Subaru Outback transmission problems

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PARK MECHANISM DOES NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. WITH SELECTOR LEVER IN "PARK " AND CAR TURNED OFF AND IGNITION KEY REMOVED, THE CAR ROLLS. IN THE EARLY YEARS, THE CAR ROLLED ONLY SLIGHTLY AND FINALLY "ENGAGED": NOW, THE CAR ROLLS SEVERAL FEET AND DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE, REQUIRING USE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE FOR ALL PARKING. BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE, WE SEARCHED FOR REPAIR & RECALL INFORMATION. WE FOUND THAT ALTHOUGH OUR MODEL & YEAR ARE ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THIS PARK MECHANISM, OUR VIN# IS NOT. *TR

ON JANUARY 26,2008 AT 8:10 PM MY HUSBAND AND I ARRIVED HOME FROM A DINNER OUT. HE STOPPED AT THE TOP OF OUR VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY AND PLACED MY 2003 SUBARU OUTBACK IN PARK. THE CAR WAS RUNNING.. . AS I WAS IN THE CAR I DIDN'T NOTICE IMMEDIATELY THAT IT WAS ROLLING. IT MADE NO GRINDING SOUND AS IT SHOULD HAVE IF IT WAS SLIPPING OUT OF GEAR. IT WAS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. HE YELLED AT ME (I WAS STRAPPED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT) TO HIT THE BRAKE BUT I COULD NOT BECAUSE I WAS STRAPPED IN MY SEAT. I NEVER THOUGHT OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AS I WAS PANICKED. IN MARCH OF 2007 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A VERY SERIOUS SPINAL CONDITION AND HAD TO GET A FIVE LEVEL NECK SURGERY TO KEEP FROM BECOMING PARALYZED. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I GOT HIT ON THE BACK OF THE NECK OR WAS IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT I COULD BE PARALYZED. THE CAR REACHED A SPEED OF ABOUT 10 MILES PER HOUR AND I SLAMMED INTO OUR 1997 RODEO ISUZU. THANKFULLY THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND JOLT MY HEAD AND I BRACED MY HANDS ON THE DASH. I SUFFERED ONLY MINOR WRIST SPRAINS AND MULTIPLE BRUISES AND SOME NECK SORENESS AND ABSOLUTE PHYSICAL SHOCK. I HAVE HAD NIGHTMARES ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. WE CALLED HIGHWAY PATROL AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. I DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO GET MEDICAL ATTENTION AS I WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED. AFTER THIS WAS OVER MY HUSBAND WENT ON THE INTERNET AND READ ABOUT A RECALL OF 2002 AND 2003 LEGACY OUTBACKS BECAUSE OF A DEFECT OF THE PARKING ROD THAT FAILS TO ENGAGE. MY CAR WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST BUT IT SHOULD BE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO CHECK THIS PROBLEM OUT AND THEY, AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR 6 DAYS ONLY CHECKED THE PARKING BREAK AND THE SHIFTER AND SHIFTER LINKAGE WHICH DIDN'T ADDRESS MY COMPLAINT ABOUT THE PARKING ROD AT ALL. I AM CURRENTLY OUT $500 DEDUCTIBLE FOR MY SUBARU AND $3000 FOR THE BODY DAMAGE TO MY OTHER CAR AND MOSTLY I AM STILL MAJOR CONCERNED THAT THIS ROLLING IN PARK THING WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR

STARTING AROUND 62K MILES, I HEARD A WHINING NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE NOISE GOT LOUDER AND HIGHER WITH WHEEL SPEED. WHEN I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, THEY DIAGNOSED A BAD DIFFERENTIAL BEARING, AND INFORMED ME THAT THE RECOMMENDED FIX WAS REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION, INCLUDING BOTH DIFFERENTIALS. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER TO CONFIRM THIS, THEY QUOTED ME $6,000-$8,000 FOR THE REPAIR. I TRIED TO GET SOME RELIEF FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA, SINCE THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY GOES FOR 60K MILES, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING. THIS CAUSED THE VALUE OF MY CAR TO GO TO ZERO, SINCE IT'S WORTH ABOUT $8,000 WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU OUTBACK. INTERMITTENTLY, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE LOSES CONTROL IN SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS MECHANICAL FAILURE WITH THE ELECTRONICS IN THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE. THE FAILURE OCCURS WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-45 MPH. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS REALIGNED, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 25,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

ON 2 LANE HWY, HAD TO BRAKE SHARPLY ( 60 TO 10) FOR DEER. SEMI BEHIND ME, NOT CLOSE. DEER CROSSED. FLOORED ACCELERATOR, ENGINE SAT AT REDLINE 3 SEC BEFORE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. SEMI JACKNIFED BEHIND US, BUT DID NOT HIT US. THIS ACTION IS REPEATABLE. I SUSPECT IT'S RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL DOWNHILL FAILURE (UN-COUPLING THE TORQUE CONVERTER???). *TR

TRANSMISSION WILL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO GO INTO DRIVE FROM PARK OR REVERSE. HAPPENS AT RANDOM. ENGINE CAN BE COLD OR WARM AND IT STILL HESITATES. SOMETIMES TAKES OVER A MINUTE TO GET THE TRANSMISSION TO ENGAGE. ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE WE GET STRANDED. TOOK CAR TO DEALER AND THEY TOPPED OFF THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND SAID THE DELAY WAS NORMAL. ISSUES BEGAN AT 65K MILES AND HAVE PROGRESSIVELY GOTTEN WORSE. CAR NOW HAS 77K MILES AND ONLY OPTION GIVEN HAS BEEN TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WHEN IDLING. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THERE WAS A DELAY AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JOLT FORWARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT 64,000 MILES, THE CONTACT SMELLED ROTTEN EGGS WHEN DRIVING 35 MPH. THE DEALER REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25- 60 MPH WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ACTIVATED, SHE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AT 55,000 AND 80,000 MILES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT OF 2000 OUTBACK BEFORE 70,000 MILES. IT IS STATED ON THE INTERNET THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR OF OUTBACK. I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE IT WAS SUPPOSE TO LAST FORA LONG TIME WITH LOW MAINTENANCE. I DON'T FEEL THAT I OR ANYONE ELSE SHOULD HAVE TO REPLACE A TRANSMISSION IN A CAR THAT HAS LESS THAN 70,000 MILES ON IT. I DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CAR PAID FOR AND IT WILL COST ME $2700.00 TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WITH A REBUILT ONE THAT COULD STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THE LATEST INCIDENT DATE IS SHOWN BELOW, THE FIRST TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS IN FEB 07. THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR OCCURRENCES. IN EACH EVENT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND HAD BEEN DECELERATING FOR A PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO AN IMMEDIATE NEED TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID A RAPIDLY APPROACHING VEHICLE WHILE EITHER MAKING AN EVASIVE MANEUVER DUE TO ROAD OBSTACLES OR WHILE MERGING IN CONGESTED HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. UPON DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR, THE ENGINE SPEEDS UP TO NEAR "RED LINE" WITH NO ACCOMPANYING ACCELERATION OR ENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME IN EXCESS OF ONE FULL SECOND TO AN ESTIMATED THREE SECONDS THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES AND THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE. IN EACH INSTANCE, THERE WAS A GREAT DEAL OF CONCERN ON THE PART OF THE DRIVERS (THREE DIFFERENT ONES) THAT A "NEAR ACCIDENT" OCCURRED. WHEN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS FIRST NOTIFIED AT THE DEALERSHIP, AN EXPLANATION OF THE LATEST "DRIVE BY WIRE" TRANSMISSIONS WITH "FUZZY LOGIC", ANTICIPATING COMPUTER PROGRAMMING WAS OFFERED. THOUGH PLAUSIBLE, IT DID NOT SEEM A VERY LIKELY "NORMAL" EXPECTATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DECLARED THAT ONLY THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT SHOULD BE TROUBLE SHOOTING THE SYSTEMS. I WAS ASSURED THAT THEY HAD THE ABILITY TO WORK THROUGH THE MANUFACTURING TECHNICAL DEPARTMENTS, AND I HAD NO NEED TO CONTACT THEM. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THOROUGHLY TESTED THE SYSTEMS, DROVE IT AT LENGTH, AND AGAIN ASSURED ME THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN CONDITION AND WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO AVOID ANY SITUATION WHERE ANY UNANTICIPATED RAPID CHANGES FROM DECELERATION TO ACCELERATION WOULD BE NEEDED. *TR

I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 SUBARU OUTBACK (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) IN MAY 2004. I HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THE VEHICLE, HAVE MAINTAINED IT PER MANUFACTURERS INSTRUCTIONS AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH IT. ON JUNE 30, 2006 I TOOK THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALER IN RESPONSE TO A NOTICE STATING THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2004 OUTBACKS FOR AN "ENGINE CONTROL MODULE REPROGRAMMING (REFLASH). SINCE THAT REPROGRAMMING THE RPMS ARE SLUGGISH IN RETURNING TO NORMAL IN BETWEEN SHIFTS AND AT IDLE. IN-BETWEEN SHIFTS, THE RE-ENGAGEMENT OF THE CLUTCH IS WHAT FORCES THE ENGINE RPMS DOWN TO MATCH THE TRANSMISSION REVOLUTIONS (I DO HAVE CONCERNS THIS WILL EVENTUALLY CAUSE ABNORMAL WEAR ON THE CLUTCH PLATE. IT CAN TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 1.5-5 SECONDS FOR THE RPMS TO DROP FROM 3-4,000 RPMS TO 1,000 RPMS; AND LONGER AT HIGHER RPMS. THIS IS DANGEROUS WHEN A SUDDEN DECREASE IN SPEED IS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFETY (THE BRAKES ARE FIGHTING THE ENGINE REVVING EVEN THOUGHT THE ACCELERATOR HAS BEEN RELEASED). MY GAS MILEAGE HAS DECREASED DUE TO OVER-REVVING (I HAVE KEPT A MILEAGE LOG SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR). ON ONE ROAD TRIP LAST AUGUST, THE RPMS NEVER DROPPED BELOW 1000 AND, IN FACT, FLUCTUATED BETWEEN 1,000 AND 2,000 RPMS AT IDLE! I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LAST 5 MONTHS (AND 7,000+ MILES) TO TRY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. A CASE # WAS OPENED WITH SUBARU OF AMERICA AND I HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THEM SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THE ISSUE. A "FIELD REP" HAS COLLECTED DATA ON THE VEHICLE AND SENT IT OFF TO THE CORPORATE TECHS. THE LOCAL DEALER HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY KNOW TO DO AT THIS POINT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING "WRONG" WITH THE CAR. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME; IT WAS A GREAT CAR UNTIL THE ECM RE-PROGRAMMING. I CANNOT DRIVE THIS CAR FOR THE REST OF IT'S LIFE IN THIS CONDITION; NOR WOULD I WANT TO SELL IT TO ANOTHER PERSON DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. IT IS NOT SAFE. *NM