1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
77V167000 · Latches/Locks/Linkages:Tailgate:Latch
Reported: 1977-10-06 (October 6, 1977) · Model years: 1976, 1977
ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES, THE TAILGATE LATCH AND LATCH STRIKER MAY NOT BE PROPERLY ADJUSTED. THE TAILGATE MAY NOT BE SECURELY LATCHED AND MAY COME OPEN DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A NEW LATCH ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
8 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
50.0%Usable mileage4 / 8 records
87.5%Valid incident date7 / 8 records
100.0%Valid filing date8 / 8 records
87.5%Ordered incident and filing dates7 / 8 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
Component complaint heatmap
Component
1991
2002
2003
Air Bags:Frontal
150.0%ODI 856655
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD VEERED INTO HIM. CONSUMER RAN INTO A MOUNTAIN,AND DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC, I HAD MY FOOT SLIGHTLY ON THE BRAKE TO PREVENT CREEP. THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED SO HIGH THAT I HAD TO STAND ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP FROM CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I PUT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO NORMAL IDLE. MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL THE ENTIRE TIME! *JB
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER (LESS THAN 25 F) THIS YEAR, MY 2002 SUBURU OUTBACK STATION WAGON (2.5 LITRE) HAS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN THE CABIN WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME NOW. IT IS VERY STRONG AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE (PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ACCIDENT OR EXHAUST PROBLEM) OR A FUME RELATED BLACKOUT OF SOMEBODY IN THE CAR. I HAVE READ ON THE ONLINE DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURUS IN COLD CLIMATES BUT THAT SUB…
MY CAR WILL STARTUP JUST FINE. UPON NEAR A STANDSTILL AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT WILL HESTITATE OR STALL COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO KEEP MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO KEEP IT GOING. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY IN COLDER THAN HOTTER WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE AT VANBORTEL SUBARU ON 11/1 AND THEY RELEASED IT BACK TO ME ON 11/3/04 SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ITS ANYTHING BUT FIXED AND IN FACT GOTTEN WORSE.*AK
WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE DROPS SIGNIFICANTLY (E.G. BELOW 32DEG), A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IS EMITTED FROM THE CAR UPON STARTING. IT EVENTUALLY SEEMS TO GO AWAY OVER 10-30MIN, BUT IT CAN BE EXTREMELY STRONG. WE JUST ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM TODAY (THE COLDEST DAY IN ALLENTOWN THIS WINTER), BUT WHEN WE HAD THE PROBLEM LAST YEAR, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY CLEAR CAUSE. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SMELL.*CN
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
00.0%
No examples available for this selection.
125.0%ODI 10093682 · 31,500 mi
I HAVE A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED AROUND 31,000 MILES, IT BEGAN TO SHAKE PERCEPTIBLY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE SHAKING GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ROTORS HAD WORN UNEVENLY. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM UNDER THE VEHICLE'S 36,000 MILE/3 YEAR WARRANTY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT WEAR THIS QUICKLY IN A VEHICLE (THE BRAKE PADS THEMSELVES WERE OKAY AND NOT REPLACED. *AK
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
Component failure mileage distribution
Component
Mileage range (25th–75th percentile)
Median
Usable records
Examples
Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights
Too few reports for a range
35,000 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10147298 · 35,000 mi
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER (LESS THAN 25 F) THIS YEAR, MY 2002 SUBURU OUTBACK STATION WAGON (2.5 LITRE) HAS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN THE CABIN WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME NOW. IT IS VERY STRONG AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE (PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ACCIDENT OR EXHAUST PROBLEM) OR A FUME RELATED BLACKOUT OF SOMEBODY IN THE CAR. I HAVE READ ON THE ONLINE DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURUS IN COLD CLIMATES BUT THAT SUB…
MY CAR WILL STARTUP JUST FINE. UPON NEAR A STANDSTILL AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT WILL HESTITATE OR STALL COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO KEEP MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO KEEP IT GOING. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY IN COLDER THAN HOTTER WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE AT VANBORTEL SUBARU ON 11/1 AND THEY RELEASED IT BACK TO ME ON 11/3/04 SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ITS ANYTHING BUT FIXED AND IN FACT GOTTEN WORSE.*AK
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
Too few reports for a range
31,500 mi
1 (sparse)
ODI 10093682 · 31,500 mi
I HAVE A 2002 SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED AROUND 31,000 MILES, IT BEGAN TO SHAKE PERCEPTIBLY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE SHAKING GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ROTORS HAD WORN UNEVENLY. THE ROTORS WERE TURNED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM UNDER THE VEHICLE'S 36,000 MILE/3 YEAR WARRANTY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT WEAR THIS QUICKLY IN A VEHICLE (THE BRAKE PADS THEMSELVES WERE OKAY AND NOT REPLACED. *AK
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
Monthly complaint and recall timeline
Month
Complaints
Campaigns announced
Examples
2024-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2024-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-10
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-11
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2025-12
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-01
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-02
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-03
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-04
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-05
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-06
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-07
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-08
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-09
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
2026-10 (partial)
0
None
No examples available for this selection.
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2002: 2 complaints · 2003: 2 complaints
Equal observation windows
Model year
Through age 0
Through age 1
Through age 2
2002
0
0
2
2003
0
0
2
Date coverage across each selected cohort
Date basis for all complaints in selected model years
Year
Incident dates used
Filing date fallbacks
Excluded dates
2002
4
0
0
2003
2
0
0
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
Component co-occurrence matrix
Component
Air Bags:Frontal
Engine And Engine Cooling
Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
Fuel System, Gasoline
Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery
Fuel System, Other
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
Air Bags:Frontal
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Engine And Engine Cooling
0
—
0
0
0
0
0
0
Exterior Lighting:Fog Lights
0
0
—
1ODI 10147298 · 35,000 mi
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
CAR HAS LESS THAN 38000 MILES AND BOTH FOG LIGHTS WENT OUT AND ALSO ONE HEADLIGHT WENT OUT...CAR IS ONLY 3 YRS. OLD. SAW ANOTHER CAR; SAME MODEL; 1 YR. NEWER WITH SAME HEADLIGHT OUT. *NM
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
—
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
2 patterns with matching reports.
Fuel smell or leak mentions
2 mentions · 25.0% of complaints
Median mileage: 105,110 mi (1 usable records).
ODI 10213522
WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE DROPS SIGNIFICANTLY (E.G. BELOW 32DEG), A STRONG GASOLINE SMELL IS EMITTED FROM THE CAR UPON STARTING. IT EVENTUALLY SEEMS TO GO AWAY OVER 10-30MIN, BUT IT CAN BE EXTREMELY STRONG. WE JUST ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM TODAY (THE COLDEST DAY IN ALLENTOWN THIS WINTER), BUT WHEN WE HAD THE PROBLEM LAST YEAR, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY CLEAR CAUSE. THEY ALSO CLAIMED THAT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE SMELL.*CN
WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER (LESS THAN 25 F) THIS YEAR, MY 2002 SUBURU OUTBACK STATION WAGON (2.5 LITRE) HAS A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR IN THE CABIN WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED. IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME NOW. IT IS VERY STRONG AND THERE SEEMS TO BE A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I'M CONCERNED THAT IT COULD CAUSE A FIRE (PARTICULARLY IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN ACCIDENT OR EXHAUST PROBLEM) OR A FUME RELATED BLACKOUT OF SOMEBODY IN THE CAR. I HAVE READ ON THE ONLINE DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH SUBURUS IN COLD CLIMATES BUT THAT SUB…
MY CAR WILL STARTUP JUST FINE. UPON NEAR A STANDSTILL AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN IT WILL HESTITATE OR STALL COMPLETELY. I HAVE TO KEEP MY LEFT FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE RIGHT FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL TO KEEP IT GOING. THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY IN COLDER THAN HOTTER WEATHER. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE AT VANBORTEL SUBARU ON 11/1 AND THEY RELEASED IT BACK TO ME ON 11/3/04 SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ITS ANYTHING BUT FIXED AND IN FACT GOTTEN WORSE.*AK