Subaru Ascent towing

[GeorgiaBill]

Here's one link to CVT problems.


Lineartronic CVT Reliability - Subaru Problems

[Desert Traveler]

From what i have seen on the forums a CVT transmission will not last the life of the engine muchless while towing. The only CVT transmission with real gearing inside it is a Prius CVT. The rest are Belt/variable hub systems and are not a mechanically sound system, a very poor substitute for a real transmission with gears. Spend your money wisely.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Desert Traveler

From what i have seen on the forums a CVT transmission will not last the life of the engine muchless while towing. The only CVT transmission with real gearing inside it is a Prius CVT. The rest are Belt/variable hub systems and are not a mechanically sound system, a very poor substitute for a real transmission with gears. Spend your money wisely.

May I inquire what forums you are referring to? I've frequented the Subaru Outback forum and there are numerous folks that have many miles on their Subaru's and are quite happy with them. I know there were some engines burning oil issues and some CVT issues with the previous generation Subaru's but my understanding is they have been resolved. I'm approaching 30K miles on my 2017 Outback with no issues at all to date. I guess more miles and time will tell . . .

I agree with not towing with the CVT tranny but hear that some do.

[Desert Traveler]

Here is one clue. Just the tip of the iceberg.



https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen/.../#72260a7e79dc


This is a problem with all brands of vehicles with CVT transmissions, all I can suggest if your not trading in before 100K is do a lot of transmisison fluid dumps it will extend the life some. But the CVT design is poor, metal shedding by the hub/belt assembly pollutes the bearings and seals internally leading to premature failure. Some brands of vehicles have way more bad press than others Nissan is plagued wiith CTV failures, Subaru has some, Hondas not as much but overall they all have the same problem of premature failure due to the design of the transmission, it cannot be fixed. Its a poor design.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Desert Traveler

Here is one clue. Just the tip of the iceberg.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jensen/.../#72260a7e79dc

This is a problem with all brands of vehicles with CVT transmissions, all I can suggest if your not trading in before 100K is do a lot of transmisison fluid dumps it will extend the life some. But the CVT design is poor, metal shedding by the hub/belt assembly pollutes the bearings and seals internally leading to premature failure. Some brands of vehicles have way more bad press than others Nissan is plagued wiith CTV failures, Subaru has some, Hondas not as much but overall they all have the same problem of premature failure due to the design of the transmission, it cannot be fixed. Its a poor design.

Ok, that’s old news and involves the previous generation Subaru’s. As I said before, I believe the CVT problems have been corrected in the newer generation CVT trannies. Time will tell.

[steve dunham]

My SIL tows a small tent trailer with a vehicle that has a CVT transmission
The vehicle has less than 100,000 miles on the odometer , he is on his third transmission and the way it sounds #4 is on its’ way .

( Vehicle has a 3500 lb tow rating)

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

My SIL tows a small tent trailer with a vehicle that has a CVT transmission
The vehicle has less than 100,000 miles on the odometer , he is on his third transmission and the way it sounds #4 is on its’ way .

( Vehicle has a 3500 lb tow rating)

Yes, don't think I would ever tow with my Outback. Our purpose for buying one is due to the area and elevation we live at, not as a tow vehicle.

[GeorgiaBill]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaBill

Here's one link to CVT problems.


Lineartronic CVT Reliability - Subaru Problems

The link above has this statement - "The extension bumps coverage for the CVT up to 10 years/100,000 mile. However, it does not apply to salvaged or rebuilt CVTs. And, in order to qualify owners must have their transmissions inspected or repaired before July 31, 2018."


My letter from Subaru dated June 2017 states nothing is required by us owners to get the extension.


The July 31, 2018 applies to owners with vehicles more than 10 years old, or more than 100,000 miles. They must have inspection/repair completed by that date.


I have a Subaru extended warranty for 7 years and 100,000 miles, and this new extension gives me 3 more years on the CVT (I only have 52,000 miles currently).


-Bill

[Desert Traveler]

Cvt transmissions work great in side by sides and quads and have longevity due to the light weight of the vehicle, but the belt is rubber/synthetic and is outside the trans and not bathed internally in oil, on cars its got a metal belt running against a adjustable metal hub which sheds metal, way worse when towing. This is really a sad thing the major auto mfgrs have nearly all perpetrated this on the general public for financial gain with CVT transmissions in vehicles, its pretty much a throw away transmission. Previous to this cvt craze in compacts and subcompacts standard type automatic transmissions would generally last the life of the engine in the better brands of vehicles, as much as vehicles cost these days, its a shame the mfgrs have introduced such a flawed product in the name of profit.

[salmo7000]

I'm wondering about the real-life failure rate, as the CVT has been around in Subarus for something like 10 years now? I have a 2014 Subaru Forester, 2014 was the first model year Subaru put the CVT in a Forester. I have over 120,000 miles on mine and have done a fair amount of towing with it, with a light utility trailer hauling an ATV or a raft frame. Not a lick or trouble yet (knock on wood!), and overall this vehicle has been reliable and trouble-free. Also it is the 6th Subaru I've owned in my lifetime, and I keep getting them for this reason. That said, however, I would probably not tow our 19 with an Ascent, or anything else with a CVT. A 17A, maybe!

[EdColorado]

From the March, 2019 Car and Driver magazine. Page 71.

The 2019 Subaru Ascent is in the 40,000 mile long-term vehicle test program that C&D runs. Currently at 6,822 miles.
Observed mpg: 18

Has the 5,000# tow package. Here is a quote:

"The closest we've come to probing the limits of the 5,000 pound tow rating was when we took a 3,500 pound enclosed snowmobile trailer up north. It tugged that without much drama, but our fuel economy plummeted to 7 mpg. When unladen, though, the turbo charged 2.4 liter flat-four's low-end grunt is defiantly growing on us"

The article didn't discuss what a 'low-end grunt' was.

Too many beans?


The issue also had an extensive article about the new Ranger. They liked it OK but commented that for the same price you can get a nicely equipped F-150 which the author thought was a better overall value. His opinion, of course.

[Desert Traveler]

I am rather infatuated with the new F150 3.0L diesel super cab 6.5 ft bed, 4x4. Would tow my 17 ft Casita SD with ease.

[Hilola]

Originally Posted by Desert Traveler

I am rather infatuated with the new F150 3.0L diesel super cab 6.5 ft bed, 4x4. Would tow my 17 ft Casita SD with ease.

Do you know how much extra Ford is asking for the diesel?

[EdColorado]

Originally Posted by Hilola

Do you know how much extra Ford is asking for the diesel?

“Going diesel comes at a price. In the Lariat trim, replacing the standard EcoBoost 2.7-liter V-6 with the 3.0-liter Power Stroke costs $4000; swapping out the King Ranch's standard 5.0-liter V-8 with the diesel is a $3000 upcharge, a daunting proposition considering the muscular, gas-burning EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 can be had for a comparatively painless $600 (or $1600 on the Lariat). In the more basic XL and XLT models, the diesel is available for fleet customers only.”

From Car & Driver magazine.

[Brian B-P]

I don't know what this has to do with the Ascent, but...

Originally Posted by Hilola

Do you know how much extra Ford is asking for the diesel?

The first trick is actually buying one. Ford Canada lists specs for the F-150 with diesel in XLT trim and multiple cab/box combinations, but the online build tool doesn't offer the diesel for any of those combinations. I didn't want to try every combination to see which ones they'll actually sell you, but to match what C&D reported:

Lariat: 2.7 EcoBoost -> PowerStroke adds CA$7,500
King Ranch: 5.0 -> PowerStroke adds CA$5,650

That's not just the US cost with currency conversion - it's substantially more.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by EdColorado

The article didn't discuss what a 'low-end grunt' was.

Too many beans?

Power at low engine speed. That's usually good with modern turbocharged engines; the turbo helps most at relatively low engine speed, and spreads the peak torque zone over a broader range of speed.

[Mike G]

Reading a bit of that Ascent forum thread from the posted link, much was being said about having to hold down a button for several seconds to deactivate the RAB (Reverse Automatic Braking) system prior to putting the Ascent into reverse; otherwise the brakes lock up and the warning squeals at you, and you go nowhere. And every time it's shifted out of reverse, the RAB comes back on automatically. While jockeying a trailer into a campsite, one might need to shift between forward and reverse several times. Imagine having to hit this RAB button for seconds (which will feel like forever) every single time before shifting into reverse. It would drive me batty.

[gbaglo]

My 1987 Subaru manual 4x4 wagon had no power so you had to plan your moves. It couldn't turn a corner with 4x4 engaged because of tire scrub. To disengage 4x4 you had to back up ten feet in a straight line.

There was a wet boat ramp that had a busy street at the top. I had to go left or right when I got to the street, but in 4x4 I couldn't make the turn.

I had to back up to disengage 4x4, but I was still on the slope. Burned rubber all the way to the street. Probably wasn't good for the vehicle.

[GeorgiaBill]

I sold my 2012 Casita 17SD to Pat and Melissa who came to the Green Eggs rally looking specifically for a Casita. They did not yet have a hitch ball and did not yet have a brake controller on their Ascent.



They went back to New Orleans to get those plus many more Amazon supplied items and we met them last Friday at Gunter Hill for the exchange.


They stayed Friday and Saturday night at Gunter Hill and headed home Sunday. I called Pat yesterday to check his experience with his 350 mile journey. He reported that all went well and that at 60 MPH his gasoline consumption only declined from 27 to 17 MPG (that's Subaru computer numbers which average about 1.5 MPG optimistic for my 2014 Forester XT).


I gave him my sway control bar which I'm not sure would fit under/inside the bumper recess. He indicated that Subaru did not recommend a sway control - I guess the stability control is supposed to handle that? Color me skeptical.


They plan a trip out west to the Bay Area in July. I'll call in August and see how it went.


I forgot to mention - I weighed the Casita last October at a CAT scale on our way to a camping trip. 3,160 pounds for the Casita and hitch weight of 380 pounds.



-Bill

[Bobbie54]

Thanks, Bill. Those real-life towing reports are what I'm waiting for. (That and the will to go car-shopping.) Not too concerned about towing a 15A but in the event I ever go up in size it would be nice not to have to get a new TV.)