Subaru WRX transmission problems
87 complaint narratives mention transmission terms.
Key facts
974 owner complaints analyzed
23 distinct recall campaigns
45,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2002 to 2025 model years. Data snapshot: . 692 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Transmission and shifting evidence
87 of 974 complaints match this topic (8.9%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 10014052 · 2003-04-07 (April 7, 2003)
THE STANDARD TRANSMISSION COMMONLY FAILS TO GO INTO GEAR. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT A STOP AND ALSO WHILE MOVING. DOUBLE CLUTCHING IS COMMONLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ENGAGE THE DESIRED GEAR. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10014052 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10028456 · 2003-07-16 (July 16, 2003)
CAR: 02 SUBARU WRX MANUAL TRANSMISSION THE CAR SUFFERS FROM THE CLUTCH JUDDER DESCRIBED BY MANY, AND DETAILED IN TSB 03-51-02. MY CAR HAS 44000 MILES. THE BASIC WARRANTY ON THE CAR IS 3YR/36000. POWRTRAIN IS 6 YR/60000. MY DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES MY PROBLEM AS BEING EXACTLY AS IN THE TSB. HOWEVER, HE INFORMS ME THE REPAIR IS NOT TO BE FIXED AT NO CHARGE TO ME- SINCE THE BASIC WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. GIVEN THAT THE CAR IS SO DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, AND THERE IS AN ACKNOWLEDGED MANUFACTURING DEFECT, IN A POWERTRAIN COMPONENT, I DON'T SEE THE PROBLEM. EX…
Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028456 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10036776 · 2003-08-28 (August 28, 2003)
ON 8/25 MY 2002 WRX WAGON WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR,WITH ENGINE ON OR OFF.I CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN,WHEN IT WAS DROPPED OFF I WAS THERE,THE SERVICE PERSON TRIED TO SHIFT IT AND GOT IT TO GO INTO GEAR.WHEN THEY TRIED TO ENGAGE REVERSE,IT GROUND THE GEARS 4 TIMES,THEY SAID THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPED WHEN THEY TRIED,I WAS STANDING RIGHT THERE,IT WAS NOT MOVING!.THIS CAR HAS HAD TRANSMISSION CONCERNS BEFORE AND HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OTHER VISITS WHERE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH GRINDING GEARS W…
Owner-reported narrative. 17,647 miles reported. Look up ODI 10036776 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10041586 · 2003-10-10 (October 10, 2003)
WAS DRIVING THE SUBARU WRX IN A NORMAL FASHION WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP. AFTER HAVING IT TOWED TO CLASSIC SUBARU, THEY OPENED IT UP AND 2ND GEAR WAS STRIPPED OF ALL THE TEETH. THEY WILL NOT FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT WAS ABUSED. THIS IS NOT TRUE. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE TRANSMISSIONS THAT ARE STRIPPING OUT OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THEY ARE ENGINEERED INCORRECTLY. THERE IS NO WAY THEY CAN PROVE ABUSE. THE CAR WAS ONLY TRAVELING 10MPH WHEN IT HAPPENED. THE CAR ONLY HAS 23,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE OF …
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10041586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050959 · 2003-12-22 (December 22, 2003)
LAST WEEK AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK, THE CLUTCH PEDAL STARTED FEELING A BIT LOOSE (IE SOFT UNTIL IT WAS DEPRESSED HALF-WAY) AND WAS STICKING TO THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED FULLY. IT BECAME INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AT ALL AND I WAS QUITE FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOT CAUSED ANY ACCIDENTS AS I WAS NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD I BEEN AT HIGHER SPEED AND BEEN FOR EXAMPLE ATTEMPTING TO PASS SOMEONE AND THE PEDAL WOULD HAVE FAILED IN THE SAME WAY, MUCH MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. IT THEN BECAME IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIFT INTO 1ST GEAR ON A COLD MO…
Owner-reported narrative. 65,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10050959 at NHTSA ↗