Short discription of how and why I am asking for help. 2003 Outback 2.5 with auto tranny. Busted timing belt lead to 14 of 16 bent valves. Engine removed. Heads removed and reworked with all new valves. New tinimng belt, water pump, rollers and tensioner. New timimg belt covers. Valves adjusted. Reintalled engine and it fires 1st time and runs better than it ever has. Now AT Oil Temp blinking fast and steady. Drives and shifts great in drive but only going straight. When turning is like driving a large 4 wheel drive truck that is in low range and in 4 wheel drive. It skips when turning. In reverse it is fine backing up straight when turning it skips and almost like it is winding up tighter the further back you go. It is like the clutches in the differential are not engaging for the tires to turn freely as needed. When shifted into Park it like the tranny is still in gear as when you turn off the engine it releases the tension. Have undone all electrical connections and plugged back in. No help.I am sure it probably is a sensor that got missed or went bad or is shorted out but not sure where to look. Frustrated to the point of pulling engine out and starting over but really don't want to.  Please help.

Put the FWD fuse in and see if it changes.

Sounds like you are in full time 4wd.  The C-duty is not releasing the rear drive shafts in a sharp turn.  Search torque bind.

 

Did you double check the transmission connectors on top of the trans?

Did you jack up the trans by the pan and may be dented it in?

Is the trans light blinking 16 times when you start?

 

Read the trans codes or have them read.

Sorry about the long delay in getting back to my thread but have been real busy lately. Please advise to where FWD fuse is located. Yes the transmission was jacked up by the pan and I will check to see if is dented. Trans light seems to blink constantly after starting so did not try counting. Tried to have the trans code read but no auto parts stores could read it. One said maybe O2 sensor but was not sure. May have to take it to Subaru dealer to have read.

TCU codes have to be pulled manually with a secret handshake. Search here or google for Subaru TCU codes and you'll find the method.

 

Good chance one or more solenoids or wiring is damaged inside the trans from putting a jack under the pan. There is literally less than 1/4" between the pan and the solenoids in some places.

Thnx! I will search here first.

Did the search and came up with code number 79 Transfer duty solenoid. Detects open or shorted output signal circuit. Checked the trans pan and it looks straight. Son did jack up the trans by the pan but put a 2 x 4 across the pan so as not to dent it. I hope this did not do the damage. Not sure where to go or if the Transfer duty solenoid is even accessible. If it is on the bottom of the trans just inside the pan would taking off the pan and straighting out the pan, if dented, fix the problem? Again THNX for the help!

Transfer solenoid is in the tail housing at the back of the trans, but the wiring runs along the bottom of the pan before going back to the solenoid.

Make sure the big connector for the trans wiring harness is plugged in all the way and has no bent pins or dirt in it.

 

If that checks out I'd suggest dropping the pan to check for damaged wiring.

Somewhere external to the trans the wiring probably got pinched.

Thnx! Will be this weekend before I can search the wiring. Meantime can I install the fuse in the FWD and stop the trans from being in AWD to eleminate the binding when turning? Not sure about a Subie being in AWD all the time on dry roads with all tires pulling constantly but it is not good for most pickup trucks.

If the wiring to the solenoid is damaged, inserting the fuse may not work, but its worth a try.

Inserting the fuse did NOT work . Will try to trace the wiring this weekend and post what I find. THNX!