2010 Subaru Outback Suspension Problems

Your car's engine subframe on the left side has severely corroded and failed, causing the lower control arm to detach. This causes your car to pull to one side and handle unpredictably, making it unsafe to drive. Fixing this requires replacing the corroded subframe, which typically costs around $2,200.

Your 2010 Outback's subframe (the metal structure that supports your engine and transmission) is showing excessive rust and corrosion. This is a critical structural component that bears a lot of weight, and degradation could affect suspension safety and performance. You may want to have a mechanic inspect the subframe for damage and assess whether it needs repair or replacement.

My daughter was concerned with the car making strange squeaking sounds on turning and braking and so I met her where her car was parked in a lot and drove it for less than 1 minute and could tell something was very wrong and that it didn't seem safe to drive home. My husband came to check as well and zeroed in on the problem being the front driver's side tire/suspension. Fortunately the Subaru dealership was less than .5 away and my husband drove it there (with flashers on). It was determined by the dealership that the subframe had rusted through (we have photos uploaded below) and a new one was ordered and replaced within the week. The materials and labor for that alone cost $1944.37. Control arm bushings, rear toe arms, and alignment were also completed. The total cost of the repair was $3281.14.

The contact owns a 2010 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his daughter was reversing out of the driveway, the vehicle was making an abnormal clicking sound. The contact's daughter was able to continue driving; however, the suspension was not stable. The contact and his wife test drove the vehicle and noticed that the suspension was unstable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front subframe was severely corroded. The dealer diagnosed that the subframe, bushings, and the rear toe links needed to be replaced; and an alignment needed to be performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

I’m driving down the road and I hit a bump, then I go to brake and veers left, I take to my mechanic he says the my subframe cracked, car is not safe to drive, he says it happens a lot

Subframe or cradle Subaru OEM # 50527AJ01A is a vital safety component (see dealer's written comments below) and as designed and installed completely supports the weight of the engine and transmission - rust and corrosion per mechanics at 3 different garages (Mickey's, Weber, Ganley Subaru) advised vehicle is unsafe to drive due to subframe corrosion and imminent failure. Corrosion of sub frame and its welds are very extreme for low mileage 102,000 Quoting Ganley Subaru dealer in North Olmsted, Ohio in writing (vehicle originally purchase there by me the current owner): "A damaged sub frame puts everyone in the vehicle at risk. During a collision the subframe is responsible for absorbing and evenly distributing the forces from impact. If damaged the sub frame cannot distribute the impact causing a complete collapse of the vehicle." I called Subaru customer service/advocacy department on October 22, 2021 and was told there were no recalls or warranty on this part and I would bear the complete cost of repair and replacement almost $5,000.00 for subframe and steering rack and pinion. I have pictures and video's I also have requested the dealer return the subframe to me after repair and replacement. Picture attached is just one small length of the subframe the entire length of which on both the driver and passenger sides and on both sides of the frame show complete failure due to corrosion

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE CONTROL ARM AND ECM HAD MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING A CONTROL ARM AND ECM TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 268,000.

THIS 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK HAS ONLY 69000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS SEVERAL RUSTED ROT SPOTS ON THE SUB FRAME, THE AXLES AND OTHER FRONT END COMPONENTS ALSO HAVE LAYERS OF RUST SUGGESTING THE STABILITY OF THOSE PARTS IS ALSO COMPROMISED. IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS VEHICLE WITH SO FEW MILES ON THE ODOMETER.

VEHICLE HAS VIBRATIONS INCREASING WITH SPEED. MOST NOTICEABLE AT 60MPH AND ABOVE AND THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING WORSE. THE CAR WILL ALSO OCCASIONALLY VEER OFF TO THE RIGHT DURING BRAKING. TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP FOR AN INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT SUBARU HAD ISSUES WITH THE SUSPENSION THAT YEAR AND THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS UPGRADED IN SUBSEQUENT YEARS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $2000 IF I WANTED TO UPGRADE THE SUSPENSION, BUT THAT IT WASN'T A SAFETY ISSUE IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE CAR.

2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE REPAIRS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR BEARINGS WERE GONE AT 65,000 MILES. THE PURCHASED TIRED WER BALD AT 25,000 MILES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *JS

MODEL YEAR HAS UNDER SIZED BRAKES FOR THE VEHICLE WEIGHT,( ROTORS QUICKLY WARP ) #2 IN THE ABSENCE OF SURFACE RUST, FRONT SUB FRAME ROTTING AWAY. GOT RID OF CAR AFTER JUST INSTALLING NEW SET MICHELLIN TIRES, BRAKES, ROTORS AND DETAILING. HAD I KNOWN!!! HOW DISCOVERED; STATIONARY, LOOKING FOR SOURCE OF STRANGE NOISE UNDER NEATH UPON STOPING AND STARTING IN TRAFFIC.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED, ADVISING THE CONTACT TO MOVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT ALL FOUR STRUTS WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR STRUTS HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 11/29/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABOVE DESCRIPTION IS WRONG. AT 58,00 MILES THE VEHICLE HAD A 60,00 MILE SERVICE, AND IT WAS DETERMINED ALL OF THE STRUTS NEEDED SUBARU REIMBURSED THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS. UPDATED 12/2/13

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING MY 2010 2.5I OUTBACK WITH THE CVT I NOTICED A SWAY ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN TRAVELING AROUND 80 MPH. THE CAR FEELS TO DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE (ALMOST SNAKE LIKE) WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. I ASKED THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT IF THEY WERE AWARE OF ANY ISSUES AND THEY SAID NO, BUT WOULD TAKE A LOOK. THEY FOUND NOTHING TO BE INCORRECT YET THE CAR CONTINUES TO SWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT FEELS AS IF IT WOULD BENEFIT FROM AN UPGRADED FRONT AND REAR SWAY BAR TO TIE THE LENGTHIER VEHICLE TOGETHER A BIT MORE. I WOULD PURCHASE THESE MYSELF BUT DON'T WANT TO VOID THE LEASE WARRANTY AND REALLY FEEL THAT SUBARU SHOULD PROVIDE AND INSTALL THESE FOR FREE SINCE MULTIPLE PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUE. *TR

MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN LOYAL SUBARU OWNERS FOR OVER TEN YEARS, BUT WE HAVE ENCOUNTERED TWO TROUBLING PROBLEMS WITHIN THE SAME YEAR. THE FIRST PROBLEM WAS EVENTUALLY TAKEN CARE OF BY SUBARU OF AMERICA AFTER SEVERAL MONTHS OF GOING TO DIFFERENT DEALERS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. WE HAD A BAD TRANSMISSION WHICH FINALLY WAS RECOGNIZED AS THE PROBLEM AND IT NEEDED REPLACING BUT SUBARU OF AMERICA DECIDED IT WOULD BUY BACK THE 2009 SUBARU FORRESTER WHICH HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM THE DAY MY WIFE PURCHASED IT. WE WERE TOLD WE HAD TO BUY ANOTHER SUBARU BUT THIS WE THOUGHT WAS NO PROBLEM. MY WIFE CHOSE A 2010 OUTBACK AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS THE NIGHTMARE STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. WE THOUGHT HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN'WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF TWO CARS FROM SUBARU HAVING TRANSMISSION ISSUES. THE FIRST TIME WAS ONE THING BUT A SECOND TIME? THE TRANSMISSION IS ELECTRONIC BUT IT DOES NOT PERFORM PROPERLY. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALERSHIP A NUMBER OF TIMES HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS OPERATING NORMALLY. WE KNOW THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SUPPOSED TO SLAM INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN THE CAR COMES TO A STOP AFTER BEING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE PROBLEM IS WAY PAST ANNOYING AND WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN MORE THAN PATIENT BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. WE HAVE TEST DRIVEN OTHER MODELS OF THIS MAKE AND DO NOT EXPERIENCE THE TRANSMISSION ISSUE. MY WIFE DRIVES THE CAR MORE THAN ME SEEING AS IT IS HER CAR BUT SHE IS AT WITS END. WE ARE WAY PAST BEING PISSED OFF OR EXTREMELY ANGRY AND WANT SOMEONE FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA TO CHECK OUT THIS CAR. *TR