2020 Subaru Outback

From when we purchased this car new until the day we traded it. There were many times on the freeway at 60-65 MPH that you would need to move over a couple of lanes and went to wide open throttle and the car would simply do nothing for 1 to 2 seconds. I recently learned that in 22' Subaru had a software update to rectify this issue. Meaning there are plenty of Subaru owners who are driving around in cars that put their safety at risk. When you step on the gas you need and expect the car to accelerate .

I was reversing out of a residential driveway onto a county highway when the I had a complete loss of movement. Shortly after the total loss of power, the CEL illuminated. If I had been on the highway, the driveway is near a blind curve, I would've been sitting in the road with no way to move putting me in a dangerous situation. The transmission failed at right at the end of the driveway so I was able to put it in neutral and move the vehicle by hand. There were no symptoms or warning lights prior to the failure. I had it towed to the nearest dealership where they diagnosed a complete transmission failure and recommend a complete transmission replacement.

I'm writing to request assistance with my recall. This recall was first reported to the local dealership over one year ago. They have had me take the car back 4 times for inspection. Since that time as the problem has proceeded to get worse, which will now cost even more to repair, and increase the likelihood of the transmission damaging other parts of the drivetrain. Now I just received notification that they will not perform the recall as my vehicle doesn’t qualify. It has the problem of transmission slipping which is what the recall is for. I saw the pictures they took that looked exactly like the problem specified. I do not have $7000 dollars plus to fix the transmission. I can’t sell the car because the VIN will show the recall (which I’m sure they will try to just remove). All they have done is waste my time for the last year to do what? Gather enough evidence to try and get out of the recall?

On December 28, 2025, my 2020 Subaru Outback lost the ability to engage any gear (Drive, Reverse, or otherwise) while maneuvering at low speed to make a U-turn. The vehicle became inoperable immediately and was towed to the dealer. The dealer confirmed via text and written estimate that there was no external damage, the failure was internal to the CVT transmission, and the transmission requires replacement. This vehicle has approximately 90,023 miles. The failure occurred under the mileage and age range covered by Subaru CVT warranty extensions for similar vehicles. Subaru of America reviewed the case and denied coverage, citing VIN exclusion and prior service gaps that predated my ownership. The vehicle is currently inoperable and presents a safety risk due to loss of propulsion. I am reporting this to NHTSA because it may indicate a systemic defect in CVT transmissions on this model year Outback.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn, the transmission was slipping while attempting to shift gears. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,700. The VIN was not available.

The car shifted (transmission) into neutral when cruising down the interstate at 62 MPH and stayed in neutral until the ignition was turned off. With no brake light cars were not worn and was nearly hit from behind. 2 weeks earlier the same happened on a city street. There was a previous transmission recall WRK-21Chain Slippage Recall on this vehicle that apparently didn't correct the problem.

Vehicle had 45,000 miles on it when right rear wheel bearing failed. It was covered under 5 year/60,000 mile warranty and was repaired today by a certified Subaru dealer and I no longer have the bad part for inspection. Safety risks would be anything that occurs from a bad wheel bearing like wobble, seizing, overheating, and more damage to other drivetrain components. You could hear the wheel bearing noise at 20 mph constant while driving, only getting louder with increased speed. No warning lights were present on the dash. I feel like at 45,000 miles, a wheel bearing should not be failing.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while his wife was accelerating from a stop at approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to move. There were unknown warning lights illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The dealer confirmed the vehicle was not covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 70,158.

The contact owns a 2020 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer to be serviced, the dealer informed the contact that the transmission was binding and making an abnormal grinding sound while driving at slow speeds and making turns. The dealer performed the TCM software update and replaced the transmission clutch kit under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V955000 (Power Train); however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the recall repair had failed to correct the failure. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the transmission clutch pack was replaced twice; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Schumacher Subaru (3021 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33409), where the transmission clutch pack was replaced; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the second dealer, where the transmission clutch pack was replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was temporarily repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,869.