05 OBW squirrely when windy???

[glmf]

Love this car except for this, when its windy, or even just breezy and I am driving down the highway, the car is hard to keep straight. Not like I am out of control or anything, just can't sit there and relax as it always needs input to the steering wheel. As listed its an 05 Outback Wagon with 90k on the clock. Good tires, I think Good Year assurance. Thanks for any help.

[bheinen74]

this could also be same causes for the "ghostwalk" : there is something that is not right in the suspension geometry, design flaw in the 05+ outbacks. The engineers messed up on the 05+ outbacks. No progression on that for sure.

File a complaint on the NHTSA and maybe someday they will give us owners a recall and fix them

 

link to file complaint is http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/

[glmf]

thanks for that info. Car is actually great in the slippery stuff. Its this behavior with the wind that is driving me nuts. Car is just easily blown around by mild winds. My 1996 OBW was never like this so you could be right about geometry. Thanks

[bheinen74]

geometry is wrong; file a complaint in the link telling that your older one wasnt like that, and write a good description. At some point, something has to be done about the newer handling, etc. The engineers i think messed up what once was a great car.

[Setright]

90K miles? You shoud consider fitting new dampers (shock absorbers), they will be worn, and you will feel a very big difference.

 

Tyres? More than 4 years old? Time for new tyres.

 

Tyre pressure? "Correct" pressure depends on many things, including your own personal taste. Make sure they are the same, side-to-side.

 

Also, a four-wheel alignment might be a good idea.

[glmf]

complaint filed, thanks for that link. And dampers are my next step. Tires are in good shape and not that old. Although I haven't messed with the pressure, that is also something I will play with, thanks for the suggestions

[Mike104]

Here is a link to a thread on "ghost walking". I have a 99 so its not something I have any experience with.

 

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11267

[bheinen74]

this depends also, do you drive the car on icy roads and snow? This could just be the same thing as what a large number experience, even mine exhibits strange behavior on potholed roads where the back is definitely not sure footed and planted to the road.

[glmf]

this problem for me is just on the highway, where I am trying to go straight and am being buffeted by the wind. If there is no breeze at all, its fine, but thats rare around here.