Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Subaru Outback owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
This past week, I purchased a 2011 Subaru Outback for my daughter to have what I have always understood as a safe car. The car is nearly stalling on occasions when you come to a complete stop and at times when you are nearly stopped. The major incident is the engine shut off with me when I had to stopped quickly, nearly causing an accident when I had to put the car in neutral to start it back up. I was able to replicate it several times since then in places like empty parking lots....going as slow as 10 mph before putting on the brakes. No warning lights associated with this issue. I have not been to a dealer, but through research, I have seen that there is a faulty design in the transmission/torque converter (thrust bushing). I understand there is a TSB showing that Subaru would fix this problem, but only for vehicles under 100k miles (extended warranty). …
Torque Converter failure. When trying to stop, the car would stall out (not safe in busy intersections or when cars are behind you). No warning came up except momentarily when the stalling occurred. I have taken my car in to Subaru for all recommended servicing and repairs and directed based on mileage and service team recommendations. My vehicle was taken to my local Subaru service facility (Bruce Titus Subaru of Tacoma) for inspection after the stalling issue. Dealer confirmed the problem prior to repair (torque converter failure necessitating replacement). Torque converter failure is an all too common problem with the year and make of my car (2011 Subaru Outback) and Subaru of America put out an extended warranty coverage to rectify the complaints I presume. This was extended out to 10 yrs past the manufacture date or up to 100,000 miles. …
I was driving at 65mph on highway in a like new 2011 Subaru Outback with 146,000 miles when the transmission valve body crapped out. This caused a severe shutter and loss of power like a missed gear, but thankfully I was able to coast off the highway without using the gas or without crashing. The drivetrain lost power unexpectedly again pulling into the parking lot off the highway. This action appears to be a major safety issue. I believe there is a manufacturing defect in one of the closed system parts that caused this perfectly maintained & repaired, vehicle in immaculate baby'd condition to fail. Vehicle is in perfect condition, and all maintenance in manual have been done as outlined by Subaru. My concern is the safety. …
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle inadvertently lunged forward. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure and provided information per manufacturer's request, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and then had her brother-in-law continue driving manually to an independent mechanic. The mechanic inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the failure as a faulty transmission and torque converters. The mechanic replaced the transmission with a used transmission with lower miles. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission output shift was bent and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while coming to a complete stop, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with torque converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 153,000. The VIN was not available.
I have a 2011 Subaru Outback with ~`40k miles. After buying the vehicle in late 2020 I began to notice the vehicle shuttering and shaking when coming to a complete stop or when I begin to reverse and when the vehicle shutters there is a significant RPM drop. The shuttering issue occurs randomly and is concerning but the bigger issue is that the vehicle has also stalled after coming to a hard stop twice in the last year. When braking hard from 60 mph to avoid vehicle the vehicles engine stalled out. When this occurred I had to place the vehicle in park then restart the engine. As of today I have never seen a warning message or anything that would let me know that there was an issue. When researching the topic I found that this is a known issue by Subaru related to a faulty thrust washer in the CVT and a TSB, 16-90-13r was issued but was not directly communicated to the customer. …
While driving the car on or about 12/21/2021 at about 6 or 7 pm at night, I experienced a catastrophic failure of the transmission. The car lost drivetrain power and began to shudder and limp along the road. All the warning lights on the dashboard lit up at once. Fortunately, I was not on a highway, and I was able to safely pull over to the side of the road. But the incident did leave me unsettled and distressed especially as it was happening. There were no warning signs or indications of something was amissed prior to the failure. At a Subaru dealership service, I learned with the valve body and the torque converter need to be replaced at an expensive cost (almost $4,000). This is a problem that Subaru is aware of and has done little to address it before the failure occurs in affected vehicles at large. …
Vehicle has under 90k miles been regularly maintained and serviced. While driving engine light came on for engine overheating. Stopped driving vehicle. Called local Subaru dealer for diagnostic. Diagnostic revealed several unknown problems including transmission needs to be replaced. Since vehicle has under 100 k miles and is only 11 years old. I could not believe that this problem occurred ( note transmission replacement is over $8000). I took the vehicle in for a second opinion to local AAA shop. They informed me that Subaru issued a technical service bulletin for that year model Outback about the very problem I am having. After an online search of information about this problem I found several owners with the same problem and NO admission or assistance from Subaru. This is an expensive fix for a problem Subaru which Subaru is aware. …
Related recalls
Power train › Manual transmission
Subaru is recalling certain model year 2010 and 2011 outback and legacy passenger vehicles manufactured from April 28 through June 23, 2010. Due to a programming error, a lubrication hole within the 6-speed manual transmission was omitted.
Remedy: Subaru will notify owners and dealers will repair the vehicles by drilling an oil lubrication hole and, if necessary, replace the internal parts with new ones free of charge. The safety recall began on July 28, 2010.
Transmission complaints in other Outback years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2011 Subaru Outback?
NHTSA has 216 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2011 Subaru Outback, 33% of the model year's 652 complaints. The component named most often is automatic transmission › torque converter (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Subaru Outback transmission problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 10V-326 (manual transmission, Jul 20, 2010). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2011 Subaru Outback transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 114,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.