[Brianb1788]

Hey I was wondering if anyone has any advice,
needed a new tranny for my 2003 outback 3.0
We started down the road of swapping it out for used trannies. We are on our 3rd used tranny and it still won’t drive in anything but safe mode. Codes are solenoids in the valve body, on a previous tranny I replaced these still no luck. Haven’t tried this again on the latest one. The guy who sold me this last one swears it ran good. Does anyone have any suggestion of why it won’t work. Do I have to reset the ecu? Is there something I’m missing how would I do that. Should I try buying a new ecu. I don’t want to buy a new reman transmission just to have it still not work.

 

[seagrass]

What diagnosis did you do to confirm the valve body was the problem AND if it was the valve body, why did you replace the whole transmission?

When you changed the transmission was the new transmission the same transmission number? If not did you use the original TCU (Transmission Control Unit)?

The ECU communicates with the TCU and the particular model ECU installed in your vehicle, expects a certain set of commands from the TCU. The TCU on a replacement transmission may not communicate correctly with the ECU in your vehicle.

Valve body DTC’s (Diagnostic Trouble Codes) can be set by faulty valve body solenoids, faulty wiring to the valve body solenoids or bad battery and/or earth/ground cables. The return electrical path for the TCU is via the vehicle earth/ground cables and corroded or dirty earth/grounds are often responsible for DTC’s.

Hope this helps.

Seagrass

 

[eagleeye]

a 2003 H6 US spec can have 2 different transmissions.

is your car a VDC model,?

or a LL Bean or a Cloth Seat model ?

what cars did the donors come from ? (all JDM 3.0 4EAT are VDC ).

 

[cardoc]

Yep, more info please.

Battery
Grounds
Harness
Connectors
TCM

If you are having the same issue with 3 transmissions, it's not the trans.

 

[Brianb1788]

a 2003 H6 US spec can have 2 different transmissions.

is your car a VDC model,?

or a LL Bean or a Cloth Seat model ?

what cars did the donors come from ? (all JDM 3.0 4EAT are VDC ).

Mine has leather and it’s not a ll bean. As far as the new transmission goes I don’t know it’s just the legacy 3.0 no vdc my old one was no vdc. Do I need to get a compatible computer with this new tranny and if so how do I do that thank you

 

[Brianb1788]

I guess what I mean is if the new tranny is an ll bean and mine is not an ll bean even though they both are no vdc do I need to get an ll bean computer and if I do will that solve it? Do I need a transmission computer too?

 

[cardoc]

AFAIK the 2003 H6 was either a VDC or LL Bean. Both have leather. The Bean is 2 tone leather. Sañs any badges, the VDC can be identified by inserting a 10 amp fuse in the FWD slot of the engine compartment fuse box and when the car is started "VDC Off" is lit up on the left side of the instrument cluster.

The LL Bean trans has a multiplate clutch center differential while the VDC has a planetary gear set center differential. The two transitions are wired different for differential control.

And on wired different, I believe you will need to find an 03 up 4EAT due to harness compatibility for the valve body.

To answer your question about the TCM, they are different between the H6 models based on trim, trans and years.

You'll need to insure which model you have.

Did you check the harness, grounding and battery?

 

[eagleeye]

VDC should have a "VDC off" button under the radio, in the panel where the old Onstar was. ...unless someone removed it.
(that old onstar stuff probably stopped working when they killed the old analog network)

other thoughts: a cloth seat one that got custom leather. (so not VDC, but a based H6 made to emulate the LLBean without the badges).

@Glennda5id any suggestions (transmisssion vs. ECU, vs. identification of such)

 

[Brianb1788]

When I called the dealer to check the vin they said no vdc, but my car def has stock leather and a wood wheel. H63.0 badges no vdc badge or lights no ll bean badge and it’s a sedan

 

[eagleeye]

When I called the dealer to check the vin they said no vdc, but my car def has stock leather and a wood wheel. H63.0 badges no vdc badge or lights no ll bean badge and it’s a sedan

well, that changes everything.

2003 H6 limited outback sedan. ...came without VDC and without LLBean, and with factory leather.

2003 Subaru Outback options, prices, colors, all other years also. Seattle

edit: added that to your signature.

but,...can use any 2001-2004 4EAT H6 transmission without VDC. (so bean's, cloth seat, )

however, if you get a 2004 there is a polarity difference in the electrical system, (has been typed here but I am not fully aware of the switch that needs to be done).

 

[Brianb1788]

As far as I know I have a bean tranny in there now, and it won’t come out of safe mode. Like I said this is the third one swapped in they all wouldn’t come out of safe mode. The original ran, but like ****. That’s why as far as I know all connections were good. Do I need a different computer for this bean tranny or should my computer be good?

 

[eagleeye]

year on the donor, ?

is it making any codes for any system that you can read with a code reader, that may/ may not pop on a dash light ?

I would read the codes, report back here,





then maybe: pull the negative on the battery, step on the brakes, and let it sit for half a hour, and reconnect. = clear out any junk, and see what comes back.

I wonder if there is a loose harness somewhere, or corrosion.

typing of batteries: how is the battery / battery wires/ terminals. = especially considering that you have been working on the car. (did the battery run down, are the connections "great".)
= a good early sign of a failing battery / faling electrical system, transmission shift problems. (as the transmission needs 100% great power, and not 95% great power).

 

[Brianb1788]

At oil temp light flashes in sequence to give me a 71 and a 75 & check engine light code is one of the solenoids. Previous one of the trannies went to dealer diagnosed replaced that solenoid no luck still safe mode.
Battery is brand new. I’ve drain the ecus power and followed reset procedure already. Still in limp mode

 

[Brianb1788]

At oil temp light flashes in sequence to give me a 71 and a 75 & check engine light code is one of the solenoids. Previous one of the trannies went to dealer diagnosed replaced that solenoid no luck still safe mode.
Battery is brand new. I’ve drain the ecus power and followed reset procedure already. Still in limp mode
Wondering if new ecu would even help matters

 

[Brianb1788]

Is there anything that I should know about a Subaru trans swap mainly getting the new one to comply with old computer that I am missing. Do they ever just plug in and work or do they always have to be adjusted

 

[Brianb1788]

I took my computer out it says 4d 22611ah06a

do I need to find a different computer for my new tranny

 

[eagleeye]

I took my computer out it says 4d 22611ah06a

do I need to find a different computer for my new tranny

I don't think so.

did you check the front and rear diff lubes ?

did you ever put in the front wheel drive fuse ?
(I am thinking as this one is not VDC or VTD, you can put a fuse in the front wheel drive fuse slot,...and see if anything changes).

 

[Brianb1788]

I will try the fuse quick.
I got some more details though as well. The dealer told me my vin was non vdc. When I google my vin it says it is vdc. Maybe the dealer gave me bad information and it’s the wrong tranny.

 

[Brianb1788]

I put the fuse in for fwd no vdc lights in cluster just fwd light at oil temp still flashing

 

[eagleeye]

@Brucey ...are you around, or camping in deliverance country,...= a mile away from your WV home.
(-someone who speaks solenoids, ..and has laboriously swapped a 2002 H6 into a Baja)

Does anyone think is it possible to make those solinoid codes from pressure / volume loss from the swap ? or is it going to be purely electrical ?