2007 Subaru Outback: check engine light

Filed Nov 2, 2019 · Acceleration, Electrical · 174,881 miles · NY

I was driving down a street when my car engine was still running but I had no gas pedal response .so l coasted to side of road an shut it off an started it .then after I did that I got gas pedal response .the check engine light was on after restarting vechile so I had a code scan check it,an a code p2138 showed . The code is for the throttle/pedal sensor. I'm just glad I was not doing 65 on a highway an a semi wasn't behind me or any other vehicle

Filed Jul 14, 2019 · Acceleration, Electrical · 103,500 miles · IN

Well I lost all throttle control for the first time. Engine light was on which disabled the vdc and cruise and the gas pedal. It has happened several times since then. When shutting the car off it is very hard to restart. When this happens and you try to stop the car doesn't want to it just pulses forward so more brake pedal is needed. If you put it in park the engine revs high. This is a known issue with the tps not being able to communicate with the throttle servo via the TCM. This issue happens at random. Usually when I've been driving it for about 10 minutes.

Filed Oct 2, 2017 · Acceleration · 186,000 miles · OR

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.

Filed Feb 10, 2017 · Engine · 100,000 miles · MD

I just bought a 2007 subaru outback from a certified subaru dealer (stohlman subaru in va), it had 65000 miles on it, I did all the maintenance and minor repairs on it. I paid $12,000 for the vehicle. On 2/5/2017, the check engine light started flashing so I pulled the vehicle over and had it towed to a service station. Apparently, the vehicle was out of oil despite that it wasn't due for another oil change in 1500 miles and we had checked the oil a week before and it was full. The engine has siezed up and required a new engine. No oil indicator light had come on, no smoking or overheating, and from the service station, no leaks on the vehicle. I then had it towed to another subaru specialist service station in frederick, md and again was told the vehicle needed a new engine. Owned the car less than a year, no leaks, no indicator of low oil, the oil just disappeared? The auto mechanics are dumbfounded at what caused this.

Filed Aug 30, 2016 · Acceleration, Engine · 120,000 miles · TN

Tl* 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.

Filed Jul 8, 2016 · Acceleration, Electrical · 79,000 miles · TX

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.

Filed Sep 11, 2014 · Acceleration · 100,000 miles · MN

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.

Filed Apr 3, 2013 · Acceleration, Electrical · 55,600 miles · TX

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.

Filed Jan 31, 2013 · Acceleration · FL

2007 subaru outback. Consumer writes in regards to no response from gas pedal. *smd the consumer stated he stopped for a red light and began to turn right after the light turned green. The vehicle then accelerated to around 20 MPH and would not go any faster. He was able to pull into a parking lot and stop, as there was a scratching sound coming from the vehicle. He noticed the engine was turning about 2,000 RPM and was responding to the air condition cycling. With the transmission in neutral, the idle speed went up to around 2,400 RPM. Also, a flag was set for the check engine light the entire time, which he was informed it would cause the cruise control light to blink at a very slow rate.

Filed Mar 11, 2012 · Acceleration, Electrical · 66,270 miles · FL

While driving our 2007 subaru outback sw on a 6 lane divided highway at 65 MPH, the car suddenly decelerated and lost all gas pedal response. My wife was able to move the car to the side of the road although she almost caused an accident due to surrounding traffic. The car started flashing the cruise control, traction control, and check engine dash lights. After allowing the car to sit for a few minutes, my wife was able to start the car again and get home. I checked the error codes and got a p02138. I did some research and found numerous other people experiencing the same issue on the subaru blogs. All of the other reports pointed to the same source(s) the gas pedal position sensor or throttle position sensor. Most reported subaru service departments claiming no knowledge of the issue ever happening before. Both my wife and I have had the same thing happen several times since in both local and highway traffic. I have cleaned the terminals on both sensors and this seems to help, but the problem always returns. I read where several other drivers had the gas pedal assembly changed and the issue seemed to be resolved. This seems to be a severe safety issue. Having a car suddenly become dead on the road in the middle of traffic is dangerous to anyone around. *tr