Cruise Control problems of the 2007 Subaru Outback

As I'm driving my airbag light comes on and all the lights on the dash starts flashing and cruise control gets disconnected one day it will happen next day it won�t.

Driving at 55 miles per hour on hwy 213, check engine light came on, lost power(limp mode), cruise control flashing. Pulled over to side of road on hill(barely able to make safe spot). Turned out vehicle. Restarted(lights still warning), back up and forward to assure power. Decided to try to get to nearby community/auto shop. Was able to do so. Diagnosis: p2138. They performed diagnostic procedure, results inconclusive. Cycled the accelerator through numerous positions and raters with variations on position/pressure applied to pedal, and monitor lab scope. Sensor signals were precise and without errors. Owner researched online and found numerous cased of same-without resolution for many people-reoccurring with costly repairs to attempt repair. Suggested calling Subaru. Com which I did. No reassurance as to problem being fixed, just said take it to a dealer. Concerned with safety as I drive my granddaughter in car, as well as safety for myself and others. Will take it to dealer but not optimistic about a permanent fix and safety of future driving.

This is my second complaint to be filed. This has been an ongoing problem since 2013. My 2007 Subaru Outback loses vehicle power as the accelerator stops responding. The cruise control, traction, and check engine lights all become illuminated or flashing. This is especially common upon restarting the car after a short drive, coming to a stop, or after 5-10 minutes from a cold start. Restarting the vehicle until the vehicle will not restart and then restarting once more resets the issue for approximately 24 hours. Cleaning the connector plug to the accelerator temporarily resolves the issue anywhere form 6 months to one week. Subaru has been contacted and issued a generic response mostly dealing with air bag safety concerns. This is a very hazardous default in the vehicle which is being ignored.

The contact owns a 2007 Subaru Outback. While driving approximately 60 mph, the vehicle lost power. The cruise control and traction lights illuminated. The contact coasted to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted after a couple of minutes. The contact drove home and called an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The failure recurred several times. The failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not provided. The failure mileage was 249,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Subaru Outback. While driving approximately 75 mph, the check engine and cruise control deactivation sensors illuminated before the speed suddenly decelerated to approximately 20 mph. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. After the vehicle was turned off and on, it operated normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 120,000.

Vehicle stopped at a red light during rush hour. Tried to accelerate for right turn, however there was no acceleration when the gas pedal was depressed. Checked the displace for indicator lights and check engine light and traction control lights were on steadily while cruise control was blinking. Immediately turned off heater, seat heater, and radio, and proceeded to coast down a hill at idle. Gas pedal was unresponsive, but I was able to safely pull off the road after 0. 3 miles. Restarted the car twice and the warning lights were still on and gas pedal still did not work. A third attempt to restart resulted in the engine turning over but no ignition. After several more restarts the gas pedal was responsive but indicators lights were still present. Drove to auto repair shop with normal speed control where the indicator lights promptly turned off. Sensor history indicated p2138 code for throttle position sensor.

Problem p2138 throttle ceases to control car engine speed. In neutral it settles at ?4000 rpm. Stopping and restarting the car stops the problem, but the check engine light remains on and cruise control light flashes for 1-2 days. Cruise control is not functional while in this state. This can happen at any speed, but typically at 55-60. Happens intermittently, now 3 times in the past month. Had the throttle sensor replaced one year ago, and we had no problem for 11 months until the past month.

The contact owns a 2007 Subaru Outback. While driving 60 mph with the cruise control activated, the vehicle gained speed down hill and accelerated to 80 mph. The contact disengaged the cruise control by applying the brakes. The dealer found no failures and stated that the vehicle was designed in that manner. The mechanic at the dealer inspected the vehicle and stated that the cruise control components did not appear to have failed. The current mileage was 19,751 and failure mileage was 8,841. Updated 01/02/08.