AMZ

@Rampage-I can swear I’ve seen that tag somewhere on my vehicle but it definitely isn’t on my strut towers. Thanks for the info on the alphabetical designations though-quite helpful. @idosubaru-Do the pre-07 vehicles use a different communication protocol, or maybe a different version of Canbus? I’ll check the pins next week when I get some time off. Thanks for the suggestion.

At around 300,000 miles my '07 Outback (base, non-turbo 2.5) started giving a slight shudder and throwing transmission fault codes when starting up a grade. I've flushed it with factory ATF and a new filter every 100,000 miles and hadn't noted anything abnormal in the pan. Due to the amount of use it's provided I figured it was due for replacement. I picked up a JDM replacement from an importer in Seattle at a decent price. When I got home I looked up the code on the bell housing (TZ1B7LHABA-2C.) From a different importer's website I found that the unit I bought was for an 03-05 Outback. They listed a different code for a replacement for an 06-07 (TZ1B7LHDBC.) There's also a paint pen mark on the transmission I bought that says EJ-25, but my vehicle has an EJ-253 engine. The code label on my original transmission faded into obscurity a long time back so I can't provide it, unless they put the tag in a different spot for the US market. I called the shop I purchased it from and discussed it with them and they assured me that it was a compatible transmission. I then looked up a replacement on car-part.com and see that even the importer I got my replacement from lists a different unit for an '07 than they do for an '05. Before I expend a bunch of time and grief trying to swing the new tranny in, I'd like to verify that it's the correct one. Does anybody out there have a chart that breaks down the code meaning or any other input as to whether or not I have a compatible unit?