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AT Light Flashes 16 Times What to do


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98 OBW with 231K. I changed the ATF fluid a few months ago and added locus oil additive. After a trip of at least an hour I have the AT Temp light flashing 16 times when I start the car up after that long trip. I tried the secrete handshake procedure to grab the code with zero luck. Should I bring to the dealer for $95 an hour to troubleshoot or just wait the clock out on this thing and hope for the best. It shifts ok, always had a hard 1 to 2 and there is no torque bind. The LAST thing I want to do is drop 600 bucks on this thing. Dealer told me that I am looking at least 400.00 if it is a solenoid or temp sensor. What to do

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the ''hand shake'' is only used for the 90 - 94 cars. starting in 95 you need to ground out a pin, #3 i think but double check, on a 6 pin connector under the dash near the center console. if you ground out the wrong one do not worry, all the pins in the connector a for diagnosis, reading codes. if you ground the wrong one you will just flash the ABS or SRS codes instead of the trans code.

 

do a search, ''readingtranscodes'' or ''transcodes''.

look for the older threads.

Edited by johnceggleston
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I have asked this in another thread and didn't get an answer, so I will try again here...

 

Is it the AT light that blinks that means a electrical problem, or is it the power light? I KNOW that the older ea82 4eat, the at temp light flashed, but on the newer cars (well tcu actually), they started flashing the power light instead of the at temp light, at least on the 90-94 models. So did subaru go back to using the at temp light in the later model legacy's? Or am I just completely off with my facts? :confused: I seem to remember that they removed some of the lights from the dash, but I thought the power light stayed, and the manual light was the one that went away.

 

The reason I ask is everybody automatically says, "Oh it's an electrical problem" if you have flashing lights, and this may be true, but ONLY if the right light is flashing.

 

If the at temp light is NOT the light to look at for errors, then there is a whole other issue at play here that has nothing to do with the tcu, at least at first glance.

 

If someone could verify this in a fsm, that would be great as well. I don't mind that people might "think" they are right, but having a few facts to back this up always helps. I would just look myself, but I don't have access to any FSM that would tell me this info...

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The "Trans Oil Temp" light flashes 16 times at start up to indicate a trouble code with the transmission, but does not remain on like an "ABS" or "Check Engine" lights. I have a 1995 Legacy and recently had personal experience with this situation. I, however, never ran the diagnostic test for the trans code as I knew my problem was with the transfer clutch as my AWD didn't work at all. I ended up having to replace the transfer clutch solenoid, clutch pack, and hub & shaft assembly as the hub had sheared off the shaft.

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The "Trans Oil Temp" light flashes 16 times at start up to indicate a trouble code with the transmission, but does not remain on like an "ABS" or "Check Engine" lights. I have a 1995 Legacy and recently had personal experience with this situation. I, however, never ran the diagnostic test for the trans code as I knew my problem was with the transfer clutch as my AWD didn't work at all. I ended up having to replace the transfer clutch solenoid, clutch pack, and hub & shaft assembly as the hub had sheared off the shaft.

 

i didn't know the ea series had an AT TEMP light. i know the 90 - 94 has a ''power'' light and not an AT Temp. but yes, they changed in 95 and went from flashing ''power'' light to flashing ''AT Temp'' light.

 

i have never seen a ''power'' light on a subaru after 94.

 

Actually I believe there are both power and at temp lights on the 90-94 models but it is definitely the power one that does the flashing on faults

 

Thanks guys! :)

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I decided not bring it in. If anything is wrong its going to cost me at least 400.00 on the low end. I am waiting the clock out.... If I every get the diagnostic light to work I will drop the pan myself and replace what is needed.

 

Have you taken the car to somewhere that will grab the odbII codes for you? Your trans should talk to the odbII port I would think... I would just take it there and have them check for codes to see whats up with it regardless if it throwing a CEL or not.

 

You said you found the connector, but not the ground wires? I think you misunderstood what John was saying... There are should be grounds available in the connector that you need to "jump" to get the code using a piece of wire as the jumper, you shouldn't have to cut anything to grab these codes. Find a pinout for the connector, find a ground, any ground in the connector, and then take a piece of wire and jumper the two together (the ground pin and pin3 (according to John, I cannot confirm this is the right pin) in the actual connector), and then turn on the key. The codes should blink at you telling you what's going on. No cutting involved.

 

There are also a couple of other things you can do to try to diagnosis it without pulling the codes as well. I had to do this before I got my select monitor to view the codes since I can't pull the codes easily with my modded tcu.

 

The first thing I would do is just reset the dumb thing. Pull the negative battery cable for 10 min to clear the code. Then drive it around and see if it comes back. Sometimes the TCU farts a code for no real reason. If the code comes back, then you do probably have an issue.

 

Does the trans drive fine while driving around? Does the torque convert lockup up at highway speeds? What about the AWD, is it working at all? Can you spin all four tires in gravel? Any torque bind at all when driving it around tight circles?

 

Any route that you take, you need to pull the codes to see what's going on. You can drop the pan and start replacing things, but without knowing what's all wrong you could just be wasting your money.

 

Dropping the pan and replacing stuff is not hard at all, just time consuming, and resealing the transpan without leaks can be a PITA too. But as long as you can replace it by dropping the pan, then there is no need to take it into the dealer, you should be able to do it all yourself.

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Your trans should talk to the odbII port I would think...

 

nope. the code reader will not read TCU codes. it will read engine / power train codes that MAY cause a trans code. i would think the select monitor would read the trans codes but i've never even seen one so i don't know.

 

the 6 pin connector for reading trans codes (and abs and srs codes) does not have all of the slots filled with pins, some are empty. but the ground wires are, do come from the factory, taped to the harness. not a big deal to find them. but any good ground should work.

 

i'm not familiar wit lucas trans whatever. but since the problem started after it was added, i would do a drain and fill with out the lucas. it may have contributed to the problem, but who knows.

 

what were the trans symptoms before adding the lucas?

what are the trans symptom now, besides the flashing light?

any binding in tight turns?

if you install the fuse in the holder under the hood, passenger side near the fire wall, does the flashing light go away? try it.

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Another Update. So I found the ground wires but I am unable to get the code. I do get the ABS light to give me a code and I can get the seatbelt light to blink. The AT light still blinks at start-up when the car has been driven for about an hour. I am starting to think temp sensor. I need to see that code before I spend any money on this. If I can get a TCU for real cheap I may swap it.

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  • 4 years later...

I started this thread about 5 years ago. I finally got around to fixing this issue. In 5 years I put about 15K miles on her. I replaced several things including the AT reduction gear. I choose not to file down the grooves. I figured I was doing the work myself and saving on that end. I am thinking about doing a procedure for this but for now I will list the part numbers I used. The transmission shifts like butter now. Now sure I even had the skill 5 years ago to do this.

 

If you have not had your exhaust off in the past few years this task could be doubled in effort and price if you need to start replacing exhaust parts that you are cutting out.  I replaced almost my entire exhaust about 6 months ago.

 

I did replace the transmission control module 5 years ago and that did not fix the issue. Just denial of what the real problem was.  I am guessing a shop would have been $1,800 for this entire job with parts.   Next on my list is a complete AC system replacement.  See you in 5 years

 

31337AA120 GASKET TRANS CASE REAR $9

31523AA410 PLATE SET- TRF CLUTCH $115

31942AA090 VALVE AY TRANSFER CLUTCH $95

31954AA071 Gasket transfer Valve Need 2 $3

31952AA030 PLATE-TRANSFER VALVE $2

31450AA260 GEAR COMPLETE-REDUCTION DRIVE $145 (This is the basket that has the worn grooves)

31377AA020 Ring Seal Need two for the half shaft $10

806536020 THRUST BEARING $8

4409 EagleBHP Transmission Mount $20

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post-13518-0-60971900-1469840945_thumb.jpg

Edited by msmithmmx
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How can you be sure your duty c solenoid is bad after you removed it? I bench tested the old duty-c solenoid by hooking it to a car battery.  Green to red and black to black.  There as no clicking.  I tested a another spare I have and it clicks with each touch of the battery.

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