Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 1992 Subaru Svx submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 187 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.
The 25 most recent of 187, in the owner's own words
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
1992 SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION FAILURE. EVERYTHING ON THE CAR WORKS GREAT BUT 3RD AND 4TH GEAR.. SUBARU NEEDS TO HELP US OUT SINCE THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $4200, THAT'S MORE THEN BLUE BOOK. *AK
TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED FOR THE SECOND TIME AFTER BEING FIXED. NO WARNING THIS TIME, JUST WOULDN'T GO IN REVERSE. TRANSMISSION IS BEING REBUILT BY SUBARU. IT IS A 1992 SUBARU SVX. *JB
I AM FEELING THE FAILURE OF MY TRANSMISSION, WHICH IS QUITE COMMON TO ALL 1992 SUBARU SVX AND THE COMPANY HASN'T REALLY TAKEN ANY PRECAUTIONARY OR EVEN RECALL FOR THOSE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS AND MANY OF 1992 OWNERS HAVE SPENT A LOT IN THIS ISSUE AND EVEN SOME OF THOSE HAVE CHANGED TO MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. THE COMPANY IS CHARGING ABOUT $4,200 TO INSTALL A NEW TRANMISSION. I AM GETTIN WHETHER THEY ARE MAKING MONEY ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS.*AK
I OWN A 1992 SUBARUS SVX . I HAD TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT AT A COST OF $2500.00 NOW 40,000 MILES LATER IT NEEDS ANOTHER ONE , FROM REPORTS I HAVE READ THERE IS SERIOUS FACTORY FLAWS IN THIS CARS TRANSMISSION.
THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN 4TH GEAR WHEN IT'S TEMPERATURE AND THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE IS COOL. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILS TO LOCK IN GEAR. THE SPEEDOMETER FLUCTUATES AND DOES NOT INDICATE THE CORRECT SPEED BEING DRIVEN. THIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR IS INSTALLED ON TOP ON THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE TRANSMISSION BURNT THROUGH THE SENSOR. THE FAILURE IS COMMON WITH THIS VEHICLE PER THE DEALERSHIP. *NM
MY SVX, ALTHOUGH IT IS A 92' THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILED AT ABOUT 98,000 MILES. I EXPECTED THE LIFE OF THE TRANSMISSION TO LAST A LOT LONGER. THE CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION, BUT IT WILL COST ME OVER $6000 TO FIX AS RENO SUBARU SAYS I WILL NEED A COMPLETE NEW TRANSMISSION TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS PROBABLEY ONLY WORTH ABOUT THAT MUCH. MY CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY, I DON'T WANT TO SCRAP IT BUT DON'T WANT TO SPEND THE ENTIRE WORTH OF THE CAR TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FLAWS OF THE MANUFACTURER. *AK
WE HAVE HAD A 1992 SUBARU SVX AND ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE EXTENSIVE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A NEW ONE PUT IN AND THE FACT THAT THIS MODEL/YEAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SO MUCH AND THAT SUBARU OBVIOUSLY REALIZED THE PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION BY 1993. WHY WERE THESE TRANSMISSIONS NOT RECALLED OR AT LEAST PROVIDED WITH SOME TYPE OF CORRECTION? *AK
CONSUMER HAS PROBLEM WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE: CONTACTED SUBARU ABOUT 1 YEAR PRIOR ABOUT PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THE SLIPAGE WAS NORMAL. NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS PERMANENTLY SLIPPING AND DOES NOT DRIVE IN ANY DIRECTION. IS 36000 MILES NORMAL FOR A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION?......ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE SVX OWNERS.*AK
UPON PURCHASE OF CAR 1-2 WEEKS PRIOR, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 4TH GEAR, AND WAS SLIPPING AT INITIAL ACCELERATION FROM A STOP UNTIL AROUND 1500 RPM, CAUSING WHEELSPIN UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. ON THIS DATE, TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED TO BE ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, LIMITING TOP SPEED TO LEVELS BELOW SAFE LIMITS ON MOST HIGHWAYS. THIS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, AND WAS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. TOWED TO DEALER, DEALER RECOMMENDS REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION, ASKING APPROXIMATELY $4000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. I DIDN'T (AND STILL DON'T) HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT, SO I MANAGED TO LIMP HOME WITH IT WHERE IT HAS SAT SINCE. AT SOME POINT SINCE THEN IT HAS LOST THE ABILITY TO SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR. DEALER ALSO FOUND POSSIBLE WHEEL BEARING AND FRONT ROTOR PROBLEMS, IN ADDITION TO FAILURE OF FRONT CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. WANTS ROUGHLY $6000 TO FULLY REPAIR VEHICLE. *NLM
TRANSMISSION HESITATED ON HIGHWAY AND IN REVERSE. *NLM
POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DESPITE REGULAR PROFESSIONAL CAR CARE AT EITHER A SUBARU DEALER IN 80 - 100 MILE RADIUS) OR LOCAL AUTOMOTIVE SHOPS, CAR EXPERIENCED A SECOND INSTANCE OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE. IN CONSULTING SEVERAL SUBARU SVX - RELATED SITES, I LEARNED PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE HAVE BEEN PREVALENT.
CONSUMER STATES WHILES DRIVING 30MPH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL IN THE STREET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH
I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND EXSPENSIVE IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO GET THE SUBARU TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THIS NEGLIGENT FAILURE TO RECALL THE TRANSMISSIONS. DT
I PURCHASED THIS AS A USED VEHICLE, BUT PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO THE POTENTIAL (EXPENSIVE) PROBLEMS. I WAS ASSURED BY THE DEALER THAT THIS VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT THE CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I STARTED EXPERIENCING SLIPPAGE AND "CLANKING" WITHIN 6 MONTHS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES COMPLAINING ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS ASSURED THAT NO PROBLEM COULD BE FOUND. LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER LAST THE INSPECTION, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED COMPLETELY. AFTER SOME ADDITIONAL RESEARCH I FOUND THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL SINCE INCEPTION/INTRODUCTION. I AM INVESTIGATING THE POSSIBILITY OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. IT APPEARS SUBARU HAS IGNORED THIS PROBLEM, AND DEALERS CONTINUE TO SELL THESE MODELS, MISREPRESENTING THE POTENTIAL FOR EXTENSIVE AND VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. SUBARU AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT.------- DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS-----769750. *AK
AS YOU KNOW THE SUBARU SVX IS KNOWN FOR ITS FAULTY TRANSMISSION. I RECENTLY BOUGHT AN SVX NOT KNOWING OF THE FACTORY DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION...WELL I HAD TO FIND OUT THE HARD WAY, MY CAR STARTED TO DELAY IN SHIFTING AND THEN STARTED SHIFTING BETWEEN DRIVE ABD 3RD GEAR IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE MANNER, NOW MY CAR JERKS INTO REVERSE AND SHIFTS VERY HARD. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM AND HOPE THIS DOES NOT GET OVERLOOKED, I THINK THAT SUBARU SHOULD PAY TO FIX THESE OBVIOUS FACTORY DEFECTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH,..QUINN A. YEAMANS. TS
OWNERS OF THIS CAR WHICH IF NEEDED 100-1000 OR MORE OWNERS CAN CLAIM THAT THIS CAR BUILT BY SUBARU HAS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS POORLY BUILT BECAUSE OF LACK OF LUBRICATION TO INTERNAL PARTS AND LACK OF FLUID COOLING. THIS IS MY SECOND FAILURE ON THIS SAME CAR. ANOTHER COMMON DEFECT ON THIS CAR IS THE WHEEL BEARINGS. I HAVE REPLACED THEM WITH REPEATS GOING ON 4 TIMES. THE BEARINGS ARE FAILING TOO QUICKLY FOR ANY CAR. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING TO BE DONE SO THAT OWNERS OF THESE CARS CAN EITHER HAVE A RECALL DONE ON THE TRANSMISSIONS AND WHEEL BEARING OR COMENSATED FOR REPEAT WORK DONE ON THESE ISSUES. THANK YOU AND I'LL LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR EMAIL REPLY.*AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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