legacycentral bbs

My tranny starts off in second gear many times from a stop. How do I go about finding out what's causing it?

Dumb question -- you're not in manual mode, are you? Cuz manual mode makes it do that.

Not a dumb question at all. But no, I'm not in manual mode and it doesn't happen all the time but many times--at least several times a day if I left it in "D."

what happens if you move the lever all the way to the 1 position....does it still start off in 2nd?

No, it starts off in 1st. That's how I do most of my driving now when I come to a stop sign or traffic light--gearshift into "1," then upshift as speed increases.

Apparently, that's how we're supposed to do it --shift it like a manual. There's a thread on it somewhere around here..do a search, but I couldn't find it.
It basically outlined how it's better to shift the transmission up 'manual' style, instead of just leaving it in D.

Hmm.....that's weird.....wonder if the manual button electrical is messed up.

Well, I DO know that the manual button works the way it should when in the "on" position. I've experimented and found that if I had it "on" and started from a stop in 2nd gear, the tranny would stay in second. If I started in 3rd with the manual button on, then the car would start and stay in third gear. And when the gear shift is in "D" there is no effect at all on the tranny (as it should be).

When the manual button is off, it may start off in 1st or 2nd whether the shifter is in 2, 3, or D.

When it starts off in 2nd gear and I quickly depress the throttle about 1/2 to 3/4 way down, most of the time it then downshifts to 1st but sometimes it stays in second and bogs along.

91legacy: I'll have to search for that thread.

If the manual button were turning on on its own, the MANUAL light on the dash would be turning on too.

That's interesting, vrg3. When the tranny starts off in second, the manual light is NOT on.

Well that's not how the manual mode should work in 3. It should start in 2nd gear and shift to 3rd when it is ready to shift.

Is the manual light illuminated when the manual button is pressed?

Yes, manual light is lit when button is pressed in.

I'm having the same problem with my 93FWD. I've noticed that most times the "power" light comes on for a sec or two right at startup. When that happens USUALLY it'll shift fine when left in "D". But sometimes the "power" light flashes quickly at startup. When that happens it almost always starts in 2nd and actually wont go into 4th.

Seems I can reset the error by turning it off and back on which I usually do while rolling by shifting into neutral.

Any ideas ya'll?
Also, somebody 'splain me just how "manual" mode works.

thanks a million!

Read the codes from the TCU

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/trans.html#transtip

Sweet! That helps a ton.

One question though. How do I understand the trouble code table? For example, if I have a bad "Duty solenoid A" will the power light blink 11 times?

there's a table with that link, I've checked the trans codes numerous times.
Duty Solenoid A, apparently controls line pressure. Please, Please, Please --check your fluid!
The codes are in the blinks --the longer blinks are the first digit, and the quicker blinks are the second digit, so yes, 11 should be for Duty Solenoid A, although I don't have the table next to me at this time.
When my trans went out, it threw me that code, as well, but it was intermittant, and probably due to the fact that I ran the thing out of fluid.
SO- Check out your fluid levels, and the Power steering, although it runs on ATF, it is NOT connected in any way to the tranny --they have separate fluid resivoirs. I learned that the hard way

OK, Ok. Soooo hypothetically if the blinks wanted to "tell" me code 23 is the problem then it would blink TWICE SLOWLY and THREE TIMES FAST like:

bliiiiiiiiink, bliiiiiiiiink,,,,,,blink,blink,blink

right?

yup.

Back from the dead: My TCU tells me that Shift solenoid 2 is shot. Where's that located? External to the bell housing? Should I do 1,2, and 3 at the same time?

Thanks in advance!

All the solenoids are in the valve body. You can drop the pan, and remove the valve body without removing the tranny.

I don't remember off the top of my head which solenoids are accessable from the bottom side of the valve body. Those can be replaced without removing the valve body.