Last week, my '98 Outback (58,700 miles) started to flash the ATF Temp light 16 times on startup. The light then went out and would not flash again until the next startup. I did a search on this, read the threads, and prepared myself for an expensive repair.
The AT fluid had last been changed at about 37,000 miles and was pink with no burned smell. I did not notice any torque bind, but I put the FWD fuse in as a precaution. I took the car to GrandPrix Subaru in Hicksville NY. (Thanks to Nipper for his offline recommendation of this dealer).
When I picked up the car, the dealers' work order reported "ran diagnostics, found torque signal code out of range with rear speed sensors. Removed FWD fuse, roadtested vehicle OK". Cost $110 for the diagnosis.
I am not sure if the code was cleared by the dealer, or the computer reset itself upon removal of the fuse. In any case, the ATF light has been acting normally for the last few days of driving.
Any ideas on why this happened or the likelihood of the fault reapearing in the near future? I plan to have the tranny fluid replaced next month at inspection time.
Thanks,
Jim Kasper