2015 Subaru Forester: shudder or vibration when accelerating

Filed Aug 4, 2024 · TX

After replacing the valve body (part of cvt transmission). The car was released to me. Immediately upon leaving the dealership, the car kept jolting and shuddering, but no maintenance lights were lit on the dashboard. Upon returning it to the dealership, we were notified that the whole transmission would need to be replaced. Subaru is aware of the faulty transmission as they increased the cvt transmission warranty for approx 2010-2017 forester/outback/impreza/etc. cars to 10yr/ 100,000 miles. Upon further review, several other Subaru owners have expressed their transmissions needing to be replaced around 110,000-120,000 miles, most after just replacing the valve body. It appears Subaru knew the transmission was about to die, but they encouraged replacing just the valve body causing me to invest $2,200 knowing it would not fix the actual problem.

Filed Aug 2, 2024 · Engine · DE

Oil consumption issue starting within the first 3 years of owning the vehicle. Oil light comes on generally after driving 2,000 miles or less from the last oil change or oil fill up, but prior to the light turning on there are acceleration issues. Vehicle bucks and lunges when accelerating. Lunging seems to occur after vehicle seems to loose power to accelerate and then lunges forward shuddering as power returns. These issue worsen after oil light has come on. Vehicle feels very unsafe when trying to merge if acceleration is needed. Also almost hit from behind when car seems to lose power when trying to accelerate after stopping for a red light. Vehicle has been serviced repeatedly at dealership and oil consumption issues documented. Vehicle’s make/model with known oil consumption issues, but this vehicles VIN has not been included in recalls.

Filed Sep 25, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · MA

We had driven up Mt Washington in NH (about 6000ft high) and were returning back. We had used the X mode (hill assist) intermittently on the way down. Had driven almost 150 miles back to home, when the car suddenly lost power and started to shudder. We were able to coast to the side. We tried to start again and again the same problem. We noticed that the brakes seemed quite warm. After about 5 minutes we tried again and were able to drive slowly to a gas station, but no one to help since it was late. Since fuel was low at 1 bar (60 miles distance to empty). We filled up the tank and made our way home driving slowly on the back roads. We are not sure if it could be a problem with the fuel, electrical system, brakes or the hill assist. While the car seems to run fine on short trips of a few miles, have not taken it out on any longer drives.

Filed Mar 9, 2022 · Suspension · 61,000 miles · MA

The contact owns a 2015 Subaru Forester. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, she noticed an abnormal noise coming from the passenger’s side wheel while the vehicle was shuddering. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed with a front lower control arm failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 61,000.

Filed Sep 9, 2021 · Transmission · CT

We were driving on the highway going 65 and then there were two quick shudders and jerks of the car. Seemed to lose power in those moments. Immediately after that, we could hear a faint whoosh sound when on the accelerator but the car did accelerate. That sound was not there before the shudders. Then about 30 seconds later the power gave out and the car started slowing down very quickly. Luckily we were in the right lane and could pull off to the shoulder quickly, though the shoulder was very narrow and dangerous. The car slowed down very quickly without applying that much brake. When we were stopped on the shoulder, I applied the accelerator, and the car was in Drive, and it didn’t go anywhere. Then we put it in park and the car rolled forward. So both the drive and park gears were not working. We turned the car off and then back on to try the gears again. Same issues happened again with drive and park. This was a very dangerous situation that occurred quickly on a highway. The issue described and what we experienced seems to be consistent with similar issues with other CVT transmissions. We hope the federal safety agency follows up with Subaru as we will be as well.

Filed Jan 4, 2019 · Transmission · 149,500 miles · IA

About 2 weeks ago my car did some bucking and shuddering and the transmission light came on when taking off from a stopped position so I took it into the dealership and they said it needed new transmission that's gonna cost $9000 my vehicle does have a 150000 miles on it but it's never been off road and all the miles on it have been highway miles driving on the interstate not city stop and go

Filed Jul 27, 2018 · Transmission · 26,900 miles · MI

My vehicle has been exhibiting a low RPM when vehicle comes to a complete stop(ie red light or stop sign) and the vehicle shudders and almost stalls, and once actually stalling. The vehicle has been to the dealership several times for service for this issues. I have received information in the mail from soa in july 2017 concerning this issue and other know issues with the the CVT transmission equipped in the vehicle stating that it is an issue with the a solid bushing in the torque converter causing the converter clutch to stayed locked up and not release pressure. The dealership tells me that a case has been started with their technical assistance and subaru of america, that they do not have enough data(ie recorded stalls or dtc) to approve a repair on my vehicle for said issue, and that the vehicle would need to have a stall event for any futher repairs. Being a fully certified ase automotive master technician, I did my own checking and found tsb 16-107-17 which covers my vehicle and outlines that they have a extended the warranty period on the vehicle/CVT transmission for several issues, which outlined in the bulletin, shows multiple issues outlined in bulletins for diagnostic reference and the first(16-90-13r) is regarding a design change to lock-up torque converter- customer may experience sensation like coming to a stop in a manual transmission equipped vehicle and failing to depress the clutch. After obtaining and reading tsb 16-90-13r, which in no way states that a stall event is required and only low RPM at stops, I informed the dealership as such and was told that a stall even was required. I asked for that to recorded on my repair order and have yet to pick my vehicle up from the dealership. I would like to report s.o.a. For hiding a known issue that can cause a stall event which can cause a safety issue and should generate a nationwide recall.

Filed Dec 19, 2016 · Body, Engine · 24,500 miles · CA · fire · 1 injury

My 2015 subaru forester xt was taken to an authorized subaru dealership numerous visits to the for an issue in which the cars engine lights and warnings would display, violently shake, shudder and lose power while at highway speed. Am authorized subaru mechanic was able to replicate the issue, they did an ECM computer update...unfortunately, the problems did not go away after the update. I re-visited the dealership explaining that the problems persisted, at which point they decided to try to replicate the problem. After a week, the subaru dealer sent me home in the car, saying they could not replicate the problem. Less then 4 days layer, while on my morning commute to work, the same problems which had plagued the car started to occur, however this time, I heard a loud pop/bang and smoke filled the cabin of the car. Very shortly after smoke entered the cabin, I witnessed flames coming out from under the hood and above the windsdhied. I exited the freeway lanes as quickly as possible, and within 10 seconds the car was engulfed in flames. I have paperwork from the dealership with my expressed concerns, and the suabaru mechanic's acknowledgement of the issue.

Filed Aug 21, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 24,000 miles · WI

I'm having an issue with my 2015 forester 2.5i CVT that has nearly caused accidents, but when I took it in for service today I was dismissed without being helped. My car has about 24,700 miles on it, so it's thoroughly broken in and I'm used to the way the CVT works. In the past month or so, I've noticed bucking, shuddering, and power loss during initial acceleration from a stop. Sometimes this is just a little bumping, but other times it's a near total loss of power for several seconds, long enough to be very dangerous while accelerating or especially while turning. When I took the car in for service, the advisor there started to tell me that the behavior is normal even before anyone had started to look at the car. After a tech took it for a test drive, the advisor told me that my concerns "describe a perfect CVT" and he doesn't see a problem, and that it's expected behavior to have dangerous power loss like this. I was told that my problem is not a problem and sent away. Power loss like this during acceleration is clearly a problem, despite the claims of the subaru employees, and I do not feel safe in this car. Subaru refuses to address this issue. The service advisor suggested that I avoid accelerating or turning any time power loss would be a danger or issue - this is clearly not an acceptable solution.