Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see May lease deals!
Options
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
When I accelerate after slowing down, the transmission seems to "slip" and then kick in, resulting in a jerk motion.
When I coast, letting thecar slow down, somewhere between 10-20 MPH, I feel the car slow down as if there was a slight application of brake, then a slight surge forward as if brake reased then a slowing down again. Feels to me like transmission changing gears.
Anyone else have this in their outback?
whenever i slow down, like approaching a red light, or approaching a turn,
but don't have to come to a complete stop and can speed up again, when i
give it the gas, the car revs like it is idling in neutral then jolts into
gear. Do i need to bring it in? this doesn't feel "normal".
And he said i should bring it in. which i did. the gave me a loaner and kept it 2 days. after which they said they drove 2 other new 3.6 R at they dealership and they all did that, so the told me it was "normal".
If i feather the accelerator just right, then it doesn't do it. But that isn't necessary on other cars ive owned. Hopefully if more are having the issue we can get better follow up from subaru. (other than this, i really like the car though)
I also have a rattling sound coming from somewhere in the front right area of the car. I've noticed that a small areal of the dashboard plastic, right next to the windshield, seems to be slightly higher than it should be, so this could be the cause. Anyone else come across this?
I am planning on raising these issues with my dealer when i bring it in for my first oil change.
I can force into overdrive by: 1) Manually shifting into Neutral 2) Then, manually shift into 3 gear (which is the gear the trans is actual in) 3) And then manually shift into Overdrive. But, transmission will shift down out of OD as soon as any load is applied to the engine.
Replaced: All Valve Body with Solenoids, TCM, TPS, and O.H, Kit. Still will won't up shift into OD.
No codes or any other problems.
Also, my Outback 2006 wagon is scheduled for its first transmission fluid replacement and the dealer told me that Subaru does not recommend a flush; just a drain and fill. Any comments on why not to flush?
**In addition to above problem: Transmission will Shift fine if using Cruise Control.
So logically the problem has to do with the wiring - possibly a new Wiring Harness is needed, OR possibly there is a bad Ground (there are several).
I dont know enough about the circuitry between: how the transmission works using Cruise Control VS not using using Cruise Control.
I tried to get her to return it immediately but we had a road trip vacation planned and she thought the dealer would take care of it. She's taken it in 3 times and they acknowledge the problem but claim it's normal with "this new transmission." Service Manager says the clutch pack locks up when it downshifts to protect the transmission?? and that causes the hard shift. Field Service Engineer says it's "normal." I've had 2 other 3.6 Outbacks and never experienced the issue. It's hard to believe Subaru would let this kind of driver experience out the door and then call it normal. I'm making a call to Customer Dealer Services about the issue tomorrow. You can reach them at 800-782-2873. Hopefully, someone at the corporate level will recognize this as the potential class action suit it could become and get this fixed before it metastasises and damages their enviable reputation.
Ya know, one of the reasons I bought the Subaru because it was rated off the charts on CR, and a safe car..I hope this can be fixed and that I don't regret this decision.
I'm interested to know if you got a response from Customer Dealer Services or not. I may try the same tack and have put in a request to schedule to have the Outback looked at again because this is simply not acceptable. I'll try +18007822873 as well. Thanks for the post.
I suspect the issue is with the electronic control, but I would also inspect the transmission fluid to see whether there are signs of physical wear in the unit, such as a browning of the fluid (should be bright red). Either way, Subaru ought to see it fixed.
Has the car done this since new? Have you driven any others to compare "normal" to the experience you have with your car? While the Outback and Legacy no longer use the 4EAT, the Forester and Impreza do.
In fact, Autoweek documented the exact issue on their 2010 Outback Wrap Up at http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110204/CARREVIEWS/110209947
I have not contacted my dealer yet since it seems like it's more of a design issue. Otherwise the car is great. I've worked around it by accelerating more gently when I slow down. But that's only a temporary fix.
There has been a few people who has had some success fixing this issue by having their dealer replace the valve bodies in the tranny over at subaruoutback.org which I frequent. Apparently it's a known issue. Check out the threads on p. 2 and 3 for more detail.
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/104-gen-4-2010-present/27363-3-6r-5eat-downs- hifting-question.html
I paid $36,077 dollars in cash for my new Outback 2011 Limited 3.6 R a month ago. I have exactly the same problems you discuss along with the others. They brought the car from another dealer to my dealer and I told them I didn't like the transmission shifting, after I had given up $2000 deposit. They said they checked it out and there's nothing wrong. I drove it again and thought okay, so I bought it. Now I isolate it to when I slow down, if I accelerate - a violent thunk. They had said I just neeeded to break it in. And the way it downshifts when slowing down, it's a wonder the gas mileage is even as good as it is. What to do? Have you learned of anything yet?
However, you can get the Outback with a manual transmission, and a six speed at that! Of course, you have to be willing to "settle" for the standard or premium trims, but the premium does offer good features even if not quite as many creature comforts as the Limited.
I chose the Forester instead, which uses center clutch pack instead of differential and has very little drive line clunking.
BTW, the Audi A4 Avant has similar drive line clunkiness. They also use a center differential.
Thanks,
Mark
I too am about to buy a new 2011 Subaru with CVT....a 2.5i Outback.
I understand they now use "chains" instead of belts.
I also am curious with other owners' exerience with CVT
David
Bob
Just as a comparison, my Miata is only going 42mph at 2000rpm, and that's in SIXTH gear!
It must hum along quietly.
My husband wants our money back as he has no confidence in the2011 OB transmission (this is our third OB-no problems with the first 2). What are the chances the dealer will refund our money or do they have the right to try and fix the extremely screwed up transmission? I took the car sight unseen from another dealer as I had driven others but this was the color/configuration I wanted.
I really like the car and I am thinking of purchasing one with a manual transmission.. is it worth it? or does the manual legacy give problems with the transmission as well??? I saw a recall on the NHTSA website for the manual transmission for this car as well and I am worried about that too. Just asking because I really liked the car but if its too much of a trouble I will keep on shopping around. Thanks !!!
Thanks