I recently bought a '99 Legacy Outback wagon. It now has 130k. Lately, it has been slow to engage Drive. This usually happens after it has been driven for an hour and then sitting for 2 hours. Today it would engage R but not D(or 1,2,or3). I finally got it to engage by reving it to 2500 rpm for a couple of minutes. It shifts perfectly on the road. I don't have a maintanence history, but fluid is at correct level and is clean and doesn't smell burnt. Ideas?

TIA John

AT shifting solenoid could be bad.

Where would that be located?

Thanks, John

It's located just below your shifting lever. You have to open the whole console section to have access to the solenoid.

Yeah that sounds like a solenoid to me too.

I would like to bring this thread back to life. I am having this same problem on my newly installed transmission. Does anyone have anything more to add?

 

Using this picture can someone show me where the solenoid is....

 

 

Thanks,

I would like to bring this thread back to life. I am having this same problem on my newly installed transmission. Does anyone have anything more to add?

 

Using this picture can someone show me where the solenoid is....

 

 

Thanks,

 

It's not on the tranny. It's accessibled from inside your vehicle, right below your shift lever.

ohhhhh ok my bad. Thanks

It's not on the tranny. It's accessibled from inside your vehicle, right below your shift lever.

 

When you mention "right below your shift lever" aren't you guys referring to the BTSI (brake transmission shift interlock) solenoid that prevents the shifter from coming out of "P" unless you depress the brake pedal?? The BTSI solenoid itself isn't under the console, although the emergency over-ride lever for the system is. Transmission upshift solenoids are inside the transmission, and they are not the cause of a long delay when the shifter is moved from "P" to "D".

Is this newly installed transmission newly rebuilt or was it obtained from a wrecking yard?