10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$620
Average Mileage:
45,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. replace front axles (1 reports)
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problem #1

May 222001

(reported on)

Outback 2.5L

  • Manual transmission
  • 45,000 miles

The whole car shakes & vibrates when the clutch engages in first & second gear, especially when downshifting or starting a lot like in rush hour traffic.

I brought it to the dealer (Burlington Subaru, Vermont) to have the clutch replaced & the problem still wasn't fixed five months & three clutches later. The Subaru of America rep who was called in to approve the parts warranty claim on my third clutch replacement apparently knew a lot more than the dealer about this problem, & said I needed to replace both front axles ($310/each for Subaru parts, not including labor). The axles were covered under warranty when I first reported the problem, but I've gone over the 60,000 mile powertrain warranty while Burlington Subaru has been replacing clutches in the 5 months since I first brought it in. They said they wouldn't cover the front axles because I can't be sure the axles were causing the shaking problem 5 months ago.

I had someone else put in aftermarket front axles ($65/each, lifetime guarantee). Afterwards the shaking problem was exactly the same. I brought it back to Burlington Subaru & they said they wouldn't try to diagnose the problem further because I hadn't used genuine Subaru parts. I'm taking them to small claims court..

- Mike W., South Hero, VT, US