I have a 97 Outback with 105k. I have been experiencing the rear wheel binding during slow turns and I’m getting the At Oil Temp warning light flashing like mad when I start the car, goes away after a bit. My mechanic replaced the rear diff clutch and changed the trans fluid twice, the problem only seem to be getting worse. In trying to figure out if it is the AWD or something else I tried placing a fuse (#15) into the FWD slot under the hood. When I turn the car on, I do not get the FWD light. Could this indicate a bad Duty C Solenoid (which controls the AWD, correct?) and could a bad C Solenoid cause the AT warning light to flash and the binding feeling? Thanks for any help!

So with the fuse inserted you don't get the FWD light displaying? It sounds like the wiring is messed up possibly. I'd check to make sure you have 12v at one side of the fuse holder. If you do, then the problem is probably in the wiring going from the fuse holder to the duty c solenoid.

 

Actually that would make sense since replacing clutches, fluid doesn't help, and the problem sort of goes away when warmed up. It could be a short, or a failing wire.

pull the fuse back out and get the oil temp light to flash. It flashes longs and shorts. two longs and 4 shorts would be 24 or Duty Sylnoid C. If that is the code then the mechanic wasted your time and money if that code was flashing before he worked on it.

The AT oil lamp will flash a default 16 times, or one long, and six fast flashes. You have to get into the diag mode to actually read the codes.