This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
When the vehicle is placed in park it is not possible to remove the key. This leaves me stranded as I can not leave the vehicle. I was left stranded in Mexico.
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.
The keys could not be removed from the ignition after shifting the car into park and turning the car off. The problem first appeared around September 2019 (approximately 42,000 miles). Over the next few weeks the problem progressively got worse, and required shifting from neutral to park multiple times until the keys could be removed. The select lever assembly (part 35111al00B) was replaced with the newer version (part 35111al00C) which fixed the issue. The original select lever assembly (35111al00B) was tested and it had a problem with the "P" range switch. Resistance across select lever assembly pins 1 and 2 showed a resistance of 2-3 ohms when the select lever was in the park position. The service manual states that the "P" range switch resistance should be less than 1 ohm when in the park position. This high resistance likely caused the ignition to fail to recognize that the car was in park and prevented the keys from being removed.
Cannot remove key from ignition when in park. Many others have reported this online, and the dealership is charging me to check what the issue is. When in park, steering wheel is straight, not on a slope, the key is stuck in the ignition. Can turn it off, but can't remove the key. Sometimes jiggling, sometimes starting and turning back off, and sometimes starting, putting in drive, and slamming the shifter into park again solves the issue, but sometimes not. Spent over 20 minutes today trying to get it out, drove to the dealer, and it came out without an issue. No consistency to the issue.
- Broomfield, CO, USA
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The gear shift does not engage fully in park when the car is stopped. This is an intermittent problem. If it is not engaged fully when the engine is off, the key cannot be removed and the gear shift can slide from park to reverse and neutral without pressing the gear shift button. It is necessary to restart the car sometimes two or three times in order for park to fully engage. Twice when the car was idling in park it did not engage fully and slid into reverse. The second time caused an accident but no injuries. The car has been serviced regularly and there have been no warning indicators to date.
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.
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 Subaru'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 Subaru (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.
New type transmission -happens all the time, more so when car is cool. Back out on a downhill slope hold brake, put in drive. It takes 1 to 3 seconds for drive to engage but nothing shows when it is engaged. You can however hear the ping of the engagement with window down. If you remove foot from brake and press gas the car will roll backwards 6-10 feet towards oncoming traffic. This occurs with or without the hill assist on. Subaru says this is normal nature for the car.
Since purchase on 2/19/17 from parker Subaru cda, complaint of shaking front end, wandering on highway and freeway from side to side in a dangerous manner, from complete loss of steering in snow, slush and gravel as of 2/28/17. I have been very specific about the incidence. Going in my driveway at least 8 inccidents; in snow or slush conditions, in depts on only a couple inches or less in the winter of 2017. In the summer of 2017 three incidents of complete failure was reported on grave road at speeds of 15-mph, I have had the very same complaint every visit: 2/28/17, 3/23/17, 4/6/17. 9/13/17, 10/22/17, 1/22/17- @ parker Subaru cda.
I turned the car on while it was stationary, and switched to reverse but it would not accelerate. I switched it to drive and pressed the acceleration pedal but the engine would only rev; the tires would not move. I switched the car to neutral and called bob wade's Subaru dealership to tow the car to their dealership.
I turned the car on while it was stationary, and switched to reverse but it would not accelerate. I switched it to drive and pressed the acceleration pedal but the engine would only rev; the tires would not move. I switched the car to neutral and called brown's manassas to tow the car to their dealership.
2017 Subaru Outback has 8200 miles on the car. I was at 85 miles an hour 1st time on this car. All of the sudden transmission disengaged and engine RPM went to 4000. Gas pedel was unresponsive for 2 seconds. After 2 seconds car slow down and gas pedal was responsive and car was performing normal. Subaru dealership going to check what is wrong.
When shifting from reverse to forward there is a considerable hesitation and then the vehicle lurches forward. I have taken it into team Subaru in nampa Idaho and they cannot determine any problem. I was told that the hesitation is normal. I do not agree. Because not only does it hesitate, but the lurch when the transmission finally engages is considerable. I did not notice this until the vehicle had approximately 1000 miles on it. I have just over 7100 miles on it now.
Subaru 2017 push button start allows the driver to turn off the engine with car gear selector still in drive. When I did this, the car began to roll as I exited. Fortunately, I had one foot still in the car and was able to press the brake pedal.
First braking issue (also power train): The brake pedal is only slightly higher than the height of the gas pedal. Consequently, several times while driving, my right foot has hit both the brake pedal and the gas pedal simultaneously, especially in an emergency situation. In such instance, the result is a power surge while braking, potentially extending the stopping distance of the car. Other cars (non-Subaru) have the brake pedal higher, so this simultaneous application of brakes and power is less likely to happen. The dealer's service manager says the height of the brake pedal is not adjustable, and refers owners to Subaru's customer retail services. Subaru's customer retail services claims there is no way to adjust the height of the brake pedal to avoid this problem. Second braking issue: Unlike other cars, there is no emergency hand brake or foot brake on the Subaru, so the risk of an accident is high if the regular brakes fail. The brakes have not yet failed, but there should be redundancy for this critical braking function.
Car attempted to accelerate without input from driver.while approaching a stop sign I was slowing down with my foot on the brake car engine suddenly raved up to 4000 K, when I shifted to neutral engine revved to 7000K. I put car back in gear and drove car approximately a quarter mile back to my home using the brakes to control speed of car and called the dealer. Had car towed to dealer where it remains.
I bought a 2017 Subaru Outback in March,2017. It has 1946 miles. Car has safety issues. Car doesn't go into park, instead it goes into reverse. It happened when come home try to put in park, I come out of the car but it start going back. Also after that it was not going into drive either. Subaru change the shift assembly, but the car still make "klunk" noise when I put in the park.
Driving back to Michigan from Florida, my 2017 Subaru Outback (6000 miles) stalled twice unexpectedly in heavy traffic conditions on I75. The vehicle was in stop and go traffic when it stalled. I coasted to the median, placed the car in park and restarted the engine. (both times) the condition has not repeated itself since, now has (7800 miles). Subaru dealership could not replicate the problem and Subaru customer service cannot resolve the issue.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Rancho Cordova, CA, USA