2017 Subaru Outback: CVT failure

Filed Jul 8, 2026 · Transmission, Wheels · IN

The CVT failed at 62 miles per hour on a busy interstate, XXX. This caused the drivetrain to lock. The car has been repaired and traded locally in [XXX]. The car was very difficult to steer with locked wheels in traffic. This was a rapid evasive manuver on a busy interstate. An undrivable vehicle on an interstate is life threatening to many. Flat bed driver told me I was lucky to steer off of lanes onto shoulder with four locked wheels. This incident put me in mild shock. The Subaru dealer had to replace the transmission. The dealer and Subaru Regional Rep. examined the CVT failure. It was outside of the 100,000-mile warranty by about 895 miles. Repair invoice attached. I did not have advanced warning of CVT failure. There were no warning lights on before the CVT failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 21, 2025 · Engine · WV

Hi I had my car into the local Subaru Dealership (Wheeling Subaru) a few weeks ago to investigate a couple of issues that the car has been having for years (and they have never been able to find). Over the course of that investigation, they finally were able to recreate two issues that should have been covered under the warranty since it's been happening and reported to them for years (the seat memory programming button isn't working and the right sight steering wheel controller isn't working). The parts and labor for those two issues come to $545. But the much bigger issue is that they told me the engine needs to be pulled out and resealed because of cam carrier and spark plug gasket leaks, and that repair is $5,076 plus tax. When I expressed astonishment over this and asked what is going on, the service advisor explained this is a common problem with Subaru cars from this model year because of the switch from timing belts to whatever it has now. with the CVT engine I looked around online and discovered that this is a common issue with 2017 Outbacks. I thought I was making an investment that would last when I bought a brand new Subaru rather than a Ford, Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, etc because Subaru was supposed to be a car that did not have poor quality manufacturing issues like this. Given that this appears to be a common issue with the way this model and year car was manufactured, I am very upset that Subaru is not fixing this under recall but is expecting me to pay $5076 (before tax) to have what was explained to me as a manufacturing defect repaired. Since I've seen a lot of reports for other Subaru owners of this issue, I was advised to file a report with you to investigate. Thank you so much for investigating. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Mar 16, 2020 · Transmission · 35,326 miles · RI

Cvt transmission at 35326 miles started distributing power indiscriminately to any of the 4 wheel causing instability and shaking when driving. Very difficult to control when driving. Transmission requires replacement.

Filed May 18, 2019 · Engine, Transmission · 48,000 miles · MD

In two separate events the car lost power while accellorating at highway speeds to merge into traffic from a stand still. The gas pedal became unresponsive and the tranmission stopped shifting. In the first incident the engine stalled, and in the second it sputtered and almost died during a heavy merge on an on ramp. No diagnostic codes were thrown, so the manufacturer claims there is nothing wrong with the car. In the first incident the car was leaving the toll plaze on the dulles greenway head toward leesburg, va. Under full acelleration leaving the toll plaza and effectively driving straight, the car started shufting erratically, and eventually lost power and stalled. In the second incident, about two months later, the car was on a decline on-ramp merging into heavy traffic on rt-270n heading toward frederick, md. The car again started to shift erratically, then began to stall, but I was abke to use the paddle shifters to shift the 'gear' of the CVT and prevent stalling. Afger about 30 seconds the car was operating as normal. Again, the dealer has not found any diagnostic codes, and indicates there is nithing wrong with the vehicle.

Filed Oct 11, 2018 · Transmission · 10,112 miles · CA

We live in la. We bought our car new on 5/31/17 from subaru of santa monica. At around 6,000 miles we had its oil changed privately in durango, co, where we spend summers. Back in la on 12/17/17 we went to subaru of sm for any required additional service. They decided to perform the 12,000 service with 10,107 miles on the car. When service was completed, I drove the car off. It stalled for maybe 5-10 seconds (but didn't shut down) about 100 yards from the service area. Initially, it just wouldn't go when I depressed the accelerator. I then repeatedly depressed it and finally the transmission seemed to 'catch' and the car moved forward normally. Later, at my request, my wife met with the service writer (a lady) telling her about the stalling. Her response: this happens on all subarus'they occasionally stall for about 5 seconds. Subsequently our car has stalled on several occasions with my wife driving. And it also happened to me again, this time after its 24,000 service by the durango subaru dealer on 10/10/18 (see service write-up). As I was driving away, I stopped on a driveway before turning onto a city street. That's when the car stalled. [I had previously told the service writer about the stalling, but the dealer's mechanic couldn't get it to stall.] the two described stallings occurred when the car was stopped and I was about to turn onto a city street. We just received a CVT transmission warranty extension letter (see enclosed) applicable only to 2016 and 2017 subarus (most models) which tells me subaru knows all about this problem and has fixed it on its 2018 and 2019 models. I respectfully request that there be a recall of all 2016 and 2017 subaru vehicles described in the enclosed warranty extension letter so that this very frightening problem can fixed. Thank god our outback didn't stall at a time when oncoming traffic would have plowed into it.

Filed Mar 20, 2017 · Brakes, Transmission · 5,000 miles · FL

As exit my level garage the driveway is on at 9% down slope when I put my car in reverse and back up out of the garage and then place the car to drive to move back up the driveway to load my wife and grandchild the car slips backwards between one and 3 feet or three seconds of his full slippage. My granddaughter at two years of age does not know that the car will slip back without control. This is a safety concern and can cause critical harm to her and/or my wife. Other car manufactures CVT transmissions has almost zero slippage from reverse to drive. This characteristic on the 2017 subaru outback creates a very unsafe condition and if safety is your biggest concern I find this a big safety characteristic and if I knew this before I would not have leased this vehicle.