I took my 2009 Subaru Outback with 60k miles (given by my dad) to a local dealer for regular maintenance and was told that the both front transaxles were leaking and needs to be replaced plus both front and rear brake replacement. My question is this normal for such a low mileage car? Ok with the front brake job, but the rest? Am I got ripped off by the stealer or a Japanese car with Detroit reliability? It has cost us more than $6000.00 in maintenance at the dealer for the last two years. I wish my dad, who passed away this March, could have bought a Toyota.
Front transaxles replaced at 60k for 2009 outback?
- Thread starter sifan
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If the transaxle are leaking, just replace the seals. You do not need to replace the entire transaxle.
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
I'm guessing you're referring to torn CV half-shaft boots here. Yeah, that's rare to have failures so early. Full brake job on a ~6.5yr/old 60K mile car is pretty common.
I would guess that you have a greedy dealer which you easily find with any car dealer. I've had two Subaru Foresters and both were sold with over 100,000 miles without needed to replace CVJ boots. I did go to one car repair place with a friend to have his oil changed and I walked away and then came back to see the oil changer, slit a CVJ boot with a knife. He didn't see me and informed my friend he needed the boots changed. I intervened and, the shop replaced the slit boot for free with a genuine axle. They said they fired the guy immediately but, wonder if that shop operated with history of damaging a customers vehicle to generate work.
Perhaps the headgasket was an issue as well? That's a lot of money.
I think I'd get a second opinion at a decent garage. Any good mechanic can change out a transaxle seal or the axle shaft.
As far as failure of CV joint boot, they aren't prone to failing early, but road debris can wreck them.
Even a headgasket change shouldn't run more than 2500-3000 at a Subaru dealer. Something seems wrong here.
As far as failure of CV joint boot, they aren't prone to failing early, but road debris can wreck them.
Even a headgasket change shouldn't run more than 2500-3000 at a Subaru dealer. Something seems wrong here.
Just be advised that some folks have reported a lot of issues with aftermarket axles on Subarus. So if possible, reboot the old ones and avoid the aftermarket replacements.
I doubt the job is "transaxles" My 2007 Outback lost an inner front CV boot at about 60,000 miles..which I replaced myself. The other front side inner CV boot split not long after and I did that side too. The replacement parts were not too expensive from Subaru..job is a little fiddly.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: sifan
It has cost us more than $6000.00 in maintenance at the dealer for the last two years.
You need to come back here more often and ask these questions. 6 grand in two years is criminal.
That ought to be a lemon law issue, unless it was all oil changes. At some point you take the depreciation hit and send it down the road.
Originally Posted By: sifan
It has cost us more than $6000.00 in maintenance at the dealer for the last two years.
You need to come back here more often and ask these questions. 6 grand in two years is criminal.
That ought to be a lemon law issue, unless it was all oil changes. At some point you take the depreciation hit and send it down the road.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: sifan
It has cost us more than $6000.00 in maintenance at the dealer for the last two years.
You need to come back here more often and ask these questions. 6 grand in two years is criminal.
That ought to be a lemon law issue, unless it was all oil changes. At some point you take the depreciation hit and send it down the road.
What does this have to do with lemon law? It was never said anything about an issue that couldn't be fixed.
Originally Posted By: cptbarkey
Originally Posted By: sifan
It has cost us more than $6000.00 in maintenance at the dealer for the last two years.
You need to come back here more often and ask these questions. 6 grand in two years is criminal.
That ought to be a lemon law issue, unless it was all oil changes. At some point you take the depreciation hit and send it down the road.
What does this have to do with lemon law? It was never said anything about an issue that couldn't be fixed.
My guess is that the cv boots near the transmission had a little bit of grease seeping out of them, which is pretty common. On some turbo subies, the passenger side boot will fail and split open due to the heat from the exhaust system. Since the dealer replaced both front axles, I don't think the boot split. You'll know if the boot split because even after being cleaned up, you will still probably be able to see cv joint grease residue sprayed in some places. At 60k, I'm guessing they could've just put new clamps on the cv boot and you would've been just fine. I highly doubt that it was necessary to replace both half shafts.
Aftermarket cv axles only seem to be a problem with automatic transmission subarus. With aftermarket cv axles in automatic transmission subarus, you may experience a vibration when at a stop with the transmission in drive, but the vibration typically goes away if you shift to neutral. Manual transmission subarus do just fine with aftermarket cv axles.
*One more quick note. After the axles have been removed, it increases the chances that transmission fluid will leak out past the axle seals, since the axle seals are somewhat delicate. So just something keep an eye on as well, since the axle seals are annoying to replace.
Aftermarket cv axles only seem to be a problem with automatic transmission subarus. With aftermarket cv axles in automatic transmission subarus, you may experience a vibration when at a stop with the transmission in drive, but the vibration typically goes away if you shift to neutral. Manual transmission subarus do just fine with aftermarket cv axles.
*One more quick note. After the axles have been removed, it increases the chances that transmission fluid will leak out past the axle seals, since the axle seals are somewhat delicate. So just something keep an eye on as well, since the axle seals are annoying to replace.
Originally Posted By: DB_Cooper
I doubt the job is "transaxles" My 2007 Outback lost an inner front CV boot at about 60,000 miles..which I replaced myself. The other front side inner CV boot split not long after and I did that side too. The replacement parts were not too expensive from Subaru..job is a little fiddly.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
We drove our Outback to a mountain resort in Virginia few months ago. There was a huge white steam coming out of the engine bay after a long drive. When I popped the hood, the steam originated on the driver side of engine whose source could not be pinpointed. It smelled like some kind of fluid burning on the exhaust system. I thought it was windshield washer fluid. The dealer said the washer reservoir was not leaking. Could the leaked grease from the CV boots be the culprit? But I recalled the smell of the steam was not greasy (or oil related) and its color was white. The dealer said the head gasket was ok (Subaru's 6 cylinder engine is not known for blown head gasket).
I doubt the job is "transaxles" My 2007 Outback lost an inner front CV boot at about 60,000 miles..which I replaced myself. The other front side inner CV boot split not long after and I did that side too. The replacement parts were not too expensive from Subaru..job is a little fiddly.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
We drove our Outback to a mountain resort in Virginia few months ago. There was a huge white steam coming out of the engine bay after a long drive. When I popped the hood, the steam originated on the driver side of engine whose source could not be pinpointed. It smelled like some kind of fluid burning on the exhaust system. I thought it was windshield washer fluid. The dealer said the washer reservoir was not leaking. Could the leaked grease from the CV boots be the culprit? But I recalled the smell of the steam was not greasy (or oil related) and its color was white. The dealer said the head gasket was ok (Subaru's 6 cylinder engine is not known for blown head gasket).
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2025
Originally Posted By: sifan
I stealer or a Japanese car with Detroit reliability?
Ha, No you bought a Subaru with Subaru reliability.
That may be the stupidest thing I have read on here in awhile.
Seems to me I have not come close to putting that much money into any GM I have ever owned. This place really does drive me batty some days.
Now to answer your question. Seems as if the axle seals are leaking. The have have to pull the axles to replace them.
I would get a second opinion. They may just be damp and it really shouldn't affect it. Find a local mechanic
6000 seems ridciulous but if they had to pull the motor for anything I suppose it is possible.
I stealer or a Japanese car with Detroit reliability?
Ha, No you bought a Subaru with Subaru reliability.
That may be the stupidest thing I have read on here in awhile.
Seems to me I have not come close to putting that much money into any GM I have ever owned. This place really does drive me batty some days.
Now to answer your question. Seems as if the axle seals are leaking. The have have to pull the axles to replace them.
I would get a second opinion. They may just be damp and it really shouldn't affect it. Find a local mechanic
6000 seems ridciulous but if they had to pull the motor for anything I suppose it is possible.
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
Originally Posted By: sifan
I stealer or a Japanese car with Detroit reliability?
Ha, No you bought a Subaru with Subaru reliability.
That may be the stupidest thing I have read on here in awhile.
Seems to me I have not come close to putting that much money into any GM I have ever owned. This place really does drive me batty some days.
Love it! So now when a Japanese car has problems, we still find a way to bash the domestics!
20 years of driving mostly Chrysler and now GMs and I still don't think I have put $6000 into all my cars combined for maintenance and repairs.
Originally Posted By: sifan
I stealer or a Japanese car with Detroit reliability?
Ha, No you bought a Subaru with Subaru reliability.
That may be the stupidest thing I have read on here in awhile.
Seems to me I have not come close to putting that much money into any GM I have ever owned. This place really does drive me batty some days.
Love it! So now when a Japanese car has problems, we still find a way to bash the domestics!
20 years of driving mostly Chrysler and now GMs and I still don't think I have put $6000 into all my cars combined for maintenance and repairs.
Originally Posted By: sifan
Originally Posted By: DB_Cooper
I doubt the job is "transaxles" My 2007 Outback lost an inner front CV boot at about 60,000 miles..which I replaced myself. The other front side inner CV boot split not long after and I did that side too. The replacement parts were not too expensive from Subaru..job is a little fiddly.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
We drove our Outback to a mountain resort in Virginia few months ago. There was a huge white steam coming out of the engine bay after a long drive. When I popped the hood, the steam originated on the driver side of engine whose source could not be pinpointed. It smelled like some kind of fluid burning on the exhaust system. I thought it was windshield washer fluid. The dealer said the washer reservoir was not leaking. Could the leaked grease from the CV boots be the culprit? But I recalled the smell of the steam was not greasy (or oil related) and its color was white. The dealer said the head gasket was ok (Subaru's 6 cylinder engine is not known for blown head gasket).
Step 1: find a good honest independent Subaru specialist shop.
Originally Posted By: DB_Cooper
I doubt the job is "transaxles" My 2007 Outback lost an inner front CV boot at about 60,000 miles..which I replaced myself. The other front side inner CV boot split not long after and I did that side too. The replacement parts were not too expensive from Subaru..job is a little fiddly.
My theory for the failures is the proximity of the front inner CVs to the exhaust system/catalytic converters..but who knows?
I suspect that the shop is talking about CV boots or axles. Don't replace the axles if the CVs are in good condition.
We drove our Outback to a mountain resort in Virginia few months ago. There was a huge white steam coming out of the engine bay after a long drive. When I popped the hood, the steam originated on the driver side of engine whose source could not be pinpointed. It smelled like some kind of fluid burning on the exhaust system. I thought it was windshield washer fluid. The dealer said the washer reservoir was not leaking. Could the leaked grease from the CV boots be the culprit? But I recalled the smell of the steam was not greasy (or oil related) and its color was white. The dealer said the head gasket was ok (Subaru's 6 cylinder engine is not known for blown head gasket).
Step 1: find a good honest independent Subaru specialist shop.
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