AT Tranny Issue

[Riftur]

I got a couple of question (none of which are major) with my AT tranny.

1. With sport mode off the car will sometimes (not often at all) stay in gear longer than normal. It usually switches right into neutral when your coasting.

2. When accelerating (RPMS around 2500-3k) the tranny will sometimes shift really hard and feels like its in sports mode for 1 or 2 minutes.

3. When driving in sports mode and then turning it off it is not instantaneous anymore like it used to be.

Any idea's why this is happening?

2013 AT FRS with only 30k miles and well maintained.

[Soloside]

have you done the ATF fluid change?

[Spuds]

Something something, trannys shifting hard into sport mode, something something.

Sorry, had to get it out of the way before someone said something worse.

Please continue with relevant discussion.

[Leonardo]

2nd. Change your AT fluid.



Thread.

[tyler_win_photo]

Sports mode shouldn't make the transmission shift any harder, it should only make it so the transmission holds the gear for longer before upshifting.

Like others have said try changing your transmission fluid, though 30k miles is a bit early for a daily driver. Another thing you can try is having the dealer reset your transmission ecu.

[NRXRaptor]

Originally Posted by tyler_win_photo

Sports mode shouldn't make the transmission shift any harder, it should only make it so the transmission holds the gear for longer before upshifting.

Like others have said try changing your transmission fluid, though 30k miles is a bit early for a daily driver. Another thing you can try is having the dealer reset your transmission ecu.

I think its still plausible that various compounds in the fluid may have degraded over time. It depends on what their "half lives" are. They don't actually have half lives because they aren't radioactive, but over time its possible that enough of a particular compound has oxidized to the point there isn't enough of it present for it to do its job. I think turning it off and turning it on again (the ecu) is a good idea too

[Overdrive]

Just to throw another thing into the mix of possibilities, are you turning the wheels at all whole this is happening? When you are turning any decent amount the car will stay in its current gear until you straighten the wheel back out in an attempt to prevent shifting mid-corner. It takes some getting used to when it does it. If you have your owner's manual, there's info about the behavior in there. Just another thing to consider as you determine whether or not you have an issue.

I've noticed some not-smooth upshifts and downshifts when it comes to 5th gear, and for me the car has always been that way. Sometimes it shifts like butter, sometimes it shifts like it's trying to be sporty.

[tyler_win_photo]

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Just to throw another thing into the mix of possibilities, are you turning the wheels at all whole this is happening? When you are turning any decent amount the car will stay in its current gear until you straighten the wheel back out in an attempt to prevent shifting mid-corner. It takes some getting used to when it does it. If you have your owner's manual, there's info about the behavior in there. Just another thing to consider as you determine whether or not you have an issue.

I've noticed some not-smooth upshifts and downshifts when it comes to 5th gear, and for me the car has always been that way. Sometimes it shifts like butter, sometimes it shifts like it's trying to be sporty.

One of the reasons why the 4-5 shift isn't smooth is because 5th is an overdrive. If you're nailed on the throttle, sometimes the engine speed doesn't drop down quick enough before the gear engages causing a lurch.

[Overdrive]

Originally Posted by tyler_win_photo

One of the reasons why the 4-5 shift isn't smooth is because 5th is an overdrive. If you're nailed on the throttle, sometimes the engine speed doesn't drop down quick enough before the gear engages causing a lurch.

Fair enough. Happens to me on downshifts to 5th, too, and throttle position doesn't matter in any way that I've been able to conclude. Sometimes I'm cruising along with light throttle and go into 5th to not bog down on an uphill, and it really drops into 5th. Other times it will shift so smoothly the car doesn't get upset and the only way you know is the engine note change and the jump of the rpm needle.

I do notice that the transmission shifts its best and smoothest (with the most consistency) when you've got your foot at least halfway into it and are committed to some acceleration. Then it will shift up and down quickly and smoothly I'd say a good 9 times out of 10. When driving it in Auto in a domesticated way, it's a lot sloppier.

[finch1750]

Change the ATF.


IF you never have I would venture the fluid is just old. I change mine between 30-45k miles depending on how much canyon/track time I have put it. Normally this is when the shifts start to become less smooth and the problem goes away after the change. I also get more life out of Redline ATF then the OEM fwiw

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Riftur

2. When accelerating (RPMS around 2500-3k) the tranny will sometimes shift really hard and feels like its in sports mode for 1 or 2 minutes.

Remember the effect that the cold had on your tires that was new to you being in Florida?


Well guess what else doesn't like the cold that much? If it only does it for a couple of minutes it just means that the tranny warmed up after driving a bit.


You can change the fluid but it is probably fine.

[new2subaru]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Remember the effect that the cold had on your tires that was new to you being in Florida?


Well guess what else doesn't like the cold that much? If it only does it for a couple of minutes it just means that the tranny warmed up after driving a bit.


You can change the fluid but it is probably fine.

100% this. The transmission, among other things, has to warm up to work at it's peak. Try pulling away when your tranny is cold at -20C...Any vehicle needs to warm up.

[Riftur]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Remember the effect that the cold had on your tires that was new to you being in Florida?


Well guess what else doesn't like the cold that much? If it only does it for a couple of minutes it just means that the tranny warmed up after driving a bit.


You can change the fluid but it is probably fine.

your probably right. Eveytgubg id working fine again. lol

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Riftur

your probably right. Eveytgubg id working fine again. lol

Eveytgubg? Do we need to get some medical attention for you? Have you had a stroke?

If it get's cold there again and you start to hear weird clicks and creaks or belt squeal don't panic since it is just another effect that you have not experienced.