[greatoutdoors]

i had a transmission drop out of gear on me today. i stopped the car put it in park and then back into drive and the car wouldnt go anywhere. i tried again and the then eased into the gas and the car dropped into gear with a moderatly loud clunk. then i began to accelerate and at about 2k rpm it dropped out and the tach and speed-o went to clear over ont pegged but almost. so i let the rpms come back down and then eased the gas again and the same thing happened, clunk and then at around 2k rpm it dropped out again. so i nursed it on into work and ive been sitting on it all day. worried about the outcome. any ideas from anyone here?

 

[subiesailor]

i had a transmission drop out of gear on me today. i stopped the car put it in park and then back into drive and the car wouldnt go anywhere. i tried again and the then eased into the gas and the car dropped into gear with a moderatly loud clunk. then i began to accelerate and at about 2k rpm it dropped out and the tach and speed-o went to clear over ont pegged but almost. so i let the rpms come back down and then eased the gas again and the same thing happened, clunk and then at around 2k rpm it dropped out again. so i nursed it on into work and ive been sitting on it all day. worried about the outcome. any ideas from anyone here?

Any idea on service history? 2002 should have seen some Transmission and diff/gear oil services. These generally play a role in pointing people in the right direction for problems that crop up.

 

[plain OM]

ditto, and:

Is the ATF level correct?

Any instrument panel warning lights on when the engine is running?

 

[CNY_Dave]

If the AWD is not working a bad front CV joint could cause it, it could be a lot of things.

 

[greatoutdoors]

okay so the at temp light came on but not right away, it was maybe 2 miles or so after the initial problem. i wound up getting it to a guy and got a call after i got home today and the message was sort of unclear but he had mentioned that it was a total mechanical failure and that the trans. would have to be replaced. i will call him in the am and try to get a clean explanation

 

[plain OM]

Get a "clean" and, especially, detailed explanation of exactly what troubleshooting was done (what was checked, measured, looked at, and the results) and therefore how they came to the conclusion the transmission has to be replaced.

At the very, very least, the technician should report the diagnostic code that's related to the AT Oil Temp light being on.

Sometimes the problem is just beyond the technician's ability, knowledge, or interest to spend the time to properly diagnose, and the quick-and-easy "change the transmission" is suggested.

Did you check the ATF level (instructions are in the Owners Manual)?

 

[cardoc]

Get a "clean" and, especially, detailed explanation of exactly what troubleshooting was done (what was checked, measured, looked at, and the results) and therefore how they came to the conclusion the transmission has to be replaced.

At the very, very least, the technician should report the diagnostic code that's related to the AT Oil Temp light being on.

Sometimes the problem is just beyond the technician's ability, knowledge, or interest to spend the time to properly diagnose, and the quick-and-easy "change the transmission" is suggested.

Did you check the ATF level (instructions are in the Owners Manual)?

Dito. Even with a broken axle, the AT Temp light will come on because the speed sensor data won't match with turbine speed.

 

[greatoutdoors]

so i got a few things figured out and i happened to get an offer to buy the car as is, so i wont need to fix it. i wish i could cause i love the car but i cant make three car seats fit across the back of the car. we have 22 month twins and 2 month newborn and no more room in the car for our growing family. so now is the time to sell.

As for the transmission, i talked to the shop owner and he told be he didnt pull anything off the car to look at the transmission he doesnt have the gaskets required to re-install any thing he pulls off, he said that he thinks the transaxel is bad since the speedometer pegs out when the gear drops out. and so does the tach but when you let off the gas the tach comes down to idle and the speedo stays up not pegged but up around 60-70 mph, which makes sense that the at temp light comes on as mentioned by cardoc. so the guy thinks its the transaxel differential portion of the drive train.

let me know if anyof this makes sense.

so anyway i could afford to fix it, barely. but i need to get out from under it since i dont have time. this makes me a subaru non owner and i feel no longer worthy but i hope youll let me prowl around and look at pictures of all the great looking cars here. i will one day own another outback since i really loved all the miles i got out of this one and the fun of driving it in the snow. i got too good of a deal on a chevy to pass it up and i need a vehicle that gets all three seats in the back for now. well take care guys and even though i never really did much posting here it was pleasure to read what all of you have posted in the past and all the repairs i did, thanks to the info i found here. thanks.

 

[subiesailor]

so i got a few things figured out and i happened to get an offer to buy the car as is, so i wont need to fix it. i wish i could cause i love the car but i cant make three car seats fit across the back of the car. we have 22 month twins and 2 month newborn and no more room in the car for our growing family. so now is the time to sell.

As for the transmission, i talked to the shop owner and he told be he didnt pull anything off the car to look at the transmission he doesnt have the gaskets required to re-install any thing he pulls off, he said that he thinks the transaxel is bad since the speedometer pegs out when the gear drops out. and so does the tach but when you let off the gas the tach comes down to idle and the speedo stays up not pegged but up around 60-70 mph, which makes sense that the at temp light comes on as mentioned by cardoc. so the guy thinks its the transaxel differential portion of the drive train.

let me know if anyof this makes sense.

so anyway i could afford to fix it, barely. but i need to get out from under it since i dont have time. this makes me a subaru non owner and i feel no longer worthy but i hope youll let me prowl around and look at pictures of all the great looking cars here. i will one day own another outback since i really loved all the miles i got out of this one and the fun of driving it in the snow. i got too good of a deal on a chevy to pass it up and i need a vehicle that gets all three seats in the back for now. well take care guys and even though i never really did much posting here it was pleasure to read what all of you have posted in the past and all the repairs i did, thanks to the info i found here. thanks.

Three seats in the Gen3's is a tight fit for sure not easy for regular in and out of the car around town use. Gen4 is far more possible much wider and better rear seating room. However the Sequoia we picked up for hauling lots O butts with its very wide rear doors has been great. The narrow rear door in grand dads Suburban suck!! LOL

 

[hevinwood]

Transmission...a rare puzzler

My 98 OBW had similar symptoms: dropping out of gear, working intermittently, seeming totally inoperable at times. After spending hundreds on futile diagnostics, finally found the problem: the connector for the sensor wiring harness. On this car, all the sensors are wired through one $700 harness with one connector, located behind and below the intake air cleaner. In this instance, the rpm sensor contact was causing bad input to the computer. The solution by my mechanic was cleaning, which solved the problem for several months. When it happened again, I knew what to do without spending another $500. I went to Radio Shack and got contact cleaner/lube/sealer and worked the connector repeatedly. It has now been five years with no return of the trouble.
I hope this info will save others needless headaches and expense.