Hi: 2001 Forester Auto. 192,000 kms. Bought it a few months ago when it was warm and it is now getting colder here. I have noticed that when I first deive away the first shift is hard. Not a loud clunk , just not smooth and the second shift a bit better but still not smooth. It only happens on initial start up and only on the first 2 shifts. After driving for a couple of miutes it shifts fine. Tranny oil level is good. Is it normal to shift hard when cold. All my other cars have been 5 speeds so not very familiar with automatics.

 

Thanks

Suggest you change the automatic transmission fluid. Subaru has a drain bolt on the bottom of the pan, so it is easy to drain. However, since only about half the ATF can be drained at one time, as the other half of the ATF remains in the torque converter. it is good to drain and change three times to get a good change of fluid. I drive around about five minutes between changes. Yes, this approach uses a lot of ATF, but still less expensive then having a pressure fluid changed at a service garage. I am thinking the fluid change will help your trany change gears a lot smoother.

orrr..... changing the fluid could wash all the varnish out of the valve body and cause the transmission to go into "boat anchor" mode and be completely useless. Check the fluid, if it's dark and not a bright pretty red, drive it till it dies. I changed dark/dirty fluid in my legacy. took it 3k miles to die after changing it

Edited October 23, 201015 yr by Ricearu

i'd start by checking the fluid and possibly just changing it for good measure.

 

as to ricearu's transmission - it probably had issues coming. i doubt it would have lasted much longer, if at all, with old fluid. that's a really low percentage guess given the number of other possibilities.