There's this:

SUBARU:All Models Related Ref Number(s): SUSTIPS 0212-04 ARTICLE BEGINNING SERVICE INFORMATION

We received an interesting report from a Field Service Engineer working on a 2010 Outback equipped with a 3.6L engine and 5A/T transmission. The concern was with the transmission having erratic up-shifting issues after a kick-down event had occurred. The Learning Control procedure would complete normally but the condition persisted after data file reviews which showed no abnormalities. There were no DTC's current or in memory. Eventually, the tire sizes were checked and uncovered both right-hand tires were 255/65R-17 while the left-hand tires were a "shorter" 255/60R-17. A set of tires & wheels from another car were measured and verified to be within tolerance then installed on the Customer's vehicle. On the road test, normal transmission shifting operation was restored. In conclusion, if you experience a shifting or binding condition, be sure to measure those tires before expending valuable time and resources.

Another option would be that the transmission has poor connections at the harness, inside at the valve body or its getting a bad signal from an engine control sensor.

 

thank you, its worth a look! Although their logic doesn't add up as to being "normal", I was hoping to trek south and see if the dealership an hour away had a more experienced mechanic on staff. The one I was working with, who was nice, but he stated he has never done this (laptop) before and it was nice to finally use what he learned in class.....

 

OTJT.

I don't have issue with guys getting out of school and going in to the shop. Its a better learning environment than the class. But a new tech needs constant instruction on what he's doing and how to understand what he is looking at. Was there another tech helping?

 

In reply to the new tech, he was on his own. My issue is they are telling me it downshifts from 3rd to 1st under moderately quick stopping scenarios, ok.
But then they said it was doing it while coasting to a stop and claimed that was normal also, and its not. there is no reason for it to skip a gear. honestly what I find is that there is no true diagnosing going on. they want to surmise a conclusion and get you out the door whether it is correct or not. Its the only industry that can sell you a 36k defective product that is unsafe and not have to fix it.

 

I have gained further information.
The dealership sent down a guy to look at the car, I later found out he was a "parts and service" manager, not a engineer/technician
First I was told that when moderately stopping at a quick pace the tranny was going from gear 3 to 1, skipping 2nd and that's why it jerked.
I wasn't buying this.
So I made arrangements to meet an Engineer/technician in another state and drive several hours for the appointment. This is what I got.
There is debris in the spool valve. Around 10,000 miles it should go away. If it doesn't they will replace the valve body. Also it doesn't go from gear 3 to 1, anytime.
So I will give them a few more months and see if it fades out.
Right now it is milder from 2 to 1, but it is also jerking from 5 to 4 and 3 to 2.
So we will see.

 

So you are supposed to drive a bad shifting car for the next several thousand miles with the hopes that it fixes itself

Ask the regional rep if he will let you install a square wheel on his personal vehicle and see if it rounds itself out before your transmission fixes itself :29:

 

OP I am very interested in your resolution. I have this as an issue that I have learned how to deal with by adjusting my breaking but it is kind of annoying. Please keep us posted on how this ends up.

 

He really said it was debris in the valve????

For one, the transmission should have been assembled in a controlled environment. No dust. If its wear from a break in, that doesn't jive either, the screen should be catching it.

Wait until it clears itself out?

How does he know its debris? The only way you can see debris in a valve port is if you had the valve body out of the transmission and disassembled it. If this were the case, and they had the body out, why didn't they just clean it before re-installation?

Where is the reasoning and logic? I see assumption.

Did they even flush the system? Debris, metal or otherwise, could have been flushed out if they do it proper. And then this goes back to knowing its debris and not just a sticking valve, they would have had to have it apart and then replaced some fluid.

Ridiculous. I hope you got it on paper.

 

For those interested, as requested here's where I am at.
The valve body was replaced and it did not help.
Then I was told to put some AC Delco anti slip fluid in the tranny, that made the jerk tamer, but still present.
Then they replace the TCU and that did not help.
I paid to have the tranny fluid flushed and refilled to get the anti slip fluid out, as I felt it was masking the issue.

We are now negotiating a new tranny. It currently has on 10,000 miles on it.

I apologize it took me so long to respond, this is my first time in a forum and did not realize there was any interest in the issue.

Like digdah, I tried braking differently, but that does not really help. The harsh downshift from 5 to 4 is going to give me whiplash one of these days!

When they reprogrammed the TCU, it oddly changed the harsh downshifting jerkage and the 5 to 4 became harsher, the 2 to 1 is still present, but mid range downshifts are less noticeable.

 

Zozie,
any luck with the shifting issue?I have a 2013 and occasionally feel a somehwat hard downshift from 2nd to 1st(may be from 3 to 1?) I bough it used w/ 18K miles on it so still have warranty left.

 

I'm having this issue too. The dealer reprogrammed the TCU and it went away for the next day, and only came back after we drove 300 miles in a day on a road trip. This makes me wonder if it might be completely software related.