Subaru Outback Steering problems by year

an improperly loaded trailer. I was forced to countersteer aggressively multiple times to regain control. The rear continued oscillating through several corrections before the vehicle finally stabilized. I have extensive experience driving different vehicles, including trucks, SUVs, and performance cars. I have never experienced this degree of instability from a modern vehicle during a comparable maneuver. I believe a less experienced driver could have lost control entirely, potentially resulting in a serious or fatal crash. Afterward, I discovered reports from other 2026 Subaru Outback owners describing similar rear-end instability, swaying, and fishtailing at highway speeds, particularly in windy conditions. I am concerned that the redesigned Outback may have a handling or directional-stability issue that warrants further investigation. IMPORTANT VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NOTE: This was a dealership loaner, not my personal vehicle. The VIN associated with this report is a possible match identified through dealership inventory, but I cannot confirm that it belongs to the exact vehicle I drove. The correct VIN should be verified through Subaru of Port Richey's loaner records.

electronic power-steering assistance stopped functioning, making the vehicle extremely difficult to steer. I was able to exit the roundabout and pull into a parking lot without a collision. I turned the vehicle off, waited approximately five minutes, and restarted it. The warning lights were no longer illuminated. Diagnostic information later reviewed by Grand Junction Subaru documented that the vehicle's electrical voltage had dropped to 8.6 volts during the incident. The dealership could not reproduce the event or conclusively identify its cause. Although the original alternator reportedly tested normal, the dealership reprogrammed the ECU/ECM, disabled the DCM, and replaced the alternator. Because the root cause remains unconfirmed, I am concerned that the sudden low-voltage condition and loss of steering assistance could recur at highway speed. Because [[redacted]] and the two-lane roundabout are very busy, I felt that my life was in danger. As I continued through the roundabout, there was a Ford Platinum 3/4 ton truck next to me. If he would not have been paying attention, I feel like there would have been a collision and possibly personal injury to myself. I'm glad that this incident happened at a lower rate of speed but I am concerned that it will happen again and maybe the next time while I'm on the highway traveling at highway speeds. It could be fatal to and others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

rack, and lower control arms. Severe corrosion and rot in this area create an imminent risk of structural failure, specifically the potential separation of the lower control arms while driving. Such a failure directly impacts steering stability and vehicle tracking, creating a catastrophic hazard that could result in a sudden loss of vehicle control, an inability to steer, and an increased risk of a severe motor vehicle accident. The dealership has issued an itemized repair estimate of $2,900.00 to replace the structurally compromised subframe assembly.

CVT fighting brake system when trying to turn car at street corner. Would not stop until on straight away ( seems to be triggered when turning and car was hot and when no power applied to engine. Only stops on straight away.. Could be related to cvt torque converter? Software glitch? Force of turning wheel?

unresponsive: no response from the push-button start and no accessory power. Electrical power unexpectedly returned after I opened the driver's door, and I was able to restart the vehicle. Later, while the engine was continuously running in a parking lot, the display repeatedly blacked out and restarted while EyeSight repeatedly became unavailable and returned. When I shifted into reverse, the vehicle began jerking and power-steering assistance failed. The steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn and jerked in my hands, preventing me from properly completing the reverse maneuver. I shut the vehicle off and restarted it, which temporarily restored steering. This unpredictable steering failure put me, my two children, and other road users at serious risk. After restarting, I had to travel 65 mph on a highway to get home. Had steering assistance failed again at highway speed, I could have lost lane control or been unable to avoid other vehicles or road users, potentially causing a serious or fatal crash. The vehicle has not yet been inspected for this incident. The repair facility has been notified and I intend to have it towed because I consider it unsafe to drive. Six weeks earlier, the facility inspected the battery, terminals and cables and marked them satisfactory. Prior warnings included EyeSight becoming unavailable, the display blacking out/restarting, and vehicle lurching. I observed no separate steering warning before steering assistance failed.

car fishtailed, the traction control system malfunctioned in normal roads and highways due to the steering angle error. I was asked my Subaru of Ann Arbor to not come there anymore and take it to a different dealership. I complained to Subaru of America (Customer advocacy) and they asked me to pick a different dealer - Lafontaine Subaru. Even there the technicians argued that the car is good and just did an alignment without fixing the steering angle error issue. The steering angle sensor is tied to the vehicle safety software controls, traction control system and safety systems such as lane keep. I have to keep the steering tilted to keep the vehicle in lanes and I am struggling to keep it safely within lanes since January 2026. Subaru of America has not intervened even after the 6th repair in 3 months as the problem is not fixed. the lives of my family including a [[redacted]] infant for whom I got the car is being threatened on a daily basis. I keep telling the urgency and grave danger and the last response from the second subaru dealer was this is the maximum we can do. I am feeling threatened as I paid a fortune for a new car and wanted to secure my infant and my family. Our safety has been disregarded despite multiple complaints and repairs in the first year of ownership. Mileage now is 6100 miles total. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

toolkit with me. The voltmeter measured the battery voltage at 9.3V. Thinking maybe cleaning the battery terminals would allow the car to be restarted, I managed to get the cables off and cleaned everything with a wire brush. But still no power. After a while a state trooper passed by and hung on while I contacted a towing service. After another 1.5 hours, the tow truck arrived and towed the car the 60 miles or so to the dealership in Denver with my wife and I in the cab of the tow truck. Dealer repair invoice indicated Data Control Module (DCM) "causing excessive draw on electrical system." More significantly, the battery had drained below the the operating threshold voltage required for vehicle drivability (understood to be 10-10.5V). There was no mention of this by the dealer service adviser. Although dealer diagnostic was carried out, no computer codes were provided. Vehicle mileage at time of incident 73,456. I have owned the car since new and have all service records. Car was repaired and picked up from dealership on 06/10/26 with a replacement DCM. Battery was charged up but not replaced and left in corroded state. Battery will probably have been weakened by such a total discharge with reduced life expectancy. I have uploaded the dealer repair invoice. I have reported this incident to Subaru of America. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ignition cylinder, triggering an uncommanded, rigid locking of the steering column assembly. Subaru has possessed documented knowledge of this failure for years, cataloging it under Technical Service Bulletin TSB 16-112-18R. Rather than fulfilling its statutory obligation to issue a comprehensive federal safety recall, Subaru deployed a voluntary, time-bound 8-year warranty extension. Subaru conveniently did not notify me of this warranty extension. By doing so, the manufacturer unconscionably ignored this defect, placing its customers at direct peril. They capitalized on asymmetric information to shift both the financial burden and the severe physical safety risks of a known factory flaw onto my family, the moment an arbitrary time threshold expired. My family and I have been at active, continuous risk in this vehicle since the day we purchased it due to an engineering error that was present when the car rolled off the assembly line. The root cause of this failure is a fundamental engineering defect within the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) shifter assembly, specifically, the premature degradation of the electrical contacts within the select lever park-range switch.