NHTSA Complaint #11279924 — 2012 SUBARU OUTBACK

I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT ISSUES WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUDDER LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SHUT OFF WHEN BRAKING. I'VE ALSO EXPERIENCED ISSUES WHERE AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOCK UP. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2018 WHO POINTED ME TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THE SAME ISSUES I WAS HAVING: TSB 16-90-13R, AND RECOMMENDED I GO TO A SUBARU DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS, AND REPAIR POTENTIALLY UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY. I DID TAKE MY VEHICLE AND GET A TRANSMISSION FLUSH WHICH SEEMED TO ALLEVIATE THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, AFTER TAKING MY VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL SUBARU DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, OR SEE ANY RELATED CODES; THERE DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE ANY RECORD OF THIS ISSUE RECORDED EXCEPT FOR A RELATED WARRANTY REQUEST FOR SEAT REPAIR. NOW THAT I AM EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE AGAIN, I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THEY GAVE ME THE SAME RESPONSE AND I ESCALATED TO SOA ASKING FOR HELP GETTING THIS TRANSMISSION REPAIRED. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THE SAME AS THE DEALERSHIP'S RESPONSE - THAT THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE ISSUE, AND THEY WILL NOT PERFORM THE REPAIR. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO INJURY OR DEATH WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE FROM TIME TO TIME, AND I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE. MY WIFE PRIMARILY DRIVES THIS VEHICLE TO TAKE MY CHILDREN TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THE LAST TIME THIS ISSUE OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AT THE GYM, AND I HAD TO DROP EVERYTHING TO GO PICK UP MY CHILD FROM SCHOOL. MY WIFE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE, WAITING FOR A MINUTE, AND STARTING AGAIN. THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO OCCUR AT LOW RPMS REGARDLESS IF IT IS PARKED, OR ON CITY STREETS OR HIGHWAYS.