2002 Subaru WRX Transmission Problems

SOA GOLD PLUS ADDED SECURITY 7 YEAR/100,000 MI CONTRACT COVERAGE SO EXTENSIVE IT'S EASIER TO LIST WHAT IS NOT COVERED! 2002 WRX 64,500 MI NOW AT METRIC SUBARU DIX HILLS, NY BLEW OUT TRANS/MAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY & WANTS $3,600. METRIC REPLACED MANUAL CLUTCH ASS 62,980 MI, COSTING $1,175 & BROUGHT BACK CAR LESS THAN 400 MI LATER BECAUSE OF CRUNCHING WHEN SHIFTING IN FIRST & REVERSE & WASN'T FIXED BECAUSE METRIC COULDN'T VERIFY COMPLAINT. FEW DAYS LATER GEAR STUCK IN REVERSE & CAR WOULDN'T BUDGE WHILE IN THE MIDDLE OF STREET. SUBARU TOWED CAR TO METRIC, COULDN'T VERIFY COMPLAINT AS GEAR BECAME UNSTUCK. NEW YEARS DAY, WITH DROPPED CLUTCH PEDAL COULDN'T GET INTO GEAR SO SUBARU TOWED CAR BACK TO METRIC. UPON CALLING SOA RECEIVED # 1072552 FROM LES HANDLEY AND AFTER SIGNING $500. AUTH TEAR DOWN CHG WAS THEN TOLD TRANS/MAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BLOWN OUT/ GEARS STRIPPED/CHIPPED. SOA REFUSES TO AUTHORIZE DEALER TO FIX THE CAR ASSERTING ABUSED CAR AND DRIVEN AGGRESSIVELY. METRIC EXPLAINED MANUAL TRANS A PROBLEM AND WE SEE RESEARCHING WEBSITE, NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS NEARLY SAME IDENTICAL STORY OF TRANS & MAN CLUTCH ASSEMBLY BLOWN OUT/GEARS STRIPPED/CHIPPED WITH SOA DENYING REPAIRS ASSERTING ABUSE. IS IT POSSIBLE EVERY OWNERS TALE OF WOE IS A LIE? SUBARU REPLACED OUR TRANS 29,068 MI AFTER FINDING GEARS, SYNROS AND SLEEVES DEFECTIVE. SUBARU THREE MONTHS LATER AT 29,740 MI FOUND TRANSMISSION LEAKING, SEEING TRANSMISSION CASE POROUS & REPLACED IT. 42,546 MI SUBARU REPLACED WORN REVERSE TRANS SHIFT RAIL AND CLIP. SOA CUSTOMER CARE REP, PATRICIA HUNG UP ON US WHILE WE TRIED TO OBTAIN SATISFACTION ON CLAIM FOR REPAIRS UNDER SERVICE CONTRACT, STATING DEALERSHIP SERVICE REPS INFORMED HER WE ABUSED THE CAR AND DROVE IT AGGRESSIVELY, A FACT THEY OUT AND OUT DENIED TO OUR FACE WHEN CONFRONTED ON THAT MATTER. SERVICE REP INFORMED US THEY SENT PICS AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AND REQUESTED AUTHORIZATION FOR REPAIR & WAS DENIED WITH OUR SERVICE REP FEELING SOA WAS LOOKING TO AVOID THIS EXTREMELY EXPLOSIVE ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215189

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

64,500 mi

I OWN A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND SHIFT INTO FIRST THERE IS A GRIND NOISE. IT WAS INTERMITTENT AND I REPORTED IT AT LEAST 3 OR 4 TIMES AND THE DEALER COULDN'T REPRODUCE IT.. FINALLY AFTER DOING IN FOR OVER A YEAR IT HAS GOTTEN BAD ENOUGH THEY COULD REPRODUCE IT.. THEY TORE IT DOWN AND THE FIRST GEAR SYNCHO IS BAD AND THEY WILL NOT COVER IT UNDER WARRANTY STATING DRIVER ABUSE.. THIS IS TOTAL BS I NEVER ABUSED THE CAR, IT HAS BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE AND OTHER DRIVERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IN FACT BETWEEN MY WIFE AND I WE HAVE HAD 6 CARS WITH STANDARDS AND HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH A PROBLEM.. THE ABUSE CLAIM IS JUST TO GET OUT OF PAYING FOR A FAILURE OVER TIME IN A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAVE IS SUPPOSED TO COVER IT.*JB

NHTSA ID

10139631

Incident

Oct 12, 2005

I HAVE EXPERIENCED "CLUTCH SHUDDER" ON MY 2002 WRX. THE DEALERSHIPS I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO (3) SAID THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM SO HAVE LEFT IT UNADDRESSED. THE CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY LIKE IT WAS BEING JACKHAMMERED WHEN FIRST DRIVEN. NO DEALER WILL REPAIR IT UNDER THE TSB THAT WAS ISSUED BY SUBARU.

NHTSA ID

10121971

Incident

May 22, 2005

Mileage

24,000 mi

I OWN A 2002 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE WHEN I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PLACE MY CAR IN NEUTRAL IT DOES NOT WANT TO GO BACK INTO FIRST GEAR. SO I HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND PUT IT INTO SECOND GEAR. I HAVE ALREADY COMPLAIN TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. THEY JUST SAY THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110701

Incident

Nov 22, 2004

THE CAR NEVER SHIFTED GEARS EASILY FROM WHEN NEW. AT 13,000 MILES THE DEALER REPLACED THE CLUTCH UNDER WARRANTY WITH AN '03 SPEC CLUTCH ASSEMBLY. THE SHUDDERING CEASED, BUT THE TRANSMISSION WHINED EXCESSIVELY AND IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT TO SHIFT GEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. LAST WEEK, IN VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, ALL POWER WAS LOST AND THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE SHIFTED AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, INSPECTED BY REP AND DEEMED TO BE ABUSED, THEREFORE, NO COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN IS SUBARU GOING TO RECOGNIZE THAT THEY HAVE A PROBLEM IN THAT THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGINEERED TO HANDLE THE INCREASE POWER OF THE WRX MOTOR? THERE WAS NO ABUSE, NO RACING OR DRIVER ERROR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE. I AM FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110023

Incident

Jan 27, 2005

Mileage

35,640 mi

ON SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12TH, 2004 I WAS TRAVELLING WITH MY MOTHER SOUTHBOUND ON THE 5 FREEWAY. THE TRAFFIC WAS STOP AND GO. I WAS STOPPED ,AND HAD PUT THE CAR INTO FIRST GEAR AND RELEASED THE CLUTCH AND THERE WAS A LOUD POP. FIRST GEAR WAS GONE. I DROVE IT HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY TOOK IT TO BOB BAKER SUBARU IN CARLSBAD, CA. AN HOUR LATER THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THE FAILURE WAS A RESULT OF DRIVER ABUSE AND/OR RACING. THEY DENIED MY CLAIM! I WROTE LETTERS TO SUBARU AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE PHONE CALLS (MOST WERE NEVER RETURNED). ON OCT. 27TH I FINALLY WENT TO PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND PAID $700 FOR THEM LOOKING AT THE TRANSMISSION AND $205 FOR STORING THE CAR. IT NOW ONLY HAS SECOND GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10096519

Incident

Sep 13, 2004

Mileage

48,000 mi

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY 2002 SUBARU WRX IN A NORMAL MANNER WHEN HE STOPPED AT A LIGHT AT AN INTERSECTION. HE WENT TO PULL OUT AND COULD NOT GET INTO GEAR. HE GAVE A LITTLE GAS AND ATTEMPTED TO GET CAR TO GO IN FIRST GEAR, THEN THE LUTCH WENT TO FLOOR AND HE COULD NOT GET CAR TO MOVE, EXCEPT BY DRIFTING. WHEN IT WAS TAKEN TO GARAGE, THEY STATED THAT THE CLUTCH SPRINGS BLEW OUT, THE CLUTCH, 2ND GEAR WAS STRIPPED OF ITS TEETH. SUBARU OF AMERICA IS CLAIMING ABUSE AND WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. THIS CAR HAS 35750 MILES ON IT. THIS CAR IS ENGINEERED INCORRECTLY, AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. YOU CAN NOT GET CAR TO MOVE WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE BUT A WARRRANTY ISSUE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO STOP THIS, BEFORE MORE COMPANIES START NEGATING WARRANTIES ALSO. *AK

NHTSA ID

10078427

Incident

May 17, 2004

Mileage

35,750 mi

FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW, IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR IS FIRST STARTED, THE CLUTCH SHUDDERS WHEN IT IS INITIALLY ENGAGED INTO FIRST GEAR. THE CAR OFTEN SHAKES VIOLENTLY. THE PROBLEM USUALLY GOES AWAY WHEN THE CAR WARMS UP, BUT RETURNS THE NEXT MORNING. I CANNOT IMAGINE THAT THIS IS GOOD FOR THE CLUTCH, AND IS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECTS. SUBARU ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM (THEY HAVE ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN) BUT REFUSES TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH IF IT IS NOT UNDER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10050961

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

Mileage

40,000 mi

LAST WEEK AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE CLUTCH PEDAL STARTED FEELING A BIT LOOSE (IE SOFT UNTIL IT WAS DEPRESSED HALF-WAY) AND WAS STICKING TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED FULLY. IT BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AT ALL AND I WAS QUITE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS AS I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD I BEEN AT HIGHER SPEED AND BEEN FOR EXAMPLE ATTEMPTING TO PASS SOMEONE AND THE PEDAL WOULD HAVE FAILED IN THE SAME WAY, MUCH MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. IT THEN BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR ON A COLD MORNING UNTIL I HAD PUMPED THE CLUTCH FOR AWHILE AND LET THE CAR WARM UP. ONCE I HAD DONE THIS, I COULD SOMETIMES SHIFT WITH NO PROBLEMS, BUT THE PEDAL WOULD STILL STICK TO THE FLOOR MOST OF THE TIME MAKING ME HAVE TO PULL IT BACK UP WITH MY FOOT. AFTER CALLING THE LOCAL DEALER, I FOUND THAT SUBARU HAS IDENTIFIED THIS AS AN ISSUE WITH MY CAR AND HAS ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB# 03-52-03) CONFIRMING THAT A HOSE FAILURE IS AT FAULT. SUBARU WILL NOT REPLACE MY HOSE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE I AM OUT OF THE WARRANTY PERIOD. CONSIDERING THE QUICK ONSET OF THIS PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL HAZARD TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS, IT WOULD SEEM THAT SUBARU SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE OFFENDING HOSE WITH ONE THAT WILL NOT FAIL FREE OF CHARGE REGARDLESS OF WARRANTY STATUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10050959

Incident

Dec 5, 2003

Mileage

65,400 mi

WAS DRIVING THE SUBARU WRX IN A NORMAL FASHION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO CLASSIC SUBARU, THEY OPENED IT UP AND 2ND GEAR WAS STRIPPED OF ALL THE TEETH. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT WAS ABUSED. THIS IS NOT TRUE. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE STRIPPING OUT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY ARE ENGINEERED INCORRECTLY. THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN PROVE ABUSE. THE CAR WAS ONLY TRAVELING 10MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE THE CAR AT ALL WHEN THIS HAPPENS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041586

Incident

Sep 30, 2003

Mileage

23,000 mi

ON 8/25 MY 2002 WRX WAGON WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR,WITH ENGINE ON OR OFF.I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN,WHEN IT WAS DROPPED OFF I WAS THERE,THE SERVICE PERSON TRIED TO SHIFT IT AND GOT IT TO GO INTO GEAR.WHEN THEY TRIED TO ENGAGE REVERSE,IT GROUND THE GEARS 4 TIMES,THEY SAID THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPED WHEN THEY TRIED,I WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE,IT WAS NOT MOVING!.THIS CAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION CONCERNS BEFORE AND HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OTHER VISITS WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH GRINDING GEARS WHILE DRIVING,THIS COULD CAUSE IN MY OPINION A SAFTEY ISSUE ,DISTRACTION WHILE DRIVING.DO WE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A TRANSMISSION LOCKING UP CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH BEFORE IT IS DELT WITH?. I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10036776

Incident

Aug 25, 2003

Mileage

17,647 mi

CAR: 02 SUBARU WRX MANUAL TRANSMISSION THE CAR SUFFERS FROM THE CLUTCH JUDDER DESCRIBED BY MANY, AND DETAILED IN TSB 03-51-02. MY CAR HAS 44000 MILES. THE BASIC WARRANTY ON THE CAR IS 3YR/36000. POWRTRAIN IS 6 YR/60000. MY DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES MY PROBLEM AS BEING EXACTLY AS IN THE TSB. HOWEVER, HE INFORMS ME THE REPAIR IS NOT TO BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE TO ME- SINCE THE BASIC WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. GIVEN THAT THE CAR IS SO DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, AND THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGED MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IN A POWERTRAIN COMPONENT, I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM. EXCEPT SUBARU OF AMERICA WANTING TO AVOID PAYING FOR IT BY LABELING IT A 'WEAR' ITEM, AND THEREFORE COVERED UNDER 3YR/36K. PLEASE ADVISE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10028456

Incident

Jul 16, 2003

Mileage

39,000 mi

2002 WRX WAGON. MANUAL SHIFT. CLUTCH PROBLEMS ON DAILY BASIS, NO MATTER IF THE CAR IS PROPERLY WARMED UP OR COLD. CAR SHUDDERS. ALSO, IT'S HARD TO SHIFT FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND FROM 3RD TO 2ND. EVEN WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS FULLY PRESSED, GRINDING SOUND APPEARS. THERE'S NO SPECIFIC PATTERN IN THIS BEHAVIOUR. IT HAPPENS RANDOMLY DURING DRIVING OR MOVING FROM A FULL STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025836

Incident

Jul 10, 2003

WHILE RETURNING TO LAS VEGAS FROM A CAMPING TRIP ON VENTURA FREEWAY NEAR THE TARZANA EXIT OUR 2003 WRX EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON CLEAR, DRY, RAIN GROOVED HIGHWAY. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE WRX AT THE TIME AND SHE REPORTED THAT THE ABS KICKED IN AND THEN "LET GO" CAUSING HER CAR TO ROLL INTO MINE (PULLING OUR CAMP TRAILER), SHE STRUCK THE TRAILER DOING ABOUT 5 TO 7 MPH. DAMAGE TO HER WRX WAS IN EXCESS OF $5K, DAMAGE TO TRAILER AND MY CAR WAS COSMETIC ONLY. A SIMILAR INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE WRX ON THE WAY TO CAMPING SITE, SAME SYMPTOMS BUT NO TRAFFIC TO AVOID...I ASSUMED THAT ROAD CONDITION WAS PROBABLE FAULT. MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE ABS SEEMED TOO SENSITIVE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. AFTER ABOUT A MONTH IT WENT AWAY. PROBLEM RETURNED AFTER WARRANTY WORK WAS PERFORMED TO REPLACE CLUTCH SYSTEM COMPONENTS LAST MONTH. VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY BEING REPAIRED AND THEN WILL BE SENT TO DEALER SERVICE (IN VAN NUYS) TO INSPECT BRAKES AND ABS PRIOR TO OUR TAKING POSSESSION AFTER REPAIR. INSURANCE AND DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT WE BELIEVE THAT THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY ABS FAILURE. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10023785

Incident

Jun 16, 2003

Mileage

19,000 mi

THE STANDARD TRANSMISSION COMMONLY FAILS TO GO INTO GEAR. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT A STOP AND ALSO WHILE MOVING. DOUBLE CLUTCHING IS COMMONLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE DESIRED GEAR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014052

Incident

Apr 7, 2003

CLUTCH SLIPPAGE: STRONG VIBRATION AND RUMBLING SOUND WHEN CLUTCH IS ENGAGED (PEDAL RELEASED) IN FIRST GEAR WHEN ENGINE IS COLD. PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 14,000 MILES. NO OBD CODE REPORTED FROM DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPRODUCE DURING TEST DRIVE. HOWEVER, SEVERAL AUTOMOTIVE MAGAZINES HAVE REPORTED SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR LONG TERM TESTS. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10010186

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

Mileage

14,000 mi