Home/ Subaru/ Outback/ 1998

1998 Subaru Outback

Safety Score
71
Average
Recalls
1
Complaints
50
NCAP Stars

Recalls (1)

Date NHTSA ID Component Units Completion
1998-02-20 98V042000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) 19,386 Details

Owner Complaints (showing up to 50)

Date Component Crash Injuries Summary
2014-04-07 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY STREETS, I CAME TO A STOP AND REALIZED THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE …
2013-03-19 SERVICE BRAKES No 0 ON MARCH 19, 2013, I WAS RETURNING TO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT AFTER PICKING UP MY OUTBACK FROM BLOOMINGTON ACURA SUBARU,…
2012-05-17 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 90 IN IDAHO AT 62 MPH WHEN THE HOOD LATCH FAILED. THE HOOD WAS SECURED DOWN ALL THE WAY BEF…
2011-12-03 SUSPENSION No 0 SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS A POP IN MY FRONT CORNER. STILL DROVE OK UNDER 20-25 MPH. FASTER THAN THAT THE WHEEL SHOOK VIO…
2011-08-01 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP No 0 AS MY WIFE AND I WERE FILLING UP OUR 98 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WE NOTICED A SMELL OF GAS FUMES ON THE WAY HOME AS I BACK…
2010-09-05 FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER No 0 FUEL (GASOLINE) FILLER NECK FOR THE 1998 SUBARU LEGACY WAGON RUSTS OUT. MECHANIC INDICATED VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH T…
2010-05-15 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 ENGINE OVERHEATING EVERY HALF MILE WITH ENGINE RESERVOIR OVERFLOWING. AFTER $1300 OF REPLACING THERMOSTAT, TIMING BELT…
2010-02-26 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM No 0 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK 2.5L MOTOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE. *TR
2010-02-15 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION No 0 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK WAGON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 86,000 MILES. PURCHASED USED MANY YEARS AGO WITH ABOUT 10,000 M…
2009-12-20 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM No 0 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ANY TYPE OF GMC VEHICLE WAS PARKED NEXT TO HIS …
2009-07-25 LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES No 0 DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ~60 MPH. HOOD LATCH RELEASED SPONTANEOUSLY. HOOD FLEW BACK, SHATTERING WINDSHIELD. I STARTED TO LOSE…
2008-12-30 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM No 0 ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT ONLY WHEN BEING DRIVEN, DOES NOT OVERHEAT WHEN IDLING. I HAVE REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT, WATER P…
2008-12-15 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 OVERHEATING, WATER LEAKING, HEAD GASKET PROBLEM. *TR
2008-04-29 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 COMPLAINT IS FOR SUBARU OF AMERICA. I OWN A 98 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK AND THE COOLING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED AND THE HEAD …
2008-03-15 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE 1. SEAL LEAK AT APPROXIMATELY 48,000 MILES, BURNING OIL SMELL, CORRECTED AT REPLACEMENT…
2007-10-17 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE No 0 TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. SINCE OCTOBER OF 2007, THE CONTACT SMELLED FUEL INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPAR…
2007-02-21 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 WE BOUGHT A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK IN 2004. AT APPROXIMATELY 110,000 MILES, WE EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC OVERHEATING OF T…
2006-08-28 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL No 0 SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. SUBARU PLAZA P.O. BOX 6000 CHERRY HILL, NJ 08034-6000 ATTN: CUSTOMER/DEALER SERVICES RE:…
2006-06-06 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 DRIVING A 1998 SUBARU AWD LEGACY OUTBACK. ON JUNE 6, 2006 WHILE ON A SHORT TRIP IN VEHICLE, RETURNED HOME TO SEE SMOKE…
2006-06-05 FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:FILLER PIPE AND CAP No 0 THE GAS FILL PIPE LEAKS GASOLINE. THERE IS A PLASTIC SHIELD NEXT TO IT THAT CATCHES DIRT, SAND, ETC AND THEN KEEPS THE…
2006-05-11 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Yes 1 MY CHILD CARE PROVIDER WAS INVOLVED IN A SINGLE CAR ACCIDENT. SHE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH IN WET/RAINY CONDIT…
2006-01-31 STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS No 0 HOOD LATCH FAILURE ON 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK- WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, HOOD LATCH FAILED AND HOOD FLEW BAC…
2005-09-06 POWER TRAIN No 0 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK - STEERING BECOMES JERKY WHEN BACKING OR GOING FORWARD AT SLOW SPEEDS AND WHILE MAKING TIGHT TURNIN…
2005-09-01 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 LATE ON THE NIGHT OF 09/01/05 MY WIFE, HER SON, DAUGHTER AND TWO (2) GRAND CHILDREN WERE TRAVELING TO OMAHA, NE FOR THE…
2005-07-01 TIRES No 0 DT: THE CONTACT STATES ONE OF THE TIRES HAS BEEN LOSING AIR. THE SERVICE MECHANIC STATES THAT HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS P…
2005-06-15 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE No 0 THE FRONT AIRBAGS ON MY 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK SPORT WENT OUT AT 76,000 MILES WITHOUT EVER DEPLOYING OR ANY OTHER INDICATO…
2005-04-15 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 CYLINDER #4 EXHAUST VALE FAILURE IN JULY OF 2004. SUBARU DEALER PRESTIGE IMPORTS PULLED HEAD AND REPLACED VALVE. THEY …
2005-01-19 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THIS HAPPENED THREE TIMES. WHEN TAKEN TO GET SERVICED THE THIRD TIME IT WAS DETERMIN…
2004-12-20 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 HEAD GASKET FAILURE IN SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK 1998. ENGINE OVERHEATED WHICH LEAD TO LEAD TO SMOKE COMING OUT UNDER THE …
2004-12-18 SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER No 0 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK, 1998 MODEL, CENTER REAR LAP BELT BUCKLE END IS TOO LONG TO HOLD A CHILD RESTRAINT TIGHTLY ENOUGH…
2004-12-14 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 LEGACY OUTBACK WITH 2.5 L ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT WITH COOLANT BOILING OVER INTO RESEVOIR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR…
2004-11-19 VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS No 0 DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED. ONLY ROLLS WINDOW DOWN 2" THEN SKIPS AND WON'T ROLL BACK UP. HAS FAILED REPEAT…
2004-10-30 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 TOOK MY SUBARU TO DEALER FOR 60,000 MILE CHECK. HE ADVISED ME THAT MY HEAD GASKET WAS ABOUT TO FAIL AND NEEDED REPLACE…
2004-10-25 POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) No 0 ALL WHEEL DRIVE BINDING TIRES. 2 SETS OF 4 TIRES EACH (NEW MICHELIN AGILITY) WORN TO STEEL B/C OF "BINDING" -- 2 YEAR…
2004-10-05 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Yes 1 ON OCTOBER 6, 2004, I WAS COASTING INTO A PARKING SPACE IN MY 1998 SUBARU LEGACY OUTBACK. MY HEADLIGHTS WERE FACING A …
2004-09-22 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS IN THE HOT RANGE WHILE DRIVING. THE COOLING SYSTEM CHECKED O…
2004-09-20 AIR BAGS Yes 0 DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE STRUCK STATIONARY OBJECT AT APROX. 15 MPH. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. SIGNIFIC…
2004-07-31 POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) No 0 HAVE A 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1998. HAS ROUGHLY 90000 MILES. IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER PURCHASE CLUTCH WEN…
2004-05-17 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM No 0 MY CAR OVERHEATED AND DIED ON THE HIGHWAY. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAD FAILED -- IT WAS REPLACED, AND TH…
2004-05-15 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL Yes 0 WHEN DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THIS CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HI…
2004-05-15 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION No 0 THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH JUST 61,000 EASY MILES. THE FAILURE WAS IN THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY (IT WOULD NOT DEC…
2004-04-20 VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL No 0 FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: I OWN A 1993 SUBARU IMPREZA L, AND I OWN A 1998 IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT. BOTH THESE CARS …
2004-03-13 TIRES:TREAD/BELT No 0 WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLE…
2004-02-05 POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY No 0 I HAVE HAD CONTINUOS PROBLEMS WITH THE CLUTCH ON MY 1998 SUABRU OUTBACK. SINCE THE CAR HAS BEEN PURCHASED I HAVE HAD T…
2004-01-11 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM No 0 APPEARS I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON MY 1998 2.5L OUTBACK. COOLANT CONTAINS OIL , COOLANT RESERVOIR FILLS UP RAPIDLY…
2003-11-20 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING No 0 1998 SUBARU OUTBACK SHOWED SIGNS OF OVERHEATING AS TEMPERATURE GAUGE ROSE UP PAST THE USUAL MIDLINE AND COLD AIR INSIDE…
2003-10-27 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE No 0 CAR OVERHEATED. TOWED TO GARAGE. THEY REPLACED THERMOSTAT AND TESTED. RAN OK FOR ABOUT 20 MILES. OVERHEATED AGAIN. …
2003-10-24 WHEELS No 0 VEHICLE'S TIRES LEAKED DUE TO CORROSION/OXIDATION ON THE RIM WHERE THE TIRE MET THE ALUMINUM WHEEL. *MR THE CORROS…
2003-10-04 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION No 0 INTERMITTENTLY, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR. IT GOES INTO NEUTRAL AND WILL CONTINUE TO REV U…
2003-09-13 UNKNOWN OR OTHER Yes 1 THE CAR ACCELERATED WHEN BACKING FROM A PARKING SPACE, HIT A POLE, I THEN PUT IT ON DRIVE AND IT ACCELERATED AT A VERY …