Subaru Legacy reliability survey results

[mkaresh]

The latest TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results have been posted. These are for the year ending December 31, 2007. Thanks to the help of this forum's members, we can provide results for three model years.

 

For the 2005 Subaru Legacy and Outback, we received an average of 8.6 months of data on 41 cars. The stat of 71 successful repair trips per 100 vehicles per year (0.7 per vehicle) is about average for a 2005 model. This is, however, worse than past results. It could just be a blip, or the 2005s may be starting to require more attention. Wheel bearings have been a sore spot (as active members here already now).

 

For the 2006s, we received an average of 7.1 months of data on 29 cars. The stat of 12 successful repair trips per 100 vehicles per year (0.1 per vehicle) is much better than average for a 2006 model.

 

For the 2007s, we received an average of 8.8 months of data on 12 cars. This is a very small sample size, so the result is asterisked. However, it is notable that none of these twelve cars required a repair. So even with the small sample size the repair rate is clearly low.

 

No results for the 2008 yet; we only recently started collecting data on the current model year.

 

Everyone who has been helping out with this research, thank you. Those who aren't yet helping out, please consider doing so. With larger sample sizes we'd be able to provide additional detail. More participants are especially needed for the 2007 and 2008, but would also increase the precision for the other years.

 

Full set of results:

 

TrueDelta Vehicle Reliability Survey results

[ehsnils]

Any figures on models and where they were assembled?

 

Things like wheel bearings may indicate that they were improperly mounted or that a bad lubricant was used. Or even dissatisfied workers neglecting lubrication.

 

Of course - a low number of samples is always sensitive to bad data.

[mkaresh]

I don't have a way of knowing where the cars were assembled. I could get this from the VIN, but very few people would be able to supply a VIN.

 

I think we can assume that nearly all of the cars were made at the Indiana plant, since nearly all panel members are North American at this point.

 

I normally wouldn't pinpoint a specific problem with this sample size, but I've ready many other reports of wheel bearing failures in these cars, including quite a few at this forum. Just did a search, found this:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/poll.php?do=showresults&pollid=1164

 

Even assuming that the results of such a poll are distorted, this is a high failure rate for a single part.

 

I doubt worker motivation has anything to do with it. Usually widespread problems can be traced to a design flaw.