One problem related to vehicle shudder has been reported for the 1997 Subaru Outback. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
In 2001 I had to have my transmission replaced because the engine would not hold the car back when going down hills. I was going down a steep mountain road and had to use the brakes alone. It did not matter if it was in 1, 2 or d it was the same as neutral. It would also not shift into the top gear on the freeway. It cost over $3000 to get a Subaru rebuilt transmission put in at the dealer. It had 97k on it at the time. I just now took my car to the dealer because the car was shaking and hesitating. The dealer told me that the car needed a new transmission and it would cost $3500. This transmission is only 4 years old and has less than 50k on it! I can't afford to replace the trans every 4 years.