SUBARU SVX · model year

1995 SUBARU SVX

25 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1995SUBARUSVX carries 25 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1995 SVX is power train:automatic transmission with 13 filings, followed by power train:axle assembly:axle shaft (3) and air bags:frontal (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 1995 SVX. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

25
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

25 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION13
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT3
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL2
POWER TRAIN2
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT1

Recent Complaints

20140430POWER TRAIN

WAS DRIVING AN FIRST 3RD GEAR WOULD JUST REV THEN IT STARTED SKIPPING 3RD THEN I WOULD HAVE TO SLOWLY PUSH GAS TO MOVE AN EVENTUALLY IT JUST REVVED UP I WOULD PARK AN WAIT 15-20 MIN START IT AN TRANSMISSION WORKED FOR A COUPLE MIN THEN STOPPED AN IT STILL WORKS BARELY OFF AN ON IT HAS FLUID BUT WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK THE SHIFTER CAN BE IN ANY POSITION AN TRANSMISSION WON'T ENGAGE AT ALL. *JS

Mileage: 125,614

20090112POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I OWN A SUBARU SVX. THEY ARE KNOWN TO HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THEY ARE ALSO A VERY RARE CAR. OUT OF THE TWO OTHER PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT HAVE THESE CARS, ALL OF THEM HAVE HAD THESE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THERE FAULTY TRANSMISSIONS, INSTEAD OF ME HAVING TO FIND A WAY TO COME UP WITH MORE THEN WHAT I PAID FOR THE CAR. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

20050926POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

Mileage: 123,166

20040206POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

PULLED OUT FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT FELT LIKE CAR WAS SLIPPING ON ICE. SVX TRAVELLED ABOUT A MILE BEFORE IT WOULD NOT GO ANYMORE(IN ANY GEAR). MANAGED TO PULL OFF OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WAS 15 MILES FROM HOME. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BACK HOME. MY LOCAL SUBARU MECHANIC SAID THE TRANSMISSION APPARENTLY HAD BEEN WORKED ON BEFORE. WHERE ITS STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY AWAITING REPAIR.*AK

Mileage: 108,569

20031105POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED, AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE AT LOW SPEED UNTIL ABLE TO SHIFT IN TO GEAR. *AK

Mileage: 12

20030617POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I HAVE A 1995 SUBARU SVX AND AS MANY SVX OWNERS THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. THE COOLING SYSTEM FOR THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE, THEREFORE THE TRANSMISSION OVERHEATS AND IS DAMAGED. THIS INVOLVES ALL SVX'S MADE WHICH REQUIRES ALL SVX OWNERS TO SPEND $4000 FOR SUBARU'S MANUFACTURED DEFECT. IT SHOULD BE SUBARU'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REFUND THE REPAIRS. *JB

Mileage: 60,000

20030613POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I BOUGHT A SUBARU SVX TWO MONTHS AGO I FAIRLY GOOD CONDITION RUNNING GOOD AND ALL THE PERSON I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM INFORM ME THAT THE TRANSMISSION ON THE CAR WAS THE SECOND NEW TRANS INSTALLED BOTH TIMES BY A SUBARU DEALER BUT A MONTH IN TO DRIVING THE CAR AFTER I GOT TAGS IND INSURANCE THE TRANS IS TAKING VERY LONG TO SHIFT IN SECOND GEAR THE ENGINE REVS REAL HIGH TO 5500 RPM BEFORE IT GOES IN TO SECOND GEAR. *NLM

20030507POWER TRAIN

THE VEHICLE WOULD STAY IN SECOND GEAR WHILE DRIVING. *NLM

20020314POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

20020312POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

UNTIMELY WEAR OF U-JOINTS WHICH CAUSED CRACK IN A TRANSMISSION SEAL. DRIVE SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED

20020312POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

UNTIMELY WEAR OF U-JOINTS WHICH CAUSED CRACK IN A TRANSMISSION SEAL. DRIVE SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED

20010301POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

I HAVE REPORTED (4) PROBLEMS ON PARTS THAT HAVE FAILED PREMATURELY. I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THESE PARTS WITHOUT WARRENTY COST SHARING. REAR BEARING REPLACEMENT: BOTH REAR BEARINGS REQUIRED REPLACING. I NOTICED THE BEARING NOISE AT 98,000 MILES AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BEARING PROBLEM IS COMMON TO MY CAR. SIDE GLASS SCRATCHES: BOTH SIDE WINDOWS HAVE DEVELOPED IMBEDDED SCRATCHES IN THE GLASS DUE TO THE INTERNAL RAISING MECHAMISM. THE DEALER ONLY OFFERED TO REPLACE THE GLASS AND WOULD NOT SHARE THE COST. BRAKES: WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND WERE GROUND AT NO CHARGE. WHEN THE FRONT BRAKES WERE FOUND WARPED AGAIN AT AROUND 55,000 MILES, THEY COULD NOT GRIND THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE TO THIN DUE TO THE ORIGINAL GRINDING THAT WAS COVERED UNDER WARRENTY. I HAD TO PAY FOR NEW FRONT ROTORS AND FELT THAT THE DEALER SHOULD HAVE SHARED THE COST BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. ENGINE KNOCK SENSOR: I FEEL THAT THIS IS A COMPONENT

20000918AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE AIRBAGS RELEASED WITH NO IMPACT.PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.

20000914AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

THE AIRBAGS RELEASED WITH NO IMPACT.PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. THANK YOU.

20000725POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT CAR, BROUGHT IT TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T NOTICE A PROBLEM, UNDER WARRANTY AT TIME OF FIRST ATTEMPT TO ALLEVIATE PROB.. WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN GETTING NOISIER SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. I KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE BAD SOON, JUST NEED TO MAKE SOME TIME TO BRING IT IN. I HAVE HEARD THAT BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS-TRANSMISSION AND WHEEL BEARINGS- HAVE BEEN ONGOING WITH ALOT OF SVX OWNERS. PLEASE REPLY TO THIS QUESTIONAIRE. THANK YOU HANS.*AK

20000725POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT

I NOTICED MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT CAR, BROUGHT IT TO DEALERSHIP, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T NOTICE A PROBLEM, UNDER WARRANTY AT TIME OF FIRST ATTEMPT TO ALLEVIATE PROB.. WHEEL BEARINGS HAVE BEEN GETTING NOISIER SINCE AUGUST OF LAST YEAR. I KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO BE BAD SOON, JUST NEED TO MAKE SOME TIME TO BRING IT IN. I HAVE HEARD THAT BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS-TRANSMISSION AND WHEEL BEARINGS- HAVE BEEN ONGOING WITH ALOT OF SVX OWNERS. PLEASE REPLY TO THIS QUESTIONAIRE. THANK YOU HANS.*AK

19991224POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION'S 4TH GEAR WAS THE FIRST, THEN 3RD GEAR WENT I KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN ALOT OF TRANSMISSIONPROBLEMS ON THE SVX .AND I KNOW SUBARU DOESNT DO ANY THING AT ALL ABOUT IT , ITS GOING TO COST ME 2500. TO REBUILD. *AK

19991206UNKNOWN OR OTHER

NO SUMMARY

19991027SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKE ROTORS DUE TO THE TYPE OF MATERIALS USED WHICH IS CAUSING THE BRAKES TO WEAR OFFTEN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. ALSO, HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE SMOKING, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19990921POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

THE FOLLOWING LETTER HAS BEEN SENT TO SUBARU OF AMERICA.... FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EXTENT OF THE SUBARU SVX TRANMISSION PROBLEM PLEASE GO TO WWW.KINETICCONCEPTS.COM

Compare 1995SUBARUSVX to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1995 SUBARU SVX have?
The 1995 SUBARU SVX has 25 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1995 SUBARU SVX?
The most-complained component for the 1995 SUBARU SVX is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT and AIR BAGS:FRONTAL.
Is the 1995 SUBARU SVX safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.