89Ru Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 2002 H6 3.0 auto won't crank. For the last month when the car gets warm it would not start (just silence). Always started after sitting overnight. Now with the weather getting warm, after sitting for a day and a half its just silence apart from fuel pump and starter relay click, dash lights good. Tried a jump and still nothing. Narrowed it down to the inhibitor switch (in a MT this is called the neutral safety switch). Sits on the passenger side of the transmission and provides a short in P and N gear selections to allow the starter to crank. You can fool it into starting by shorting two pins together with a small paper clip. Connector is on top of the transmission just ahead of the firewall. T3/B12 pins 11-12. Looks like a new inhibitor switch is needed. Rear backup light also does not work and the dash gear shift position indicator lights are wonky. Problem is now my gear shift is locked I think because of my tinkering. I can unlock it by sticking a paper clip in the little hole to the right of the shifter...but what else is going on? I started the car with T3/B12 disconnected (despite a sudden electrical buzzing sound from underneath the car with the key in run position). Does the TCU get upset with B12 unmated and lock the shifter? How do I clear this? Reset the TCU/ECU or will it clear itself once the inhibitor switch is replaced and the car can start normally... code 852 is the neutral switch input circuit high Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted May 10, 2014 Share Posted May 10, 2014 (edited) known issue I think with the light in the rear. (but i thought it was brake lights and brake pedal circuit?) Start with that? try a search for the issue too Edited May 10, 2014 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted May 10, 2014 Author Share Posted May 10, 2014 Did some searches on the buzzing...seems like its a transmission duty solenoid and buzzing is normal. The shift lock solenoid has either gone intermittent or something is disabling it. Sometimes I press on the brake and I hear it release, other times it does not release and I have to go to manual release. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 Put a new inhibitor switch in and the backup lights are working again. Its starts too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Did it fix the shifter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted May 24, 2014 Author Share Posted May 24, 2014 I was hopeful, but I still have to override the shifter lock. It could be two problems occurring simultaneously, or they could be connected somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89Ru Posted May 25, 2014 Author Share Posted May 25, 2014 Did the transmission handshake and TCU reports no trouble code (2 Hz flashing on the AT oil temp dash indicator) Forgot to mention I am getting P0851 now. Looks like I need to adjust the position of the inhibitor switch, it has play in the screw slots for that and an alignment hole with a special tool...that could have been the problem in the first place. The PO had the transmission rebuilt and not all the dash gear position indicators light up so maybe it has been needing adjustment all this time. My first auto trans this century and it looks like I'm getting schooled by it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted May 26, 2014 Share Posted May 26, 2014 The PO had the transmission rebuilt and not all the dash gear position indicators light up so maybe it has been needing adjustment all this time. This just seems to be a bad omen for Subarus. Anytime a subaru trans was "rebuilt" it seems to have weird problems afterward. Hope you get it figured out. Might check the shifter for sticky crud spilled down in the interlock mechanism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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