RoadVitals

1991 Subaru Legacy Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
11
Latest Aug 19, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
14%
of 78 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Subaru Legacy submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

AirbagsTransmission
Filed Aug 19, 2003
Crash reported

AFTER STARTING VEHICLE DRIVER PUT SHIFTER IN DRIVE AND VEHICLE TOOK OFF, DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE HIT A BRICK WALL BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10034164
Interior & seatsTransmission
Filed Dec 4, 2001

LOCK ON VEHICLE DOESN'T WORK. CONSUMER STATED THAT WINDOW WILL BE LEFT DOWN IN ORDER TO GET INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, GEAR SHIFT GOES UP AND DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
899853
Incident
Apr 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Oct 1, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD ONLY MOVE FOR SHORT DISTANCES, THEN WILL STOP. CONSUMER FEELS THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
897096
Incident
Sep 15, 2001
Transmission
Filed May 21, 1999

ENGINE IS TOO HEAVY FOR THE TRANSMISSION, RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION. MANUFACTURER AWARE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
838313
Transmission
Filed Feb 11, 1999

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID
703180
Incident
Feb 3, 1999
Body & structureBrakesDriver assistance+8 more
Filed Apr 6, 1998

LEFT LATCH ON THE CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD SNAPPED LOOSE.

NHTSA ID
999999999
Transmission
Filed Feb 11, 1998
1 injury reported

THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DISENGAGED FROM PARK BY CHILD RESULTING IN A COLLISION DUE TO A DESIGN FEATURE CALLED THE (BYPASS SWITCH).

NHTSA ID
530239
Transmission
Filed Nov 17, 1997

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
524830
Incident
Aug 29, 1997
Transmission
Filed Dec 13, 1996
1 injury reported

RECALL RELATED , 94V052, TRANSMISSION FAILURE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING AND LOSS OF CONTROL, IMPACT 12:00, SPEED 60MPH. *AK

NHTSA ID
806316
Incident
Dec 12, 1996
BrakesElectricalEngine+2 more
Filed Feb 16, 1996

BRAKES MADE A SCREECHING NOISE. *SD

NHTSA ID
501610
Incident
Apr 14, 1994
Transmission
Filed Feb 8, 1995

TRANSMISSION REPLACED DUE TO NOISE AND STICKING IN 3RD GEAR. *SKD

NHTSA ID
481092
Incident
Jan 3, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Seat belts19Body & structure14Interior & seats14Brakes11Powertrain (other)8

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .