Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1990 Subaru Loyale
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
531.3%
Engine & Cooling
531.3%
Tires
318.8%
Transmission & Drivetrain
212.5%
Electrical System
16.3%
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 1995peak 4Aug 2002
NHTSA investigations into the 1990 Subaru Loyale
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA95008Opened 10 Mar 1995Closed 2 Aug 1995FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
PE94051Opened 29 Jun 1994Closed 31 Oct 1994STRUCTURE
HOOD LATCH FAILURE
PE91039Opened 23 Jan 1991Closed 30 May 1991POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
REVERSE DELAYED ENGAGEMENT
Recalls on the 1990 Subaru Loyale
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 19951076,006 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
DEFECT: THE (Takata) ABS PLASTIC FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTONS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BREAK ALLOWING PLASTIC PIECES TO FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, A NO LATCH, FALSE LATCH OR FAILURE TO UNLATCH CONDITION COULD OCCUR CREATING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. CORRECTION: FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS NECESSARY.
Recall 19940675,504 units in Canada
Powertrain
NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ALL-WHEEL DRIVE MANUAL TRANSMISSION. UNDER COLD AND HUMID CONDITIONS, FROST MAY FORM AT THE TRANSMISSION OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) WHERE THE BREATHING MECHANISM IS INCORPORATED. THIS COULD CAUSE PRESSURE TO BUILD INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE WHICH IN TURN COULD PUSH OUT THE OIL SEAL. SUBSEQUENT OIL LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN BURNING OF TRANSMISSION COMPONENTS AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO WHEEL LOCK-UP. CORRECTION: ON VEHICLES WITH AN ALL METAL TYPE DIPSTICK, THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE TUBE WILL BE MODIFIED AND THE DIPSTICK WILL HAVE A SPACER ADDED. VEHICLES WITH A PLASTIC DIPSTICK WILL HAVE A MODIFIED TYPE DIPSTICK INSTALLED.
Recall 19910923,665 units in Canada
Powertrain
ON ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE PARK GEAR DISENGAGEMENT MECHANISM, WHEN SUBJECT TO LOADS RESULTING FROM CERTAIN PARKING SITUATIONS, MAY NOT RELEASE IMMEDIATELY INTO REVERSE GEAR RESULTING IN DELAYED AND POSSIBLY ABRUPT VEHICLE MOVEMENT. THIS COULD RESULT IN POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL AND THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH. CORRECTION: TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPAIRED WITH A MODIFIED PARKING PAWL.
Recall 19910843,665 units in Canada
Powertrain
THE TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM MAY NOT STAY ENGAGED DUE TO AN INCORRECT ADJUSTMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE. THIS COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ROLL-AWAY IF THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON AN INCLINE WITHOUT THE PARKING BRAKE ENGAGED. CORRECTION: TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE WILL BE CORRECTLY ADJUSTED.
Recall 19910432,085 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 108 - Lighting. The resinous reflex reflectors of the front parking/side marker lamps do not meet the photometric requirements of the Standard. Correction: Front parking/side marker lamps will be replaced on affected vehicles.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Greene, RI
TIRES:SIDEWALL
OUT OF THE FOUR NEW TIRES THAT WERE PURCHASED TWO TIRES IN THE REAR BLEWOUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. REPLACEMENT TIRES, 50000 MILES, P175/70R13, MOUNTED ON A SUBARU, ROYAL, 1990. *AK CONSUMER STATE TIRE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT. DOT. # MKEV5BHR 195.
NHTSA complaint #8016707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA complaint #557318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Riverside, CA
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR LEAKS OIL ON TAIL PIPE, CAUSING OIL TO BURN AND SMOKE.
NHTSA complaint #711133 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Altoona, PA
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID/ HORN HAS NO SOUND WHEN IT'S HIT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE MAKES GRINDING NOISE, LIKE METAL TO METAL. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES. NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT COULD BE CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #844145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Altoona, PA
TIRES
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID/ HORN HAS NO SOUND WHEN IT'S HIT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE MAKES GRINDING NOISE, LIKE METAL TO METAL. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES. NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT COULD BE CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #844145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Altoona, PA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
TRANSMISSION LEAKS FLUID/ HORN HAS NO SOUND WHEN IT'S HIT AND RIGHT FRONT TIRE MAKES GRINDING NOISE, LIKE METAL TO METAL. HAD TAKEN TO DEALER AT LEAST 6 TIMES. NOTHING WAS FOUND THAT COULD BE CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #844145 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Arlington, MA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
POWER SEAT BELT MOTOR FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #524927 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
West Haven, CT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE WATER PUMP BROKE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #801325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Shelton, CT
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HEADS CRACKED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/OIL LEAKS. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #484195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Albuquerque, NM
SEAT BELTS
2 FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE NOT LOCKING UP IN SUDDEN STOPPING SITUATION. TT
NHTSA complaint #964970 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Traverse CIT, MI
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM GASKET LEAK. TT
NHTSA complaint #964331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Traverse CIT, MI
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TRANSMISSION PROBLEM GASKET LEAK. TT
NHTSA complaint #964331 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sterling, VA
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS SOME TIMES VERY HARD TO LOCK . TT
NHTSA complaint #962704 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Missoula, MT
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
ALL FOUR SEAT BELT SYSTEMS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. TT
NHTSA complaint #961528 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
OAK Creek, WI
SEAT BELTS
HAD TO BREAK DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT TO EXIT FROM IT. TT
NHTSA complaint #961272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Louisville, KY
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN TURNING TO RIGHT, OIL IN ENGINE SWINGS OVER TO LEFT IN OIL PAN; GETS SUCKS UP INTO TUBE THAT GOES TO FUEL INTAKE; STARTS SMOKING; CANNOT ACCCELERATE. TT
NHTSA complaint #960863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.