Subaru of America, Inc.: Power Train › Manual Transmission
Subaru of America, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Mar 23, 1994 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 31,295. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN CONTINUOUSLY UNDER EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES (-22 DEGREES F.) AND HIGH HUMIDITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE TRANSMISSION BREATHING (AIR) VENT CAN BE BLOCKED DUE TO MOISTURE FREEZING AT THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE. IF THIS OCCURS, PRESSURE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION CASE WILL INCREASE AND PUSH OUT THE REAR OIL SEAL, CAUSING TRANSMISSION OIL LEAKAGE. THE LACK OF LUBRICATION CAN BURN THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS OF THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSE THE TRANSMISSION TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP.
The risk
SUDDEN STOPS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CAN CAUSE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS TO BE THROWN AROUND THE VEHICLE AND CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL WHICH CAN RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL MODIFY THE OIL GAUGE PIPE AND MODIFY THE OIL LEVEL GAUGE (DIPSTICK) OR REPLACE IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF DIPSTICK IN THE VEHICLE.
12 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 Subaru Legacy | 77 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 1993 Subaru Loyale | 13 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 1993 Subaru XT-6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 Subaru Legacy | 55 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 1992 Subaru Loyale | 23 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 1992 Subaru XT-6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 Subaru Legacy | 78 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 1991 Subaru Loyale | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 1991 Subaru XT-6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 Subaru Legacy | 81 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| 1990 Subaru Loyale | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 Subaru XT-6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 94V052000.
Full record for the 1993 Subaru Legacy → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →