My "new" '90 legacy wagon sometimes is missing reverse.... shifter goes to the right location, but it doesn't go into gear. If you fool around with it a while eventually it will. And sometimes, it goes right in the first time. I'm thinking it's a shifter linkage that's just too loose? Sound right? 327k on the transmission if it's the original, so that wouldn't be suprising if it is... all other gears feel okay though.. not like the EA81's tend to get with their loose bushings.

 

Edit: I read a bunch of similar posts, but all were for automatic transmission... mine is a manual. I think the transmission is probably fine... since it doesn't make any noise or anything, and reverse feels normal when it does go in. And the AWD seems to work properly... power to the rear wheels, but no binding.

Edited October 18, 201015 yr by zyewdall

Sounds kinda like the teeth on the collar just aren't lining up right. When it does this again, let the car roll an inch or so then try going to reverse. Or just put it in neutral and pull the clutch out for a second then try again.

 

Bad bushings are common on these. Normally the shifter will have very little side to side play when in gear, about 1/4" or so at most. If it has an inch or more play then you should crawl under the car and check out the bushings on the linkage.

 

There is also a large bushing on the back of the trans that is rubber and will get soft if it gets covered in oil (which is common on subarus). It holds the shifter linkage in place relative to the transmission and if/when it goes bad the shifter will move around making it hard to get into gear sometimes.

+1 on the bushings, I couldn't catch reverse on my GL until I replaced them. same stuff, different subaru lol

Most likely the shifter linkage bushing.

 

They can be a pain to change.

 

The last one, I went to ACE and found bronze bushing that worked with the likage that was there as even thougth I got the roll pins out of the trans imput shaft I could not get the u-joint shift linkage off.