1999 Subaru Outback — Known Issues & Recalls

Your front coil spring broke completely in half while the car was parked, and the broken piece got wedged into your tire sidewall, nearly puncturing it and leaving your car unable to drive. This could have caused a tire blowout and accident if it happened while you were driving. Even though Subaru has a recall for this coil spring problem, your vehicle was told it wasn't covered due to its VIN range, despite being affected by the same issue. The fix would involve replacing the broken front coil spring and inspecting the tire for damage.

Your front coil spring broke and separated into pieces, with a sharp fragment puncturing your tire. The spring showed heavy rust and peeling paint coating, which likely contributed to the failure. This type of suspension failure could be dangerous at highway speeds and may require replacing the entire front coil spring assembly and repairing or replacing the damaged tire.

While driving in reverse, your passenger side coil spring broke and punctured your front passenger tire. You didn't notice the problem until you changed the tire. The repair will likely involve replacing the broken coil spring and the damaged tire.

Your engine's head gasket failed at 38,000 miles, causing your car to overheat. Even though the dealership initially flushed the cooling system and added special coolant, the problem persisted. You eventually needed replacement of both head gaskets, the radiator, thermostat, and water pump. The fix involved a complete cooling system overhaul and head gasket replacement.

Your engine has blown head gaskets, which seal the connection between the engine block and cylinder head. This can cause coolant and oil to leak, engine overheating, and rough running. The repair will involve removing the cylinder head and replacing the failed gaskets.

Your engine's head gasket failed at 125,000 miles, requiring a $1,725 repair that included replacing the head gasket and cylinder head bolts. However, the same head gasket is failing again just 9 months and 12,000 miles after the repair. Fixing this will likely involve removing the cylinder head and installing a new head gasket and bolts.

Your speedometer stops working intermittently, especially during highway driving, so you can't see how fast you're going. Additionally, the door chime and seatbelt warning alarm aren't functioning. The issue may stem from a faulty instrument cluster or electrical connection. A mechanic will need to diagnose and repair the speedometer cluster and related electrical wiring.

Your speedometer frequently stops working and displays zero, then recovers on its own after 10 seconds to 15 minutes. A technician found the speedometer circuit board is delaminating (layers separating) due to a defective OEM sealant, which is a known issue on other Subaru and Honda vehicles. The speedometer is a critical safety component that tells you how fast you're driving. Fixing this will likely require replacing the instrument cluster or speedometer circuit board.

Your speedometer and odometer stop working intermittently due to a faulty electronic circuit board in the instrument cluster. The dealer replaced the entire speedometer unit for $315, but this is a known issue affecting 1999 Subarus and should not be considered normal wear. The fix involves replacing the instrument cluster circuit board or the entire speedometer assembly.

Your automatic transmission won't engage when you shift from Park to Drive, and it won't disengage when you stop the vehicle. This caused your car to roll backward on a hill while stopped, resulting in contact with another vehicle. The transmission may need internal repairs or replacement to restore proper shifting and holding ability.

Your car isn't responding when you try to accelerate, and you have to repeatedly shift between Reverse and Drive to get it to move. The dealer inspected the vehicle but couldn't find the cause of the problem. The issue may require transmission fluid service, filter replacement, or internal transmission repair to restore normal acceleration response.

Your fuel filler tube has corroded and is leaking fuel and fuel vapors, which triggers a check engine light with an emissions code. You may notice a fuel smell near the filler area. The repair involves replacing the fuel filler tube and valve assembly, along with labor to install the new parts.

Your car's check engine light came on with a code 440 (emissions system fault). The gas fill pipe underneath your fuel cap has rusted through and developed holes, causing raw gasoline to leak out. The pipe's design allows dirt and debris to collect around it, which has caused rust to develop from the outside inward. Replacing the corroded gas fill pipe and ensuring proper drainage around this area should resolve the issue.

Your car rolled backward down a slope even though it was parked in Park with the engine off and keys in the ignition. The open door struck the owner, causing serious injuries, and the vehicle then collided with two parked cars. This suggests a possible failure in the transmission's Park function or parking brake system that prevented the vehicle from staying stationary.

While driving at 65 mph on the highway, your hood suddenly flew open, smashing the windshield and blocking your view. This caused you to cross into another lane of traffic, veer into a ditch, and strike your head on the steering wheel resulting in a mild concussion. The issue appears to be a failure of the hood latch or locking mechanism that normally holds the hood securely closed.

Your car was hit from behind in a crash, but the airbags did not deploy, resulting in minor neck and lower back injuries. Additionally, your front wheel bearing failed at 50,000 miles. The airbag issue may require diagnostic testing of the airbag system, and the wheel bearing will need to be replaced.

Your Subaru Outback was involved in a crash at 40 mph into a guardrail, but the airbags failed to deploy. You went through the windshield and the vehicle was totaled. The airbag system may need inspection to determine why it didn't activate during the impact.

Your car's electronic system is incorrectly signaling that the transmission is in neutral, preventing it from starting normally. You can temporarily fix this by removing and reinserting the ESC fuse, but the problem returns and causes transmission fluid to burn as the system keeps telling the car it's in neutral. This is also affecting your fuel economy gauge readings. The underlying issue likely involves the ESC module or its wiring harness and may require replacement or reprogramming of the electronic control system.

Your power steering rack is leaking fluid, and the cam seal is also leaking. The fluid leak damaged your timing belt, which is a critical engine component. You'll need to replace the leaking seals and likely the timing belt to restore proper engine and steering function.

Your Subaru Outback's front tires started vibrating noticeably around 30 mph, and the vibration got worse as you drove faster, accompanied by loud noise from outside the vehicle. A mechanic found that the front driver and passenger Goodyear Regatta 2 tires (205/70/15 size) had excessive road force variations, meaning the tires weren't distributing pressure evenly against the road even though they looked evenly worn. The fix will involve replacing the defective front tires with new ones that are properly balanced.