Automatic Transmission Problems of Subaru Outback - part 2

While driving vehicle flipped into neutral from fifth speed due to a lost bolt.

See all problems of the 2000 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Vehicle suddenly accelerates while descending steep hill in 1st gear using engine as brake.

See all problems of the 2001 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Odometer failures - also possibly causing transmission problems.

See all problems of the 1999 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I was parking my car to go to the video store with my son. It appeared to lurch forward, speeding up, and did not come to a stop until it hit four other cars, and finally plowed into a large 4x4 broadside, with enough speed to push it into another car. My airbags deployed, and my disabled child fell out of the passenger side onto the pavement. Paramedics where called and he was determined to have minor injuries. I had previous problems with the key sticking, and sometimes unexplained minor speedups int he transmission, but didn't realize how severe it was. Now I understand this is a possible, serious problem with my vehicle. The car is considered totalled, but hasn't been disposed of as yet. Police took pictures at the scene. Please help me figure this out.

See all problems of the 1998 Subaru Outback 🔎.

On 1/15/01 beard Subaru diagnosed and repaired my engine for an oil leak. I paid $654. 50 for them to remove the transmission and reseal baffle plate as well as reseal oil pump, questionable cam seals (referring to paperwork from dealer). On 3/23/01 while driving on the highway, check engine light went on and simultaneously car completely died. Beard Subaru diagnosed engine seized due to drop in pressure w/in engine. Upon several contacts w/ Subaru of America, they have offered to pay 50% to rebuild engine, which has been verbally estimated at $2,500. Beard Subaru unable to explain cause of engine seize, but denies it is related to recent repair of engine leak. Subaru of America requires me to accept or deny offer to of "courtesy for my patronage" 50% by wed. 4/4/01. I bought my vehicle brand new at beard Subaru and have maintained it faithfully. I question a defect within my vehicle, or a direct correlation to the recent work conducted by beard Subaru. I requested written documentation. They diagnosed my vehicle on 3/27/01. On 3/30/01 I received a message from beard Subaru they would have to get back to me "next week". They are aware I begin a new job on 4/2/01 requiring me to rent a vehicle until my situation is resolved. Subaru of America has offered to pay 50% car rental fee for 5 days. Is there a way to have a second opinion before I am required to respond to Subaru of America's deadline by 4/4/01? I am weary to accept an agreement that no one has provided a second opinion, they have failed to provide a written estimate of what I will be required to pay "after just paying $654. 50 for an engine leak" and I am being told I must respond to the offer by 4/4/01 or I will not be assisted.

There is slippage in transmission. When driving, it can happen at any speed, and will happen more often in stop and go traffic. Contacted dealer. Consumer states that oil light and check engine light come on together and then the power goes out, this has occurred when stopping and moving , the problem is still on going. Dealer claims that the onboard computer shows that a problem exists but they can?t identify the cause unless it happens in their presence.

While driving on highway traveling at 70mph with cruise control on, had to apply brakes because of a slow moving vehicle in front. Vehicle locked and the rpms shot up high, and shifted into a lower gear. Shut off the cruise control at this time, and it was still locked into that mode.

While driving down road applied brakes and transmission jumped hard into a lower gear and then brakes would grab. Driving on highway, travelling 35mph with snow on the road and coming off a ramp, tapped the brakes, and all wheels locked up, and vehicle went out of control, hitting a pole. Contacted dealer. Dealer informed consumer that the transmission was causing the problem. Also, this was the second time vehicle went out of control. Was also told that transmission was being redesigned.

When driving down hill, if you touch the brakes to slow the transmission abruptly downshifts causing the car to jolt sharply and startle the driver. The transmission will not upshift until throttle is applied for a moment which causes you to shoot up on the car ahead. Not applying throttle results in a lot of engine breaking and high rpm's. I feel this is very distracting and potentially dangerous if it happens on a slippery surface because the abrupt and unanticipated braking cvould cause a loss of control and/or skid. The dealer says there is no fix - it's designed that way. They also told me they had received other complaints.

There was difficulty downshifting when the car was new. I thought it was just tight. In may, 1999, after extensive clutch use on a trip to san francisco, while driving on the freeway, the car would not shift from 4th to 5th or 5th to 4th. It seemed to be ok later. Within a couple weeks we noticed a terrible burning smell from starting on a hill and extensive clutch slippage. The clutch was eventually replaced in August, 1999, but the new clutch showed the same problems. The difficulty in shifting has gotten worse and my son was almost in an accident when he needed to downshift from third to second to change lanes in bad freeway traffic. He had been using the cluch a lot, because it was stop and go traffic. The problem of being unable to change gears has been getting worse and is very scary. The clutch continues to slip and burn. We have been attempting to get Subaru to buy back the car with no success.

No summary listed for abov evehicle.

Car jumps when steering at low speed. I was informed that it was a transmission defect. I feel it is a construction defect.

See all problems of the 1996 Subaru Outback 🔎.

When pressure is released from the brake pedal and the vehicle is in drive it rolls backwards. Also, gears are slow to engage. Dealer determined that automatic transmission needed to be replaced.

A new design change with the chip within transmission is causing the vehicle to downshift when applying brakes. There is no way to fix it at present moment.

'slopecontrol' causes the car to downshift any time the brakes are applied on a slope of a certain pitch. This is an acceptable feature at speeds below 40 mph, but at freeway speeds the car reacts violently and decellerates to an unsafe speed with little or no warning to following traffic. Subaru is not advertising this feature and the car was sold to us with no disclosure concerning 'slopecontrol'. We have narrowly escaped two rear-end collisions and are selling the car back at a loss to purchase a safer stick shift.