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2002 Subaru Outback: shudder or vibration when accelerating

6 of the 143 complaints about the 2002 Subaru Outback describe shudder or vibration when accelerating.

owner complaints
6
of this car's complaints
4%
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 14 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Shudder or vibration when accelerating by model year

  • 2024
    2
  • 2022
    1
  • 2020
    4
  • 2019
    1
  • 2018
    3
  • 2016
    3
  • 2014
    1
  • 2013
    4
  • 2012
    25
  • 2011
    52
  • 2010
    18
  • 2009
    2
  • 2008
    2
  • 2006
    2
  • 2002
    6
  • 2001
    11
  • 2000
    3

What owners say

Filed May 24, 2009 · Brakes · 9,971 miles · MA

Repetitive failure of both front brake rotors. Rotors have thickness variation which causes heavy brake pulsation and steering wheel judder from side to side when braking from greater than 45 MPH. First complaint 6/18/03 9971 miles front rotors were resurfaced. Second complaint 5/3/04 16180 miles resurface front rotors. Third complaint 4/7/05 23013 miles resurface front rotors replace front brake pads. Fourth complaint 5/20/08 42147 miles replace front rotors and front brake pads. Fifth complaint 3/17/09 49719 miles resurface front rotors. Subrau does have a customer pay upgrade in their tsb #: 06-33-04 date: 01/15/04 for 2001-2003 subaru vehicles to modify the disc brake pad.

Filed May 2, 2005 · Transmission · 45,000 miles · WA

Car shudders and stalls continually when starting in 1st gear, more frequently when cold. Have stalled in middle of interection multiple times. This is a manual transmission. I have driven manuals for 20 years have had never had this problem with other vehilcles. This has been happening since I purchased car 6 months ago.

Filed Jul 19, 2004 · Transmission · WI

2002 subaru wagon manual transmission clutch shudders on cold start. Sometimes it is difficult to get through an intersection. The dealer could not duplicate the problem so it was not repaired. The problem persists.

Filed Mar 15, 2004 · Transmission · 5,000 miles · DE

I have owned a 2002 subaru outback station wagon since august 2002, and have experienced a very frequent (daily to weekly) but inconsistent hesitation and shudder while accelerating from a stop. It occurs in 1st and 2nd gear, and is pronounced in cold starts only. The hesitation and clutch shudder also is pronounced in stop and go traffic, in first or second gear - in this situation, the car lunges or lurches forward until the speed increases to over 10 or 15 MPH. This causes a safety concern at low speeds, and the start of acceleration from a stop. Have taken it to the subaru dealer on several occasions, but they have not been able to fix the problem. The problem appears to be quite prominent in other subaru oubacks and other models (based on other the federal safety agency complaints, and postings on the www.utlimatesubaru.net (search for shudder or hesitation and you can find hundreds of similar complaints). A trouble file has been set up with subaru america. However, the problem continues to persist.

Filed Feb 19, 2004 · Transmission · 25,000 miles · NV

While driving at lower speeds the clutch intermittently shuddered when pulling out from a stop. The vehicle has been to two dealers but neither dealer could resolve the problem. *ak

Filed Feb 25, 2002 · Transmission · SC

The manual transmission on this vehicle skips or shudders in 1st gear making it difficult to pull forward or into traffic at slow speeds without stalling the car. The only option is to rev the engine higher than normally to insure clutch engagement which then cause the clutch to burn. Sometimes even this doesn't work. It happens more often when the car is cold. Dealer said it could not be duplicated so it must be our driving, however I have been driving manuals for 20 years and this has never been a problem. This is a scary car to pull out into heavy or fast moving traffic.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Power train: automatic transmissionReported October 30, 2002 · 172,564 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Certain sport utility and passenger vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions were produced with an improperly manufactured transmission parking rod. When the transmission selector lever is placed in the "p" (park) position, the transmission park mechanism, that is intended to hold your vehicle, may not engage.
Risk
The vehicle could then move/roll without prior warning, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the automatic transmission parking rod assembly. Owner notification january 8, 2003. An interim owner notification will be sent during november 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact subaru at 1‑800‑782‑2783.

Recall number 02V282000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2002 Subaru Outback shudder

Is shudder or vibration when accelerating a common problem on the 2002 Subaru Outback?

6 of 143 owner complaints about the 2002 Subaru Outback (4%) mention shudder or vibration when accelerating. The model year with the most reports is 2011.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2002 Subaru Outback?

There is 1 recall and 14 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2002 Subaru Outback

Fuel smell 23Stalling 12Fuel leak 8Hesitation 6Sudden acceleration 5

All model years of the Subaru Outback

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