"This repair is not covered by Subaru's limited warranty" RE: 4th gear tranny grind

[Ralph Spoilsport]

It's worth noting... GL-5 absolutely does not belong in your transmission (unless also GL-4 rated, e.g. Motul). Maybe that was a typo?

Most GL-5 oils shift like dogshit. This is a persistent problem for AWD Scoobies because the gearbox contains the front differential and hypoid gears and it absolutely needs GL-5.

Now I'm not pretending to re-engineer Toyobaru's product here, but imo the factory tranny fill is poor. It just doesn't shift well and it's horrid when cold. Synchronizer performance *will* be improved by substituting something like Redline MTL GL-4, but note that MTL is a bit lighter than the book spec. Guys that have tried MT-90 (similar, but heavier, meets book spec) report that it shifts poorly when cold. My car (so far) shifts great on MTL, best when at operating temperature.

Trans oil selection can be everything and you'd think the engineers at Toyobaru and their trans vendor (Aisin) would know this, so wtf is up with this?

Anecdote: I had an early wrx that at 80K miles had to be double clutched to get into 5th. Before too much longer it was 4th and 5th. The car would have been completely unsalable at this point and I was beginning to face up to a transmission repair. A little fiddling with oil selection (might as well try!) *completely* solved that issue (nothing was actually broken) and the car has done an additional 100K since with no problems!

The manufacturer's poor attempt at CYA is really annoying here....

[regal]

Originally Posted by DoomsdayJesus

I forgot to mention, one of the gems the service rep told me the techline related, is that "the car's not meant to be driven that way," i.e. shifted around 7k RPM. .

Maybe that service rep knows more about these cars than we care to acknowledge?


Regardless, get some Motul 300v gear oil in that new tranny.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by vgi

So turbo actually voids gearbox warranty?! Is this due to more hp/tq?

Yes...that's perfectly reasonable too. The issue is on a stock car.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by vgi

So turbo actually voids gearbox warranty?! Is this due to more hp/tq?

Yes, your drivetrain is now taxed to put more power to the ground, probably more than designed for.

[CARNZ]

I feel like the dealer fed a line of BS to SOA to convert it to a goodwill only and claim it as abusive driving.

I've replaced a trans on a BRZ here for grinding with zero issues from SOA or their tech line.
Maybe the jackass tech tried to claim it as abusive driving...

Anyone in MD/Baltimore area I will be glad to help you guys out on warranty items at my dealer as long as it's not something insane, lol

[Wepeel]

At least you might have an out in the future - since they said they filled the trans with GL-5, which is not compatible with GL-3/4 (what the owner's manual recommends, because GL-5 can be corrosive to yellow metals). Would be a good idea to change the fluid for a GL-4 (or GL-4/5 rated).

[vgi]

Originally Posted by Sportsguy83

Yes, your drivetrain is now taxed to put more power to the ground, probably more than designed for.

I can see this happening at subaru dealership:
- oh, you have an exhaust, that's extra +3-5 HP/TQ - the car was not designed for it and so kiss goodbye to engine, and whole drivetrain (and suspension probably too) warranty.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by vgi

I can see this happening at subaru dealership:
- oh, you have an exhaust, that's extra +3-5 HP/TQ - the car was not designed for it and so kiss goodbye to engine, and whole drivetrain (and suspension probably too) warranty.

Depending on dealer, I also see it very possible.

[autobrz]

disclaimer: retarded reply about to follow...

everytime I read about MT grinding issues, I'm very glad I got the AT... plus it upshifts and downshifts faster than I can if I cared at all about the synchros...

[DoomsdayJesus]

Originally Posted by Ralph Spoilsport

It's worth noting... GL-5 absolutely does not belong in your transmission (unless also GL-4 rated, e.g. Motul). Maybe that was a typo?

Most GL-5 oils shift like dogshit. This is a persistent problem for AWD Scoobies because the gearbox contains the front differential and hypoid gears and it absolutely needs GL-5.

Now I'm not pretending to re-engineer Toyobaru's product here, but imo the factory tranny fill is poor. It just doesn't shift well and it's horrid when cold. Synchronizer performance *will* be improved by substituting something like Redline MTL GL-4, but note that MTL is a bit lighter than the book spec. Guys that have tried MT-90 (similar, but heavier, meets book spec) report that it shifts poorly when cold. My car (so far) shifts great on MTL, best when at operating temperature.

Trans oil selection can be everything and you'd think the engineers at Toyobaru and their trans vendor (Aisin) would know this, so wtf is up with this?

Anecdote: I had an early wrx that at 80K miles had to be double clutched to get into 5th. Before too much longer it was 4th and 5th. The car would have been completely unsalable at this point and I was beginning to face up to a transmission repair. A little fiddling with oil selection (might as well try!) *completely* solved that issue (nothing was actually broken) and the car has done an additional 100K since with no problems!

The manufacturer's poor attempt at CYA is really annoying here....

That wasn't a typo on my end, that's exactly what it says on the service receipt/summary. I'm calling the dealer today to find out what the hell is going on, and why they tried foisting the blame on SOA. Either way, no one with any sense is going to be sympathetic to them claiming shifting at 7k is "abuse" on a car with a 7400 RPM redline, and that's not remotely close to where I told them the problem started.

[Dipstik-sportech]

I think this sums it up quite well

[charged86]

Originally Posted by feldy

But I thought all of you bought Subaru because of the name and maturity it brings.

So glad I went with Scion. Had crickets replaced, rubber weather striping, drivers side rear axle, both tail lights and the drivers side window visor replaced. Nothing denied so far. Even had the car on springs and koni shocks and was not denied axle warranty.

Nice work! What dealership. Also did the weather strip on driver side fix how when the window rolls up it pinches the weather strip

[charged86]

Originally Posted by Dipstik-sportech

I think this sums it up quite well

Or didn't drive like a yaris. Lol

[ZionsWrath]

ugh, so many threads making me rethink going FI vs waiting few years for a stock high HP car like a corvette :'(