FaultScore
See all results →
All makes Worst years, ranked Problems by part Problems by model year Recalls in Canada Compare two cars How we grade

FaultScore report

1986 Subaru GL problems

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1986 Subaru GL with NHTSA between 1995 and 2006. The largest single group is the suspension.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Subaru GL
—

Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

17

Complaints

1

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

0

Injuries reported

How 1986 compares with every other Subaru GL

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1986 Subaru GL

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Suspension 5 29.4%
Seat Belts 3 17.6%
Body & Structure 3 17.6%

Median failure at 160,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 2 11.8%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Seats 1 5.9%
Wheels 1 5.9%
Tires 1 5.9%
Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 5.9%

1 crashes, 0 fires

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Mar 1995 peak 5 Aug 2006

Recalls on the 1986 Subaru GL

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1992035 7,920 units in Canada

Suspension

Note: vehicles located in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. Continuous exposure to road salt and chemicals may cause corrosion of the rear suspension inner arms which could affect the operation and control of the vehicle. Correction: Inner arms of the rear suspension will be inspected and rust proofed or replaced.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Missoula, MT Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #986166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Malden, MA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. TT

NHTSA complaint #966636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

at 160,000 miles Monroe, CT

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, A SOUND OF RUST RIPPING WAS HEARD, RESULTING IN A SLIGHT LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME HAD CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR WHEELS WERE ALSO BOWED IN AT THE TOP, CAUSING THEM TO TOUCH THE SPRINGS, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE.

NHTSA complaint #10166868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hudson, NH

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH DEFECTIVE CONTROL ARM FELL OFF, CAUSING THE RIGHT AND LEFT REAR WHEEL TO COME OFF WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA complaint #823523 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

TIRES

LEFT FRONT TIRE BROKE OFF, CAUSING DAMAGE TO UNDERCARRIAGE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)

NHTSA complaint #513006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Missoula, MT Fire

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA complaint #986166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Elkton, MD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

HEAD GASKETS LEAK, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.

NHTSA complaint #501678 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Rowley, MA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

REAR SEAT BUCKLES FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #484894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carver, MA

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS

FRONT FRAME RAIL IS CORRODED, HAS TWO HOLES IN IT. TT CONSUMER FOUND THIS FAILURE WHEN HAVING FRONT END OF VEHICLE ALIGNED, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE FAILURE PREVENTED THEM FROM PUTTING VEHICLE ON A LIFT, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WITH RECALLS 90V086 AND 92V001 AND FEELS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE RECALLS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FRAME RAIL. WHILE DRIVING, THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BROKE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #974545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carver, MA

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

FRONT FRAME RAIL IS CORRODED, HAS TWO HOLES IN IT. TT CONSUMER FOUND THIS FAILURE WHEN HAVING FRONT END OF VEHICLE ALIGNED, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE FAILURE PREVENTED THEM FROM PUTTING VEHICLE ON A LIFT, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WITH RECALLS 90V086 AND 92V001 AND FEELS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE RECALLS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FRAME RAIL. WHILE DRIVING, THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BROKE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #974545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carver, MA

WHEELS

FRONT FRAME RAIL IS CORRODED, HAS TWO HOLES IN IT. TT CONSUMER FOUND THIS FAILURE WHEN HAVING FRONT END OF VEHICLE ALIGNED, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE FAILURE PREVENTED THEM FROM PUTTING VEHICLE ON A LIFT, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WITH RECALLS 90V086 AND 92V001 AND FEELS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE RECALLS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FRAME RAIL. WHILE DRIVING, THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BROKE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #974545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Carver, MA

STRUCTURE:BODY

FRONT FRAME RAIL IS CORRODED, HAS TWO HOLES IN IT. TT CONSUMER FOUND THIS FAILURE WHEN HAVING FRONT END OF VEHICLE ALIGNED, THE COMPANY REFUSED TO PERFORM AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE FAILURE PREVENTED THEM FROM PUTTING VEHICLE ON A LIFT, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED WITH RECALLS 90V086 AND 92V001 AND FEELS THE SAME THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE RECALLS HAS HAPPENED WITH THE FRAME RAIL. WHILE DRIVING, THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE CONTROL ARM BROKE. WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL BROKE. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #974545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Malden, MA Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

PUT VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IT ACCELERATED AND CRASHED. TT

NHTSA complaint #966636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Winnewood, PA

SEATS

THE BOLT THAT HOLDS THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAS CRACKED FROM THE ANCHOR. TT

NHTSA complaint #965975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tewksbury, MA

SUSPENSION:REAR

RIGHT/REAR TRAILING ARM CRACKED AFTER RECALL REPAIRS, CAUSING TIRE TO LEAN INWARD.

NHTSA complaint #481915 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Bronx, NY

SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR INNER ARMS CORRODED, INVOLVED IN INITIAL RECALL FOR CORRODED INNER ARMS. TT

NHTSA complaint #963582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Manassas, VA

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

LEFT REAR SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK, WON'T RETRACT. TT

NHTSA complaint #962895 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chesterfie, MA

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM

RUST HOLE ON INNER CONTROL ARM NEXT TO WHEEL BEARING/SHOCK SPRING MOUNT. *SKD

NHTSA complaint #478312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Kewaskum, WI

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR

THE TWO WINDOW REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR WILL NOT LET THE BELT COME OUT. TT

NHTSA complaint #961871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.