'05 OBXT HIGH SPEED instability

[sparky11]

Has anyone ever tried to see if that low speed "sway" on ice would ever rear its ugly head at higher speeds in the dry? I have 2005 OBXT automatic wagon with 67,000 miles on the clock. Bought used an owned about 1 1/2 years.

 

She starts that side to side motion at about 90 mph, very gentle but becomes down right violently uncontrollable and oscillates side to side so bad that it wants to throw itself off the road by 130 mph. This is on flat level dry asphalt. Now nobody drives this fast but the point is I have never had ANY other car exhibit the kind of behavior, old or new, that this thing did.

 

Never tried to duplicate it as it was so bad and warned my wife not to exceed 80 mph on the highway no matter what. Any one else ever see this happen?

 

I realize that it is NOT a GT but that is not a safe behavior to exhibit no matter what.

[ericem]

Make sure you have the same tires front and back, and be sure they have the correct air pressure that is on the driver side door or on the pillar. Also you could have tires with broken belts.

[sparky11]

Almost new continentals when purchased. Tire pressure could have been off at that time--don't remember. Always checking it though as it seems to be the most sensitive car I've ever seen to pressure variation. Broken belts not likely but still possible. Feels like a suspension problem more than anything else which is a shame given that 67,000 miles isn't that much for these cars, it doesn't give one the same safe and secure feeling like the previous models did. The more I live with it the more I don't like it. Yes it is scary fast for a production car, has a beautiful interior and good looks, but safe?--Not so much.

 

 

I personally don't like the factory tire/wheel size for the outback --snow plows instead of snow biters. Don't like its snow manners at all so we use the old Brighton wagon for most winter driving. If I keep the OBXT I will have to get a winter tire/wheel package.

[ericem]

Try another outback see if it does the same thing. Maybe you need a alignment?

[bheinen74]

The more I live with it the more I don't like it. Yes it is scary fast for a production car, has a beautiful interior and good looks, but safe?--Not so much.

 

 

I Don't like its snow manners at all so we use the old Brighton wagon for most winter driving. If I keep the OBXT I will have to get a winter tire/wheel package.

 

those points I can agree with 1000%

wish i had my old one (94 touring wagon) for the snow/ice, better feet heat, better rear defroster, etc. the old one never needed snows, and was very stable safe. The new ones dont even have a full side to side width front bumper beam, it just goes out about 3/4's the way to the edge, the old ones bumper beam went fender to fender.

 

Oh well, Subaru is selling cars, just not as good of cars .

Edited January 8, 2010 by bheinen74

[Bmm001]

I'm not disputing the ice instability of the '05's, as I have no knowledge to say one way or the other.. sounds like a suspension geometry design flaw, but I also wonder whether Subaru's tire/wheel choice exacerbates the inherent instability?

 

I personally don't like the factory tire/wheel size for the outback --snow plows instead of snow biters.

 

I agree with this. Even my '03 OB that has much larger tires than our other Subarus (mid-late 90s Imprezas and Legacies) is less sure-footed in bad weather. The solution: slow down.

 

Back to this situation: an outback isn't a sports car. It's a tall, heavy quasi-suv that probably shouldn't be driven this fast just because it can be. Should it be behaving this way? Probably not, but I think a little common sense should rule.

 

Brian

[wtdash]

Check out some of the other Subaru sites about this issue, too..... legacygt.com comes to mind

 

Do you know anyone w/WRX wheels/tires? Maybe swap for a day? I'm thinking tires, but an out of balance tire usually shows up @ 60mph-ish, in my experience.

 

67K isn't a lot, but as 2nd owner you don't know if the PO tweaked something. I'd take it to a couple of Subaru-specific shops for feedback on how things look underneath.

 

RE: snow tires: The 225 width is too much for winter driving , IMHO. I'd consider a 205-series (if they make it). If you found a set of Forester's 215/60R-16 they might be a good compromise...if they fit over the calipers. Also an aggressive tread makes a difference in 'bite' vs. 'plow'.

 

 

Good luck,

TD

[bheinen74]

I know its ridiculous, but everyone with the newer Subarus is basically required to ditch the stock tires for something more snow-likeable.

Its too bad, the brainiacs at Subaru don't know that the reason we usually buy their cars, is to have a little better hope of getting around in the snow, and they are p@@!ing away some future customers if they keep the road they are on.

The new GT legacy, comes with summer tires only. What a waste.

oh, and the feet heat in the new ones is terrible.

 

oops, i posted in the wrong thread, yet again. sorry. I was reading the post before me and got off topic.

[sparky11]

It's nothing that $2,000.00 worth of suspension mods won't fix, or so it appears. And then what else? This generation has some serious flaws and it is too bad.

[fleming442]

There is a HUGE thread about this on outback.com. I remember seeing a reply that said the rear suspension changes caster & camber with travel.

 

I have an 02 OBW, and have had her cranked up in the triple digits. It was very stable, but then again, the problem seems to be '05 & up.

 

Tires make all the difference in the world. I had some cheesy Firehawk GTII's with alot of wear put me off the road because they hydro'd. I got some Bridgestone Grid 0019's mainly because I like the aggressive tread pattern. So far they have made it up my driveway when my 2500HD had trouble in 4WD!