[Trig]

I recently purchased a 2005 OBW, 5 speed automatic transmission (~100K miles).
In sport manual mode the shifter will downshift but not upshift.
The indicator shows the proper gear and bulling back on the shift lever will downshift.
However, even with the up arrow on the indicator showing, pushing the shift lever forward does nothing.
I believe the transmission should shift up if the up arrow is illuminated and then show the higher gear number. Correct?
Anybody know what to do to correct the problem? The transmission seems to function properly in both D and Automatic
Sport modes.

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[TheBlueSubaru]

If you push the engine RPM up high enough, it will upshift regardless of what you choose, to keep the engine from destroying itself, assuming no really weird problems: think of it as being semi-manual, with a computer keeping you from being a complete idiot.

For the same reason, if your engine RPM gets to where it'd go too low if you don't downshift, it will also downshift automatically for you.

It sounds like you have a faulty upshift switch. Test by accelerating to where it'd need to upshift and watch it do it automatically. If it lets you push into redline and keep there for more than a fraction of a second, you've got a serious internal problem: otherwise, it's likely just a mild switch issue and you'll need to take that apart and possibly replace something.

 

[Trig]

With diagrams from this forum, I took the shifter console apart and found the "up shift" switch not working.
The switch is a momentary lever type. Adjusted the metal lever and the systems works now.
The shift controller module gets a ground signal from the switch which causes an upshift.
Subaru does a good job with switches. Cover snaps off allowing access to all three (up/down/sport).
It's on the driver side of the shift lever, white plastic cover.

Trig