2006 Subaru Outback Engine Problems

LOST ALL ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN DOWNTOWN NASHVILLE, TN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. CAR WAS ON AND IN DRIVE, BUT GAS PEDAL WAS UNRESPONSIVE. WAS ABLE TO IDLE TO SHOULDER. WHEN GEAR WAS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL OR PARK, CAR WOULD REV UP TO 2K RPM. WHILE WAITING FOR TOW TRUCK, CAR RESUMED NORMAL FUNCTION AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OFF. THIS HAS HAPPEND TWICE SO FAR, BUT AUTO SHOP UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE SINCE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT STAY ON.

I HAVE HAD TWO INCIDENTS WITH LOSS OF SPEED CONTROL WITHIN THE PAST WEEK ON A SUBARU I JUST BOUGHT. THE FIRST I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOPLIGHT WHEN I LOST RESPONSE FROM THE GAS PEDAL AND THE ENGINE WENT TO A LOW RPM WHICH ALLOWED ME TO JUST BARELY ROLL INTO A NEARBY PARKING LOT. WHEN THROTTLE CONTROL WAS LOST THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND LETTING IT SIT A MOMENT I TRIED TO TURN IT ON AGAIN, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. I TRIED A SECOND TIME AND IT STARTED, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE NEXT TIME I STARTED THE CAR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF. THE SECOND TIME WAS NEARLY IDENTICAL BUT DRIVING UP A STEEP HILL ON A HIGHWAY AROUND 65 MPH. AGAIN THROTTLE CONTROL WAS LOST AND ENGINE WENT TO LOW RPM SO I COULD BARELY PROGRESS UP THE HILL AT 20-30MPH TO FIND A PLACE TO PULL OFF, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IMMEDIATELY. BEFORE I TURNED THE CAR OFF THE ENGINE WAS IDLING ROUGH, ABOUT 2000 RPM. AGAIN IT TOOK TWO TRIES TO START BUT THEN I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON. AFTER DRIVING IT TWO OR THREE TIMES THE NEXT DAY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD GONE OFF. IN EITHER SITUATION I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT IF I HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO PULL OFF QUICKLY, ESPECIALLY IN A HIGH SPEED AREA AS THE VEHICLE COULD ONLY MAINTAIN A LOW SPEED DUE TO THE LOW ENGINE RPM (2K-3K). THERE IS NO WARNING BEFORE IT OCCURS. I BELIEVE THERE IS A FAULT IN THE THROTTLE BY WIRE SYSTEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE CRUISE CONTROL FLASHED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE PARKING LOT. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER FEW MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

RINGLAND ISSUE ONCE AGAIN ANOTHER RINGLAND ISSUE THIS IS WITH MY 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK XT. YES, THIS CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT HAS BEEN DRIVEN GENTLY BY A GRANDMOTHER AND SERVICED WITH THE PRECISION OF A FORMULA RACE CAR. WHY HAS SUBARU NOT JUST COME OUT AND SAID YES OUR VEHICLES FROM 2005-2006 WERE GARBAGE AND THE RINGLANDS WERE JUNK. I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM EVEN THINKING ABOUT REPLACING A STOCK RINGLAND ON A VECHICLE...NO OTHER CAR....NONE HAS HAD AS MANY ISSUES WITH RINGLANDS AS SUBARU. CAR IS NOW EXPERIENCING MISFIRES, AND SOME LOSS OF OIL AS LOSS OF POWER...COMPRESSION IN CYLINDERS IS NOW DOWN TO 30% SO THIS IS NOT A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE...THIS IS A DEFECT A MANUFACTURES DEFECT OR A METALLURGICAL DEFECT AND THEY REALLY NEED TO TAKE CARE OF THIS AND MAKE IT RIGHT FOR OLDER CUSTOMERS...WE ARE ALL JUST SITTING ON TICKING BOMBS. LOVE YA GUYS AND STAY CLASSY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. SHORTLY AFTER, THE ENGINE SLOWLY IDLED AND EVENTUALLY STALLED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNPREDICTABLE. THE CONTACT WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE STALLED, IT TOOK OVER THIRTY MINUTES TO RESTART PROPERLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE CONTACT MANAGED TO GET A COMPUTER CODE FROM A LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE WHILE THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE CODE WAS (P2138). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

THROTTLE FAILURE. WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE COMPLETELY FAILS. NO ACCELERATION, CAR WILL ONLY MOVE AT AUTOMATIC IDLE SPEED. CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS -- VERY LUCKY IT DIDN'T HAPPEN IN AN INTERSECTION OR WHILE PASSING ANOTHER CAR. TURNS OUT TO BE COMMON FOR THIS MODEL -- MY CAR HAS 127,000 MILES ON IT.

DRIVING ALONG - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES. I IMMEDIATELY LOSE ACCELERATION - NEED TO PULL OVER (THANK GOD I WAS NOT ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WHEN THIS ACCURS). HAVE TO TURN CAR OFF - WAIT A FEW MINUTES AND THEN RESTART. LIGHTS STILL STAY ON BUT ACCELERATION IS NORMAL. I HAVE SEEN MANY DIFFERENT REASON CODES FOR THIS PROBLEM - I AM NOW TAKING TO MY PERSONAL MECHANIC TO HAVE HIM GO OVER IT AND HOPEFULLY FIX THIS. VERY, VERY SCARY SITUATION WHEN IT HAPPENS. DO NOT THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE MY LIFE IN MY HANDS WHEN I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE!!! ONE WOULD THINK THAT A REPUTABLE COMPANY LIKE SUBARU WOULD STAND BEHIND THIS DANGEROUS FLAW WITH THEIR PRODUCT AND CORRECT THE ISSUE!!! *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE ENGINE RPMS INCREASED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

IN THE SUMMER OF 2011 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROX 75MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN TEMP GAUGE MADE A BIG JUMP INTO THE RED ZONE AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD UPSETTING SOUNDS. PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND RIGHT AT THE EXIT LOST POWER STEERING AND THE CAR DIED. CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BLOWN HEAD GASKETS AND CRACKED ENGINE BLOCK. THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (APPROX $8000 REPLACEMENT). FAST FORWARD TO JUNE 2014. THE NEW ENGINE DID EXACTLY THE SAME THING. TEMPERATURE SHOT UP ON THE HIGHWAY, ENGINE DIED, HEAD GASKETS ONCE AGAIN HAVE BLOWN. THIS NEW ENGINE WAS FOUR YEARS OLD AND HAD ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT. CAR HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND SERVICE THROUGHOUT ITS LIFETIME. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING MY SITUATION REVIEWED BY SUBARU OF AMERICA. I AM HOPING THEY WILL COVER THE REPAIR COSTS. *TR

OUR 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK NEEDS THE HEAD GASKETS AND REAR MAIN SEAL REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED TO MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE FOR THE 2.5 ENGINE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL INDEPENDENT MECHANICS WHO WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

SUBARU HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ACROSS JUST ABOUT ALL SUBARU MODELS WITH 2.5 ENGINE. IF YOU CONTACT VARIOUS SUBARU OWNERS YOU WILL SEE THAT THIS HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS HIGH AT AN ABNORMAL RATE. I AM HOPING THAT YOU INVESTIGATE AND HOLD THE RESPONSIBLE AND ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. *JS

BOTH HEAD GASKETS FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 78,063 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NO WARNING LIGHTS. NO PRECUSSORS. VEHICLE PURCHASED 5/13 W 86K ON IT. DEALER HIDES BEHIND 'AS IS' OR EXPENSIVE WARRANTY AFTER BRAGGING ABOUT 'AWARD WINNING DEALERSHIP'. FIRST OIL CHANGE AT 90896 IN 8/13= FORCED DEALER TO REPLACE HEAD GASKET-LEAKING-SMELLED OIL ON TEST DRIVE-DEALER POO-POO'D AS RECENT OIL CHANGE PRIOR TO SALE. I PAID FOR TIMING BELT. 10/13-CAR DIED PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY WITH HORRENDOUS KNOCKING SOUND. 2 QUALIFIED MECHANICS CHECKED MY CAR IN DRIVEWAY-SAW METALLIC SHEEN IN OIL, OIL DIPSTICK AT PROPER LEVEL. CAR TOWED BACK TO ABOVE 'AWARD WINNING DEALER'. SERVICE ACCUSES ME OF OVER FILLING OIL- IT WAS NEVER TOUCHED BY ANYONE OTHER THAN THEM ON 8/13, THEN TELLS ME ENGINE MUST HAVE BEEN RUN WITH NO OIL CAUSING DAMAGE.(CAR DUE NOW FOR NEXT OIL CHANGE) HAVE FORCED THEM TO RECHECK TIMING BELT FUNCTION-THEY HAVE RULED THAT OUT AND STATE MOST LIKELY A ROD OR TWO SHOT IN LOWER ENGINE. NO HELP OFFERED TO ME. POSSESSION OF CAR BY ME-LESS THAN 6 MONTHS &LESS THAN 10K MILES, PAID 11THOUSAND. TOWING IT TO A NON-DEALER DEPENDABLE LOCAL SUBARU GUY FOR REPLACEMENT ENGINE. DO NOT BUY AS IS. DO NOT BUY EXPENSIVE EXTENDED WARRANTIES. INSIST GREEDY DEALERSHIPS PUT THEIR MOUTHS WHERE THERE TROPHY SHOWCASES ARE AND MAKE IT RIGHT!!! I HAVE OWNED SUBARUS FOR OVER 2 DECADES....NO MORE IF THEIR ENGINES CONTINUE TO FAIL LEAVING LOYAL CUSTOMERS HIGH AND DRY. GOING BACK TO TOYOTA, OR MAYBE EVEN HYUNDAI! I WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND I WILL NEGATIVELY SPEAK LOUD AND OFTEN ABOUT THIS DEALER TO HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHETHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY SO ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN HEAR. NOW OFF TO SOCIAL MEDIA TO DISSEMINATE MY TREATMENT THERE AS WELL. *TR

TURBO ENGINE ON OUTBACK CEASED TO WORK- COULD HAVE CAUSED A CAR FIRE. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE ABOVE 30 MPH. *TR

ENGINE LOST POWER AND HAD TO PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. RETRIEVED ERROR CODE P2138 (ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR) FROM (DLC) DATA LINK CONNECTOR IN CAR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A LIMIT ACCESS HIGHWAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY WENT INTO "LIMP HOME" MODE. THIS EVENT NEARLY RESULTED IN A HIGH SPEED REAR END COLLISION. *KB

INCIDENT HAPPENED AT A RED LIGHT IN TRAFFIC AT RUSH HOUR. AFTER PULLING UP TO A RED LIGHT TO A FULL STOP, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND THE THROTTLE STUCK OPEN AT EXACTLY 2500RPM. THE CAR ACCELERATED FROM A DEAD STOP AND CONTINUED TO DO SO WITH NO INPUT FROM ME. THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOTHING AT ALL. I HAD TO APPLY BRAKES AND MOVE OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID TRAFFIC. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS SOLID AND THE CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL INDICATOR STARTED TO FLASH. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL GEAR AND DROVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT BEGAN TO FUNCTION NORMALLY BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE CONTACT HAS SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH TO OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,731. UPDATED 07/26/11 *BF UPDATED 3/20/12 *CN

2006 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DISPUTE INVOLVING THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TURBO IN VEHICLE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE COST TO REPAIR THE TURBO WAS $ 6,508. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE MACHINED SURFACES AND BEARINGS IN THE ENGINE WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE TURBO WAS DEFECTIVE. *JB