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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 4 of 59

#27 of 580 1999 legacy outback delay by delaywoes

Mar 01, 2007 (10:00 am)

I've been exchanging emails with a Subaru of America rep trying to find out what is causing this apparently common problem, but they seem to be too nervous about liability to say anything. They keep trying to send me to the dealership, but with all I've heard about the frequency of the issue, seems like they would have a pretty good idea of whats going on by now. Also the car has been serviced religiously at the dealership, and when they checked out the issue, they told us to come back if/when it ultimately failed and they'd replace the transmission........ From all I've heard, it does sound like a faulty seal, requiring a soft-parts transmission overhaul, not a new transmission. I took it to AAMCO but the manager there was drunk (!) and quoting me the MSRP of a new transmission which makes no sense as refurbished transmissions are typically used for this sort of thing. I have heard one person who replaced the transmission say that eventually the problem came back so maybe it is a faulty seal... It's also been suggested that it might be an issue with the rear differential. My personal diagnosis of my car's symptoms seem to indicate a compression issue, but I'm by no means an auto expert.
 
Here's what one person told me:
 
http://www.forumsubaru.com/showthread.php?t=5636&goto=newpost
 
And here is another forum where people have been discussing the issue to a greater extent:
 
http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=20378

#28 of 580 Re: Automatic Trans not engaging - Legacy 2000 [tschofen] by sec3707

Mar 02, 2007 (9:26 pm)

Replying to: tschofen (Mar 01, 2007 7:42 am)
My husband and I have a Subaru Legacy L Wagon (auto) that has a sticky transmission. The guy we bought it from told us about it beforehand - he and his mechanic said it'd been replaced and should be fine. At first it was, but then got worse. We took it to a different mechanic who showed us it was new, in good shape, the fluids were clean, etc. It should be fine, he said. I noticed your post because you said you'd had times where it wouldn't engage for up to 10 minutes. We've both had times where we'd sit a while (5-10 mins) before it'd engage. Today I sat in the thing for 15 mins, got out, got back in for another 10 and finally got it to engage in 3rd and then changed to D. It sucks. It's getting worse and we have no idea what to do, because everyone keeps saying it should be fine or it's been fixed. I've looked on the net and found plenty of people with similar problems, but nobody seems to have a clue what's causing it or what to do about it. Have you found any solutions?

#30 of 580 99 Legacy Outback Wagon will NOT shift out of park by bailey21

Feb 25, 2007 (5:02 pm)

My 99 outback is the 2.5 l w/ around 140,000 miles. When i start the car (i notice it is worse in the cold) i can not get the car to shift from park. I took it to the dealership and they claimed to have checked and drove it but could not "reproduce" my problem.
   I can hear the "shift interlock" or whatever it is that makes the clicking noise in the dash, but the car will not shift from park.
  Does the sensor (or black button/switch) on the brake, when you press the brake, have anything to do with this problem. I was able to change gears without the brake pressed later after the car finally was not stuck in park.
 
Any information with this matter would be helpfull as it seems as if many other Subaru owners are experiencing the same problems.
Maybe this should be added to the recall list. How would something of this nature become a recall?

#32 of 580 Re: 99 Legacy Outback Wagon will NOT shift out of park [bailey21] by schoenj

Apr 09, 2007 (10:34 am)

Replying to: bailey21 (Feb 25, 2007 5:02 pm)
We are also having a similar problem with our 95 Legacy Wagon. When pressing the black button on the shifter, we hear the clicking, but the car won't shift out of Park. In conjunction, our ABS light is on and the AC/Heater won't blow. Whenever, the fan/blower finally kicks in, we are able to shift.

#33 of 580 Re: 99 Legacy Outback Wagon will NOT shift out of park [schoenj] by paisan

Apr 09, 2007 (11:26 am)

Replying to: schoenj (Apr 09, 2007 10:34 am)
I'm going to lean toward a relay or shorting out issue here. Check all the fuses and relays associated with the AC/Heater Fan and the Park-interlock.
 
-mike

#35 of 580 Legacy GT'01 clutch problem by dimon07

Dec 20, 2006 (12:00 am)

I have Legacy GT 01 with 85K, sometimes it is hard to shift into 1st, 2nd or reverse gear (or simply impossible), although clutch pedal is fully pushed. What is possible source for that problem? What needs to be fixed to eliminate it?
*Car has customized rims and low-profile tires

Messages Page 4 of 59

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