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Delayed shift to drive when starting up ('99 Legacy Outback)

10K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Losiho 
#1 ·
I purchased a 1999 Legacy Outback Limited about 5 months ago and it's great. There are a few issues I have with it that I'll go into full detail about in another thread, but I thought I should start one for this particular issue since it seems to be the most pressing..

Basically, after I start the car, shifting into Drive will not always happen immediately. Sometimes it will take a few seconds to catch, and sometimes it will take upwards of a minute or two. The issue does seem to happen worse after longer periods of being turned off, but it doesn't always correlate.

The car has no problem going into Reverse immediately, and once I have gone into Drive once it won't delay again (until I turn the car off).

Does anyone know what would be causing this issue, and how it could be fixed? Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!
 
#2 ·
wickemu said:
I purchased a 1999 Legacy Outback Limited about 5 months ago and it's great. There are a few issues I have with it that I'll go into full detail about in another thread, but I thought I should start one for this particular issue since it seems to be the most pressing..

Basically, after I start the car, shifting into Drive will not always happen immediately. Sometimes it will take a few seconds to catch, and sometimes it will take upwards of a minute or two. The issue does seem to happen worse after longer periods of being turned off, but it doesn't always correlate.

The car has no problem going into Reverse immediately, and once I have gone into Drive once it won't delay again (until I turn the car off).

Does anyone know what would be causing this issue, and how it could be fixed? Any help would be greatly appreciated... Thanks!
I believe the magic search phrase is 'delayed forward engagement', and some have solved it with the application of a few magic elixirs, trans-x being one of them.


Dave
 
#3 ·
What CNY said. How old is the trans fluid in the car?
 
#4 ·
Re: Re: Delayed shift to drive when starting up ('99 Legacy Outback)

CNY_Dave said:


I believe the magic search phrase is 'delayed forward engagement', and some have solved it with the application of a few magic elixirs, trans-x being one of them.


Dave
There's a long thread about this exact problem over on USMB. The poster added Trans-X a year ago. It cured the problem.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=87708

The root cause is an internal seal that dries up and shrinks thereby preventing proper pressure buildup. Probably a $4.00 part, but you have to tear down the tranny to replace it.
 
#5 ·
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