NHTSA Complaint #11342091 — 2013 SUBARU OUTBACK

DURING A 120,000 SERVICE AT THE SUBARU DEALER (ODOMETER AT 121,333 MILES) I WAS INFORMED THAT METAL FILINGS HAD BEEN OBSERVED IN THE DIFFERENTIAL FLUID, INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. NOT LONG AFTER THAT, MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCED AN ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I ACCELERATED TO PASS ON THE FREEWAY, AND AFTER HAVING DONE SO, THE TRANSMISSION KEPT ACCELERATING AND WOULD NOT KICK DOWN FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY CONFIRMED THE TRANSMISSION IS INDEED FAILING. THIS EVENT SET UP A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE, AT THE LEAST BEING DISTRACTED IN TRYING TO GET THE TRANSMISSION KICKED DOWN AGAIN, AND, AT MOST, HAVING A FAILURE ON THE THE HIGHWAY, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. A TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT BE GOING BAD AFTER ONLY 121,000 MILES. ALL THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING HAD BEEN DONE FOLLOWING SUBARU'S RECOMMENDATIONS. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT. SUBARU'S WEAK EXTENDED WARRANTY IS JUST THEIR WAY OF AVOIDING THE COSTS OF FIXING THIS DEFECT, TO THE DETRIMENT OF THEIR CUSTOMERS.