1998 outback not shifting when cold

[olivia123]

I have a 1998 Outback 2.5 auto trans. I had posted a few days ago about lack of power when cold and will be putting in a new coolant temperature sensor over the weekend to see if that helps. Will also remove the knock sensor to insect even though it is pretty new.

 

I mentioned in the post that the car was also not shifting out of first gear occasionally when cold unless I stopped and started over again. This is my wife’s car and I have been driving it for the last few days. The shifting situation has gotten worse. Today not only would it not shift out of first at some point the engine would rev up but it was clearly not connected to the drive train. I managed to get it into second gear and drove it to drop off my daughter. When I got in the car to return home it shifted absolutely normally. At this point temp gauge was at normal.

 

When you first start out all seems well but once you get to the speed it should shift it doesn’t. Fluid level normal and the right color. Any chance this could also be related to the coolant temp sensor?

[Rooster2]

I am thinking the poor shifting is not related to the coolant temp sensor. The sensor affects engine performance, not trany shifting.

 

How long has it been since the ATF has been changed? If a long time, I would change it out 3 times, with short drives between changes. It is a pretty ez do it your self project, as there is a drain plug on bottom of transmission pan.

[olivia123]

The fluid was replaced in July by a trusted transmission shop. Not flushed

[Rooster2]

The fluid was replaced in July by a trusted transmission shop. Not flushed

 

A single drain and fill only replaces about half the ATF in the system. The portion that doesn't drain remains in the torque converter. That is the reason for drain and fill 3 times to get clean ATF in the trany. Still, if the fluid was changed just once, then I don't see how additional fluid changes will help.