1994 Subaru Svx

Routine

Owners filed 28 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train › Automatic Transmission20
100
Power Train › Axle Assembly › Axle Shaft2
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Tires1
000
Suspension › Multiple Axle1
000
Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 6, 2011116,000 milesOH

MY 94 SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION WILL NOT MOVE IN ANY GEAR. VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR SUBARU SHOULD PAY. POOR DESIGN IN TRANSMISSION *TR

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 20, 200985,276 milesCA

MY SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION RECENTLY STARTED SUFFERING A DELAY WHEN SHIFTING GEARS, HIGH REVS AND SLIPPING WHILE SHIFTING AND JUST NOW I TRIED TO DRIVE IT AND A CLUNKING SOUND HAPPENED WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN REVERSE. NOW IT WON'T GO IN TO REVERSE AT ALL, ALSO, 1ST GEAR DOESN'T WORK HALF THE TIME AND THE REST OF THE FORWARD GEARS SEEM TO SLIP SEVERELY MOST OF THE TIME TOO. THE CAR HAS LOW MILEAGE, AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY TROUBLE WITH IT BEFORE. TROUBLE STARTED MAYBE A FEW DAYS AGO.. THE HEAT TRANSMISSION INSTALLED IN THE SUBARU SVX AND LEGACY MODELS SUFFER FROM A SEVERE COOLING PROBLEM. THE RADIATOR BASED TRANSMISSION COOLER CAN NOT COOL THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOL ENOUGH. THE TRANSMISSIONS POOR DESIGN DOES NOT ALLOW THE LUBRICANT TO FLOW THROUGH IT TO KEEP PARTS LUBRICATED(THUS MORE FRICTION AND HEAT DAMAGE). UNUSUAL HIGH OVERDRIVE PLACES ADDITIONAL SIDE LOADS ON BEARINGS GENERATING HEAT. THE ALL-WHEEL-DRIVE SYSTEM PUTS EVEN MORE STRAIN ON THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING EVEN MORE HEAT. THIS PROBLEM IS OF EPIDEMIC PROPORTION SO COMMON AMONG OVER 90% OF THESE CARS MANUFACTURED. SUBARU IS AWARE OF THE MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING DEFECTS IN THE TRANSMISSIONS FOR ALL SVX MODELS. ALMOST ALL SVX OWNERS, EVERY WEBSITE, AND EVEN YOUR OWN COMPLAINT FILES ARE AWARE OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT AND SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS. SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING IF ANYTHING TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD AND THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS ABOUT IT. AT THE VERY LEAST I NEED SUBARU TO REP

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 6, 200658,540 milesTX

STARTED OUT AS 3RD AND 4TH SLIPPING, AND AFTER BABYING IT FOR A WEEK OF GOING TO WORK AND BACK HOME IT WILL NO LONGER HOLD 3RD OR 4TH. AFTER DOING RESEARCH IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE 4EAT HAS ABOUT AS MUCH ISSUES AS THE PINTO (WITHOUT THE EXPLODING). EVERY OWNER OF THE SVX AND A 4EAT HAS SUFFERED THIS IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER. THE LEGACY'S WERE RECALLED AND REPAIRED, BUT WHAT ABOUT THE SVX? FOR A $30-$40K MSRP FROM THE DEALER, YOU WOULD ASSUME THEY WOULD TREAT THESE CARS WITH A BIT MORE CLASS IN THIS SITUATION. TOP IT ALL OFF, I ONLY HAVE 58K MILES ON MY 94. *NM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Sep 12, 2004121,500 milesNJ

I HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE OF THE 3RD AND 4TH GEARS THAT STARTED OUT AS GEARS SLIPPING, THEN THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED SHIFTING TO 3RD AND 4TH ALL TOGETHER. I DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE. I HAD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR JUST TO GET TO AND FROM WORK SINCE IT WAS CHEAPE, AND I HAVE BEEN LETTING THE CAR SIT IN MY DRIVEWAY.*AK

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionCrash
Filed Jul 26, 2004104,443 milesGA

WHILE DRIVING 100 MPH TRANSMISSION FAILED. ENGINE REVVED AT A HIGH RATE. THEN, VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND THE CONSUMER HIT A WALL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 16, 2004TX

AFTER RESEARCHING ABOUT MY SUBARU SVX, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SUBARU PUT IN THESE CARS. THERE IS AN EXTENSIVE FAQ PAGE AT SUBARU SVX.COM AS TO THE REASON FOR THE PROBLEMS. MY CAR WILL NOT TRANSFER IN TO 4TH GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION RUNS HOT. *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 23, 2004WA

JUST ANOTHER DEAD TRANSIMISSION IN MY SVX. IT SEEMS LIKE 116,000-124,000 MILES IS THE LIFETIME OF THESE THINGS (SO MANY DEAD THERE HAVEN'T BEEN ANY NEW TRANSMISSIONS AVAILABLE SINCE 2001) . *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 13, 200395,000 milesWA

1994 SUBARU SVX, HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE FAILURE IS WELL KNOWN TO SVX OWNER COMMUNITY. THERE ARE MANY SITES AND ARTICLES THAT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE 4EAT TRANSMISSION FAILING. THE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT IS VERY COSTLY AND SUBARU SHOULD HELP. *JB

Suspension › Front › Wheel Bearing
Filed Aug 31, 2002PA

THIS IS OUR THIRD SVX AND ALL THREE HAVE HAD WHEEL BEARING FAILURE.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 15, 2002WA

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A WINDING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. WHEN SHE TRIED TO SHIFT VEHICLE, IT WOULD NOTL MOVE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal
Filed Nov 19, 2001PA

WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR IN NEED OF AN EMERGENCY SPEED INCREASE THE CAR GOES INTO NEUTRAL RATHER THAN GOING INTO A GEAR. AN ACCIDENT HAS NOT OCCURRED YET, HOWEVER I'VE HAD SOME RATHER DANGEROUS SITUATIONS THAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE TO NOT HAVE THE CAR FAIL TO MOVE IN. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed May 21, 2001NJ

TRANSMISSION CHATTERS ON TIGHT TURNS, AND CLATTERS ON SHIFTING. THIS IS SECOND TIME THAT CONSUMER HAS TO GET NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 19, 2000NJ

TRANSMISSION DIED. *AK

Tires
Filed Sep 20, 2000IL

ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE DEVELOPED CRACKS BETWEEN TREADWEAR AT 6000 MILES. CALLED AND WRITTEN MANY TIMES TO FIRESTONE. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/50R16 )

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 7, 2000MO

THE FOLLOWING LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA.... THIS LETTER IS SENT ON THE BEHALF OF THE MANY OWNERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE FAILURES OF THE 4EAT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN THE SUBARU SVX. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT CAUSES THE PREMATURE FAILURES FOR ALL MODEL YEARS. THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED IN CARS WITH VERY LOW MILEAGE AND CONTINUED TO OCCUR THEREAFTER. REPAIR AND/OR REPLACMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY EXPENSIVE, COSTING APPROXIMATELY AND, AS OF THIS DATE, THERE HAS BEEN NO SUPPORT FROM SUBARU. UNDERSTANDABLY, THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE BECOME QUITE ANGRY AT SUBARU'S LACK OF RESPONSE OR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT A PROBLEM EVEN EXISTS, AND HAVE CONSULTED LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. TO AVOID AN UNPLEASANT AND HOSTILE SITUATION, AND IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN GOOD RELATIONS WITH THE OWNERS OF YOUR CARS, THE FOLLOWING SOLUTIONS ARE DEMANDED: 1. SUBARU RECALLS AND REPLACES THE TRANSMISSIONS FOR ALL MODEL YEARS 2. EXTENDS THE TRANSMISSION WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES FOR ALL MODEL YEARS UNLESS A WRITTEN RESPONSE IS RECEIVED WITHIN 30 DAYS, LITIGATION WILL BE INSTITUTED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ANTICIPATED COURTESY AND COOPERATION. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Mar 12, 2000PA

TRANSMISSION GOING TO FAIL VERY SOON -- I HAVE CONSTANT AND SEVERE TRANSMISSION BINDING WHEN I MAKE A TURN FROM A 0 - 5 MPH START. THE TRANSMISSION IS SELF-DESTRUCTING. I'VE BEEN TOLD THEY HAVE INSUFFICIENT FILTRATION AND COOLING BY SEVERAL SUBARU TECHNICIANS. A DESIGN FLAW IF YOU ASK ME. WHY IS IT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE LAGACY ALREADY ( SAME 4EAT TRANSMISSION) BUT NOT FOR THE SVX ?!?!?! $2,000 FIXES DO NOT EXACTLY FIT INTO MY BUDGET. NOT TRYING TO BE DISRESPECTFUL -- JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY US SVX OWNERS ARE BEING BASICALLY "IGNORED". *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 22, 2000WA

THE FOLLOWING LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA.... FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF THE SUBARU SVX TRANSMISSION PROBLEM PLEASE GO TO WWW.KINETICCONCEPTS.COM. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Jan 20, 2000MA

THE FOLLOWING LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA.... FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF THE SUBARU SVX TRANMISSION PROBLEM PLEASE GO TO WWW.KINETICCONCEPTS.COM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Nov 19, 1999WI

THE FOLLOWING LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA.... FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF THE SUBARU SVX TRANMISSION PROBLEM PLEASE GO TO WWW.KINETICCONCEPTS.COM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 17, 1999MO

NOT A COMPLETE FAILURE BUT INTERMITTENT TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AND OTHER PROBLEMS. BEARING FAILURE HAS LOUD ASSOCIATED HUM. *AK

20 of 28 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1992
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19972000Routine
19963000Routine
199520000Routine
1994 — this page28000Routine
19934000Routine
1992231010Above average
19903000Routine

Compare every Svx year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.