2014 Subaru Outback: adaptive cruise control problems

Filed Sep 11, 2025 · Driver assistance, Electrical · MN

I purchased this vehicle in May 2024 within 2 months of purchase the eyesight function malfunctioned. I took it back to the dealership where I purchased it and they attempted to diagnose it at cost of parts and I ended up paying a few hundred dollars for that repair. That didn’t work and they offered to attempt something else but this was just guessing. Then a few months down the line I receive a post card in the mail for a ‘warranty extension’ on the exact issue I am having. I take it to the Subaru dealership once and they had me return a second time saying they couldn’t diagnose it at that time because the lights that appear on and off weren’t appearing for them. Returning a second time they said they were able to diagnose the issue but the warranty only covers 75%. The remaining 25% that’s left to me comes to $1098.34. The issue I have with this is being it is a safety concern. The features eyesight provides are to be additional safety features. The biggest one being the cruise control that has gone out on me while using it. Going high velocity down the freeway using it and it shuts off completely, luckily I it hasn’t caused an accident and there hasn’t been anyone behind me when it happens and no one to close in front of me but this has happened on multiple occasions to myself, my boyfriend and most recently a friend when we went out of town when I didnt think to inform her of it. We no longer use the cruise control being it is scary and a risk to our safety. I have escalated to Subaru of America who says that it is a warranty extension to care for their customers but the representative I spoke with denied it being a known issue. He says the warranty expired in 2016 for my vehicle but Subaru extended it as to care for the customers. With that in mind I do not think I’m the only one with this issue and concern or else why would they put this extension out if they’re no just trying to be compensated and avoid a recall for the issue.

Filed Jan 10, 2020 · Electrical · NY

Since 5/2019 my subaru has been in for service 5 times due to the dashboard lights flashing while driving. The brake light, check engine light, and the cruise control light. My remote starter and radio do not work either. Each time it's brought in for the same problem I am given a different reason, charged a fee and sent on my way, until it happens again! Getting a little tired of having my chain yanked. Subaru needs to do a recall for this recurring problem.my car ran fine until the passenger air bag was changed, due to a recall.

Filed Oct 29, 2019 · Electrical · 95,000 miles · CO

Tl* the contact owns a 2014 subaru outback. While driving, the traction control, brake, and atm oil temperature warning indicators illuminated. When the failure occurred, the gears and cruise control failed to function. The vehicle was taken to grove subaru of silverthorne (171 9th st, silverthorne, co 80498, (970) 276-6039) where it was diagnosed that code: p0971 failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the repair fees. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Filed Aug 19, 2019 · Electrical · 17,195 miles · NY

While driving locally the indicator lights on the dashboard started flashing (cruise control, check engine and brake lights).parked car, checked gas cap and disconnected battery and cleaned terminals, problem continued. Took the car to our local auto mechanic (after some not so pleasant dealings with subaru) 7/22/19 he performed computer diagnostic and found faulty oxygen sensor. $601.38. Car worked well until today. Returning home from store the lights are flashing again back to the mechanic. 18,000 miles on the car!

Filed Apr 4, 2018 · Body · 60,000 miles · WY · crash · 1 injury

I was in heavy traffic on I-17 north of phoenix az. Adaptive cruise control (acc) was set and I was following the car ahead at the maximum distance set by acc. My foot was not on the accelerator or the brake. I saw the preceding car's brake lights come on, and I felt my car start to slow. The preceding car stopped and it became apparent that my car was no longer braking, or if it was, not hard enough to stop. I applied the brakes but it was too late and we hit the car in front of us at a speed great enough to do $7000 of damage to the front of my car. Curiously the air bags did not deploy. Passengers in the car included my wife in the front seat, who was thrown into the seat/shoulder harness hard enough to knock the wind out of her. She complained of chest pains and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. No serious injuries were found. My daughter in the back seat and I were restrained properly by the seat belt and sustained no injuries. I contacted subaru and told them about the accident. They responded by telling me that they were sending two engineers to inspect my vehicle. After a month or 6 weeks they responded that their investigation was complete. They found that 5 seconds before the crash I was traveling at 45 MPH. 1.5 seconds before the crash the brakes were applied (disabling acc). They told me that the eyesight was functioning normally and will not stop all crashes. So sorry. I believe there is something wrong, either with the design or the functioning of eyesight and acc. My car had 60,000 miles on the odometer at the time of the crash. I have used acc hundreds (perhaps thousands) of times in heavy traffic. It had always performed as advertised, I.e. Maintaining a constant distance between me and the car ahead. It slowed as needed, and came to a stop whenever traffic stopped. Then one day it didn't

Filed Apr 4, 2015 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 10,050 miles · PA

On 3/22/15 while approaching a stop sign the electric parking brake locked on at 10 MPH. After pulling off to the side of the road and releasing and applying the parking brake several times it finally released while the check engine and flashing brake light remained on. After shutting the vehicle off for 10 minutes the system reset to normal. The system remained normal until arriving at a subaru dealer on 3/24/15 when the same problem occurred. The dealer took control, identified and replaced a relay and several sensors. The car performed normal until 4/1/15 when the same problem occurred while traveling 25 MPH. After stopping and releasing and applying the parking brake several times the system reset but the check engine, brake and cruise control lights remained steady or flashing. After letting the vehicle set for a period of time the system reset itself. Another appointment has been made at the dealer for 4/6/15. The concern is that if the parking brake locks at high speed or in heavy traffic it could cause a serious accident.

Filed Oct 26, 2014 · Acceleration · 7,500 miles · NY

Driving with cruise control (cc) engaged on rolling terrain, the vehicle speeds up on a downhill slope until brakes are applied (by cc), then at bottom of hill pickup is sluggish and speed falls off 2-3 MPH below set point. Then the power comes on late and hard, and the vehicle goes over the crest of the hill accelerating at peak power level, 2-3 MPH above set point. An associated issue, observed since the car was new, is that when climbing a uniform 3-4% grade at highway speeds, the engine RPM cycles constantly over a range of 800-1000 RPM at a frequency around 4 cycles/minute. This is annoying to the driver and passengers, and increases the stress level on the driver. We have had the vehicle back to the dealer three times, and a factory rep has evaluated it, the response we get is that the vehicle is operating within specifications, and no action will be taken, nor will any adjustments be made.