Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Our database contains 231 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1992 Subaru Svx, most frequently naming the transmission, powertrain (other) and suspension categories. 13 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
When owners filed reports about this model year
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1999 | 6 | 58 |
| Feb 1999 | 7 | 65 |
| Mar 1999 | 3 | 68 |
| Apr 1999 | 3 | 71 |
| May 1999 | 4 | 75 |
| Jun 1999 | 3 | 78 |
| Jul 1999 | 6 | 84 |
| Aug 1999 | 6 | 90 |
| Sep 1999 | 14 | 104 |
| Oct 1999 | 7 | 111 |
| Nov 1999 | 6 | 117 |
| Dec 1999 | 7 | 124 |
| Jan 2000 | 4 | 128 |
| Feb 2000 | 7 | 135 |
| Mar 2000 | 7 | 142 |
| Apr 2000 | 5 | 147 |
| May 2000 | 1 | 148 |
| Jul 2000 | 1 | 149 |
| Aug 2000 | 1 | 150 |
| Oct 2000 | 5 | 155 |
| Nov 2000 | 1 | 156 |
| Dec 2000 | 3 | 159 |
| Jan 2001 | 6 | 165 |
| Feb 2001 | 3 | 168 |
| Mar 2001 | 1 | 169 |
| Apr 2001 | 1 | 170 |
| May 2001 | 5 | 175 |
| Jun 2001 | 7 | 182 |
| Jul 2001 | 2 | 184 |
| Aug 2001 | 1 | 185 |
| Sep 2001 | 2 | 187 |
| Oct 2001 | 2 | 189 |
| Nov 2001 | 3 | 192 |
| Jan 2002 | 2 | 194 |
| Mar 2002 | 1 | 195 |
| Apr 2002 | 4 | 199 |
| Jul 2002 | 2 | 201 |
| Aug 2002 | 3 | 204 |
| Sep 2002 | 1 | 205 |
| Nov 2002 | 2 | 207 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 208 |
| Feb 2003 | 1 | 209 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 210 |
| May 2003 | 1 | 211 |
| Jul 2003 | 3 | 214 |
| Aug 2003 | 1 | 215 |
| Sep 2003 | 1 | 216 |
| Mar 2004 | 2 | 218 |
| Jul 2004 | 1 | 219 |
| Aug 2004 | 1 | 220 |
| Dec 2004 | 1 | 221 |
| Feb 2005 | 1 | 222 |
| Apr 2005 | 1 | 223 |
| Sep 2005 | 1 | 224 |
| Nov 2005 | 1 | 225 |
| Jan 2006 | 1 | 226 |
| Sep 2007 | 1 | 227 |
| Nov 2008 | 2 | 229 |
| Feb 2009 | 1 | 230 |
| Jan 2013 | 1 | 231 |
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
No recalls in our database for this model year
That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 SUBARU SVX. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. NO SPECIFIC EVENT OR ACTIVITY LEAD TO THE FAILURE. TRANSMISSION WORSENED OVER A PERIOD OF WEEKS - ROUGH SHIFTS AND EVENTUALLY UNABLE TO GET INTO ALL GEARS. *TR
TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH 64000 MI. TRANS SHOP "REBUILT" IT AND ADDED A TRANS COOLER FOR 2200$ AS SOON AS I FIST DROVE IT I NOTICED THE CAR "BINDING UP" DURING TURNS AT SLOW SPEED. SHOP OWNER SAID HE COULDN'T REPLICATE OR FEEL ANYTHING WRONG, WITH ME IN THE CAR AND IT WAS CLEARLY BINDING DURING SLOW TURNS, HE REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY PROBLEM. ALSO THERE IS A NOISE, LIKE A BOLT INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER THAT I HEAR WHEN I AM OFF THE THROTTLE. ALSO HAVE REPLACED BOTH REAR WHEEL BEARINGS. CABIN TRUNK RELEASE HAS FAILED AND ALL OF THE HOOD/TRUNK STRUTS HAVE FAILED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 SUBARU SVX. WHILE DRIVING 23 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED A SHIFTING DELAY. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHEN DRIVING IN REVERSE AND HAD TO BE SHIFTED INTO PARK IN ORDER TO BE RESTARTED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE, THE ENGINE WOULD REV WHILE DRIVING. THE FAILURES OCCURRED EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR DUE TO THE VEHICLE SHUTTING OFF. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NO ERROR CODES OR FAILURES; HOWEVER, THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. A DIAGNOSTIC COULD BE PERFORMED AT THE COST OF $180. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED ON NOVEMBER 10, 2008. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000.
TRANSMISSION SLIP BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE TRANSMISSION'S SECOND GEAR IS INOPERATIVE AND THIRD GEAR IS SLIPPING. THE COOLING SYSTEM WAS UNABLE TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION WHICH LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE SECOND GEAR. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED OR REBUILT. *NM
THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON MY SUBARU SVX 1992 YEAR MODEL. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 65K MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED PER THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED PREMATURELY. *JB
I PURCHASES A SUBARU SVX 1992 MODEL. I TEST DROVE IT AND IT SEEMED FINE. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE IT LOOKED OVER AND IT CAME BACK CLEAN EXCEPT FOR SOME SUGGESTIONS TO CHANGE BRAKE PADS , FLUIDS ETC. THIS WAS ALL DONE. HOWEVER A COUPLE MONTHS LATER A MAJOR PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE GEAR WOULD SOMETIMES NOT SHIFT, THE CAR WOULD MAKE A LOUD THUD SOUND IN REVERSE AND OVER REV ON HIGHWAY DRIVING. I FOUND OUT FROM VARIOUS FORUMS THAT THIS CAR HAS A FLAW , THE TRANSMISSION IS DUE TO FAILURE. EVERY CAR OWNER IN THIS FORUM HAS EXPERIENCED PREMATURE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE COST TO HAVE THIS COMPLETELY FIXED COSTS OVER $4000. A PROBLEM THAT OWNERS SHOULD NOT PAY FOR BECAUSE OF FAULTY ENGINEERING. THE LATER MODELS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT AS PRONE TO IT. WHY DID SUBARU NEVER HAVE THESE CARS RECALLED OR PARTS RECALLED? ANOTHER PROBLEM OCCURRED, WHILE DRIVING THE CAR BACK FROM THE PURCHASE LOCATION, THERE WAS A HUMMING SOUND FROM THE TRUNK, IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER AND AT 500 MILES LATER IT WAS A GRINDING AND LOUD SOUND. MY MECHANIC LISTED IT AS A WHEEL BEARING PROBLEM. ON SUBARU FORUMS AS WELL AS ADVICE FROM MECHANICS THE SUBARU IS PRONE TO SEVER WHEEL BEARING PROBLEMS. IN SOME CASES GENERATING HEAT THAT THEY HAD RECOUNTED CARS WITH MOLDED BEARINGS AND BROKEN AXLES. ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THE ABS SYSTEM. I GUESS THE BRAKE PUMP IS ALSO A COMPONENT THAT LEAKS. I NEED TO HAVE MY BRAKED REFILLED EVERY OTHER DAY AND THE FUEL PUMP COSTS AROUND 2000$ I WISH FOR YOU TO SEND THIS REPORT TO SUBARU TO VOICE THIS CONCERN FOR ME AND ON BEHALF OF THE MANY SUBARU SVX DRIVERS THAT ARE FACED WITH ENDURING THESE COSTLY MISTAKES DUE TO POOR ENGINEERING. SUBARU SHOULD HAVE A PROGRAM TO FIX THESE PARTS OR ALLOW A TRADE IN FOR CURRENT BLUE BOOK REFUNDS OR SOME WAY OR LETTING INDIVIDUALS KNOW THAT THEY ARE SORRY. THE CAR IS A FINE PIECE OF ART AND THESE MINOR PROBLEMS MAKES IT A PIECE OF JUNK. *NM
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains illustrations of exchange components and their manufacturer as well as a description of the proper exchange procedure.
EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This bulletin has been developed to outline the steps for gathering basic essential information during diagnosis and repair of the Infotainment concerns. (Applicable to all models with Harman or Denso CP1 Infotainment).
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin contains additional information for recommended materials listed in the Service Manuals for individual models
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING; EQUIPMENT
This bulletin is to advise of SOAâs revised catalytic converter recycling program shipping procedure.
EQUIPMENT
To help reduce confusion and increase technician efficiency, Subaru of America, Inc. (SOA) has developed the following cross reference list to help locate the appropriate Special Service Tool.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.