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transmission run around

I have a 2000 Legacy GT Limited with 100k miles. It is an automatic and shifts very hard between 1 and 2nd. The AT Oil Temp light occasionally comes on. I took it to an excellent, experienced, transmission guy who I have used before on other cars. He partially took it apart and told me that the transmission was fine, the problem was up the line somewhere, something is sending faulty signals to the transmission. He told me to take it to the dealer to have them hook it up to their diagnostics, but warned me they would probably tell me to replace the transmission, and because they would replace everything up and down the line along with the transmission, the problem would get fixed, even though I didn't need a new transmission. The dealer wants to put in a new transmission for $4,500. The transmission guy says the transmissions is still good, but would charge $2,500 and is sure that changing it will not fix the problem. The car is only worth $6,500. I hate to spend the $4,500 when it is not necessary, it is just no one has been able to diagnose the exact problem. Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated!

Reply to
jpolk
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I would mention your town/area both here and over at

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and maybe at
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. Ask if anyone knows of an experienced Subaru mechanic in your town. I think I would get at LEAST one other opinion before spending that kinda money. Also, you might quiz the dealership for more specifics - exactly what codes are telling them the tranny is bad, etc. Or maybe a different independent transmission shop can read the codes from the TCU?

I dunno

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

Thanks Carl. I live in Roanoke, Virginia (SW Virginia). Both the dealer and the shop said the TCU was coming back with no error codes. They were diagnosing based the hard bump in the shift.

Reply to
jpolk

Thanks Carl. I live in Roanoke, Virginia (SW Virginia). Both the dealer and the shop said the TCU was coming back with no error codes. They were diagnosing based the hard bump in the shift.

Reply to
jpolk

Maybe someone here will have a suggestion for you. But I wouldn't discount the possibilty of a stored code in the ECU being helpful. Though the flashing tranny light would seem to point to that. Maybe a speed sensor? Also, some folks have had good luck with a true transmission flush - though it would seem your tranny guy would have suggested that - and if he disassmbled part of it, you at least got SOME fresh fluid. Maybe an indie mech that specializes in Soobs could swap in a known good TCU from another vehicle to help diagnose the problem?

anyway - good luck

Carl

Reply to
Carl 1 Lucky Texan

The valve body, which actually does the shifting as commanded by the shifter, the TCM and the solenoids ran about $700 a couple of years ago.

I would not touch anything until the cause for the flashing light is found.

There is a lengthy diagnosis procedure described in the service manual for faults without trouble codes stored.

Good luck!

jpolk wrote:

Reply to
AS

Maybe something like Lucas Transmission fix would help. Their power steering additive fixed Morning Sickness in an old car I have, where when first starting out in temps below 40deg, the steering was real hard to turn till I rocked the wheel a few times. The tranny fix is said to lower temps, and help with rough shifts.

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Reply to
houndman

An out of adjustment TPS will cause hard shifts. Transmission should also have an external band adjustment. Don't know about the newer Subarus but the older models had a dropping resister under the hood. I know when I disconnected mine the XT6 shift very hard, so hard I reconnected it.

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Reply to
johninKY

I appreciate all the good advice and suggestions. The dealer flushed the tranny and put in a "conditioner" which they said might help, but it did not. I'm going to see if I can find an independent subaru tech in the area. Thanks again.

Reply to
jpolk

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