Differential Unit Problems of Subaru Outback

2. 12 February 2021, vehicle milage approaching 42,000. Traveling from mazama wa to seattle via wa hwy 20, us 97 and I-90, traveled +/- 200 miles. Temperature ranges from 10f to 20f. Traveling west on I-90 +/-50 mph, lanes clear, snow in between lanes. New michelin tires on all 4 wheels. Holding the speed constant following 18-wheel rig. Subaru started wobbling as if one of the tires was going flat. Tried accelerating and slowing to determine if this was front or back tire. Determined it must be a rear tire. No low-pressure indication on the instrument gages (I have had tire warning during summer driving and found a nail in tire). Next off ramp checked all 4 tires, all appeared to be the same in appearance. Resumed travel. During acceleration and DE-accelerating no differential sway. When constant speed maintained around 50 mph swaying occurred un to we reached the west side of snoqualmie pass and the temperature was into the 30�s. Last year when having vehicle serviced, I told the service check-in person & a supervisor the car was stalling out when hard acceleration during merging left into highway where speed limit was 50 mph. The car stalled and I kicked the accelerator. Luckily, the car responded the supervisors response was �there's no way this can happen�.

See all problems of the 2016 Subaru Outback 🔎.

During a 120,000 service at the Subaru dealer (odometer at 121,333 miles) I was informed that metal filings had been observed in the differential fluid, indicating a problem with the transmission. Not long after that, my vehicle experienced an issue with the transmission. I accelerated to pass on the freeway, and after having done so, the transmission kept accelerating and would not kick down for about 5 seconds. I took the vehicle into an independent repair shop where they confirmed the transmission is indeed failing. This event set up a potential safety issue, at the least being distracted in trying to get the transmission kicked down again, and, at most, having a failure on the the highway, with the potential for serious consequences. A transmission should not be going bad after only 121,000 miles. All the required maintenance and servicing had been done following Subaru's recommendations. This is a known defect. Subaru's weak extended warranty is just their way of avoiding the costs of fixing this defect, to the detriment of their customers.

See all problems of the 2013 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Car makes excessively loud roaring, whining noise in acceleration; it's response is unpredictable. It doesn't shift and the differential is the likely source of problem. Car has been properly maintained all along. Two independent mechanics reported the cvt must be replaced. Subaru service informed me after 120k mile servicing. It can stall without warning anywhere anytime causing accident, injury etc. Though I'm told it's dangerous to drive Subaru is unwilling to take responsibility, except paying half of their $8000 charge for a re-manned cvt. . . No recall! what's it going to take Subaru? your integrity is compromised; your claim of quality is false. You want owners to pay for your technology problem. Though the cvt has a long history of failure, Subaru hasn't solved the problem or improved the technology. Instead owners pay $4,000 for a new, faulty cvt and Subaru continues to avoid recall. Buyers are the losers.

See all problems of the 2014 Subaru Outback 🔎.

My husband and I were driving from maryland to new york city late at night. All of a sudden, we heard a grinding noise and within 30 minutes our car completely broke down. No warning lights ever came on in the car indicating there was a serious issue. We had just gotten off the verrazano bridge. Had the car stopped on the bridge, we could have been seriously injured, if not killed. We came to find out that it was a full transmission failure. The Subaru dealer in new york indicated that there was no transmission fluid left in the front differential, but they could not find any signs of a leak. The valve body was repaired in September 2017 and at that time it was covered under Subaru's extended cvt warranty. At the time of that repair work, the Subaru service center who did the work confirmed that they had added some transmission fluid to the car. We contacted Subaru of America to see if they would help us with the cost of a new transmission, since the extended warranty had only just expired on July 31, 2018 (our car broke down on August 28) and because we had already had transmission work done less than a year ago. Subaru of american very rudely informed us that they have "zero financial obligation to us" and would not be helping us with the cost of repairs ($7000 to repair). We are beside ourselves with how this happened to our car. How can we have a full transmission failure less than a year after transmission work was done on the car and have no warning lights come on in the car indicating there was an issue? how did all of the transmission fluid leak out of our car without us knowing, and how is it that Subaru is unable to find the cause of the leak? and what kind of company does not stand by and help a customer with an issue that they clearly knew was occurring (hence extended the cvt warranty to begin with)? Subaru should have issued a recall on this vehicle.

See all problems of the 2011 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Noise coming from underneath vehicle when accelerating that I noticed in Feb 2017. Took the car in to Subaru dealer and all they did was replace the differential fluid and said "noise will go away with time. " like any car issue, it did not go away on its own. Oct 2018 took the car in to local mechanic and they said it needed a new cvt transmission. Also said that my car could stall at any time so I did not drive it. Took it to Subaru for a second opinion and they agreed, new cvt transmission. They also informed me that there was an extended warranty on the transmission that ended July 2018, but I was never informed of the extended warranty. Subaru offered to pay 50% of a $10,000 repair so we paid $5,000. Still a very unacceptable amount of money for a car only worth $10,000. This part should be recalled as it can cause stalling at any time. Very disappointed in Subaru at this time.

While driving down freeway at 75 mph, transmission made two clunking sounds, and speed decreased - rpms increased. We could smell oil burning smell, but no smoke or leaks. We were approximately 12 miles outside of las vegas and 22 miles into our trip. There was no warning and no decrease in speed or other signs prior to the clunks/clanks. Vehicle towed to Subaru of las vegas. First Subaru tried to say rear differential caused. Please see dan's driveline invoice. Next they tried to say front differential caused. I challenged - how can a functioning differential cause a transmission to become toast? next step is Subaru hq tech to tear down transmission. I've included documents from auto lab (did 30k mile service), Subaru invoice, Subaru email saying front differential caused,.

See all problems of the 2015 Subaru Outback 🔎.

The transmission has been leaking since we purchased the car in Jan 2015. One dealer told us there was no leak and finally decided it was the right differential and repaired that. The transmission still leaked. Took it back to dealer where bought, they found leak and said it was repaired but it is still dripping. Plan on taking it back to them next week. We keep clean cardboard under the area where the leak is to protect the garage floor and document the leak. Last repair July 25 of 2017.

: the transmission stared acting up randomly in early February of 2017. The transmission would slam into gear while shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear, accompanied with a huge bang while the whole car would rattle for a second or so. A very scary and unsafe scenario because it felt like you were being hit from behind by another car. Afterward, the car would run normally for few days before it repeats. So I took my car to rallysport engineering in costa mesa, CA on April 10 who confirmed my complaint and replaced the valve cover of the transmission. The problem appears to be solved until a month later. Around June, a new transmission shifting problem was appearing and gradually getting worse. When tried to accelerate slowly while coasting between 3rd to 5th gear, the car would shudder noticeably and hesitate for a second or two before got going. This is a very scary and unsafe situation if you need to accelerate to avoid obstacles on highway or surface street. In July, I took the car back to rallysport engineering for repair. It confirmed the shuddering problem but it could not identify the cause so it referred me to Subaru orange coast (oc) because it has access to technical support from a dedicated Subaru factory �super-tech�. Subaru oc kept my car for four days before returning to me. It could not identify my car problem, and instead, the mechanic staff told me I have differential and wheel bearing problems. I need to fix these two problems ($1012) before he can zero in on the transmission shuddering problem. I told the mechanic my car symptom is very repeatable and he should be able to duplicate and identify the problem without requiring me spending big money upfront. He was unable to help because there was no stored diagnostic code to guide him! I complained and shared information with Subaru of America but no avail.

See all problems of the 2012 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I was driving along, around 50 mph. I hit a bump in the road, and there was a loud bang. The vehicle jerked and swerved, as it was snowing. . . I almost lost control. The rear sub-frame was rusted out and had broken, allowing the rear differential to break free and smash up into the fuel tank and cause severe jerking. I had done a little reading, Subaru had a recall on this vehicle for inferior metal on the rear sub-frame. This vehicle was in for the recall in 2003. Where they deemed it not bad enough to replace the sub-frame, but clean it and spray it with anti corrosion substance. As it now stands, the car is not drivable, and the recall fix was clearly not a proper solution. I called Subaru, and they told me that since it had been in for a recall in 2003, there was nothing more on there end that they would do. I am a long time Subaru fan, and I really just would like them to honor their mistake, and fix the vehicle properly. Or purchase it back from me, and I will gladly purchase another Subaru. I have photos of the sub-frame where it has clearly rusted and broke free. It is very clear that the metal is inferior, considering everything else on the underside of the vehicle is in functional and serviceable condition. Thanks you.

See all problems of the 2000 Subaru Outback 🔎.

1998 Subaru legacy Outback wagon automatic transmission 86,000 miles. Purchased used many years ago with about 10,000 miles. My sister's car, she was driving alone. Experienced driver. About two months ago she came around a corner on a 30 mph road near her home. Light snow on the ground (amherst, massachusetts) she could not control the car, and it slid around. She phoned me and was very upset at losing control. Commented that the car had not felt quite right. I suggested loose lug nuts, badly inflated (almost new) tires, bent rim, defective tire, alignment. All checked out fine. Then I mentioned suspension. She took it to her mechanic who replaced both rear struts. Car still unpredictable. Returned to mechanic who then test drove car and decided that it was a problem similar to that of his parents' similar car: power was not being proportioned properly to the four wheels. He replaced existing transmission / transaxle / differential lubricant with some more specialized lubricant. (amalie ama 1607881297 dextron lll atf) at this time my sister is trying this out to see if it does the trick. Since this defect affects the safety of the vehicle I thought that you should know. I drove older 4wd audis, owned military 4wd trucks, and cars with limited slip differentials. I was always aware of the need for specific lubricants. I do not think that the average car owner should be. Was there a secret advisory or recall?.

See all problems of the 1998 Subaru Outback 🔎.

When driving our Subaru 2006 2. 5i Outback wagon (4-speed auto w/sport shift) in winter road conditions, we have had multiple instances where the rear of the car begins to float or do Mini-fishtails. It feels like the rear wheels are alternately pushing the car back and forth or like there are wind gusts hitting the car. The floating has a rhythmic feel and may continue for many miles until the road conditions change. When the car is floating, you sense that any change (steering, gas or braking) will cause you to lose control of the vehicle. And while we have not had an accident yet, it is a truly scary driving sensation and only a matter of time before this causes a serious accident. The only solution I have found is to ease up on gas until you find a speed (usually under 40 mph) where the floating is less pronounced. This is our 9th Subaru and we have 18 years experience driving Subaru awd vehicles on minnesota winter roads. None of our former cars, up through the 2004 Outback, ever behaved in the manner. Please note, not all winter road conditions seem to trigger the problem. I have most frequently experienced the floating when on asphalt road surfaces that are icy or covered in compacted snow or slush. I have had it occur on completely straight roads under steady throttle while traveling under 45 mph. When it occurs, I have always been driving at safe speeds and have noted that other vehicles were passing by at much higher speeds and seemed comfortable and confident with the road conditions. The most serious incident occurred after we had new michelin tires put on and the dealer had completed an alignment. No other parts have been replaced. Please note, this is a Subaru. Your database of vins comes up with the keystone RV manufacturer. This is not correct.

See all problems of the 2006 Subaru Outback 🔎.

Starting around 62k miles, I heard a whining noise from the front of the car. The noise got louder and higher with wheel speed. When I took it to a mechanic, they diagnosed a bad differential bearing, and informed me that the recommended fix was replacement of the entire transmission, including both differentials. When I went to the dealer to confirm this, they quoted me $6,000-$8,000 for the repair. I tried to get some relief from Subaru of America, since the powertrain warranty goes for 60k miles, but they were unwilling. This caused the value of my car to go to zero, since it's worth about $8,000 without the transmission problem.

See all problems of the 2001 Subaru Outback 🔎.

: the contact stated while driving 45 mph on normal road conditions, the passenger front tire exploded. The aaa provided assistance and replaced the tire with the spare(doughnut). When the vehicle arrived to the residence, the rear differential was on fire. The fire was extinguished with water. The owners manual in page 8-11 indicated in fine print, when the spare doughnut was used a fuse had to be plugged in the fuse box to maintain an emergency light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the nearest independent mechanic, who determined the fire was due to the differential over heating because the uneven distribution of traction when a smaller size tire was in use. The manufacturer was contacted, and determined the vehicle should be taken to an authorized Subaru dealership to honor the repairs cost.

See all problems of the 1997 Subaru Outback 🔎.

2005 Subaru Outback legacy station wagon the limited slip differential (rear) malfunctions under wet or snowy conditions. It begins a rhythmic transfer of power back and forth until the rear of the vehicle loses traction and then spins out. . . This has happened several times and has been taken to the dealership for diagnostics and repairs. They have performed alignments but indicate that they cannot duplicate the complaint. . . So, they say there is no problem. We have taken the vehicle in to the dealership without any repair made to resolve this dangerous fault. The repair would involve replacing the entire unit (lsd). . . Because parts are not available separately. . . We have had it looked at by an independent repair facility and they were able to duplicate the complaint. . . We have replaced the original "potenza" tires with an aggressive all weather tire hoping to remedy the problem. . . Subaru will not admit that there is a problem with the limited slip differential on this 2005 Outback! we would like to have this taken care of before someone is injured or killed. Thanks!.

See all problems of the 2005 Subaru Outback 🔎.

I own a 2001 Subaru Outback. After hearing a whining noise in the front of the car, I took my car into my mechanic. He informed me that I probably needed to have the front differential replaced and referred me to the dealership. The dealership told me I needed the entire transmission replaced. Because the milage on my car was at 62,000 miles, the dealership would not honor my warranty because it only extended to 60k. Astounded that any car with only 62k miles on it would need its entire transmission replaced, I appealed to Subaru customer services and asked them to own up to the defect. They declined my request.

While driving 50 mph there was vibration in the center of the vehicle. Consumer took vehicle to the dealership, and technician determined rear differential unit needed to be replaced.

Transmission failure due to seal leaking fluid to front differential. Requires new transmission.

See all problems of the 1999 Subaru Outback 🔎.