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All-New 2010 Legacy/Outback

1296 messages,  Last post on Sep 21, 2012 at 8:25 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Subaru Forester, Car Buying, Car Comparisons, Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 116 of 130

#1148 of 1296 steering vibration information appreciated by birdboy

Jul 26, 2010 (7:49 pm)

I am asking anyone out there to share with me their experiences with driving the 2010 2.5 outback at speeds greater than 70MPH. I have a distinct vibration and shake in the wheel. This only happens at high speeds. I also notice that there is a lot of road feel even at lower speeds. Is this road feel common or typical of Subaru.?
My car has been in the shop 3x so far for this issue. Thus far , Subaru has balanced my tires, did a road force balance, and just last week installed a body vibration kit.
The vibration is less since the kit was installed , but still there at 70-75 mph. I am curious to know what your experiences are as I have no comparison. Is this normal? When I am driving at a speed of 70 on a relatively smooth road, NYS thruway, and rest my hand lightly on the wheel , my hand can be seen slightly shaking or quivering. There is also a lot of road feel.
Thank you for nay and all responses.

#1149 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [birdboy] by priggly

Jul 27, 2010 (1:35 am)

Replying to: birdboy (Jul 26, 2010 7:49 pm)
The car should not shake at any speed.
 
The suspension of the new Outback is defective.
 
This defect is well documented on the internet.
 
My advice to you is to dump this defective car or learn to live with it.
 
Subaru does not give a rat's **s.

#1150 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [birdboy] by rschleicher

Jul 27, 2010 (9:35 am)

Replying to: birdboy (Jul 26, 2010 7:49 pm)
There is extensive discussion of this issue at www.subaruoutback.org, in the section for 2010-2011 Outbacks. There is also a brief thread devoted to it here in the Carspace forums. It also seems to affect Legacy's also.
 
I don't want to belabor the issue here, when there is so much other discussion elsewhere, but a few things to mention:
 
- for some reason, it only seems to affect some cars, although the percentage of affected cars is very unclear. It is also not totally clear if the problem can develop "down the road", or if new cars either have it, or don't have it. I would say that in most cases, it seems to be present from the beginning (usually experienced in the 70-75 mph speed range).
 
- Various remedies have been applied to affected cars - the usual first step is road-force wheel balancing. But some cars also received a heavier spring insert inside of the steering rack (which reportedly provides some level of reduction of the symptoms, and may also make the steering feel a bit less "light"). One person on the subaruoutback.org forum apparently received a replacement steering rack, and a few people have reported receiving new bushings of some sort, in the front suspension.
 
- The only official TSB on the subject came out belatedly in May 2010, more or less summarizing the above partial remedies.
 
- For the past couple of months there have been reports/rumors that Subaru was working on a "real fix", whatever that may mean, and that a TSB for the "real fix" was supposedly due to come out in July (this month). But this hasn't happened yet, and it is not clear that it will happen. (The reports of this "fix in progress" aren't just internet rumors - I think some of this has come from conversations that some affected owners have had with Subaru corporate people.)

#1151 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [birdboy] by xwesx

Jul 27, 2010 (10:19 am)

Replying to: birdboy (Jul 26, 2010 7:49 pm)
As for "road feel," Subaru used to be very good at that, and it is one of those things that makes a car enjoyable to drive. The newest iteration of the Outback (and Forester) reduced road feel dramatically (and, in my opinion, disappointingly), but it is not, thankfully, completely gone (as you would find in a typical GM or Toyota).
 
The steering vibration, though, is a separate issue.

#1152 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [xwesx] by saedave

Jul 27, 2010 (2:01 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Jul 27, 2010 10:19 am)
The newest iteration of the Outback (and Forester) reduced road feel dramatically (and, in my opinion, disappointingly), but it is not, thankfully, completely gone (as you would find in a typical GM or Toyota).
 
Wes
 
But they are safer for the average driver than older models. I could confidently change lanes with my 1997 Legacy GT with only a touch to the wheel, but my partner wig wagged down the road when he was driving. The self centering and lighter touch on my new Forester XT are both better than on my previous Outback 3.0R.
 
I have noticed a lot of lazy drivers recently who don't turn the wheel far enough and fast enough for the attempted manuever. Subaru recent steering changes may particularly help such drivers.

#1153 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [saedave] by xwesx

Jul 27, 2010 (2:11 pm)

Replying to: saedave (Jul 27, 2010 2:01 pm)
Sadly, that assessment is likely correct. I have grown accustomed to it on my '10 Forester, but I sure don't enjoy it. Interestingly, even my Forester has more road feel than my '69 Chevrolet C20 pickup, so that trend is not a "new car" phenomenon!
 
I thoroughly enjoyed the steering on my '96, '07, and '08 Outbacks - I thought they were nicely, if not perfectly, balanced.

#1154 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [xwesx] by dcm61

Jul 27, 2010 (3:16 pm)

Replying to: xwesx (Jul 27, 2010 2:11 pm)
... even my Forester has more road feel than my '69 Chevrolet C20 pickup, so that trend is not a "new car" phenomenon!
 
That brings back memories of driving my Dad's '68 Ford F100 with manual steering and three on the tree on the hilly/windy Saw Mill / Merritt Parkway through NY & CT.
 
The steering box had tons of play and the shifter not only had a long throw (way longer than Chevy), but it also tended to jam going into 2nd. Now that was a workout.
 
Oh, but that 360 V8 w/ Holley 4 barrel just purred.

#1155 of 1296 Re: 2010 Subaru Outback Radio/Stereo Issues [nicolepare] by shunee

Jul 27, 2010 (9:48 pm)

Replying to: nicolepare (Feb 19, 2010 7:24 am)
I have a 2009 Forrester. My radio works but reception is not good in Asheville area. It worked well in Milwaukee, WI. I believe that radio or antena are weak compared to others because 1) my wife's 2010 VW Jetta has perfect reception of all the stations that I am interested in and 2) our realitor had satellite radio on her Outback in order to listen to radio.
 
Anyone had this experience? Is it the radio or antenna?
 
I am going to try to increase length of the antenna to see if that helps.

#1156 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [dcm61] by xwesx

Jul 28, 2010 (10:45 am)

Replying to: dcm61 (Jul 27, 2010 3:16 pm)
My '69 Ford Econoline's steering box also has a lot of play, though I have been told how to tighten it up (and have yet to do so!). That thing is an automatic (C4), but it is also one heck of a workout to drive... especially at low speeds! With no power-boosted brakes and no power steering, it is a whole different animal than your everyday road vehicle. I sure love that ugly old beast!
 
I have only driven a couple of vehicles with "three-on-the-tree" shifters (a '47 Chevrolet sedan and a '66 Galaxie). They were... interesting... to drive, but I did not think the shifting experience was nearly as engaging as a floor-mounted shifter.
 
And, on that note, I sure would like to see a real, definitive fix for that steering vibration problem on the 10 Outbacks!

#1157 of 1296 Re: steering vibration information appreciated [xwesx] by saedave

Jul 28, 2010 (10:52 am)

Replying to: xwesx (Jul 28, 2010 10:45 am)
My '69 Ford Econoline's steering box also has a lot of play, though I have been told how to tighten it up (and have yet to do so!).
 
I wonder if that is the same Ross steering gear box that I had on my 1965 Mustang.? I tighted mine up after about four years of use, but the result was lumpy steering with still a little too much play. That was the same infamous gearbox used on the Falcon. My partner still shakes the steering wheel from side to side from too many years driving a Falcon.

Messages Page 116 of 130

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