Might be an idea to indicate where you are. The Exiga isn't sold in North America, so there might not be much familiarity among many of the contributors here. Nevertheless, I understand that the 2.0 liter turbo engine (also not sold here) was coupled with the 5-speed (5EAT) automatic transmission. There's a number of posts/threads about that transmission exhibiting harsh shifting, including a sudden increase in engine rpm during the shift.

More details might be helpful, especially if a pattern can be discerned that's similar to others' experiences. For example, does the symptom appear during a shift and if so when shifting up, down, or both, when accelerating rapidly, or when simply cruising steadily? Is it only when in a particular gear, or in any gear? At what engine rpm has it happened and how high does it go? Does it happen primarily when the engine and transmission are fairly cool, or also when they are fully warmed up?

Are there any sounds (other than the engine revving) such as grinding or squealing? Can you estimate how long it lasts?

How many miles (km) on the car/transmission?

 

Yes...agreed. Does it happen warm or cold, or both. Is it always the same shift/gear points? What is the condition / level of the fluid?

 

Thanks for replies. We're in New Zealand although it's a Japanese import.

85,000km =53,000 miles.

Trans fluid was awful when we bought the car, but recently changed for no improvement.

It is not a thud or slipping of gears; it's a complete disconnect between engine and wheels - revs suddenly rise, no power to trans then all power to wheels. It is very violent. Very! And clearly not at all good for car or my mechanical sympathies!

Cannot find anything to provoke it. It seems to happen at low speed, taking off gently from lights etc.

Thanks, Simon

 

Forgot: engine is a bit warm. Don't recall it doing it when stone cold. Shift point unknown but likely 2 - 3 at a guess.

 

Do a 4 quart drain and fill again, and maybe second time after 50KM or so. Seriously. Don't flush it. But do the drain and fills...and do the proper sythetic type 4 ATF or go and get the Subaru HP ATF.

Get the gunk out of it, but do it "friendly like"

 

We have a mechanical warranty but they can't do anything until they've observed the issue.
From the advice above, it sounds to my untrained mind like an air lock/bleeding issue?

 

We have a mechanical warranty but they can't do anything until they've observed the issue.

Well then...you are at the mercy of the the mechanical warranty minion and whatever bidding they are given.

That s*cks.

 

An air lock/bleeding issue is more likely to be noticed soon after changing or loss of fluid. Typically, if there is an air pocket, it will be caught up in the normal flow of ATF over time so that it wouldn't have an effect much later.

I think the thought here is that if the ATF was "awful", there might be some accumulated deposits that could block operation of a solenoid valve or a fluid passage, causing a loss of hydraulic pressure to a clutch or even the torque converter. A repeated drain-and-fill of the fluid could help dissolve/remove the deposits and free up whatever is being affected. It does seem to work in some cases.

Unfortunately, being intermittent (and therefore hard to get a video or data log just when it happens), and without any apparent pattern showing so far, makes diagnosis from a distance quite the challenge . . .

 

1. Change the fluid if over 5yrs old. I usually recommend Annual changes.
2. Check the transmission fluid level
3. Make sure the Subaru 5EAT Fluid is used. This is extremely important.
4. Replace OEM 5EAT Clutches

Once your issue is resolve, come and get a 5EAT Tuned.
Xtreme Racing Tuning ? View topic - Subaru Tuning that affects 5EAT Operations & Performance

 

Hi all,

Hi.
I had exact same problem. The car yard i purchased it from had problems finding the issue. The box ended coming out and being completely serviced to fix the problem. The auto trans specialists it went to said There was a block in the trans somewhere. It was linked to the AWD.
Straight after that the torque converter went.
Then it blew a turbo , the nut just fell off..... not anyone fault, just a fluke im told.
Since then its needed wheel bearings and suspension replaced. I purchased the car at 122,000 km. It was obviously falling to bits.
But now that all the issues r fixed... Best car ever. Done the last 50,000km with no issues.


Sorry that my first post is for help, but this is the last chance before I pour petrol over the thing and push it over a cliff.

It's a 2008 Subaru Exiga GT, so turbo with standard non-CVT auto. I'm not sure one which more common Subaru it's based; no-one seems to be able to give me an answer on that.

It will occasionally present an issue whereby the revs suddenly rise (as if under no load) then wallop as the load comes back on again. It feels like the driveshaft's popped out, then whacked back in - that's the only way I can describe it. It is not a surge or sudden jolt; it feels like nothing other than you've been hit at speed from behind. It terrifies any passengers.

As such, it makes the car pretty much undrivable for my wife, and I don't like it much either. It is very sporadic; we took it to the dealership twice - no error codes, the first time they flushed the trans (oil was filthy), second time they tried everything but cannot get it to misbehave.

They've said as soon as they can replicate it, they'll know what to do but currently they don't know where to start.

I thought it would do it when parked on a slight incline for a couple of minutes, but even with that info, the dealership couldn't replicate it.

I've searched this forum but can't find an answer I can take to the dealer - the other issues sound like irritating issues with a trans, rather than the near-death experience ours presents.

Any clues? And thanks very much in advance for any help you can provide.

Cheers,

Simon aka Angusdog

 

Hi I'm having the same problem is it a block in the transmission?

 

Hi there I have a 09 subaru exiga doing the exact same thing. It’s probably 2-3 gear and it’s like the car goes in to neutral while your foots on the throttle the revs rise then it click in to 3rd gear and bang. It happens when it feels like it, it’s really rough on the back also very interesting to see some one else having the same problem. I’ll try the mention above by draining some fluid and adding some and repeat. then drain all and replace

 

I have a 2008 Exiga GT, my wife's daily driver to be exact. A few weeks ago, it had a cambelt replacement and service and has since started doing this exact violent surge. Happens when the car is generally warmed up, taking off from a stand still, and not giving it heaps. It has happened 3 or 4 times to my wife. Both my young kids have felt it and it is so violent, it hurt my daughters back. Power comes off, revs go up, then a massive punch and a sensation like hitting a pothole at speed. I'm yet to feel it. I just took the car out for a drive and did about a hundred stop/starts at low speed, but still nothing.
Is it likely to be related to having been serviced?
Beforehand, we'd never experienced it in the 27000kms we've owned it.
Is there a definitive solution?

 

Kia ora
We had the same problem on our 09 Exiga GT ~110k. Started intermitent but then became a common occurrence. Showed as a turbine sensor and speed sensor fault. Mechanic removed and stripped torque converter and lockup linings were worn out - so they reconditioned it (and replaced faulting speed sensor). No surges since.

 

Do more drain and fills with Subaru/Idemitsu atfhp. I noticed improvement on each of the 4 consecutive drain/fills over the course of a week.
One will not be enough.

 

Hi all,

Sorry that my first post is for help, but this is the last chance before I pour petrol over the thing and push it over a cliff.

It's a 2008 Subaru Exiga GT, so turbo with standard non-CVT auto. I'm not sure one which more common Subaru it's based; no-one seems to be able to give me an answer on that.

It will occasionally present an issue whereby the revs suddenly rise (as if under no load) then wallop as the load comes back on again. It feels like the driveshaft's popped out, then whacked back in - that's the only way I can describe it. It is not a surge or sudden jolt; it feels like nothing other than you've been hit at speed from behind. It terrifies any passengers.

As such, it makes the car pretty much undrivable for my wife, and I don't like it much either. It is very sporadic; we took it to the dealership twice - no error codes, the first time they flushed the trans (oil was filthy), second time they tried everything but cannot get it to misbehave.

They've said as soon as they can replicate it, they'll know what to do but currently they don't know where to start.

I thought it would do it when parked on a slight incline for a couple of minutes, but even with that info, the dealership couldn't replicate it.

I've searched this forum but can't find an answer I can take to the dealer - the other issues sound like irritating issues with a trans, rather than the near-death experience ours presents.

Any clues? And thanks very much in advance for any help you can provide.

Cheers,

Simon aka Angusdog

I have the same car and same issue. Had it looked at and was told it was transmission. I am currently looking for a transmission in NZ

 

May 2024 Turanganui/East Coast

Experiencing same issue
Told its:
highly likely to be the AWD/4WD box
(Pmo just had towbar installed)
Find out more apopo/tomorrow
Cheers

 

Did you ever find out the problem, it’s happening to my 2008 Subaru Exiga now