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Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

8641 messages,  Last post on May 03, 2013 at 9:35 AM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Wagon

Messages Page 322 of 865

#3203 of 8641 Rough shifting 4EAT on my 2004 LL Bean Outback by djb63

Jun 18, 2004 (1:27 pm)

Well I now have 1100 miles on my 2004 LL Bean. I do have a major concern however.. The 4EAT transmission does not shift smoothly it clunks especially when shifting around 20MPH,none of the shift points (IMHO) are smooth. It's noticeable enough for my wife to say it doesn't sound or feel right (this is the woman who drove on a flat tire and didn't realize until the tire was flat that something was wrong). Also my 16 year old grandson who has only been driving a short time noticed it the first time he rode with me. The 4EAT transmission in my 95 Legacy LSi with over 92K miles shifts better that the new LL Bean.. Any suggestions..
other than the transmission concern I am pleased with my new Subaru.
DJB63
p.s. Monday I am going to replace the break in oil with Mobil One.

#3204 of 8641 DJB by c_hunter

Jun 18, 2004 (4:06 pm)

Check the fluid level, and then take it back to the dealer if you think something is wrong. My 02 Bean shifts pretty smoothly. Subaru autos are not the best out there, but they should be shifting pretty smoothly most of the time.
 
Craig

#3205 of 8641 by ateixeira

Jun 18, 2004 (8:12 pm)

rear diffy? No, not common. I just changed my rear diffy oil and it was still clear, at 63k miles. On my Miata is was clowsy at 30k miles!
 
With the MT, you can check the gear oil level for the tranny, it's way, waaaaaay down behind the engine. It is bright yellow, at least. ATF is probably in a similar location.
 
Call 800-SUBARU3 just in case to register a complaint, if it fails at 60,001 miles you should be safe.
 
-juice

#3206 of 8641 Re: Rough shifting 4EAT on my 2004 LL Bean Outback [djb63 #3203] by rob_m

Jun 19, 2004 (5:54 am)

Replying to: djb63 (Jun 18, 2004 1:27 pm)
I believe that these transmissions have a learning mode and will tailor the shifting points to your driving habits. Combined with multiple drivers, and relatively low miles, it might not equalized itself yet. I am not sure how long this will take (juice, bob, mike?). I am the primary driver of a 99 GT with the 4EAT, and after 105k, I can tell exactly when it will shift, and how long it will hold the gear. When I drive my wife's 03 Outback, again 4EAT, it is another story. I never know when it will shift - typically, it downshifts unexpectedly when I get on the gas, then quickly shifts when I back off - and this is after almost 2 years. Rob M.

#3207 of 8641 Power Door Locks '96 OBW by ebony5

Jun 19, 2004 (11:13 am)

According to the owners manual and past experience all the doors(including the rear gate) should unlock when I use a key to open my drivers side door(not by remote control activation) Also in the past when unlocking via the lever on the inside drivers side door all the other doors would unlock as well, this too is not functioning properly. The mechanism works only periodically and less and less often. I have checked the fuse and it seems to be O.K. Any ideas on what might be causing this and how to remedy the situation. Being able to unlock all the doors at once is one of the conviences that I really appreciate and not being able to I find extremely annoying.

#3208 of 8641 Re: Power Door Locks '96 OBW [ebony5 #3207] by dcm61

Jun 19, 2004 (6:13 pm)

Replying to: ebony5 (Jun 19, 2004 11:13 am)
The actuator in the driver's door is either bad or needs adjusted. The same thing happened with my '96. I took the door panel off and adjusted it once. That worked for a while but then it went back to being intermittent.
 
DaveM

#3209 of 8641 by ateixeira

Jun 19, 2004 (7:01 pm)

If you want that tranny to start out with a "clean slate", reset the ECU. Disconnect the negative battery terminal, wait 20 minutes, reconnect, start it up and let it idle until warm.
 
Who knows how it was delivered or test driven before you bought it, but clearly their habits may have been different than yours.
 
-juice

#3210 of 8641 Re: [ateixeira #3209] by djb63

Jun 20, 2004 (8:07 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 19, 2004 7:01 pm)
Juice,
The car is shifting, It just doesn't shift smoothly. IMHO one should not have a thunk/clunk when shifting.All shift points should be seamless. Listening to the engine you should know when the shifting is occurring but you should not feel a thunk/clunk during shifting.
Will re-setting the ECU effect the rough shifting??
DJB

#3211 of 8641 by ateixeira

Jun 21, 2004 (10:27 am)

IMO it's worth a try.
 
I would still at least register a "customer says" complaint with 800-SUBARU3 in case it becomes a problem in the future.
 
-juice

#3212 of 8641 Re: [ateixeira #3211] by djb63

Jun 21, 2004 (6:48 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 21, 2004 10:27 am)
Juice,
Thanks, for the input.. I have re-set the ECU (no discernable difference IMO) but I'll give it a few hundred miles to adjust to my driving style. For the next few hundred miles I will be the only driver and we will see what happens.. DJB

Messages Page 322 of 865

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