[Thomthom]

My 2010 Outback has 120,000 miles. Yes, I drive a lot. Recently the car hesitates and stutters when accelerating up hills at around 40 to 50 mph. Of. Course it only does it once or twice a day and the technician can't get it to do it. He thinks it is the torque converter going in and out of lock up. Does this make sense? Anyone else experience this? He also says he has never replaced a torque converter in 20 years as a tech.

Our Outback began doing this once in a while and now does it all the time and even at higher speeds and the hesitation is worsening ( our mileage is 171000 miles on it

 

[seagrass]

The torque converter “locks up” between 45 and 55 mph. If your vehicle is doing this above those speeds it is not likely to be the torque converter.

At 171,000 miles your vehicle could have a partially blocked fuel filter, which can also cause a stutter or hesitation, especially at higher speed or under load when fuel usage is higher.

Have you had the “in-tank” fuel filter replaced? There is a screen on the bottom of the fuel pump AND a fuel filter in the top of the fuel pump assembly. The fuel filter is what becomes blocked and the whole “top hat” of the fuel filter needs to be replaced.

Seagrass

 

[cardoc]

2010 has CVT and the TCC locks up below 20 mph then the pulleys work the gear ratio.
Things that cause hesitation:
Worn plugs
Worn ignition cables
Bad coil
Timing belt stretch
Poor fueling
Bad battery
Bad grounds
Clogged PCV system
Dirty throttle body

Things that cause what feels like hesitation:
Dragging brake
Bad wheel bearing
TCC not staying locked/slipping
Worn actuator in the CVT

Best thing to do is check for any codes on all the computers in the car and post back.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

drive line? 2.5 or 3.6R

last time you changed trans fluid in said car?

 

[byork9]

Older post. My 2010 outback 2.5l is doing this when it's really hot outside. Posts p0303 once in a while then clears itself the next day.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

My 2010 Outback has 120,000 miles. Yes, I drive a lot. Recently the car hesitates and stutters when accelerating up hills at around 40 to 50 mph. Of. Course it only does it once or twice a day and the technician can't get it to do it. He thinks it is the torque converter going in and out of lock up. Does this make sense? Anyone else experience this? He also says he has never replaced a torque converter in 20 years as a tech.

2.5 or 3.6R

2 things

Coils/plugs/fuel delivery
torque converter failure

I have a 3.6R and replaced my torque converter at 168K

 

[byork9]

It was a 2.5l. Changed the number 3 coil this morning problem went away. Thankyou