Bfats25 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 I bought a '99 Forester at an auto auction. Ran great and in great condition but when I went to drive it home it won't go above first gear. It is an automatic transmission that shifts into drive and reverse fine but just won't shift past first gear. It just reves up. Any thoughts? This is my first Subaru. I checked transmission fluid and level is fine, didn't smell bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) Trans could just be shot. Does the AT temp light blink 16 times at startup? Is the transmission pan dented? Which dipstick did you check? The short one on the right side of the trans is front differential gear oil. ATF is the long dipstick on the left by the starter. Edited February 10, 2014 by Fairtax4me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 If tranny is diagnosed as bad, the advise I have continually read on this forum, is that it is better to replace the tranny with one from a wrecking yard, rather then have the existing tranny repaired. Used trannys from a yard can be bought for not much money. I hope your auction buy, got you the car on "the cheap," so you can afford repairs on the deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) I got it for $1700 bid but paid $2400 with all the taxes and fees. We bought it for a family car, I hope the trannys not shot. I checked the dipstick on the right, I couldn't find the dipstick on the left. The owners manual says the one on the right is the ATF. They could have recently filled the fluid at the auction. I also had to replace the battery and will have to replace the radiator. A couple of people have suggested that it may a solenoid that is bad or even a relay switch. Does that sound familiar? The AT temp light does not blink at start up, the check engine light came on when I first drove it. Edited February 10, 2014 by Bfats25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Replacing the radiator is an easy do it yourself job, if you are half way handy with a wrench. You can buy a radiator on line for about $125. Ask us if you need advise on installing a replacement radiator. Lots of people here to help you. I drive an Outback, so not familiar with a Forester. Still, the tranny dip stick will be found up near the firewall. Hope that is where you found it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Replacing the radiator is an easy do it yourself job, if you are half way handy with a wrench. You can buy a radiator on line for about $125. Ask us if you need advise on installing a replacement radiator. Lots of people here to help you. I drive an Outback, so not familiar with a Forester. Still, the tranny dip stick will be found up near the firewall. Hope that is where you found it. Actually the tranny dipstick was missing when I bought it but I was able to find one and replace it. I was not able to find the front differental gear dipsick (I looked where the manual says it should be, left up by the firewall). The radiator will be an easy fix but before I replace that I need to diagnose the tranny problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Just to clarify--directions on a vehicle are properly given from the point of view of the driver sitting behind the wheel. So in a U.S. car "left" means the driver's side and "right" means passenger's side! Good luck. Keep asking questions here--hopefully the solution is something simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 Just to clarify--directions on a vehicle are properly given from the point of view of the driver sitting behind the wheel. So in a U.S. car "left" means the driver's side and "right" means passenger's side! Good luck. Keep asking questions here--hopefully the solution is something simple. Ah, Ok, thanks for the clarification. I was referencing it from the front of the vehicle. I sure hope it is a simple fix. I'm excited to get it fixed and rolling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 It sounds like you may have added ATF to the front differential. This is bad, you'll need to drain the front diff and replace with 80w-90 gear oil. ATF dipstick is hidden under some hoses a few inches to the left of the starter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 It sounds like you may have added ATF to the front differential. This is bad, you'll need to drain the front diff and replace with 80w-90 gear oil. ATF dipstick is hidden under some hoses a few inches to the left of the starter. No, I was just confused on the reference point. I was referencing from the front of the car. The front differential is the one I have not been able to locate or check. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Front diff is usually the easy one to find. Just above the axle cup on the passenger side. Short, maybe 8" in length and ridgid. ATF dipstick is about 15" length and flexible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Does the spedo work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirod Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Is it too soon to suggest he read the transmission codes? http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/44383-199-2004-how-read-diagnostic-trouble-codes-dtcs.html IF there are any CEL codes note them as input from the engine sensors is needed for the transmission computer. Check the two connectors on the passenger side behind the bell housing are plugged in, and look to see a ground wire is connected at the bellhousing strut rod. Simple things like that mess up the computer. Second stage, check the wiring harness on the transmission has continuity on each wire. They can be unplugged and done more easily out of the car, plus the connectors cleaned and sealed with dielectric grease. Good luck, Subaru automatic transmissions are complex and not much is known about them. I bought one recently for the same money and have replaced the engine already, the transmission is getting finished up today. Subarus with over 200,000 miles aren't economically justified to repair by normal standards. Just ask my wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwick Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Auction cars a grab bag. Often they are bank repos. Very RARELY will they get worked on before going to auction. More than likely, it belonged to somebody that may or may not have been driving it. It might have been parked for awhile, repo'd, and now you are finding out why it was parked. It's way cheaper to find a used trans than rebuild, assuming the failure is mechanical. A rebuild will need the trans pulled anyways, plus parts and labor to rebuild which can easily surpass $1000 depending on what's wrong, whereas a used trans in good shape just needs swapped in. Sounds like you have some troubleshooting ahead of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Good luck, Subaru automatic transmissions are complex and not much is known about them. I bought one recently for the same money and have replaced the engine already, the transmission is getting finished up today. Subarus with over 200,000 miles aren't economically justified to repair by normal standards. Just ask my wife. Mysterious? Since when? They are very straight forward as far as automatic transmissions go. Phase 1 4eats you can still pull the codes on. Not terribly expensive to get a used one and put it in. Not often that they have a problem that doesnt fall into the catagories of - dirty/low fluid; Torque Bind; Shift delay; or failure. Those are catagories not in order of incidents. I do agree whoever that there was a reason that car was in an auction. CHeck fluid condition (look smell) and go from there, Is it being held in 1st gear or when it upsifts does it slip? What happens when you shift it manually? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Does the spedo work? Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Is it too soon to suggest he read the transmission codes? http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/99-do-yourself-illustrated-guides/44383-199-2004-how-read-diagnostic-trouble-codes-dtcs.html IF there are any CEL codes note them as input from the engine sensors is needed for the transmission computer. Check the two connectors on the passenger side behind the bell housing are plugged in, and look to see a ground wire is connected at the bellhousing strut rod. Simple things like that mess up the computer. Second stage, check the wiring harness on the transmission has continuity on each wire. They can be unplugged and done more easily out of the car, plus the connectors cleaned and sealed with dielectric grease. Good luck, Subaru automatic transmissions are complex and not much is known about them. I bought one recently for the same money and have replaced the engine already, the transmission is getting finished up today. Subarus with over 200,000 miles aren't economically justified to repair by normal standards. Just ask my wife. Thanks, that is my next step, to check the codes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Mysterious? Since when? They are very straight forward as far as automatic transmissions go. Phase 1 4eats you can still pull the codes on. Not terribly expensive to get a used one and put it in. Not often that they have a problem that doesnt fall into the catagories of - dirty/low fluid; Torque Bind; Shift delay; or failure. Those are catagories not in order of incidents. I do agree whoever that there was a reason that car was in an auction. CHeck fluid condition (look smell) and go from there, Is it being held in 1st gear or when it upsifts does it slip? What happens when you shift it manually? It is being held in first and doesn't try to upshift. No slipping just reving and it just seems to stay in first when shifted manually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Alas, this is not boding well. Could be a puter issue, rare but it happens. There are a few ways these things die that arent worth repairing (as there is an ample supply) - Loss of Reverse - Clutch is cooked - Loss of 4th (will ever slip or wont upshift) Eventually third will be lost too.- cooked clutch pack - Will not upshift from 1st - Pump can not make enough pressure to upshift. On some years there is a shuft dealy from R to D but that is solvable. The next step would be if you wanted confirmation is to have a real tranny shop look at it and take some pressure readings. You may luck out and have it be a valve body issue. You can also try disconnecting the transmission harness plug that is under the hood (I have to look to see which one it is, its a large one) that forces the transmission to go into limp mode and shift purely mechanically. That totally rules out anything computer related Did this happen suddenly or has it been acting oddly for a while. Edited February 11, 2014 by nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Alas, this is not boding well. Could be a puter issue, rare but it happens. There are a few ways these things die that arent worth repairing (as there is an ample supply) - Loss of Reverse - Clutch is cooked - Loss of 4th (will ever slip or wont upshift) Eventually third will be lost too.- cooked clutch pack - Will not upshift from 1st - Pump can not make enough pressure to upshift. On some years there is a shuft dealy from R to D but that is solvable. The next step would be if you wanted confirmation is to have a real tranny shop look at it and take some pressure readings. You may luck out and have it be a valve body issue. You can also try disconnecting the transmission harness plug that is under the hood (I have to look to see which one it is, its a large one) that forces the transmission to go into limp mode and shift purely mechanically. That totally rules out anything computer related Did this happen suddenly or has it been acting oddly for a while. I got it from an auto auction so I'm not sure what happened. There are no problems with reverse or drive, no delay, it's just when I get up to about 20mph it won't shift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Well now we know why it was in the auction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lneulicht Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Odd that the AT temp light is not flashing on start up. Doesn't that indicate that there is no transmission code (or that the bulb is burned out)? I wonder if the OBDII code will provide any useful information. Edited February 11, 2014 by lneulicht Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 Codes are ONLY A TOOL. They will not tell you if a clutch in the transmission is cooked, if a pump failed, if a shaft has snapped. All they will tel you is that some electronic doodad is out of spec and maybe if you are lucky why it is out of spec or not working. OBDII is ONLY for the engine , and that is for things emission related. Being a auction car who knows what lurks in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 what happens if you manually shift it into 2 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bfats25 Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 I borrowed a Genesis machine from a friend to check the codes. This is the main code I got for the tranny. P0732A Gear 2 incorrect ratio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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