2000 Subaru Outback

DRIVING NORMAL SHIFTED THE CAR AND THE CLUTCH FELT SOFT AND THE RETURN TO NORMAL POSITION WAS SLOW. I CALLED THE DEALER REPAIR AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO RECALL. I TOOK TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. IT COST ME $216.00 TO REPAIR SOMETHING THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNEW WAS DEFECTIVE AND IT WASN'T COVERED BY MY EXTENDED WARRANTY.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY, THE GEAR POSITIONING LEVER STICKS IN GEAR. THE CONSUMER DEPRESSES THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES AND PLAYS WITH THE LEVER TO UNSTICK IT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED A PART IN THE GEAR POSITIONING LEVER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. ALSO, THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PARK GEAR. *LA

THERE CURRENTLY HAS BEEN SEVERAL TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING 2000-2002 MANUAL TRANSMISSION SUBARU OUTBACKS. THESE BULLETINS REFER TO A DEFECT IN THE CLUTCH THAT CAUSES A PREMATURE WEAR OF THE CLUTCH AND YOKE DUE TO AN IMBALANCE IN CAUSING THE CAR TO "JUDDER" OR SHUDDER WHEN ENGAGING INTO GEARS. I HAVE HAD AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, GLEN OWNER OF OAKLAND AUTO WORKS STATE THAT HE COULD NOT WARRANTY THE REPAIR OF CLUTCH BECAUSE THE RECOMMENDED REPAIR BY SUBARU DOES NOT RELIABLY FIX THE PROBLEM AND MANY PEOPLE END UP HAVING TO HAVE THE CLUTCH REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES IN A SHORT TIME SPAN. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAVE CHANGED THE CLUTCH KIT SEVERAL TIMES AND THE METHOD OF REPAIR TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM YET HAVE FAILED TO PERFORM A RECALL. I AM CURRENTLY UNSURE ON HOW TO PROCEED IN THE REPAIR OF MY VEHICLE AS THE REPAIR COST IS $1350.00 AND IF THE UNIT FAILS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY I MAY BE SUBJECT HAVING TO PAY THIS AMOUNT AGAIN. SOME OTHER PROBLEMS WHICH ERRUPT FROM THIS DEFECT INCLUDE THE CLUTCH CATCHING FIRE. THE CLUTCH PEDAL STICKING AND NOT RELEASING DUE TO THE YOKE BEING WORN FOR THE CLUTCH "JUDDER". LAST, PREMATURE OF THE CLUTCH WITH ONLY HAVING A LIFESPAN OF 30,000 MILES OR LESS. *AK

PURCHASED CAR WITH 78K ON IT. PRIOR IT DRIVING FROM COLORADO TO WISCONSIN, HAD IT LOOKED OVER. REPLACED LEAKING WATER PUMP, TIMING BELT, AND LEAKING FWD DRIVE SHAFT SEAL. WITHIN A WEEK OF GETTING TO WISCONSIN, RADIATOR AND DRIVER SIDE HEAD GASKET FOUND TO BE LEAKING. HEAD GASKETS ARE BIG ON SUBARU WEB SIGHTS. SOA RECOMMENDS A "CONDITIONER" TO PUT IN THE RADIATOR, BUT IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE YET. PARTS GUY SAID PROBLEM WAS THAT OWNERS ARE NOT ALLOWING CAR TO WARM UP IN COLD ENVIRONMENTS. *JB

CLUTCH SHUDDERS & REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. HINDSIGHT BEING 20/20, I REALIZE THE CLUTCH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM DATE OF DELIVERY. MY OWN REVIEW OF AUTOMOTIVE WEBSITES INDICATES THAT OTHERS HAVE EITHER HEARD OF OR HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS BEEN OF NO ASSISTANCE. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS DISCUSSION IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS WITH SOA ABOUT THIS AND THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLDGE THEY HAVE A PROBLEM. *AK

PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE ON SUBARU OUTBACK WAGON 2000. ORIGINAL CLUTCH REPLACED AT 7500 MILES AND FOUND TO HAVE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT, BENT FORKS.EW CLUTCH PLACED IN CAR. SHORTLY AFTER, SMELL OF BURNING, ESP. WHEN BACKING UP OR IN COLD WEATHER, WHICH LASTED FOR 1 MONTH. CLUTCH THEN FAILED PREMATURELY AFTER 40,000 MILES. MY HYPOTHESIS IS THAT THE CLUTCH LOST A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF ITS LINING AND LIFE SPAN WHEN BURNING UP IN THE FIRST MONTH OF USE. NUMEROUS POSTING ON EDMUNDS.COM REGARDING PREMATURE CLUTCH FAILURE, BURNING SMELL, AND CLUTCH SHUDDER IN SUBARU OUTBACKS. MY EXPERIENCE, AND THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHER OWNERS, SUGGESTS THAT THERE IS A GENERAL DEFECT PRESENT IN SUBARU CLUTCHES FROM 2000-2002. LEASE INVESTIGATE THIS DEFECT AND CONSIDER A RECALL.*AK