Hi BuffaloSubaru,
My wife owns the '05 Forest XT and we have the same problem (ususally happens when it is hot) since the beginning. We brought this problem to the dealership's attention and SOA issued a brand new transmission replacement. At first I was hesistant to getting the tranny replaced and rather have a brand new car replacement instead but SOA claims that the tranny alone is not sufficient for a complete buy back. So I went ahead with the tranny replacement and got an extended warranty from SOA (7 yrs/100K) as extra security from SOA that their vehicles are of the best. Now with the new tranny in place, I am having the same problem again, hard down shifting when coming to a stop. I have already emailed SOA and the dealership (today) for some thorough explanation and a reasonable solution. I hope to exchange the Forester for a LGT sedan or something of equilavent value or else I may seek legal action against them for a full refund and monetary damages for my hassle of going back and forth to the dealership. We barely have 3K miles on the Forester, which was purchased in mid May this year. I was told by the dealership that I was the first ever to complain of such problem, so I thought the problem must be a fluke. My brother in law just bought the 2006 Forester XT and he just came back from a Vegas trip to notice that he too has the same hard down shifting jerk.
BTW, how is your tranny doing? Did it improve or you are still getting the same hard down shifting problem. I drive the LGT wagon 5 speed automatic and it is very smooth so I can't see why they can't do the same for the 4 speed automatic on the Forester. And why didn't they warn us about the jerky hard down shifting. I know SOA don't want any public headaches, especially when the Forest was named best small SUV of the year recently. Do I hear class action law suit? I have plenty of acess to great lawyers that will love take on SOA. Thanks.
Kahequ
