2000 Legacy L Wagon Trasmission Failure!!

[RJC]

My wife has a 2000 Legacy L Wagon she bought new (**Just made the last payment this month!) It has 92,000 miles and the transmission now has developed sever delay between gear changes (Reverse to Drive, Drive to Reverse). And now, the problem is so bad that when she is stopped at a light with the automatic transmission still in drive, the car will not move when she pushes on the gas pedal when the light changes to green. She has to keep pushing on the gas pedal several times before it finally catches gear.

 

 

She is the only owner and driver of the car. Just to emphasize her driving style, let me stress that in 30 years of driving she has never been in an accident and has NEVER had a speeding ticket, or any moving violations!! We changed the transmission fluid at 62,000 miles (transmission flush).

 

 

The dealer says there is a problem. I called Subaru USA to complain that this should not be happening under the circumstances. Spoke to the area factory representative. He says, "well, things happen". Imagine that response, "...things happen"? Basically Subaru's response is "...sorry, but....". This is her third Subaru. The factory rep told me yesterday that "Subaru has not had very many problems with customers of 2000 Legacys needing automatic transmission replacements. Then, I check here, and other sites and found that there are a significant number of 2000 legacy owners who have also complained of early transmission failures.

 

 

Just as I told the rep, there MUST be some design flaw with the transmission--a latent defect--that exists prior to the 60,000 mile warranty, but which does not manifest itself until a late date when the symptoms become noticeable to the average driver. In short, the defect is latent and exists early in the car's usage (maybe even at the time of manufacture!!), but the nature of the defect is such that it becomes apparent only after extended use (unless a transmission expert actually took apart the transmission say at 30,000 miles and could actually see the defect, it would not be noticed by the consumer).

 

 

I explained that to the rep. His response? "Well, it may actually be a latent defect, but I don't see how you could prove it".

 

 

Nothing like really caring about a loyal, three-time purchaser of your product!!

 

 

What more can I say, I think you know what I think, and how we fell about this. So much for the "rough and tough" image of the Subaru. And we didn't even drive it on dirt roads, over bumps and in the rough terrain--you know, like in the commercials that are made to express how rugged, tough, and well-built the Subaru vehicles really are. SURE!!!!

 

 

Have any of you had this transmission problem? Do you know whether many others have? (****PLEASE, no Subaru employees need reply, I am interested in honest, unbiased, replies from real Subaru owners/users)

 

 

Thanks

 

[Legacy777]

Please only post in the appropriate forum.