1994 Subaru Svx Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1994 Subaru Svx, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Transmission2167.7%
- Powertrain (other)39.7%
- Brakes26.5%
- Driver assistance26.5%
- Suspension26.5%
- Tires & wheels13.2%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY 94 SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR SUBARU SHOULD PAY. POOR DESIGN IN TRANSMISSION *TR
MY SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION RECENTLY STARTED SUFFERING A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, HIGH REVS AND SLIPPING WHILE SHIFTING AND JUST NOW I TRIED TO DRIVE IT AND A CLUNKING SOUND HAPPENED WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE. NOW IT WON'T GO IN TO REVERSE AT ALL, ALSO, 1ST GEAR DOESN'T WORK HALF THE TIME AND THE REST OF THE FORWARD GEARS SEEM TO SLIP SEVERELY MOST OF THE TIME TOO. THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE, AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH IT BEFORE. TROUBLE STARTED MAYBE A FEW DAYS AGO.. THE HEAT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN THE SUBARU SVX AND LEGACY MODELS SUFFER FROM A SEVERE COOLING PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR BASED TRANSMISSION COOLER CAN NOT COOL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOL ENOUGH. THE TRANSMISSIONS POOR DESIGN DOES NOT ALLOW THE LUBRICANT TO FLOW THROUGH IT TO KEEP PARTS LUBRICATED(THUS MORE FRICTION AND HEAT DAMAGE). UNUSUAL HIGH OVERDRIVE PLACES ADDITIONAL SIDE LOADS ON BEARINGS GENERATING HEAT. THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM PUTS EVEN MORE STRAIN ON THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING EVEN MORE HEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS OF EPIDEMIC PROPORTION SO COMMON AMONG OVER 90% OF THESE CARS MANUFACTURED. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING DEFECTS IN THE TRANSMISSIONS FOR ALL SVX MODELS. ALMOST ALL SVX OWNERS, EVERY WEBSITE, AND EVEN YOUR OWN COMPLAINT FILES ARE AWARE OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT AND SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING IF ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT IT. AT THE VERY LEAST I NEED SUBARU TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION WITH A NEW ONE UPGRADED WITH HIGH CLUTCH DRUM AND THRUST BEARINGS, NEW REVERSE CLUTCH STEEL PLATES, MODIFIED TRANSMISSION CASE, OIL PUMP GASKET AND TRANSFER CLUTCH DRIVEN PLATE, A TRANSMISSION OIL FILTER KIT AND AN AFTER TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER AND WARRANTY IT. THIS CAR IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX THE DAMAGE FROM THEIR DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND UNUSUALLY HIGH COST COMPARED TO OTHER TRANSMISSIONS. *TR
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
NOT A COMPLETE FAILURE BUT INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AND OTHER PROBLEMS. BEARING FAILURE HAS LOUD ASSOCIATED HUM. *AK
THESE WHEEL BEARINGS DON'T SEEM TO LAST VERY LONG. ACCORDING TO PEOPLE I HAVE DISCUSSED THIS WITH THE NEW PARTS PROBABLY WON'T LAST VERY LONG. I'M IN THE AIR FORCE AND NOW LIVE IN ITALY. I CANT AFFORD THE TWO DAYS AND 200 DOLLARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM REPEATEDLY.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
DUE TO CARBON FORMING AROUND THE THROTTLE BODY, THE THROTTLE WAS IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT TO WORK PROPERLY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER SAID THE REASON THE CARBON WAS FORMING AROUND THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE OCCUPANT DID NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS MUCH. *AK
RIGHT REAR CALIPER PIN BROKE OFF. *SKD
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR IN NEED OF AN EMERGENCY SPEED INCREASE THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL RATHER THAN GOING INTO A GEAR. AN ACCIDENT HAS NOT OCCURRED YET, HOWEVER I'VE HAD SOME RATHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO NOT HAVE THE CAR FAIL TO MOVE IN. *AK
DUE TO CARBON FORMING AROUND THE THROTTLE BODY, THE THROTTLE WAS IN OPEN POSITION, RESULTING IN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT TO WORK PROPERLY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DEALER SAID THE REASON THE CARBON WAS FORMING AROUND THE THROTTLE BODY WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE OCCUPANT DID NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS MUCH. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
THIS IS OUR THIRD SVX AND ALL THREE HAVE HAD WHEEL BEARING FAILURE.*AK
REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS BETWEEN TREADWEAR AT 6000 MILES. CALLED AND WRITTEN MANY TIMES TO FIRESTONE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/50R16 )
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .