NHTSA Complaint #10968205 — 2011 SUBARU OUTBACK

MY CAR STALLS REGULARLY WHEN BRAKING QUICKLY, LIKE WHEN SOMEONE STOPS SUDDENLY IN FRONT OF ME. IT ALSO STALLS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE TO STOP AT A LIGHT ON A HILL. THIS FAULT HAS PLACED ME IN SEVERAL HAZARDOUS SITUATIONS, INCLUDING STALLING ON RAILROAD TRACKS, AND IN BUSY INTERSECTIONS. WHEN I FIRST COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TWO YEARS AGO, SUBARU TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN OXYGEN/FUEL MIXTURE ISSUE AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME $1200 TO FIX IT. BUT WHEN I SEARCHED ON LINE, OTHER SUBARU OWNERS WERE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THE OXYGEN/FUEL FIX DIDN'T WORK FOR THEM AFTER SPENDING ALL THE MONEY TO FIX IT. AFTER LIVING WITH THIS FAULT FOR NEARLY TWO YEARS, I WENT TO ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP WHO TOLD ME ABOUT THIS TSB: DATE: 01/06/14 REVISED: 05/07/14 APPLICABILITY: 2010-12 MY LEGACY AND OUTBACK MODELS EQUIPPED WITH CVT TRANSMISSION SUBJECT: DESIGN CHANGE TO LOCK-UP TYPE TORQUE CONVERTER INTRODUCTION THIS BULLETIN ANNOUNCES THE AVAILABILITY OF A COUNTERMEASURE TORQUE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY TO ADDRESS A CUSTOMER CONCERN OF VERY LOW ENGINE RPM WHEN COMING TO A STOP. THE CONDITION IS SIMILAR TO COMING TO A STOP IN A MANUAL TRANSMISSION EQUIPPED VEHICLE WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL. THRUST WASHER WEAR INSIDE THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAN CAUSE RESTRICTION OF THE OIL PASSAGE USED TO BLEED OFF LOCK-UP CLUTCH APPLICATION PRESSURE. THE RESULT IS EITHER A DELAYED (MOMENTARY LOW ENGINE RPM) OR NO LOCK-UP PRESSURE RELEASE. THE THRUST WASHER HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM A SOLID BUSHING-TYPE TO A NEEDLE BEARING TYPE. SUBARU WANTS $1500 FOR THIS TORQUE CONVERTER ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED. IF YOU SEARCH ON LINE, YOU'LL DISCOVER THAT THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE UPGRADED TO A VEHICLE RECALL, NOT JUST A TSB. THIS IS A FAULT IN SUBARU'S CVT TRANSMISSION DESIGN THAT IS A DANGER TO EVERYONE DRIVING ONE. PLEASE HELP US IN ENFORCING THIS RECALL. THANK YOU.