Imagine, Transmission failure @ 90,000 on 2000 L Wagon!!

[danz75]

Actually this is WAY to long between changes. The fluid/filter should be changed every 36k. Who did the service?

 

I am asking this because a quickie shop or a less sophisticated ship will use machines that actually damage the tranny. The machines use high pressure to flush the system which in turn damages the transmission.

 

A high end or sophisticated shop uses the car’s transmission pump to flush the system this way the vehicles spec pressure will be used to flush the system.

 

I had written to an "official" subaru parts online store to ask for the pricing for the transmission filter for my 03OBW, they replied back to me, they said that those filters are lifetime filters and don't need to be replaced unless something catastrosphic happens. Won't that be too late???

But from what I have read from various posts, the general concensus is replace filter at least every other fluid replacement. And I like the idea of doing it ever 15kmi since fluid costs are a lot less than a transmission replacement. Just like oil changes, I will always change the oil filter whenever I put new oil in. Just don't see the point in reusing the oil filter.

[BigC]

mwatt: Cool, thanks!

 

I just thought of another suggestion for the original poster: On www.edmunds.com in the Town Hall Subaru forum, at one time SOA had a rep that would post and respond to customer problems. Her name was Patty IIRC. You could try checking that out and seeing if she can get you in touch with someone to help you out. Apologies if this info is out of date... I haven't frequented Edmunds in a long time... USMB and Nasioc are sooooo much better IMO.

 

Steve

 

Patty's no longer there. We bought our Forester in November and she was gone by late December. They moved her to a different position and I don't think they replaced their SOA presence at Edmunds. I haven't been there in a while though. That board is so hard to follow I gave up trying to figure out what was going on.

 

Our '01 has a 4EAT and it does some funny things once in a while. I did replace the filter when we got the car at 53k. That little bugger costs like $35 shipped. I bought a bunch of extra crush rings so I could just change the tranny fluid when I changed the oil. It's easier to change the tranny fluid than the oil actually since you don't have to drop any shroud to get to it. Fresh fluid is happy fluid and this is one time where I totally don't agree with their maintenance schedule in the glove box.

 

Sorry about the tranny issue's ....that's obviously going to be a rather $,$$$ fix if you have to replace it.

[cookie]

It would be most interesting to find out exactly where it is. I suspect that if it was in an accessible area Subaru would just change it instead of changing the whole tranny.

I used to be able to do certain fixes on Turbo 400s and 350s like change the mechanical governor from the outside. You could also change the entire valve body in the car.

I would be very tempted to do a search on this symptom and discuss this with my local automatic tranny shop to see if they think it might be possible to do a repair without a complete teardown.

[ShawnW]

Make sure you have diagnosed the problem before you have come to a conclusion and get mad at Subaru before you take it to the Subaru dealer or subaru independent specialist for a proper diagnosis. This car needs to be plugged into a Select Monitor, a Subaru specific tool.

 

When you first start the car is the AT OIL TEMP light flashing 5 times and then shutting off? If so you have a trouble code in the trans. More than likely it will tell the mechanic who can tell you what is wrong with it very quickly.

 

Second, most SUBARU transmission failures can be fixed without rebuilding the actual transmission. There are alot of valve body problems and solenoids that can be changed out by dropping the pan and doing some work in there or by replacing the torque converter......The number one problem with Subaru transmissions since the first 4eat trans.

[Meeky Moose]

My 1999 Outback Wagon required a transmission overhaul at 96,000. The trans shop said I got off cheap at $2,000. Additionally, the engine spun 2-rod bearings at 91,000 miles, resulting in a new short-block. My wife loves the car...too bad, it will be my last Subaru.

 

my 99' outback is just the oposite.. i bought it used but lemme tell you how it was abused by the original owner.

 

nothing was ever done to the car, inside was never cleaned or even vacuumed, she hauled hay and prolly goats in it, the paint is faded and oxidized from not being washed/waxed (only a 6 year old car) when it started with the overheating problem, she drove it until it died on teh side of the road and would not run anymore. transmission, well lets say the fluid was burnt, crispy, and brown. so you know it had never been changed.

 

now, the car had 134 k on it when i got it.. i put another motor in it, changed the trans fluid (sometimes not good to flush them if its never been changed, breaks stuff loose thats holding it together) and the car runs and drives great. (sometimes it will downshift on deceleration but only when cold)

 

 

my point being, my outback only had oil changed done to it and thats it until i got it, and the tranny is still original.. sure i had to swap an engine, but i knew about the 2.5 headgasket issue, besides it doesn't surprise me the way mine was abused. wuold i buy another one, Hell yeah..