[ivbdn]

I've been having problems w/ my 4EAT. I'll start my car (it only happens on cold mornings) and stick it into "D" and it won't engage till after about 5 seconds or I rev it up real slow till it engages.

The only mod I've added to the tranny is a tranny cooler. My dealership is claiming that it was installed improperly and that there's a kink in one of the hoses. This in turn has caused some of the components on the transmission to burn out and therefore, they are voiding my warranty.

I haven't seen the kink and I know there wasn't one when I had it installed by another mechanic. I'm going back there tomorrow to fight for my warranty and need advice as to what I can do.

So far, I have only come up with having them show me exactly where the kink is (if in fact there is one). Any other suggestions would be deeply appreciated.

 

[RS25.com]

First, they can't void your warranty. That's illegal. The can refuse to fix a part for free if they can prove your addition damaged the car. PROVE. They have to PROVE it.

How can they do that without even taking it apart? They have X-ray vision or ESP or some other super natural abilites? They have to, without a doubt, prove that the transmission is damaged due to heat related problems, and they were directly linked to the cooler. I could not tell you what was going on inside a transmission without either draining the fluid and looking at it or disassembling it.

Consider this: If there is a kink in the hose, and it's the hose that goes TO the cooler, then unplug the oter line going back TO the tranny and put in a pressure guage. Use a T or something - and measure the pressure. If there is no pressure under normal conditions (i.e., idle in gear) then maybe the line is blocked. However, if the fluid has pressure (or if you don't have a gauge - is dumping all over the place) then it's not a pressure related problem.

Now if another mechanic installed it (and not you) he may have to foot the bill. However, my impression is this - cold weather means slower shifts - and harder at times. If it works normally during warm weather or when it's warmed up, then I don't think you even have a problem.

Of course, do you have enough fluid in there? It might just be low.

 

[ivbdn]

The mechanic that installed it owns a shop that deals strictly with Subes so I seriously doubt it's his fault.

I thought about your suggestion with checking on the pressure and I will ask them about it tomorrow.

I was also thinking about bringing up the AT Temp light. It never came on, and if the tranny was heating up, it should've come on.

Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[RS25.com]

Good point - the light never came on - and it will, believe me.

Your dealer is being a SHIT. Talk to the service manager ONLY. Dont bad mouth the other guy, just bypass him altogether. If they continue to give you problems, let them know they have to prove it broke the tranny.

Might be easier just to go somewhere else.

By the way, please do start a thread in the Market place and put that dealers name in there with a thumbs down. Then tell the dealer that you've already posted you bad experiences with the RS Club - a Subaru web site that averages about 17,000 hits a day, and you'll be sure and post the outcome - good or bad - on the board.

 

[horatio102]

But in that thread DO NOT state that they are crooks, theives, liars, or anything like that. You can state that you FEEL, or that it is your opinion, just do not state anything that can be read as a statement of fact. That's what got that other guy sued by the dealership.

May be a stupid question, but did you add extra fluid to account for the pipes and heat exchanger?

 

[Hndatch627]

FWIW line pressure in most trannies is approx 45 PSI at idle...now you put 45 PSI behind a slight kink in a hose and i GUARANTEE That kink just disappeard...also it's kinda of strange you ONLY have the problem in the morning...i would call SOA and get a contact opened immediately...don't wait.

 

[ivbdn]

horatio102

I wasn't the one who installed it, so I don't know if they added the extra oil to account for the cooler, but I'm pretty sure they did. The guys at Suby Specialties in Monrovia are pros, so I'm sure they know what they're doing. I also checked the dipstick to take a look at the AT oil level both hot and cold and it was fine.

Well, wish me luck tomorrow guys!

 

[STiShawn]

I'd be supprised if they void your warranty. When my motor spun a bearing SOA warantied it, even with ALL my mods, racing harnesses and everything in the car.....

 

[McDade]

before I quit my job at the subaru dealer, I had just put a tranny in an rs for that exact problem

its due to low line pressure. Its pretty common an the 4eat's from what I hear

they are just being dickheads, go to another dealer

 

[8Complex]

What does it matter that there is a kink in the line? If the line was run in place of a feed & return plug, then it shouldn't matter at all. If there is a kink it will just not flow the trans fluid -- just like it didn't flow the trans fluid past there when it was BEFORE the trans. cooler.

If all else fails, take it to another dealership and tell them that you had it installed after you bought it at another Subaru dealership (that is only IF the regional rep. didn't come and look at it already, that is).

 

[ivbdn]

I got back from the dealer today with what I deem a victory for us Sube owners.

I went to the dealer and wanted them to prove to me that it was indeed my tranny cooler causing the problem. It was just as I had suspected. They didn't even take apart the tranny. The master tech took one look at the tranny cooler and saw that the hose leading to the tranny cooler was pinched between the radiator and part of the bumper and automatically assumed that it was that pinched hose that caused the problem.

That's when I started grilling him. I asked him if he knew what the stock line pressure was. He didn't know. I then asked if he checked to see if there was enough pressure on the return line. He said he didn't have to because he checked the tranny fluid and it was burnt.

I asked him for a detailed description of what would happen if there wasn't enough pressure. He said that the tranny would overheat and that damage would occur. I then asked him why the AT Temp light didn't come on if the tranny was overheating. He told me that the AT Temp light wouldn't come on; that the AT Temp light sends a signal to the tranny telling it when to shift and how hard and what not and that he didn't know how to really explain it. I knew what he was trying to get at. You know, the tranny not shifting right away till the tranny fluid reaches a normal operating temps. Man, that was a big whiff of bull shit if you ask me.

After a little more grilling, he started to get really defensive saying that it didn't matter to him whether it was the tranny cooler's fault or not. "I get paid either way." No shit Sherlock...really? He goes on explaining how he just had to see the pinched hose and that burnt tranny oil to figure out that it was the cooler's fault and that the tranny's roast.

Finally, the service rep comes back out and explains that they'll try and get it done with out somehow letting SOA know that there was a tranny cooler involved. They also explained that Subaru may choose to send a district rep to look at the car and at that point, can refuse to do the work under warranty.

Basically, Culver City Subaru was just being lazy and not truly inspecting the car for what the real problem could be. Hopefully nothing else goes wrong!

 

[horatio102]

And before the SOA rep comes out, are you going to drill a hole for the cooler line to run through?

 

[Hndatch627]

good call...way to knock em dead.

 

[ivbdn]

Jesus Christ ! Where the hell are my manners! Thank you everyone for your advice and support! I may not have been able to get through it w/o you.

 

[McDade]

hey congrats, and scew that tech!
I love subarus and really want to work on them, just had an unfortunate personal situation with the dealer I took the job at, having to do with money and broken promises blah blah...

I would have put a tranny in your car right away without even looking at it or checking line pressure...(to much work) thats probably why he didnt check it.

the rs above I put the tranny in, I got in...delayed engagement, looked in the service manual for reasons why, they are ALL internal trans problems, besides low fluid and leaks, f - it...needs a tranny

Good Luck dont let them get away with anything!
oh one more q? did you buy the car from them...if so remind them of that fact

*pay no attention to the signiture* hehe to lazy to change it right now.

 

[ivbdn]

I got my car back on the 10th. Well, the car runs as smooth as it did when I brought it out of the lot (except for the vibes from the exhaust and the tranny). Supposedly, they replaced my tranny, but I don't think they did. When my car was brand new, it shifted seamlessly. The tranny in there right now isn't as smooth as a new one should be. I'm suspecting that if they did replace the tranny...it's with a refurbished one .

 

[Hndatch627]

I got my car back on the 10th. Well, the car runs as smooth as it did when I brought it out of the lot (except for the vibes from the exhaust and the tranny). Supposedly, they replaced my tranny, but I don't think they did. When my car was brand new, it shifted seamlessly. The tranny in there right now isn't as smooth as a new one should be. I'm suspecting that if they did replace the tranny...it's with a refurbished one .

they tranny they used is remanfactured w/o a doubt, NO dealer puts in new transmissions, that is a no no. The shifting may improve with time.