2011 Subaru Legacy: CVT failure

Filed Jan 25, 2023 · Brakes · CO

To Whom It May Concern: I am an owner of the Subaru 2011 Legacy AWD, VIN # [XXX], [XXX] at [XXX], Parker, Colorado, reaching out to you about a well-known and recognized toque converter issue described in the 2011 Subaru Legacy F4-2.5 L SOHC, Vehicle - Technical Service Bulletin applicability :2010-2012 MY Legacy Models equipped with CVT Transmission. I purchased my car after its previous owner with a salvage title due to an accident, however it turns out it has a torque converter issue which makes a car die every time I use a break when coming to a stop, described in the above Subaru Technical Service Bulletin. The Subaru of North America has a customer satisfaction program which allows me and similarly situated Subaru Legacy 2010-2012 owners to have this issue without Subaru qualifying it as a safety recall issue. Should this been qualified as a safety recall, my salvage title would be eligible for a free repair from the Subaru of North America, however since this is a frequently reported issue Subaru manufacturer is responsible for creating in the 2010-2012 Subaru Legacy F4-2.5 L vehicles, it allowed the Subaru of North America to use it as a basis for their refusal to repair my vehicle for free provided that the torque converter issue is their responsibility. I'd appreciate you reaching out to me with a possible options which may exist for me as an owner of the vehicle. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Filed Apr 25, 2021 · Transmission · 138,000 miles · NJ

First the vehicle started with a screeching noise and the RPM's would spike. Apparently if the CVT transmission slipping. I took the vehicle in variations occasions to the dealer. Reached out subaru USA. Sent video of the occurrence and they indicated they could not classify the occurrence and found it inconclusive. I notice it would occur in temperatures lower then 45 degrees fahrenheit. Months later the vehicle started flashing various warning lights such as check engine, cruise control, vehicle dynamics control. Took the car to local dealer and was diagnosed as a oxygen sensor. But what started occurring after the repair was startling and dangerous. The vehicle now started stalling out when I pressed on the brakes to stop. On long drives this would not occur. It often happens when driving locally and stopping at intersections. What I learned to and implemented was as the stalling was starting to occur you would get a jittering from the vehicle I would shift the car to neutral and the car would not stall. This is neither the norm or safe, but safer then stalling in an intersection with vehicles coming at you. This issue still continues to occur. I have not bothered with the dealer nor subaru because my last issue with the transmission was never resolved, I'm able to counter the stalling but my wife who has to go out with my 1yr old son and 10 yr daughter is scared to use the vehicle because if it was to stall in an intersection as she is trying to cross in the vehicle a major accident can occur. Please help and investigate this issue that I am sure it is happening to other subaru owners. Thank you

Filed Mar 6, 2021 · Transmission · 190,000 miles · NY

2011 subaru outback with CVT stalls when coming to a abrupt stop. Subaru has a tsb and knows there is an issue with the torque converter. Car is out of the warranty period therefore customer must pay for the fix. This is a major safety issue that should be correct via a recall.

Filed Mar 20, 2020 · Transmission · 113,243 miles · TN

When driving my vehicle on a highway once reaching the acceleration speed of 65-75 the car sounds as if the gears are slipping and squeal once it kicks in. Stopped at dealership on our way back to our home state. They tested and recommended replacing the CVT. This apparently had an extended warranty in 2017. Will my car still be covered. We have 113k on the car.

Filed Sep 18, 2018 · Transmission · 132,000 miles · WV

Engine shudders and stalls while breaking due to torque converter/transmission issues with the CVT transmission. This is a serious safety issue! Subaru refuse to repair my car saying that I had just missed the extended warranty period that they told no one about.

Filed Aug 12, 2018 · Transmission · 104,000 miles · NC

I purchased my 2011 subaru legacy 2.5i limited in april 2018 with 99,110 miles. It was driving fine until about 104,000 miles when there started to be some stalling and slipping problems. I had a p2096 code and assumed it was a vacuum or brake booster leak. I had bad shaking coming from around the torque converter and stalling at stop lights. By the time my mechanic and I were able to realize it was a transmission problem I had already missed the window for subaru's extended powertrain warranty on my vehicle. I never received a notice of the recall. I have a CVT transmission that subaru claims never has to be serviced, but now I am stuck with a failing transmission on a car with only 106,000 miles with all regular maintenance done. My car will stall of or slip in the transmission when traveling on the interstate or while breaking at stoplights and once caused me to rear end another vehicle in hickory, nc because my transmission slipped while coming to a stop at a stop light. Nobody was injured, but it made me fear for my safety in my car.

Filed Jul 28, 2018 · Transmission · 96,248 miles · VA

Car began cutting off when stopping (car stops then shuts off, dashboard lights come on, will restart after putting gear shift in park and turning ignition) such as in traffic, at traffic lights, stop signs, when stopping to make a turn. First occurred on an 8 lane wide overpass. Then, happened intermittently for next two days, not with every stop but about half the time, seemed more likely to occur with a 'hard' or sudden stop. A safety hazard in my opinion because, especially in traffic, someone could run into you while you are trying to re-start the car. Subaru of america issued an extended warranty (10yr or 100k miles) which I received letter about in july 2017. My car's CVT torque converter was replaced under this warranty after first being misdiagnosed by dealer as a dirty throttle body. My car has 96k miles on it. From reading online, this is a problem that has occurred frequently with certain year subaru models and makes. Not sure if other makes have this problem.

Filed Sep 14, 2016 · Transmission · 250 miles · TX

Jerky CVT operation since day 1. In slow speed traffic (~20mph) the car had a bucking feeling when gently applying the accelerator pedal. This has been a constant throughout my ownership. Just before this catastrophic failure, the vehicle would suddenly jerk between 20-30mph and rpms would drop by 1,500 under normal acceleration as if an improper up-shift had occurred (though I did not cause this to happen, and the CVT has no "gears"). This would happen on any street, any time of day, any grade of incline/decline, turning or straight. Gillman subaru north's shop foreman had no idea what to say after experiencing the problem firsthand on a test drive. I worked at the dealer when I purchased the vehicle new, and was constantly dismissed by both the dealer, gillman subaru north, and by subaru of america, being told it was just a quirk and to enjoy my new car. Now, after a transmission fluid change that was strongly recommended by gillman subaru north, the transmission valve body has failed and the dealer wants $1772 to repair. Subaru of america was informed of everything, and refused to consider any other customers' experiences, as they evaluate on a case by case basis only. They refused to goodwill anything whatsoever.

Filed Jul 17, 2013 · Transmission · 32,410 miles · PA

When parked on a steep down slope, I attempted to back up in order that I could leave an outdoor concert where I had parked off road.. The transmission would not engage in reverse even after several attempts from park, neutral or reverse and kept drifting forward. I tried to engage reverse with the foot brake and emergency brake on and it still would not engage. The transmission stayed in drive and would only go forward no matter what I did. The car moved 1 foot forward when it was in park, emergency brake was on and the car was turned off. When it did that, it left the distance between my car and the lexus in front of me only around 6 inches. I had no other option but to wait for the driver of the other car to arrive and drive away before I could leave. It was late at night and I was parked in a field in a county park, in another incident, I was stopped at a red light on an uphill. When the light turned green, I attempted to go forward but the car drifted backwards and nearly crashed into the car behind me. I had my foot on the brake when the light was red, but took it off the brake to accelerate the gas. The car rolled backward and nearly hit the car behind me. The transmission finally engaged after revving the engine strong and bucked forward. This car has the CVT transmission and other symptoms of the transmission problem are lurching, bucking from a rolling stop and rough idling. The local subaru dealer inspected my car and said the transmission was operating normally and that the hill assist button would solve the problem. We do not believe the dealer's story based upon the hundreds of posts of subaru transmission problems and are pursuing a replacement transmission. This is definitely a safety issue as drifting backwards or forwards without any control of the car will just result in a crash sooner or later. I no longer feel safe driving this car!

Filed Apr 17, 2011 · Transmission · 500 miles · OH

2011 subaru legacy 2.5i CVT premium model : at highway cruising speeds of 60+ MPH, the vehicle feels "wobbly". The car feels as though it is getting swayed from side to side, even on good road in good conditions. I think it has to do with the awd system. I slow down at times when I sense this as it makes me feel very unsafe. It causes a feeling of loss of control of the vehicle. This happens during normal weather conditions (no excessive winds or cross wind loading). This is noticeable to the passengers as well. The swaying or pitching happens in right as well as left directions. No amount of steering wheel control seems to counter this. Tire pressures are accurate to specifications and the car is brand new to me feb 5, 2011 and has about 700 miles.

Filed Sep 12, 2010 · Steering, Suspension · 150 miles · IL

2011 subaru legacy 2.5i CVT premium model : at highway cruising speeds of 60+ MPH, the vehicle feels "wobbly". The car feels as though it is getting swayed from side to side, even in good road conditions. This feeling is very unsafe. It causes a feeling of loss of control on the vehicle. This happens even though the weather conditions are normal (no excessive winds or cross winds). This seems noticeable to the passengers as well. The swaying happens in right as well as left directions. No amount of steering wheel control seems to counter this. Tire pressures are accurate to specifications and the car is brand new.