2016 Subaru Legacy: jerking or lurching

Filed Dec 14, 2022 · Transmission · NJ

I had a transmission failure on my 2016 Subaru Legacy and there were no warning signs before this incident occurred. I was on a road trip driving at highway speeds and suddenly without warning I heard a loud bang. Then the "at oil temp" light came on, then the "check engine light", smelled something burning and also felt some slipping in the transmission. I pulled over as soon as I could. I towed it to the nearest dealer and they diagnosed the problem as being a bad valve body based on the code "P0712: Transmission Temperature Sensor Circuit Low" without test driving the vehicle. The valve body was replaced. Since my car's mileage was outside the extended warranty for this issue, Subaru only contributed half the cost of the repair. After the completion of the repair, the dealer told me they heard loud transmission noises and they recommended that my transmission may have to be replaced I test drove the vehicle with the service manager, except for the noise, the car had no warning lights and the car was shifting smoothly and was reassured that the car would not stall. After leaving the dealership, I drove 25 miles before the car started jerking and violently shaking. Then at a stop light on a highway, the car stalled. When I press the accelerator, the engine would rev but the car would not move. The vehicle was towed home, my car still would not move when I pressed the accelerator and the check engine light came on. I towed it to my local dealer, they checked the vehicle and said the transmission had an internal failure and replaced the transmission. The bad transmission was sent back to Subaru per their policy. Subaru did a goodwill warranty repair that covered a significant portion of the cost. This sudden transmission failure was a huge safety risk to myself and others. I could have rear-ended both times my car stalled.

Filed Feb 1, 2022 · IL

On Thursday evening, January 27, 2022, when I was driving slowly in a parking lot preparing to park, my car unexpectedly accelerated even though I had NOT pressed on the gas pedal. (I would describe it as lurching). After it accelerated on its own, I quickly pressed on the brake pedal, and the car came to a stop. My car is available for inspection upon request. Had this happened when a person, car or other object was in front of my car, my car could have hit the person, car, or other object injuring the other person and me and damaging the object. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed. I drove a short distance home that day and have driven the car on a few errands since. The vehicle has not been inspected. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the incident. There were no warning lamps after the incident.

Filed Sep 9, 2021 · Electrical · CO

Car showed several check engine lights over the course of 6 months which originally pointed to the O2 sensors and then the alternator and then eventually ECU being an issue. Upon further inspection by a Subaru specialist after many codes relating to bank 1 sensor 2 too lean, oil was noticed in the ECU and then later in the O2 sensor. The oil was cleaned to the best of their ability and less than 24hrs later, more oil was found in the other O2 sensor. Oil seems to be traveling through the wiring harness from the engine into the electrical components. Has caused my car to mis fire at speeds as low as 25 and as high as 75 (causing jerking and unsafe driving on the interstate) and the oil is damaging lots of electrical components under the hood. My car is currently inoperable waiting for repairs on sept 15, 2021

Filed Aug 26, 2017 · Transmission · 40 miles · PA

The transmission does not immediately engage, when shifting from reverse to drive or drive to reverse, with or without engaging the foot brake. The transmission goes into a significant neutral state before it engages, in either direction, allowing the vehicle to drift until the transmission engages with a lurch. The occurs whether or not the engine is hot or cold. This is particularly dangerous and noticeable when backing from my driveway, which is inclined, to proceed uphill, and the vehicle drifts several feet rearward before engaging. The delay is not as pronounced, when exiting to proceed down the street. Pages 7-24 and 7-27 of the subaru owner's manual specifically state not to use inertia to move the vehicle. There is, also, a harsh, premature downshift that quickly takes the car from 25 MPH to 15 MPH and a rolling stop, when removing your foot from the accelerator, while approaching the crest of a hill or stop sign. The braking force will actually throw you body forward. This, also, occurs while travelling at low speeds on residential streets. These conditions have existed since march 8, 2016, and after 4 repair requests, at 3 different subaru dealers, and an inspection by a factory engineer, their claim is nothing is wrong. Sorry, but I do not agree. Engineer, continue to exist. Their claim being this is normal.

Filed Nov 14, 2016 · Transmission · 500 miles · MO

When shifting from reverse to drive there is an extended delay and application of throttle causes a severe lurching of the car which can cause an accident.

Filed Jun 21, 2016 · Brakes, Engine · 2,000 miles · MN

Following are two main issues, causality/correlation uncertain. After the "subaru eyesight" failed for about two minutes while underway (dashboard cluster lit up in numerous places, too), the eyesight system reset while driving. Thereafter, the vehicle began to "buck (e.g. Lurch forward several inches with a lot of force)" when the vehicle's CVT was in "drive" and I was stopped with the brake depressed at normal pressure. This has happened about six times in the last four days, and I am extremely concerned. The "buck" is so severe that the first time it happened, I felt like I was rear-ended. The most recent time that it occurred, my best friend could have been severely injured when the car lurched forward as he was standing outside of the running vehicle, gathering things from the front seat (e.g. Foot or leg run over had he been taking groceries out of the back seat). At this point, the subaru dealership is being coy about situation resolution. What is especially concerning is that the eyesight system is supposed to "kill" acceleration when the vehicle is stopped, and an object forward of the car is detected. Yet, the vehicle tried to proceed forward when stopped in traffic?

Filed May 1, 2016 · Engine, Transmission · 100 miles · MA

3.6 liter 6-cyl engine surges after a cold start. When the car is started, the idle speed is high. When the car is put into gear, as the brakes are released and the car begins to move, the idle speed drops. If the car is brought to a stop or a very low (creeping) speed, the idle speed increases, causing the car to lurch. Foot never touches accelerator pedal at all. This behavior causes the car to move unexpectedly after it is brought to a stop by the brakes. It also makes it impossible to move the car at creeping speed - easing off the brakes, as the car starts to move, the idle speed drops, causing the brakes to slow the car. After a second, as the car comes to a stop, the engine speed kicks up again. This makes the car lurch into motion again. Operator must quickly increase brake pressure, but simultaneously the engine idle speed drops due to the increased speed. Therefore the car slows again and the cycle repeats. The described behavior happens equally in forward or reverse gear. The described behavior is only an issue on a cold start. It does not happen with a warm engine. I experience this on a daily basis. It has affected control of my car in the following situations: backing out of my driveway; entering an intersection; in a parking lot.