How many miles on your CVT? Any Issues?

Figure I'd add in here. My mom has a 2012 Impreza Sport. We commute together and have mostly been using her car. It's got 76k on it. The only issues I had with it were when first started, running the A/C and stopped at a light it would drop RPMs, shutter and then go back to normal. Once it was warmed up it was fine. Mostly driven in stop and go traffic with sometimes of getting up to normal freeway speed and mixed back road/winding road driving when avoiding the congestion on the freeway.

Last week I heard a faint humming noise. I could only hear it when the radio and fan were off and only for a short time before road noise would drown it out. Figuring it was wheel bearing I thought, no big deal. The next day my mom drove it to work and said the humming was much louder and could be heard even with the radio on.

Went into the dealership yesterday, they came back with Transmission. So chalk another failure on a CVT. Fluid has never been drained. The tech told her it was covered by warranty 5 years or 100,000, but Subaru's website says 5 yrs 60k on powertrain. They were submitting it to SOA so we'll wait and see. The car has had an oil consumption issue since new. It will never make 7500 miles without adding oil. It can generally make 5000 and then it needs to be done right away.

Forgot to mention, the tech at Subaru said this is the first Impreza they had come in with a bad CVT, mostly Legacy's, Outbacks and Foresters.

Because from a customer satisfaction's standpoint, as little maintenance as possible always scores big.

I can live with the cost of oil replacements if it keeps larger costs at bay.

One thing I have noticed three separate times in the Legacy is the throttle drops down just after coming to a stop. So if I'm coming down the road pretty quick and come to a quick stop, and after being stopped for a couple of seconds the RPMs drop from a bit over 500 to a bit below 500 and I feel a bit of vibration. This is completely random and I have been unable to reproduce unfortunately.

Now I've read of something similar to other users on this forum (and in this thread). Is this the CVT? Or is this possibly a vacuum issue? Or is this the TC locking up on downshift?

sounds like the torque converter to me. How many miles? maybe you can get it replaced under warranty. It will get worse until it stalls every time you stop

Service Bulletin # 16-90-13 Design Change to Lock-Up Type Torque Converter Torque Converter

Bulletin Description: 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 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.

Is there a place to read (download the PDF) to all of the TSB's?

like all of the items on this site:

http://techinfo.subaru.com/static/whatsNew.html

I have found a few things that MAY apply to my car, but I cannot tell without reading the entire report.

thanks

sounds like the torque converter to me. How many miles? maybe you can get it replaced under warranty. It will get worse until it stalls every time you stop

 

Service Bulletin # 16-90-13 Design Change to Lock-Up Type Torque Converter Torque Converter

Bulletin Description: 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 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.

I would've thought that the torque converter would've been replaced when the transmission was replaced on the vehicle 50k km ago.

I would've thought that the torque converter would've been replaced when the transmission was replaced on the vehicle 50k km ago.

I'm at the dealer getting the brakes done and asked about the torque converter. It turns out the torque converter is part of the CVT so it would be new with the replaced CVT.

I wonder if it is just the behavior of the beast. Any one else have any thoughts?

My thought is the if it is the nature of the beast, then it is piss poor quality on Subaru's part. Who wants it to be "normal" for a car to shudder and vibrate when coming to a stop?

Subaru has a problem here and they are having a hard time fessing up.

My car is slowly but surely exhibiting this more and more. It is still hard to reproduce, though. I can't reproduce it at will. My service droid at the dealer wants me to get all kinds of induction cleaning, etc. (at my expense). Torque converter problems? He says he's never heard of them. Yeah, right.

I expect this to reach a crisis level later when all the cost is in my court. Right now, I'm pretty spooked. This is my first Subbie, and will be my last regardless of whether my issue eventually goes to stall. (It has come dang close a few times, including some trouble lights coming on briefly during the near-stall shudder.)

This is not normal. This is not quality. This is not something that wants me to continue to bleed Subaru red.

My thought is the if it is the nature of the beast, then it is piss poor quality on Subaru's part. Who wants it to be "normal" for a car to shudder and vibrate when coming to a stop?

 

Subaru has a problem here and they are having a hard time fessing up.

 

My car is slowly but surely exhibiting this more and more. It is still hard to reproduce, though. I can't reproduce it at will. My service droid at the dealer wants me to get all kinds of induction cleaning, etc. (at my expense). Torque converter problems? He says he's never heard of them. Yeah, right.

 

I expect this to reach a crisis level later when all the cost is in my court. Right now, I'm pretty spooked. This is my first Subbie, and will be my last regardless of whether my issue eventually goes to stall. (It has come dang close a few times, including some trouble lights coming on briefly during the near-stall shudder.)

 

This is not normal. This is not quality. This is not something that wants me to continue to bleed Subaru red.

I just dumped my 08 Accord from all the issues I was experiencing and went to a Subaru because of the positive information I found. I particularly went with this one because it had the CVT replaced 50k km ago. I just hope that the CVT doesn't go again. I will be doing a fluid replacement in a 2k km and see what happens. I know with my 05 Odyssey there was a lot of issues with the TC but apparently if you ignored the transmission service interval and did it more frequently you would be fine. So, I'm hoping fresh fluid will help the TC and prevent future problems.

An occasional stumble at idle while coming to a stop is common with the 10-12 2.5i's.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/anyones-cars-feels-like-its-gonna-stall-out-194727.html?t=194727&highlight=

I have a 6MT 2.5i and mine has done it since brand new. It probably happens dozen times a year (stumble).

If the engine stalls and you have to restart the motor, that has typically been a sign of the CVT Torque Converter issue.

Well the results are in. Take them for what you want, Blackstone Labs says my fluid looks normal after approx 80K miles of beating the s**** out of it...

I will concur I get the stumble at idle as well. However it's usually after sitting at a light for 15secs or so. Perhaps I start riding the stealership about it....

http://i862.photobucket.com/albums/ab189/mhoran89/2011%20Subaru%20Legacy/E1AA250D-CD87-4CCE-848D-0DECC6E28212_zpse0t0h5fm.jpg

One thing I have noticed three separate times in the Legacy is the throttle drops down just after coming to a stop. So if I'm coming down the road pretty quick and come to a quick stop, and after being stopped for a couple of seconds the RPMs drop from a bit over 500 to a bit below 500 and I feel a bit of vibration. This is completely random and I have been unable to reproduce unfortunately.

 

Now I've read of something similar to other users on this forum (and in this thread). Is this the CVT? Or is this possibly a vacuum issue? Or is this the TC locking up on downshift?

Same exact thing on my 15, particularly on harder stops.

I have discussed CVT oil change with the dealer that I like and trust, and they said that they haven't been touching them any sooner than 60K. I have about 52K miles now, but if the engine/trans warranty ends at 60K, it seems risky to change the CVT oil right at the end of the warranty.

Any suggestions? (I guess I could change it now, and have 8,000 miles left under warranty)

Tristan

I have discussed CVT oil change with the dealer that I like and trust, and they said that they haven't been touching them any sooner than 60K. I have about 52K miles now, but if the engine/trans warranty ends at 60K, it seems risky to change the CVT oil right at the end of the warranty.

Any suggestions? (I guess I could change it now, and have 8,000 miles left under warranty)

 

Tristan

Probably do it sooner than later. You want them to deal with it should anything "shake loose", or whatever.

My stealership wants me to do a CVT fluid change and induction cleaning. I guess that is easy money for them. Then they'll discuss deeper issues. I usually never buy the extended warranty, but I have it until December for this car. Not sure why I did it, but decided to this time. I guess I'll pay the stealership's extortion fee, then once it happens again, I'm going to write a snail mail letter to SOA and ask for another few years on the CVT warranty.

Working with the stealership is futile.

45,000 miles on my 2013 Legacy 2.5i CVT, and it's perfect; I drive it pretty hard. Car is bone stock, so no extra torque from any mods is hitting the tranny.

You planning on changing it anytime soon? If so would love to get a sample and see what Blackstone Labs says. And then compare to my results. Perhaps your "perfect" one will have less metal than mine which seems to "stumble" once in a while...