Auto Transmission Holding In 1st Gear. PLEASE HELP!

zhendrix · , 01:16 PM

Hello all. I first want to thank everyone on this site for all the great info! It seem as though Subaru owners are a very tight group.
I am a first time Subaru owner. My family owned car dealerships so I have owned and driven my cars. Most being sports cars. About a year ago I got in a accident and got nerve damage to my left leg. Needless to say I had to sell my 5 speed car and get an automatic. I needed a car that got good mpg, good style, decent power and good for Ohio winters. Times being a bit hard I didn't want to spend too much. After my research I kept comming back to an Impreza. I would have liked to buy a RS but I couldn't find any in good shape w/i 500 miles. But I found a 1998 Impreza L 2door. It's in fantastic shape and has 53k. It is everything and more that I could ask for in a car. It handles great and I am sure it will do well in the snow.I have driven the car for just under a month now. The only problem I am having is a very strange issue w the transmission. I have driven many cars and I know what a bad automatic transmission feels like. And my car does not feel like it has any problem. But every once and a while(5% of the time) the car holds in first gear until 4200-5100rpm's. But it doesn't shift hard. All other times(normal driving) the car shifts fine and at 2500-3200rpm's. It happens very sporadically. So I know its not just when the fluid is cold or warm. Or any other factor I can pin point. This is my only problem and I have had all kinds of advice and many different opinions from Subaru tech's, service manager's and owners. I am a bit overwhelmed by the contradictory opinions I have been getting. Below is what I have been told:
#1) The service manager of the out of town Subaru dealer where the car had always been serviced.
-He is very familiar with the car and knows all of its history. The last owner did bring this issue to his attion and three times the tech/manager couldn't get the car to replicate the problem. He suggested that the ATF be changed. And just changed and not flushed. So that was done 6months ago and didn't change the issue. When I got the car I wanted to try to dig a little deeper and see if I can find a solution. I called the manager last week and asked him what he would do next and he said before I do anything I should clear the ECU. He told me that it was a learning transmission and I may drive different than the last owners. I thought this could be done by disconnecting the battery for a few hours or overnight. From what he said the only way to completely clear the ECU is to connected it to a Subaru specific tool/computer (at the dealer or bought) and cleared 3 times. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT TOOL I NEED TO DO THIS? Disconnecting the battery does not clear the memory(I tried). I don't know much about ECU's and I know even less about automatic transmissions. The reason the service manager suggested that I do this first is because he drove the car and doesn't think there is a mechanical problem with the transmission. Also this would be the least expensive start. He did say that a transmission flush would be the next step. BUT...he said to do a flush the only way to do it correct on this car is to evacuate the torque converter before flushing. This is because if there is any metal and it gets in to the torque converter we would create much worse/more expensive problems. I have been around dealerships and even been a service writer and I have never hear about doing a flush this way. But like i said am not at all familiar with Subarus. When I think about it does make since. And I think I should start with clearing the ECU. That is when I get some advice from some of you on here.
#2) My local Subaru dealer.
-I have now gone to the dealer 3 times asking for there thought. I talked to 2 service writers, 3 subaru certified tech's and the service manager. First they said they never have problems with these transmissions. And when they do they are with 4or5 times as many miles(I guess that makes me feel good). The only thing that they could think of would be a burr or something that's plugging up a valve in the transmission. They did say a flush may get that out but to not spend the $ on a flush yet. The fluid is new and it could be throughing $ in the trash. As far as clearing the ECU they said that wouldn't do anything.(But later 2 of the tech's said I should start with that). The manager said that the ECU has nothing to do with the transmission. He and the service writer told me there is a TCU(transmission control unit) and if it were a computer problem it would be there. So the answer at the dealer is to do nothing and drive it and if the problem gets worse let them look at it. I guess in so many words they said just deal with it. I am pretty picky so I don't know if I can. Oh and none of the people at the dealership knew which tool or how to clear the ECU 3 times.
At this point I think it is a mechinical problem but I have no idea what it could be or how to fix the problem.
Well I am sorry to write such a long post. I wanted to be as clear as I could about the problem. I really hope someone out there can first get through my entire post and then have any thoughts what so ever. I am learning that not only are Subaru's fantastic cars but the community of owner's are even better. The information on this site is priceless. I have learned so much about subaru's in the last few weeks. Thank you all and drive safe!

lucifernie · , 12:12 PM

im having a similar problem. my car will just sit there and rev sometimes and other times it drives perfect.....

http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/4EATPh1Win04.pdf

zhendrix · , 01:04 PM

It seem as though mine is getting a little better. The only factor that I know has changed is the weather getting colder. I would say my car only does it every 30-40 times it shifts from 1st to 2nd. And I have never had it not shift to 2nd but a few times it almost hit red line before it shifted.
It is such a strange problem. And I have yet to get any explanation as to what the problem may be. I don't think it is a computer problem. And I don't think it was a "learned" shift pattern. Which I think only leaves a mechanical problem. But I wouldn't even begin to know what it could be.

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, 01:16 PM	#1
zhendrix Subie Nubie 98 Impreza L 2 door Location: ohio Posts: 2 Join Date: Nov 2009	Auto Transmission Holding In 1st Gear. PLEASE HELP! Hello all. I first want to thank everyone on this site for all the great info! It seem as though Subaru owners are a very tight group. I am a first time Subaru owner. My family owned car dealerships so I have owned and driven my cars. Most being sports cars. About a year ago I got in a accident and got nerve damage to my left leg. Needless to say I had to sell my 5 speed car and get an automatic. I needed a car that got good mpg, good style, decent power and good for Ohio winters. Times being a bit hard I didn't want to spend too much. After my research I kept comming back to an Impreza. I would have liked to buy a RS but I couldn't find any in good shape w/i 500 miles. But I found a 1998 Impreza L 2door. It's in fantastic shape and has 53k. It is everything and more that I could ask for in a car. It handles great and I am sure it will do well in the snow.I have driven the car for just under a month now. The only problem I am having is a very strange issue w the transmission. I have driven many cars and I know what a bad automatic transmission feels like. And my car does not feel like it has any problem. But every once and a while(5% of the time) the car holds in first gear until 4200-5100rpm's. But it doesn't shift hard. All other times(normal driving) the car shifts fine and at 2500-3200rpm's. It happens very sporadically. So I know its not just when the fluid is cold or warm. Or any other factor I can pin point. This is my only problem and I have had all kinds of advice and many different opinions from Subaru tech's, service manager's and owners. I am a bit overwhelmed by the contradictory opinions I have been getting. Below is what I have been told: #1) The service manager of the out of town Subaru dealer where the car had always been serviced. -He is very familiar with the car and knows all of its history. The last owner did bring this issue to his attion and three times the tech/manager couldn't get the car to replicate the problem. He suggested that the ATF be changed. And just changed and not flushed. So that was done 6months ago and didn't change the issue. When I got the car I wanted to try to dig a little deeper and see if I can find a solution. I called the manager last week and asked him what he would do next and he said before I do anything I should clear the ECU. He told me that it was a learning transmission and I may drive different than the last owners. I thought this could be done by disconnecting the battery for a few hours or overnight. From what he said the only way to completely clear the ECU is to connected it to a Subaru specific tool/computer (at the dealer or bought) and cleared 3 times. DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT TOOL I NEED TO DO THIS? Disconnecting the battery does not clear the memory(I tried). I don't know much about ECU's and I know even less about automatic transmissions. The reason the service manager suggested that I do this first is because he drove the car and doesn't think there is a mechanical problem with the transmission. Also this would be the least expensive start. He did say that a transmission flush would be the next step. BUT...he said to do a flush the only way to do it correct on this car is to evacuate the torque converter before flushing. This is because if there is any metal and it gets in to the torque converter we would create much worse/more expensive problems. I have been around dealerships and even been a service writer and I have never hear about doing a flush this way. But like i said am not at all familiar with Subarus. When I think about it does make since. And I think I should start with clearing the ECU. That is when I get some advice from some of you on here. #2) My local Subaru dealer. -I have now gone to the dealer 3 times asking for there thought. I talked to 2 service writers, 3 subaru certified tech's and the service manager. First they said they never have problems with these transmissions. And when they do they are with 4or5 times as many miles(I guess that makes me feel good). The only thing that they could think of would be a burr or something that's plugging up a valve in the transmission. They did say a flush may get that out but to not spend the $ on a flush yet. The fluid is new and it could be throughing $ in the trash. As far as clearing the ECU they said that wouldn't do anything.(But later 2 of the tech's said I should start with that). The manager said that the ECU has nothing to do with the transmission. He and the service writer told me there is a TCU(transmission control unit) and if it were a computer problem it would be there. So the answer at the dealer is to do nothing and drive it and if the problem gets worse let them look at it. I guess in so many words they said just deal with it. I am pretty picky so I don't know if I can. Oh and none of the people at the dealership knew which tool or how to clear the ECU 3 times. At this point I think it is a mechinical problem but I have no idea what it could be or how to fix the problem. Well I am sorry to write such a long post. I wanted to be as clear as I could about the problem. I really hope someone out there can first get through my entire post and then have any thoughts what so ever. I am learning that not only are Subaru's fantastic cars but the community of owner's are even better. The information on this site is priceless. I have learned so much about subaru's in the last few weeks. Thank you all and drive safe!

, 12:12 PM	#2
lucifernie Subie Nubie 98 impreza L and 03 wrx Fav Mod: me Location: socal Posts: 1 Join Date: Jan 2010	im having a similar problem. my car will just sit there and rev sometimes and other times it drives perfect..... http://endwrench.com/images/pdfs/4EATPh1Win04.pdf

, 01:04 PM	#3
zhendrix Subie Nubie 98 Impreza L 2 door Location: ohio Posts: 2 Join Date: Nov 2009	It seem as though mine is getting a little better. The only factor that I know has changed is the weather getting colder. I would say my car only does it every 30-40 times it shifts from 1st to 2nd. And I have never had it not shift to 2nd but a few times it almost hit red line before it shifted. It is such a strange problem. And I have yet to get any explanation as to what the problem may be. I don't think it is a computer problem. And I don't think it was a "learned" shift pattern. Which I think only leaves a mechanical problem. But I wouldn't even begin to know what it could be.