Complete replacement valve body for the Subaru Lineartronic TR690 CVT in Legacy, Outback and Forester when lockup shudder and ratio flare set in.
A 2010-2013 Subaru Legacy or Outback with the 2.5L Lineartronic CVT, or a 2014-2015 Forester with the 2.0L version of the same transmission, that shudders on light throttle, hangs between ratios, or takes a long pause to engage after a cold start is almost always a TR690 valve body problem. This is a complete replacement valve body assembly superseding Subaru part numbers 31706AA033 and 31706AA034, built to cover both the Legacy/Outback and the later Forester application of the TR690.
The TR690 is Subaru's higher-torque chain-drive CVT, used behind the larger four-cylinder engines rather than the smaller TR580 belt-drive unit. One casting does three jobs at once: it sets pulley clamping ratio, controls torque converter lockup, and feeds the AWD transfer clutch, all through solenoid-controlled hydraulic circuits in the valve body. There is no gear set to wear in a CVT the way there is in a planetary automatic, so when a TR690 starts acting up, the valve body and its solenoids are the first place to look before anyone starts talking about the chain and pulleys themselves.
CVT shudder and flare can come from a worn valve body bore, a failing solenoid, or fluid that has lost its friction modifier, so it is worth ruling those apart before you spend on a casting swap. Our Subaru Lineartronic CVT service guide covers the fluid-change and inspection steps specific to this platform, and our general CVT harsh and delayed shift guide walks through separating a valve body problem from a chain or pulley issue when the complaint is a rough or late engagement. If the car is also throwing codes and dropping into a protective mode, our CVT limp mode causes guide is the next stop.
This valve body supersedes 31706AA033 and 31706AA034 and is built for the TR690 behind the 2.5L in the 2010-2013 Legacy and Outback and behind the 2.0L in the 2014-2015 Forester. Subaru revised the TR690 valve body more than once across this production run, so before ordering, pull your current unit and compare the connector position and solenoid count against your old part, or send us your year, model and VIN and we will confirm the correct casting rather than guess from the model year alone.
Drain the CVT fluid, drop the pan and the internal filter, and photograph the solenoid harness routing before disconnecting anything so reassembly is straightforward. Lower the old valve body out carefully to avoid dragging the manual valve against the detent, transfer the detent spring and brackets to the new unit, and torque the bolts down evenly working from the center outward. Refill with genuine Subaru CVTF-II fluid only, since this unit is fluid-specific and a generic multi-vehicle CVT fluid will not hold the clamp pressure the chain needs, and check the TR690 solenoid kit if your original solenoids are original-age, since a tired solenoid can bring back similar symptoms even with a fresh valve body installed. Plan on a CVT learning procedure with a scan tool afterward, since the TR690 sets fluid level by temperature rather than a dipstick reading.
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Doing this repair right usually means replacing these at the same time. Same transmission, ships together.
The TR690 Lineartronic CVT behind the 2.5L four-cylinder in the 2010-2013 Subaru Legacy and Outback, and behind the 2.0L four-cylinder in the 2014-2015 Subaru Forester. It supersedes Subaru part numbers 31706AA033 and 31706AA034.
Change the CVT fluid and internal filter at the same time so debris from the old valve body does not circulate through the new one. If your original solenoids are showing age, a TR690 solenoid kit is worth checking while the pan is down, since solenoid wear can produce the same shudder and flare symptoms as a worn valve body.
Shudder under light throttle, a flare or hang between pulley ratios, a slow or harsh engagement into Drive or Reverse on a cold start, and stored pressure, ratio or solenoid codes that come back after a fluid service.
Genuine Subaru High Torque CVTF (CVTF-II). This is a fluid-specific unit, and a generic multi-vehicle CVT fluid will not hold the clamp pressure the chain needs, which can bring the shudder symptoms right back even with a new valve body.
Yes. The TR690 does not set fluid level with a dipstick, it sets it by fluid temperature, and most cars need a CVT learning reset run with a scan tool afterward before the shift feel settles down.
Subaru revised the valve body more than once across the 2010-2015 TR690 production run. Pull your current unit and compare the connector position and solenoid count against the photos, or send us your year, model and VIN so we can match the correct casting.
