ashnmason Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) Ok So I purchased a 2008 Tribeca a little over a year ago. 4 months into owning it as I would be driving and turning corners the car would slam almost felt like I was being rear ended. It only does it when the vehicle warms up. If you are going around a corner and now to when you are going straight at right around 30 mile per hour. I have had it in the transmission shop they changed the clutch out but cannot seem to find an issue anywhere else. They say my transmission is fine but of course they would be happy to get me a new one and still not sure if that would be the issue. I have thought of changing the rear end parts but you cant buy just one whole rear end its all in pieces you buy individually and I don't want to throw money at it if that's not the issue. Have any of you had an issue that maybe you can give a little in site to fix this? I love my Subaru and do not want to have to get rid of it if I could possibly find the issue to fix it. Edited July 23, 2018 by ashnmason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 nah don't guess or throw issues at it, that would be risky with your cash. 1. is the check engine light on? 2. does the transmission light ever come on? 3. any lights on the dash? 4. have you checked the fluid level? 5. do all the tires match in size and rough tread depth levels? 6. if you drive in a dry parking lot with the steering wheel turned all the way right or left does it drive funny then? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) it's a manual? didn't know that was available in Tribeca if so, typical failure symptom for manual's center diff viscous unit is to work OK when stone cold, then grab when warmed-up. a Colorado shop should know this so....I may be wrong. Either get the car up to retroroo in Denver and let Shawn check it out or, one idea, contact user 'traildogck' over at subaruoutback.org - he even does mobile repairs and casts his own line of bushings! Might come down to Pueblo for you.... Edited July 23, 2018 by 1 Lucky Texan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, 1 Lucky Texan said: it's a manual? didn't know that was available in Tribeca... That needs clarified because Tribeca's never came with a manual. If it is a manual then the diff ratios are probably wrong. I'm guessing they meant something with the 4WD components - the old 4EAT's were called clutches and clutch baskets so I'm just assuming that terminology is being used here? I highly doubt someone converted a tribeca with all the integrated CANBUS bits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Thank's Ido, I should keep-up better with this stuff. I bet they paid a lot and now haven't got any relief. Ashmason, you probably have a warranty if this shop has decent reviews and seems legit, take the car back and tell them it isn't fixed. Give them a chance to make it right. But, you may have to bail-out on them if they seem uninterested or incapable of diagnosing the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashnmason Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 Sorry I have had all fluids checked and everything looks great on color and even changed it all out just to be safe. I guess technically it is an automatic with the opportunity to shift i never use that option though. The tires are all new and the same size. I haven't tried the parking lot yet I will try that one today. There are no warning lights at all on the car. Right before it does it you will sometimes feel a vibration other times it just slams with no warning. The Clutch part they told me they repaired was in the differential they said the gears were chewed and they were 100% sure that was the problem. Before I got home it did it so I called him and he said well then you just need a transmission. I will be honest with them having this car 5 times in a year for two or more weeks at a time and the issue is still there I am not really trusting them to take it back again. I have had a few mechanics ride with me when it happens and they say yeah its coming from the back but I do not believe its in the transmission however they cannot seem to pin point the issue because they find it strange the car has to warm up in order to do it. Thank you guys so much for offering help to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 wow, you've been through the ringer with this thing. this is not a typical subaru issue so you really don't want anyone working on this unless they're good at diagnosis and preferrably diagnosis of subaru's. it really needs some fine attention to detail so you're not just guessing with your credit card. I'd try to put the thing in FWD mode and see if that changes it when the load is removed off the rear, but tribeca's don't have a FWD option. call a JDM company and see what they have for 6 cylinder vehicles, they're not expensive but you'll have to pay roughly $300-$700 to install it. the lower end prices are more likely in less urban areas, but not so remote there are few options, that are familiar with Subarus. https://www.ebay.com/itm/JDM-Subaru-Legacy-Outback-05-12-2-5L-Automatic-Transmission-EJ253-EJ25/153111026914?epid=570730528&hash=item23a620dce2%3Ag%3AlI4AAOSw63FaPDE5&_sacat=0&_nkw=JDM+subaru+automatic+transmission&_from=R40&rt=nc&LH_TitleDesc=0 that's just an example, there are other JDM suppliers out there. i've never been married to one over another, i just order who has what i need and a decent price. i'm doubtful given the logistics involved that any one company has an edge over sourcing over any of the others. if they did i'd think they'd advertise that fact. 2 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said: Thank's Ido, I should keep-up better. keeping up pretty good when you caught "clutch", better to clarify than assume when we only have interweb forum words! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashnmason Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 I will give that a try! Thank you so much. Sadly everyone just tells me to get rid of it. I have become very fond of the car I just want to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 32 minutes ago, ashnmason said: I will give that a try! Thank you so much. Sadly everyone just tells me to get rid of it. I have become very fond of the car I just want to fix it. Unfortunately you've got a strange issue - and outlier issues are hard to track down and fix properly. I wish you could get it with someone familiar with Subauru's just to make sure it's not something obvious - a driveshaft or axle or....i dont think it is those things but it's hard to tell what's going on with word descriptions. But good job keeping your head in the game, maybe it is something simple and you can get it figured out. Oh - does it have *identical* symptoms from before and after the "clutch" work that was done? Unfortunately you can't swap the TCU (the transmission controller) without it needing reprogrammed by Subaru. on 04 and earlier SUbaru's you can just buy a $30 TCU from a yard (they rarely fail so they're not really worth anything) and swap it out to see if the TCU is problematic. Does it have a new alternator or had it had any electrical issues in the past? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashnmason Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 Yes the symptoms stayed the same as before no change at all. As far as electrical no issues at all. The car seriously is great on everything except when turning or going up hills once it warmed up. It has us so stumped I happened to come across this page after lots of google searches the last few months and was so hopeful someone might know what it is. If I knew for sure the rear end or transmission I would change them. The problem is the car has to be under a load to do it so after warming it up and putting it up in the air it doesn't do it so that makes it even harder to diagnose the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) On 7/23/2018 at 4:21 PM, ashnmason said: except when turning or going up hills.... the car has to be under a load to do it Ah - that's a good description - there are two items that frequently result in symptoms that present during hills and under a load: a. inner joint of a front axle b. front differential a front differential is more likely to result in a "loud clunk" but a front axle is more likely to exhibit symptoms going around turns. here's your new take home tasks I need you to do: 1. look at the front axles and see if any have: A. new boots or clamps (indicating they've been previously worked on) B. are any of the axles aftermarket? *** Take a picture of each *inner joint* of the axles and we can answer those questions for you - so you can do this step yourself. I attached a picture - that's what you're looking for - that long shaft going from left-to-right in the pictures and attached to that black ribbed boot - which is attached to the green cup (yours may not be green). get pictures of both front and both rear axles on the "inner" side, where they attach to the trans and diff and post them here. 2. check the front differential fluid. ideally it is drained and the oil, and the drain plug, are checked for metal debris. If it's already been changed then contaminated oil may be limited *** What you can do is pull the dipstick and wipe the oil on a white paper towel. Again - take pictures and post it here or just look closely for any signs of particles (metallic) in the diff oil. Check your owners manual but the differential oil dipstick is in the passengers side rear of the engine bay and has a yellow handle. Edited December 24, 2020 by idosubaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 your pictures don't have to be that close or good - you can try pictures from up above through the engine bay - though it's really tight in the Tribeca, or just stand behind each front wheel and look up under the car like that. maybe have a good source of light too. the rear axles you can take pictures of i think just leaning under the rear of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashnmason Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 I will try to get those tonight! Thank you so much I appreciate all of your help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 Lucky Texan Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 take another look at your receipt and see if there's a longer description of work done or parts used. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashnmason Posted July 24, 2018 Author Share Posted July 24, 2018 I wasn't able to get the pictures last night as for it was the first night in forever we had rain. As soon as I get home tonight I will take a picture of the car as well as the receipt for you guys to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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