RoadVitals

1995 Subaru Svx Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
20
Latest Apr 30, 2014
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
5
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1995 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

  • Powertrain (other)626.1%
  • Brakes28.7%
  • Airbags14.3%
  • Driver assistance14.3%

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.

13
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I OWN A SUBARU SVX. THEY ARE KNOWN TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THEY ARE ALSO A VERY RARE CAR. OUT OF THE TWO OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE THESE CARS, ALL OF THEM HAVE HAD THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THERE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS, INSTEAD OF ME HAVING TO FIND A WAY TO COME UP WITH MORE THEN WHAT I PAID FOR THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID 10254738 · filed Jan 12, 2009

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

NHTSA ID 10137654 · filed Sep 26, 2005
All 13 reports naming transmission

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

6
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WAS DRIVING AN FIRST 3RD GEAR WOULD JUST REV THEN IT STARTED SKIPPING 3RD THEN I WOULD HAVE TO SLOWLY PUSH GAS TO MOVE AN EVENTUALLY IT JUST REVVED UP I WOULD PARK AN WAIT 15-20 MIN START IT AN TRANSMISSION WORKED FOR A COUPLE MIN THEN STOPPED AN IT STILL WORKS BARELY OFF AN ON IT HAS FLUID BUT WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK THE SHIFTER CAN BE IN ANY POSITION AN TRANSMISSION WON'T ENGAGE AT ALL. *JS

NHTSA ID 10585676 · filed Apr 30, 2014

THE VEHICLE WOULD STAY IN SECOND GEAR WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

NHTSA ID 10019318 · filed May 7, 2003

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.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS DUE TO THE TYPE OF MATERIALS USED WHICH IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO WEAR OFFTEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ALSO, HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE SMOKING, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID 851959 · filed Oct 27, 1999

CONSUMER DIDN'T ENTER SUMMARY.

NHTSA ID 701323 · filed Jan 21, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

THE AIRBAGS RELEASED WITH NO IMPACT.PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID 730380 · filed Sep 6, 2000

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

2/14/97-REPORTED TO BROWN'S SUBARU THAT CAR FELT LIKE IT STARTED IN A DIFFERENT GEAR OTHER THAN IN 1ST GEAR. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY ABNORMALITIES IN TRANSMISSION FUNCTION.CAR SEEMED TO RUN OKAY AFTER THIS UNTIL FEB 1998 WHEN WHILE TRAVELING AT 30-35 MPH LOST ALL GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC POSITION.WAS ABLE TO PUT TRANSMISSION IN "MANUAL MODE" AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER(BROWN'S SUBARU OF ARLINGTON WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW, BUT WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT DO WARRANTY THERE BECAUSE THE SUBARU SERVICE HAD MOVED TO ALEXANDRIA, WHERE I TOOK AUTO NEXT MORNING, WHERE AFTER APPROXIMATELY 33 DAYS THE CAR, SUPPOSEDLY WAS REPAIRED.NEW PARTS PUT INTO TRANSMISSION TWO OR THREE TIMES DURING THIS 33 DAY PERIOD BECAUSE TRANSMISSION, ACCORDING TO MECHANIC AND SERVICE MANAGER WOULD WORK THEN WOULD FAIL. SUPPOSEDLY NO NEW TRANSMISSION WAS AVAILABLE, AND THE DISTRICT MANAGER, MR. HARRY CROOK, WANTED TO FIND OUT THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE NO OTHER 1995 SVX TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS HAD BEEN REPORTED.TOOK RECEIPT OF CAR WITH EVERYTHING WORKING OKAY. SEVERAL DAYS LATER(I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE WITH ME, BUT HAVE THE WORK INVOICE AT HOME, I DETECTED A WHIRRING SOUND IN THE TRANSMISSION WHEN I WOULD PUT INTO REVERSE. SERVICE WRITER HEARD NOISE AND TOOK CAR IN.IF IT SERVES ME CORRECTLY THE INITIAL MECHANIC WAS OUT ON SICK LEAVE, SO I HAD TO TAKE AUTO TO STOHLMAN'S SUBARU, RT 7 MCLEAN,VA.COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. DEC'98 CAR STARTED TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AGAIN. WHILE IN "DRIVE" AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELARATOR, THE ENGINE WOULD JUST REV AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. ABLE TO PUT IT MANUAL MODE AND TAKE TO BROWN'S SUBARU WHERE AGAIN, AT THIS DATE THEY ARE NOT PUTTING NEW PARTS TO REPLACE THIRD GEAR CLUTCH PARTS, ETC. IN *AK TRANS.

NHTSA ID 701898 · filed Jan 5, 1999

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

Data on this page last refreshed .