR SNOW COVERED ROADS. ON SNOWY ROADS, THE CAR DRIFTS AND FEELS LIKE IT IS UNCONTROLLABLY STARTING TO SLIDE RESULTING IN AN OVER CORRECTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS PROBLEM IS TERRIFYING AND THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF HOW SUBARU ADVERTISES THE CAR PERFORMANCE. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALER AS IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY ONLY SAID IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT WHICH WE JUST HAD DONE THE PREVIOUS WEEK. SUBARU HAS HAD STEERING PROBLEMS BEFORE AND I FEEL LIKE THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. IM SURPRISED THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL SINCE THE PROBLEM IS VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN DRIVING ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS.

SUBARU OUTBACK 2008 PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT BY ITSELF INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN IT HAPPENS, CAR SPEED IS ALWAYS > 45 MPH AND THE ISSUE IS THE MOST OBVIOUS ON HIGHWAYS WITH A SPEED > 60 MPH. IT FEELS LIKE THE STEERING HAS ITS OWN IDEA. SOMETIMES WHEN I WANT TO CURVE TO THE RIGHT, THE STEERING TURNS BY ITSELF TO THE RIGHT AND SOMETIMES EVEN STAYS THERE. SOMETIMES WHEN I DON'T WANT TO TURN, IT TURNS. THIS IS NOT RELATED TO LANE ASSISTANCE. THE FEATURE IS TURNED OFF AND THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN I DRIVE IN THE LANE. I STRONGLY FEEL UNSAFE AND A BIT NERVOUS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY RECENTLY. AT THE HIGH SPEED, A SLIGHT TURN MAY LEAD TO SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. HOPE SUBARU COULD SOLVE THE ISSUE. A GOOGLE SEARCH TODAY SHOWED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME MODEL ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME, POTENTIALLY DAMAGING ISSUE.

AT 13,000 MILES CAR STEERING PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT WITHOUT DRIVER PERFORMING THIS ACT. FEELS LIKE CAR IS HYDROPLANING OR AFFECTED BY HIGH WINDS WHEN NEITHER CONDITION IS PRESENT. PRESENTS DANGER AS DRIVER HAS NO CONTROL AS TO WHEN THIS HAPPENS OR WHAT DIRECTION IT WILL GO. OCCURS AT ALL SPEEDS BUT WORSENS AFTER 50MPH. RESEARCH SHOWS THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME SITUATION WITH OTHER SUBARU CARS. MY DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THEY HAD NOT HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED TO MANUAL TURN OFF LANE ASSIST. I PERFORMED THIS ACTION TO NO AVAIL - THE PROBLEM CONTINUES . HAPPENS ON CITY STREETS AT 25 MPH AS WELL AS ON HIGHWAYS. WHILE FIRST INCIDENT WAS AUGUST 5, 2019 IT NEVER STOPPED.

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL JERK TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. HAS HAPPENED ON STRAIGHT ROADS AND ON CURVED EXITS. SPEEDS FROM 30-60MPH. DRY PAVEMENT, NO SAND/MUD/OTHER HAZARDS. HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY A DOZEN TIMES TOTAL. LANE ASSIST IS TURNED OFF.

WHEN DRIVING AT 43 MILES OR ABOVE THE STEERING HAS A FEEL OF THAT YOU HIT A GUST OF WIND OR YOU HIT A PATCH OF ICE ON HIGHWAY THE CAR DOES NOT FEEL STABLE

THE STEERING WHEEL OF THIS CAR RANDOMLY TAKES OVER, FOR NO OBVIOUS REASON, AT HIGH SPEEDS (OVER 45 MPH). I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. DRIVING THIS CAR HAS BEEN TERRIFYING! WHILE PASSING A TRACTOR TRAILER, THE STEERING WHEEL PULLED ME TOWARDS THE TRUCK 3 TIMES!!! I THOUGHT I WOULD BE KILLED! THIS IS A LOANER CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP, COLONIAL SUBARU, IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA, TO TELL THEM THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO TAKE IT OUT OF LANE ASSIST MODE. THIS, HOWEVER, DID NOT SOLVE THE ISSUE. THE CAR RANDOMLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR TO THE LEFT, WHEN LANE DRIFTING ISN'T AN ISSUE. WHY ISN'T SOMETHING BEING DONE ABOUT THIS? I SEE THERE ARE ALREADY DOCUMENTED CASES OF THIS WITH THE 2019 VEHICLE MODEL.

*TL THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN MAKING A SHARP TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKS INTO THAT POSITION UNTIL MANUALLYMOVED OUT OF THAT POSITION AND THEN IT RETURNS TO NORMAL CENTER POSITION. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IT COULD RUN INTO OTHER CARS OR OBJECTS. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO SANGERA SUBARU (5500 GASOLINE ALLEY DR. BAKERSFIELD, CA 93313 PHONE #661-438-5588) TO BE CORRECTED. THE FAILURE WAS DUPLICATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IS THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE POWER STEERING MILAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 7,000 MILES. *DT*JB

VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL AT 50 MPH AND HIGHER SPEEDS. STEERING FEELS VERY LOOSE AND LIKE VEHICLE IS HYDROPLANING ON DRY SURFACES. ON OCCASION IT FEELS LIKE THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BY A GUST OF WIND AND FLOATS. VEHICLE FEELS VERY INSECURE ON HIGHWAY DRIVING CONDITIONS. IT'S SCARY!

TENSION AND CONTROL DISAPPEARS IN THE STEERING, SO LOOSE IT FEELS LIKE YOU COULD SPIN THE WHEEL LIKE A TOP. LASTS A SECOND OR SO THEN CONTROL RETURNS. HAPPENS IN MULTIPLE DRIVING CONDITIONS. NOTICED IT FIRST DAY WE HAD THE CAR, DEALER SAID HE NOTICED IT TOO, AND WE JUST NEEDED TO BREAK THE CAR IN. WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN HIGH WINDS, CAR FEELS OUT OF CONTROL, LIKE DRIVING ON SLICK ICE. NEVER HAD TO GET OFF A HIGHWAY BEFORE OUT OF FEAR AND I'VE BEEN DRIVING 40 YEARS. DEALER COULD NOT REPLICATE, TOLD ME TO CALL SUBARU CORPORATE, WHO SENT ME BACK TO DEALER. CAR IS BACK IN THE SHOP. I AM SO AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR IT ONLY HAS 2700 MILES ON IT AFTER 18 MONTHS.

AT LEAST 10 TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK WE HAVE ALMOST CRASHED DUE TO THE STEERING. WE WENT OFF THE ROAD TWICE. THE CAR IS SERIOUSLY VEERING OFF TO THE RIGHT, ALMOST LIKE YOU ARE HYDROPLANING ON DRY LAND. YOU CAN'T EVEN STEER THE CAR BACK INTO THE LANE. IT JUST GOES BY ITSELF. I DID TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TODAY. THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT IS THE LANE ASSIST BEING ON AND TO TURN IT OFF. WE'VE HAD THE CAR FOR 5 MONTHS AND NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS IS HAPPENING. IT IS NOT RIGHT AND SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS AND PLEASE DO A RECALL BEFORE INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE KILLED. THIS IS HAPPENING ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL AS SMALLER STREETS

DRIVING OUR NEW 2018 OUTBACK WE EXPERIENCE PERIODIC STEERING IRREGULARITIES THAT ARE FLAT SCARY. ESPECIALLY AT 65MPS AND ABOVE THE CAR SEEMS TO SELF CORRECT .BY EXAMPLE A LANE CHANGE THE CAR STARTS TO 'FLOAT" AND OVER COMPENSATES ON DIRECTIONAL CHANGE. TROUBLING ALSO IS THE EXPERIENCE OF STABILITY AT TIMES AS IF DRIVING IN HIGH WINDS-WHEN THERE IS NO WIND. WHEN WE TURN "OFF" DRIVING ASSISTANCE LANE SYSTEM-STILL SAME PROBLEMS. WHEELS SEEM TO HAVE A 'MIND OF THEIR OWN" AND WERE NOT ALWAYS IN CONTROL. TOOK THE CAR INTO DEALERSHIP- THERE SERVICE PERSON SAID THEY HAD ALSO HAD THE EXPERIENCE(S)..BUT WE JUST NEED TO GET USE TO. NOT ACCEPTABLE!

MOST OCCURRENCES WERE AT HIGH SPEED ON INTERSTATES. I THOUGHT IT WAS WIND RELATED BUT PROBABLY WASN'T. CAR WOULD SEEM TO MOVE SLIGHTLY WITH NO STEERING EFFORT AND THEN THE STEERING WOULD PUSH BACK SEVERELY ON CURVES SOMETIMES IT WOULD PUSH FROM SIDE TO SIDE SETTING UP A SWERVING MOTION. NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON THIS CONTINUED FOR FOUR DAYS AND THEN HAS NOT BEEN EXPERIENCED AGAIN. SERVICE COULD NOT DUPLICATE. I CONSIDER THIS SERIOUS ENOUGH THAT IF IT CONTINUES I WILL TRADE THE CAR. THE MOVEMENTS ARE SEVERE ENOUGH IN MY OPINION TO BE DANGEROUS. THESE EVENTS OCCURRED ON 1-27,28,29,30-2018.

TRADED IN A 2016 FOR A 2018 .THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WHILE DRIVING , PARTICULARLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, THE STEERING SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF IT'S OWN. THE CAR WILL SWAY OR VEER TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER. IT FEELS TO ME AS IF A GUST OF WIND HAS PUSHED THE CAR AND I HAVE TO ADJUST THE STEERING. MY HUSBAND DESCRIBES IT AS IF THE CAR IS HYDROPLANING. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT. IT FEELS VERY UNSAFE ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE CAR HAS AT THIS TIME APPROXIMATELY 500 MILES.

MOSTLEY AT HIGHER SPEEDS.70 MPH.THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY.MUTIPLE SYMPTIONS CONCERNS.ON A CONSISTENT BASIS,THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES,IT FEELS AS THOUGH IT HYDROPLANING IN DEEP WATERWHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORANILY LOSE CONTACT WITH PAVEMENT.THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY CONDITION.ALL CONTROL SEEMS TO LEAVE ,THEN CONTROL COMES BACK.IN HIGH WINDS ,WHEN U NEED TO CORRECT THE STEEING ANGLE THIS SISATION HAPPENS A LOT.ANY MOVEMENT FROM A STRAIGHT LINE WILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN.SOMETIME STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING ,THE STEERING WHEEL JUST MOMENTARILY ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON ITS OWN.IN THE RAIN AFRAID TO DIVE OUTBACK 65 MPH BECAUSE THE THE STEERIN KEEPS LEAVING,AGAIN LIKE ITS HYDRO PLAINING,AND NO I WASENT HYDROPLANING AS EVERY OTHER CAR WAS PASSING ME 70+ MPH.THIS IS A CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT PROBLEM.ITS VEY SCAREY AND I QUITE ALARMNED AT TIS PROBLE.THERE IS SOMETHING MAJOR WRONG WITH THE 2018 SUBARU OUTBACK LIMITED.NEED HELP.AFRAID TO DRIVE CAR.BOUGHT CAR ON 4/24/2018,OWNED IT 8 DAYS.(394 MILS ON CAR.TAKING IT TO HOME TOWN SUBARU,BECKLEY FOR EVALUEATION(DRIVE CAR) ON STEERING. ISSUE.ILL NEED A SIGNED DOCKUMENT FROM SERVICE REP BEFORE I DRIVE CAR AGAIN.

MOSTLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS, 70+, THE STEERING REACTS ERRATICALLY. MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS OF MAJOR CONCERN. ON A CONSISTENT BASIS, THE FEELING OF CONTROL LEAVES, IT FEELS AS THOUGH YOU ARE HYDROPLANING INTO DEEP WATER WHEN YOUR TIRES TEMPORARILY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE PAVEMENT, THIS CAN HAPPEN DURING ANY DRIVING CONDITION. ALL CONTROL SEEMS TO LEAVE. THEN CONTROL COMES BACK. IN HIGH WIND, WHEN YOU NEED TO CORRECT THE STEERING ANGLE THIS SENSATION HAPPENS A LOT. ANY MOVEMENT AWAY FROM A STRAIGHT LINE WILL CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN. SOMETIMES IN STRAIGHT LINE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL JUST MOMENTARILY ATTEMPTS TO TURN ON ITS OWN. LAST NIGHT IN RAIN, I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE OVER 65 MPH BECAUSE THE STEERING KEPT LEAVING, AGAIN LIKE IT WAS HYDRO PLANING, AND NO IT WASN'T HYDROPLANING AS EVERY OTHER CAR WAS PASSING ME AT 75+ MPH. THIS IS A CONSISTENT AND CONSTANT PROBLEM. IT IS VERY SCARY AND I AM QUITE ALARMED AT THIS PROBLEM. THERE IS SOMETHING MAJOR WRONG HERE.

STEERING WAS GREAT UNTIL 6000 MILES. THE CAR NOW HAS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH EITHER THE FRONT END OR STEERING. THE STEERING IS IRREGULAR AND FEELS AS THOUGH YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. WHILE TURNING THE STEERING FEELS STUCK AND THERE IS NOT ROAD DEFECT TO BE STUCK IN. WHILE DRIVING FORWARD THE CAR WILL JERK THE FRONT END AND IT FEELS LIKE YOU WILL LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

SUBARU BETTER TAKE NOTICE ON THIS STEERING ISSUE! IT IS A DANGER!!! WHEN PEDESTRIANS ARE WALKING ON THE ROAD AND YOU NEED TO SWING A LITTLE WIDER AROUND THEM, THE LANE KEEP PUSHES YOU TOWARDS THE PEDESTRIAN!!! IN ADDITION TO THIS, WHEN DRIVING AT 55 AND ABOVE, IT CONSTANTLY FEELS AS IF THE WIND IS BLOWING YOU AROUND! THERE IS NO WIND! THIS IS A DANGER AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL TIMES NOW, THAT I HAVE ALMOST WENT OFF THE ROAD!!! SHOULD I TURN OFF MY LANE KEEP ASSIST TO STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING!?!? I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 2 WEEKS, AND SO FAR I FEEL LIKE I MADE A HUGE MISTAKE GETTING THIS CAR!!!!! I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT THIS IS MY 4TH SUBARU. I AM LOYAL TO THE BRAND. IF I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS, I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT ANOTHER!! OR I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A LOWER MODEL. I HAVE THE 2018 LIMITED OUTBACK. I MY OPINION BUYER BEWARE!! OR GET A LOWER MODEL WITHOUT THESE OPTIONS!!!!