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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 58 of 58

#570 of 580 Outback settings for different areas by sharlynne

Dec 13, 2012 (7:17 am)

I daughter lives in Colorado and she thinks that cars have different settings there because of altitude, temps, etc. than in Texas where it's hot & humid. My 2010 outback doesn't run well in Texas Summers.....but once we get dry & cold in the winter it runs great. Is there any truth to this? I believe the car came from a Cold area because when I bought it used it had snow tires on the car.

#571 of 580 Re: Outback settings for different areas [sharlynne] by KCRam@Edmunds HOST

Dec 13, 2012 (4:40 pm)

Replying to: sharlynne (Dec 13, 2012 7:17 am)
Vehicles sold new in high-altitude states do indeed have different settings for emissions and engine performance because of the thinner air. Your daughter has probably also noticed that gasoline octane is lower there - it's for the same reason.
 
If you did indeed get an "altitude" car, you will notice a performance difference in Texas summer heat/humidity, as the engine was not expecting to run on such dense air.
 
kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host

#572 of 580 Re: Outback settings for different areas [kcram] by ateixeira

Dec 17, 2012 (10:49 am)

Replying to: KCRam@Edmunds (Dec 13, 2012 4:40 pm)
Could be exacerbated if you use lower octane fuel (from a fill up in CO) and then drive down to lower altitude and warmer weather.
 
I'd fill up with better octane as soon as you can.

#573 of 580 Re: 2007 Outback Transmission Issue [zodo0201] by mike1d1

Dec 18, 2012 (7:29 pm)

Replying to: zodo0201 (Dec 12, 2012 9:18 pm)
My 2008 Legacy GT has exactly the same symptoms (1-2 seconds of shudder when breaking torque converter lock-up). It has 57k on it and has progressively worsened over the last several months. I took it into a dealer today for a diagnosis which they told me would be chargeable if the final solution is not under warranty. At the end of the day I received a call and they told me that they updated the software on the trans and the problem is now resolved. I was very skeptical so I started asking more questions;
-If it's software related why didn't I have the issue until a couple months ago?
-What if the symptoms come back in 6 or 12 months, once the drivetrain is out of warranty?
-Why would the reprogramming not be covered under the warranty (they told me the work would be chargeable because a software update is not considered a "drive train" component)?
The person on the phone did not have answers and said they needed to talk to their warranty manager and they would call me back. In the meantime I came across this thread and knew this was not an isolated issue. I was prepared to battle it out...One hour later I got a call back....to my surprise i was told that the tech took it for another test drive and that the issue was still present. I was told the tech will now replace the torque converter and it will be covered under warranty. The parts will be installed on Thursday. Obviously it's great news that they will deal with the issue properly, but now I'm suspicious.....will they really change the torque converter without further dispute? Im afraid they will implement some software workaround that hides the issue instead. Since I didn't get a loaner car I now have my car back for a couple days...it still drives/shifts exactly the same as before....is there a way that I could be sure they really change the torque converter?
 
In any event I will post the result of this up coming event.

#574 of 580 Transmission Issue by chameleon1

Dec 21, 2012 (7:28 pm)

I bought an automatic 1995 Subaru Legacy about eight months ago. It has been running like a champ until about a week ago when the RPMs started jumping up while my foot was on the gas pedal. It did that a few times a day and then started doing it more and more. My check engine light came on during this time as well. Then, a couple of days ago, I noticed whitish smoke coming from the right and left sides of my car. Kind of by the front tires. This smoke seems to only appear while driving on the freeway at high speeds for a while. I also smell, what seems to be, transmission fluid burning. Since the smell and smoke have occurred, the RPMs have stopped jumping around. I have taken it to a mechanic and he did a thorough check on it. He cannot find anything wrong and the car runs like a champ when he drives it around. No RPMs jumpin' around, no smoke, no smell...He did a transmission flush on it and cleaned it out and I just picked it back up today. It drove perfectly until I got off the freeway by my house. I was stopped at a light and noticed the smoke again....I am thinking I might need a new tranny, but am hoping someone might have a better idea.

#575 of 580 Re: Transmission Issue [chameleon1] by xwesx

Dec 26, 2012 (12:49 pm)

Replying to: chameleon1 (Dec 21, 2012 7:28 pm)
A white smoke? That sounds like coolant. But, you don't smell any coolant? Something must be hitting the exhaust system and burning off, which means you should be able to see something under the car where there is a drip. If you're not getting any puddles under the car while stopped, then perhaps it is a slight leak that is only present during operation, where it drips back onto the exhaust and burns off when the exterior of the exhaust components are hot enough to combust it.
 
The good news is that it wasn't "jumping" that time! Keep hunting for that leak and monitor your tranny's fluid level. If the fluid gets low, it can cause issues with engagement.

#576 of 580 Re: 2007 Outback Transmission Issue [mike1d1] by mike1d1

Dec 26, 2012 (4:29 pm)

Replying to: mike1d1 (Dec 18, 2012 7:29 pm)
Went to pick it up after work, called service center from lot and they told mr it was being worked on.....unfortunately I was parked next to my car....they then told me that they were busy and that they would work on it tomorrow. Next day at 5 they said the car was ready. Mi drove for about 400 yards and almost all dash lights came on.....took it back immediately. The next day they called and said a sensor was broken while raising the trans. I went back to pick it up. Within the first 1 mile I noticed a whining sound when accelerating hard. Took it back immediately. They took a test drive with me and heard the sound. They said it was the gasket between turbo and cat. Picked it up today and got all the way home with having to go back. The shudder is gone and it seems to shift better (between 1st and 2nd I always felt it would shift a bit late.... That seems better too.).
 
In any event it seems good now....

#577 of 580 Re: 2007 Outback Transmission Issue [mike1d1] by zodo0201

Jan 04, 2013 (4:39 pm)

Replying to: mike1d1 (Dec 26, 2012 4:29 pm)
Is the car still running well? Did they give you a price on at any point on what it would cost to replace the torque converter? My car is still having the issues and it's burning something too. It smells like a moldy dish rag or something. One weird observation is tht the car seems to run better in sport mode. I feel like the torque converter is sticking more now.

#578 of 580 Re: Transmission Issue [chameleon1] by bigddv

Apr 07, 2013 (5:22 pm)

Replying to: chameleon1 (Dec 21, 2012 7:28 pm)
sounds more like the front brake calipers are sticking....feel the wheels when you see the smoke and see if the front wheels are very hot to the touch near the center.

#579 of 580 trans slipping by mattnz

May 13, 2013 (12:21 pm)

I have recently bought a 2006 2.5i Outback approx 90k miles. drives really well but notice that going around a tight corner then accelerating out of it, the transmission seems to slip and then engage with a jolt. The same applies turning both left or right. Almost as if the oil has sloshed to one side and is leaving the trans short of oil for a bit perhaps? I checked the fluid level yesterday and it looks more like a bit over full if anything.

Messages Page 58 of 58

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