2015 Subaru Outback Power Train

After a transmission replacement performed by Bud Clary Chevrolet, Inc. in Longview, WA on September 9, 2025, my vehicle was returned to me with critical components left unsecured. On November 19, 2025, an independent mechanic discovered loose suspension bolts connecting the ball joints to the spindles on both front wheels. On November 29, 2025, Subaru of Portland documented additional unsecured and unattached components related to the prior transmission replacement, including loose mounting hardware and a disconnected PCV hose. Subaru of Portland’s written inspection states that the loose bolts would have been unsafe if left uncorrected. These conditions were present after a major repair and created a potential safety hazard while the vehicle was being driven. This complaint concerns an unsafe condition caused by improper workmanship during a vehicle repair.

When shifted into drive or reverse, with brakes applied, and after initial start the vehicle will surge forward or reverse with force enough to overcome standard braking.

The continuously variable transmission failed at 114,000 miles. The unexpected lack of proper shifting on the roadway causes impediment to traffic expecting a continual flow of traffic. This causes the vehicle and drivers sharing the rode to have to make sudden braking or lane shifts without sufficient notice. The CVT was inspected by the dealer. There were no warning lamps or symptoms prior to failure.

local mechanic doing standard maintenence at 62,861 miles, checking high rpms at startup, noticed that the crankshaft pully was moving up and down , slight variance , when it should be straight. apparently a recall issue on 2016 outbacks.

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK

I TOOK THE CAR INTO PAUL MOAK SUBARU ON 10/14. THE CAR WAS BUCKING UNDER LIGHT ACCELERATION. WHEN PULLING THRU A STOP LIGHT, OR MOVING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THE CAR KICKS BACK AND FORTH AND I DON'T KNOW IF ITS GOING TO KEEP GOING OR STALL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. PAUL MOAK SUBARU SAYS " THIS IS DUE TO AN INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE CVT TRANSMISSION AND THE REPAIR ESTIMATE IS $9,319.59." THIS IS ALMOST THE SAME AS WHAT I OWE ON THE CAR. I KNEW OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY SUBARU PROVIDED FOR THE TRANSMISSION BUT I'M OUTSIDE THE MILEAGE PORTION. I REACHED OUT TO SUBARU NORTH AMERICA ON 10/27/20 BUT THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT HELP ME DUE TO THE MILEAGE. I DRIVE APPROX 750 MILES A WEEK ON A SALES ROUTE THUS THE HIGH MILEAGE. 90 % OF THE MILES ARE HIGHWAY AND ARE DOCUMENTED FOR TAX PURPOSES. I LOVE MY SUBARU BUT CANT BELIEVE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON A 5 YEAR OLD CAR. I HAVE A FAMILY OF 4 AND AM SCARED TO TAKE THEM IN THE CAR IN THIS CONDITION. I HAVE TO DRIVE IT IN THIS CONDITION UNTIL I CAN SAVE THE MONEY IT'S GOING TO COST TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION. SUBARU SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION.

AT 65000 MILES I HAD TO REPLACE A WHEEL BEARING. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE NEED A WHEEL BEARING WITH THIS LOW MILLAGE. I AM TOLD OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM.

SUBJECT 2015 OUTBACK CVT TRANSMISSION LURCHES AND BOGS DURING ACCELERATION, WE HAVE TRIED WORKING WITH SUBARU FOR REPAIR HOWEVER, THEY CONSIDER THE UNIT AS WORKING TO WITHIN STANDARD AND WILL NOT REPLACE UNLESS IT FAILS COMPLETELY.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH MODELS WITH THEIR ORIGINAL CVT TRANSMISSION, BUT RATHER THAN ISSUE A RECALL, THEY'RE EXTENDING WARRANTIES AND FIXING AS THEY BREAK. THIS LEFT ME WITH NO POWER ON A STATE HIGHWAY THAT HAD SPEED LIMITS OF 75MPH. I MANAGED TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER TO BE STRANDED FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR A TOW TRUCK. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND IF IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE, I'M NOT SURE WHY THEY'RE NOT PREVENTING THESE SCENARIOS. I WAS GOING ABOUT 70MPH IN THE CENTER LANE OF A 3 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY MY CAR JERKED AND THEN WOULDNT ACCELERATE.

LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 40,293 MILES IN MAY 2016 LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 76.699 MILES IN FEB 2018 THIS IS A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED

WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AT 75 MPH, TRANSMISSION MADE TWO CLUNKING SOUNDS, AND SPEED DECREASED - RPMS INCREASED. WE COULD SMELL OIL BURNING SMELL, BUT NO SMOKE OR LEAKS. WE WERE APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES OUTSIDE OF LAS VEGAS AND 22 MILES INTO OUR TRIP. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND NO DECREASE IN SPEED OR OTHER SIGNS PRIOR TO THE CLUNKS/CLANKS. VEHICLE TOWED TO SUBARU OF LAS VEGAS. FIRST SUBARU TRIED TO SAY REAR DIFFERENTIAL CAUSED. PLEASE SEE DAN'S DRIVELINE INVOICE. NEXT THEY TRIED TO SAY FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CAUSED. I CHALLENGED - HOW CAN A FUNCTIONING DIFFERENTIAL CAUSE A TRANSMISSION TO BECOME TOAST? NEXT STEP IS SUBARU HQ TECH TO TEAR DOWN TRANSMISSION. I'VE INCLUDED DOCUMENTS FROM AUTO LAB (DID 30K MILE SERVICE), SUBARU INVOICE, SUBARU EMAIL SAYING FRONT DIFFERENTIAL CAUSED,

THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN LEAKING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR IN JAN 2015. ONE DEALER TOLD US THERE WAS NO LEAK AND FINALLY DECIDED IT WAS THE RIGHT DIFFERENTIAL AND REPAIRED THAT. THE TRANSMISSION STILL LEAKED. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER WHERE BOUGHT, THEY FOUND LEAK AND SAID IT WAS REPAIRED BUT IT IS STILL DRIPPING. PLAN ON TAKING IT BACK TO THEM NEXT WEEK. WE KEEP CLEAN CARDBOARD UNDER THE AREA WHERE THE LEAK IS TO PROTECT THE GARAGE FLOOR AND DOCUMENT THE LEAK. LAST REPAIR JULY 25 OF 2017.

INTERMITTENTLY THE CAR DOES NOT RESPOND WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED. I AM TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS I HAVE ALMOST BEEN HIT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN TURNING LEFT OR MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. IF THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED MORE AND MORE, THE CAR FINALLY LURCHES FORWARD (OR BACKWARD IF BACKING UP) AND THE BRAKES HAVE TO BE SLAMMED ON.

EXTREME ENGINE HESITATION (CVT) FROM IDLE STOP MAKING A TURN, IE CENTER TURNING LANE. DRIVER CANNOT RELY ON NORMAL OPPOSING TRAFFIC BREAKS TO COMPLETE A TURN. YOU MUST INCREASE THAT DISTANCE BY AT LEAST 5 TIMES, THEN YOU DON'T KNOW IF ENGINE/TRANSMISSION WILL KICK BACK IN! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! DEALER: "THAT'S THE WAY ITS SUPPOSED TO WORK!??? THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES!

LEFT HAND WHEEL BEARINGS (HUB UNIT) FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 17,000 MILES. RIGHT HAND WHEEL BEARING (HUB UNIT) FAILED AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT 32,000 MILES.

AFTER MOVING VEHICLE IN REVERSE, THEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION REMAINS IN NEUTRAL UNTIL THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED ALLOWING CAR TO ROLL BACKWARD IF ON AN INCLINE. THERE IS THEN A SURGE FORWARD WHEN IT DOES ENGAGE. ALSO, ON A COLD START WHEN TEMP. IS BELOW 0 TRANS WILL STAY 1-2 GEARS LOWER THAN IT SHOULD FOR > 5 MILES ALLOWING FOR EXCESSIVE ENGINE RPMS. AFTER TAKING CAR TO DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT BOTH THESE CONDITIONS WERE NORMAL FOR THIS TRANSMISSION.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL FROM THE NHTSA (CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 15V502 - TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK). I CONTACTED THE SUBARU DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NO SUCH RECALL. WHO IS RIGHT?

I HAD STOPPED TO DISEMBARK MYSELF AND PASSENGERS. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. I DID NOT REALIZE IT WAS NOT IN PARK. AS THE PASSENGER ON THE LEFT WAS GETTING OUT, THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. I WAS ABLE TO PUT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP IT AND PUT IT IN PARK. I HAVE A PUSH BUTTON IGNITION. ON PAGE 3-6 OF THE OWNER'S MANUEL IT SAYS " THE PUSH BUTTON SWITCH CANNOT BE SWITCHED TO "OFF" WHEN THE SELECT LEVER IS IN A POSITION OTHER THAN P". IN CONTACTING THE DEALER SHIP THEY CHECKED OTHER OUTBACKS WITH PUSH BUTTON STARTERS AND THEY ALSO HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

.OF US AS TRAFFIC WAS CAUSING IT TO SPEED UP AND SLOW DOWN. WITH NO WARNING, OUR CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED AHEAD AS IF I HAD STEPPED HARD ON THE GAS PEDAL, THROWING US BACK IN OUR SEATS. AFTER A FEW SECONDS, IT HIT BRAKES AND THREW US FORWARD. IT DID NOT COMPLETELY STOP BUT RESUMED PREVIOUS SPEED. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES. I TOOK THE FIRST EXIT THAT APPEARED, ABOUT TWO MILES AHEAD. I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED THAT WE MIGHT COLLIDE WITH THE VAN IN FRONT OR SWERVE INTO THE TRAFFIC IN THE LANE NEXT TO US, OR THAT IT MIGHT SUDDENLY STALL IN OUR LANE. I DID NOT TRY TO STOP THE CAR ALTHOUGH I HAD MY FOOT RESTING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. IT BADLY FRIGHTENED MY WIFE AND I. THE CAR HAS A CVT TRANSMISSION. WE STOPPED IN A PARKING LOT AND THEN HAD CAR TOWED TO CLOSEST OF TWO SUBARU DEALERS IN THE AREA. I HAD BOTH OF THEM RUN EXTENSIVE CHECKS ON ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, COMPUTER, ETC. NEITHER COULD IDENTIFY ANY ISSUES THAT WOULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE HAS SWORN SHE WILL NEVER DRIVE OR RIDE IN THE CAR AGAIN. I CAN'T BLAME HER. WE HAVE TO GO OVER A WINDING, HILLY ROAD OF ABOUT TEN MILES TO GO HOME. THERE IS HEAVY CAR AND TRUCK TRAFFIC OFF AND ON THROUGHOUT THE DAY. TO GET HOME, WE RENTED A CAR AS I NOW FEAR DRIVING THIS ROAD IN THIS CAR AT ANYTIME DAY OR NIGHT. THE DEALER WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR HAS OFFERED TO STORE THE CAR FOR US UNTIL WE DECIDE WHAT TO DO. I'VE TRIED CALLING SUBARU AND WILL TRY AGAIN. LONG WAIT PERIODS SO FAR. THIS IS OUR SECOND SUBARU. FIRST WAS A 2012 OUTBACK WHICH WE TRADED FOR THE CURRENT ONE WHICH WE HAVE LEASED. THE IRONY OF THIS IS THAT WE BOUGHT THE CURRENT ONE FOR ITS MANY SAFETY FEATURES! I'VE OWNED MANY CARS IN MY LIFE BUT HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 856. UPDATED 02/18/15*LJ UPDATED 9/12/2017*CN