2003 Subaru Outback Electrical Problems

Your car wouldn't shift out of Park, and after investigation you discovered faulty wiring in the liftgate wire harness that was causing brake light #4 to overheat and smoke. You've temporarily disabled that brake light circuit to prevent further smoking, leaving you with only three functioning brake lights, which creates a safety issue. The wiring harness in the liftgate appears to be a design weakness affecting multiple vehicles, not just high-mileage cars. Fixing this will likely require replacing the liftgate wire harness and ensuring all four brake lights function properly.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A FIRE IGNITED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR NEAR THE CONTROL PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED OFF THE ROADWAY AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED THE DEALER YET THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE AND THE BODY DAMAGE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK. *TR

I BOUGHT A NEW 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK AGO FROM SENATOR SUBARU, 3655 FLORIN ROAD, SACRAMENTO, CA 95823, 916-427-1234. I PICKED IT UP ON OCTOBER 27, 2003. ON OCTOBER 31, 2003 I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS SHAKING BADLY AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND ON STARTUP. I PICKED THE VEHICLE UP ON NOVEMBER 1, 2003, AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER HAD TO BE RESET AND THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. I DID NOT RECEIVE A SERVICE REPORT CHECK OUT SLIP. ON NOVEMBER 1, 2003 IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND ON NOVEMBER 2, 2003, UPON START UP THE VEHICLE EMITTED A NOXIOUS CLOUD OF SMOKE FROM THE REAR. THE AT OIL TEMP LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE DURATION OF A SHORT DRIVE OF APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK IN FOR SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 3, 2003. THE MANAGER, MOE, TOLD ME THAT IT WAS NOT SENATOR SUBARUS PROBLEM; IT WAS SUBARU OF AMERICAS PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT HE WOULD BE UPSET TOO IF THIS HAPPENED TO HIM. THE DEALER FOUND A CODE 11" WHICH WAS A TRANSMISSION CODE NOT ACCOMPANIED BY AN ENGINE CODE. THE MAINTENANCE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THIS INDICATED THAT THE CAR STALLED WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THERE HAVE BEEN AT LEAST FOUR OTHER COMPLAINTS REGISTERED WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OF STALLING WHILE BEING DRIVEN OR ON STARTUP FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL. (SEE ATTACHED COPIES OF COMPLAINTS). ON NOVEMBER 4, 2003, THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER ASKED ME TO PICK UP THE CAR BECAUSE THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ON NOVEMBER 5, 2003, THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER AGAIN CALLED ME AND SAID HE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HE SAID HE CLEARED THE CODE 11; THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. HE ADVISED ME TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS A DANGEROUS CONDITION (STALLS WHILE BEING DRIVEN) WHICH HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP UNSUCCESSFULLY TWICE.*AK

DEALER SUBSTITUTED CHEAP AFTERMARKET SECURITY SYSTEM FOR REQUESTED SUBARU UPGRADE, TAMPERING WITH FACTORY WIRING IN PROCESS. WHEN CHALLENGED, DEALER REPLACED SYSTEM WITH SUBARU UPGRADE. HOWEVER, I AM CONCERNED THAT THE STRIPPED, SOLDERED AND MOST LIKELY CUT WIRES IN THE FACTORY HARNESS COULD PRODUCE A SHORT OR BACKFEED THAT MAY DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS OR LEAD TO FIRE. IN ADDITION, ONE BUNDLE OF WIRES INTERFERES WITH THE MOVEMENT OF MY RIGHT FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR TO BRAKE. DT

THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURED ON 11/14/2002. CAR WAS NOT MOVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS DEAD, CAR DID NOT TURN OVER. DT