2005 Subaru Outback Steering Problems
- 13
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 13 stored complaint records:
- 2 indicate a crash
- 1 indicate injury
- 0 indicate fire
What owners report
- left right · 4 records
- side side · 4 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 150–400k mi | 3 |
| 100–150k mi | 3 |
| 30–60k mi | 3 |
| 60–100k mi | 2 |
| 1–30k mi | 1 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Steering · Suspension
While driving on slippery surfaces like ice and snow, the vehicle will begin swaying left and right uncontrollably. The sensation, also known as "ghost walking" could easily cause an accident if the driver can not control the swaying, and spinning out. Conditions of problem: driving during winter conditions, on snowy roads and highways. The vehicle is fine under dry/normal conditions. I believe the issue stems from…
ODI 11184192
Body · Electronic Stability Control · Steering · Suspension · Wheels
I was pulling into a parking space and put on the brake. Vehicle didn't respond to braking and kept going, over the,curb, across the median and hit 5 parked cars before it stopped.
Crash reported
ODI 10861039
Power Train · Steering · Suspension
My 2005 outback is very unsafe to drive under certain conditions. After extensive research online, i have discovered people use the term "ghost walking" to describe the issue. After driving over a bump or slick spot on the road, the driver momentarily loses control of the vehicle. The back end sways side to side and the car can jump several feet to the left or right. I have noticed this problem several times but it…
ODI 10816220
Alternator/Generator/Regulator · Steering
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 subaru outback. While driving approximately 35 mph, the battery warning indicator illuminated and the steering wheel seized, which required excessive force. The failure recurred once. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who stated that the alternator bolt fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
ODI 10649776
Steering · Suspension
While driving on straight, flat and level ice-covered northern indiana road at 35 mph, my 2005 subaru outback xt ltd fishtailed (rear over-steer) repeatedly. This felt as if the rear of the vehicle was being quickly pushed from side to side. (this is often referred to as "ghostwalking" and is unmistakable once experienced.) there were two average weight adults in the front seats and one young adult (135 lbs) in the…
ODI 10490030
Steering · Suspension
Purchased 2005 outback in april 2012 with approximately 190000 miles. Car felt very unstable when going over any uneven road surface. Replaced rear struts with no improvement. Tried different tires with no noticeable change. Decided it must be an odd but normal condition for the vehicle. Today, 9/18/12, drove car in light rain along a 2-lane road at approximately 50-55 mph and car was very unstable in the rear. The…
ODI 10475892
Steering
While driving on snowpacked dirt roads to town, i reached a straightaway where, unknown to me, ice had formed over the snow. Driving straight at 30-35 mph, the back end suddenly began to track to the right. I turned the steering wheel to the right and pressed the gas pedal to correct, but this had no effect. I was unable to regain control, and the vehicle slid into the ditch, resulting in damage to the vehicle and…
Crash reported · 1 injury
ODI 10369138
Steering
2005 subaru outback wagon extremely unstable on slippery roads. Unsafe to drive at any speed under certain conditions. Has been termed 'ghost walking'. This problem can be fixed / helped with wheel alignment, but should not be such a dangerous vehicle because of an alignment problem. Some other factors have to be contributing to the horrific handling of this vehicle on slippery roads. It is not a matter of just…
ODI 10402569
Steering · Suspension
I reside in the sierra nevada mountains in california and experience snowy/icy driving conditions regularly throughout the winter. The outback was purchased for its performance in these conditions and is equipped with blizzak studless snow tires. On several occasions, in both ca and co, while driving on packed snow at approximately 40 mph, the rear end began to fishtale out of control. This situation continued to…
ODI 10443928
Steering
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 subaru outback. While driving 40 mph, the rear of the vehicle began to sway from side to side. If the contact drove more than 40 mph, the vehicle would fail again. The vehicle is currently being inspected by the dealer. The cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The manufacturer stated that there were no current recalls on the vehicle; therefore, no compensation would be…
ODI 10257413
Steering
I have a 2005 subaru outback. On several occasions, driving on hard-packed snow and/or ice/glaze on the highway i have found it nearly impossible to drive the car at traffic speeds without the rear end losing grip and sliding side to side. It feels like it's very windy, and you're about to lose control. Except that it's not windy. The car just seems to lose traction in the rear wheels. We've had to slow down to…
ODI 10492143
Steering
My 2005 subaru outback 2.5xt has a bad rear end sway while driving over slick spots on the highway, feeling like the car is going to loose control. *tr
ODI 10217316
Steering · Suspension
I am a very experienced driver in snowy and icy conditions. My outback 2005 2.5i started wiggling out of control (especially felt the back end wiggle left to right) on a straight road with approx 1/2 inch ice and packed snow causing me to slow down from approximately 40 mph to 20 mph . Other 2 wd vehicles passed us at much higher speeds with no apparent problem to keep straight. Our car had 2 adults and 2 small…
ODI 10442804