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Subaru Legacy/Outback Transmission Problems

580 messages,  Last post on May 14, 2013 at 12:13 PM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

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


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Messages Page 18 of 58

#171 of 580 Re: 1998 legacy 2.2 5 speed with noise when clutch is out [paisan] by ssemans

Feb 06, 2008 (12:55 pm)

Replying to: paisan (Feb 05, 2008 7:54 pm)
Mike,
Thank you for confirming my suspicions. I am wondering though what kind of failure scenarios am I dealing with concerning the throwout bearing. I have read on this and other posts that this was a weak link in the Subaru clutch assembly. I am somewhat cheap and feel that I will replace clutch with bearing. This just seems logical. The thing is my clutch seems fine right now and I am just wondering if I can postpone the repair to "use up" the current clutch a bit more. Can the throwout bearing fail and damage the trans. or drive line in anyway? Or will it just continue to make noise and contribute to a quicker demise of my clutch? I already have an appointment for the drive line fluids to be replaced, do I need to ad the clutch and bearing as well?

#172 of 580 Re: 1998 legacy 2.2 5 speed with noise when clutch is out [ssemans] by paisan

Feb 06, 2008 (5:39 pm)

Replying to: ssemans (Feb 06, 2008 12:55 pm)
The throwout bearing will continue to get worse over time. You can probably drive it for another 10k miles maybe more w/o issue. I'd definitely get the clutch done at the same time as the labor is the same cause the trans has to get pulled.
 
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host

#173 of 580 Re: transmission problem? [shabe1] by orangelebaron

Feb 09, 2008 (7:46 pm)

Replying to: shabe1 (Jan 31, 2008 12:54 pm)
I've given up asking them or the dealer. I haven't been driving my Outback lately because my Volvo gets better gas mileage and doesn't give me hip/back problems from the painful seat.
Thinking of selling the Outback.

#174 of 580 02 Outback 3.0L LL Bean Trans Issues and Q's by mudnyrey

Feb 10, 2008 (1:37 pm)

I just recently moved from Colorado to Oregon. Prior to this move I had the trans fluid flushed for a regular scheduled maint. early and before it was due for the first time at about 60k+ miles, the car now has just turned 90k this past year.
 
After the flush and still in Colorado, I drove up to the ski resorts many times prior without any issues. After the flush I took my vehicle up and seemed to have issues? The trans spued its fluid out of the dip stick which then onto the exhaust causing some smoke. I am car sauvy at most and know my vehicles well, but knew something wasn't right after. I took it back to a well known mechanic who told me that it may have been over filled (who originally did the flush). This persisted for a while until it cleared up and after I brought it in to have it double checked as well.
 
I then moved from Colorado to Oregon pulling my racing bike and trailer, and a Thule rack and bag on top, and with the car with just about empty exept for me and my dog. Another trip to Colorado a month or so after my initial move, I heard a weired noise and felt some odd shifting issues fron 4th to 3rd and back and forth agressively while hitting the high passes on Hwy70
near Vail.
With concern i brought my car back to my well known and highly trusted mechanic who refered me to a trans specialist who took a look at my car.
I don't trust many people with my vehicles, but I trust this shop over any dealership at most and their referal! These guys are master mechanics.
The guy stated to me after his evaluation, said the the fluid is burnt and that there may be a problem with the torque converter rather than internally in the transmission?
With that in mind I decided to get a second opinion and dropped it off to the Subaru dealership who then, after evaluation told me that not only is my trans fluid burnt but my line pressure is reading "Zero" and that no codes are being pulled up from the ECU. The service rep proceeded to tell me I needed a new trans and that it would cost me 6k. ( I just about chocked!) Then the price lowered to 2500 to 3k to rebuild or replaced with a remanufactured one.
 
The car seems to drive fine! I have been told to never replacing the trans filter...??? I'm not sure if there is damage to my trans or if I should just wait until something major happens? At this point I have trust issues with most shops trying to clean me out of excuses. I am smart enough to know who is telling me the truth or who isn't with a load of garbage to make some money on verbal fabrication.
 
Heres some questions I have...
 
1) I was thinking of another trans flush and adding Lucas as an additive to regain the life of the bands etc. Thoughts for adding Lucas trans treatment?
 
2) Subaru says never to replace the trans filter? When a transmission breaks down with metal "Sludge" or "Breakdown" who is to say that my filter isn't congested with such breakdown that filtering right now may be dificult?... Change the filter?
 
3)Torque Converter issues? I'm interested in knowing more!
 
Thanks,
Mud

#175 of 580 Re: 02 Outback 3.0L LL Bean Trans Issues and Q's [mudnyrey] by paisan

Feb 10, 2008 (8:27 pm)

Replying to: mudnyrey (Feb 10, 2008 1:37 pm)
If your fluid is burnt then you have either internal clutch issues or torque converter issues. Unfortunately it isn't cheap or pretty to replace either of them.
 
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host

#176 of 580 Re: 02 Outback 3.0L LL Bean Trans Issues and Q's [paisan] by mudnyrey

Feb 11, 2008 (10:31 am)

Replying to: paisan (Feb 10, 2008 8:27 pm)
Mike,
 
I appreciate your reply.
I know this isn't going to be cheap to have this taken care of should either or both be the cause. I'm also wondering if I managed to burn the fluid on one of my long drives possibly pulling my race bike? The car doesn't slip nor does it seem to pose any additional problems when driving it that I have noticed.
 
Any body have any responses to my other questions that I had?
 
Thanks
Chris

#177 of 580 Re: 02 Outback 3.0L LL Bean Trans Issues and Q's [mudnyrey] by paisan

Feb 11, 2008 (9:19 pm)

Replying to: mudnyrey (Feb 11, 2008 10:31 am)
It is strange for it not to slip with the burnt fluid. Perhaps it wasn't burnt completely and didn't damage the clutches or torque converter. In general, and I've burned up many an AT, once it starts to slip it'll continue to get worse and worse even with a proper fluid change.
 
Sorry for not having a better answer for yah.
 
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host

#178 of 580 Re: Engine racing when clutch depressed...? [carol2008] by carol2008

Feb 13, 2008 (8:34 pm)

Replying to: carol2008 (Feb 03, 2008 6:29 pm)
Mike
We brought the car back to the Subaru dealer and they made some calls to Subaru. Apparently there is nothing that can be done at this time, however it seems to be a problem with the 2008's right now. They expect something to be done about it as soon as Subaru can figure the cause. We are to call back in two weeks to see if they have received anything on this problem. Will keep you updated.
Carol

#179 of 580 Re: Engine racing when clutch depressed...? [carol2008] by paisan

Feb 13, 2008 (9:04 pm)

Replying to: carol2008 (Feb 13, 2008 8:34 pm)
The only thing similar I had was when I hooked up an Ecutek to my car and changed the idle on my 05 LGT. Whenever I'd hit the clutch it would race to 1500 rpms. My guess is that it might be an ECU programming problem.
 
-mike
Motorsports and Modifications Host

#180 of 580 Re: '08 Subaru Outback 2.5XT Hard shift [bondryan] by corriewolfe

Feb 25, 2008 (6:26 am)

Replying to: bondryan (Feb 04, 2008 9:21 pm)
I am having the exact same problem with my 08 Legacy GT. Only the 2-3 upshift is harsh, all other gear changes are fine. I've had it to the dealer 3 times already and opened a "subaru case" with the customer service line, but all they can do is tell me it's normal. It seems to be something wrong with the "learning" function because every time I take it in, they would "reset" the TCU and it's fine for a while, but comes back in 3,000 miles or so. I'm getting pretty frustrated at this point because it goes away when they reset the TCU, so I think it's a programming issue and not a problem with the hardware. Therefore it should be easy to fix without having to tear open the transmission. If only they could just "turn off" the learning function then I would be happy.

Messages Page 18 of 58

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