electronic transmission servo? stuck in 3rd!

Greetings!
I'm mulling over the idea of buying a '96 with 138,000. The transmission in it is supposedly a re-man and only a year and a half old. Its only forward speed, apparently is 3rd gear. Still has reverse, park & neutral, but it starts out in 3rd gear and stays there. The dealer said he didn't drive it long enough to see if it shifted to 4th but he didn't think that it would.

He says that his shop tells him it's an electronic servo that's the problem. Any thoughts on this? Also, do these cars have timing belts, chains, or gears? If it's a belt, is the car an 'interference' engine? If the belt was never changed, I wouldn't want to risk driving it if it's an interference engine that could blow up if the belt broke. Unfortunately, I'm too far away to drive it, but the car might be a good deal if someone on this board can verify somehow that the transmission might actually only need a 'small' repair.

Thanks in advance!

[msvx95]

Has timing belt and is a non-interference engine.
You can do a search on these words and there will be plenty of info to better answer your questions.

[Earthworm]

Welcome to the site!

This car has been discussed in a different thread. A quick search should turn it up.

As for the car staying in 3rd gear that could be a problem with the TCU.

There are several spare TCU's around as people converting to 5spd's don't need them.

Well, I did some more keyword searching and came up pretty much empty handed. Although I did happen to see some other folks referring to the same car I'm looking at, and they were pretty much of the opinion the car was beat and trashed. I didn't see that, but I'm not an SVX owner. I guess the tranny problems I've been reading about were with the earlier ones, and the symptoms I've read about are pretty typical for any automatic, so that's why I thought this dealer might actually know what he was talking about, to a degree. I've never heard of an automatic going out by starting out and staying in 3rd. It's typically something like it won't shift to drive right away when it's cold, or the overdrive goes out and just revs like it's neutral, or 3rd gear goes out and revs, etc. But, maybe it's best I just stay away from these cars. I got 'involved' in a few Chrysler Conquests over the years and got to know their weaknesses pretty well, but I don't think I want another car like that.

[Earthworm]

Although I did happen to see some other folks referring to the same car I'm looking at, and they were pretty much of the opinion the car was beat and trashed.

That's the thread I was referring to.

Try to find another member on here to go take a look at it for/with you.

[dcarrb]

I think I'd steer clear of a car with known transmission troubles, unless the dealer is willing to fix it up-front and back the work with some sort of warranty. That, or negotiate a deal so good you can replace the tranny out-of-pocket and still come out ahead. Highly unlikely on both counts.

Don't give up on the SVX, though; just try to find one that's been cared for and not flogged half to death.

dcb

That's a thought. If anyone is around Holland, MI and wants to take it for a slow spin in third gear, maybe I could get some much needed feedback. They could also tell me just how truly trashed the car is. I did some surfing about the TCU and it looks like the problem could be a solenoid or two, or it's in the 'limp home' mode or something. Tough to do remotely, and it doesn't sound like this dealer knows anything about SVX's, or the history of this one.
Maybe I'll check back to see if there's any help for me out there...

I would say, at least at this point in the auction, the tranny would be covered cost wise, but if there is a general consensus on this board that that is the case, I'll probably pass on it anyway. I still don't see the car as being that trashed, but maybe I'm looking at it through rose-colored glasses.

[dcarrb]

Hey, my car needed a radiator, wheel bearings, hoses and whatnot when I bought it, and some might have considered it ''trashed," but it has been rock-solid for me in the 25,000 miles since. It all depends upon whether what it needs is normal-wear items, given the mileage. An iffy transmission, head gaskets, electrical troubles... those would spook me away from most any car.

dcb

Sounds like the tranny is in safe mode. According to the service manual "if trouble occurs in either of shift solenoids 1 and 2, both solenoids are turned off and the vehicle is made driveable in the 3rd range."
Sounds like the problem you described. Those solenoids are sold as one unit, and it retails for $357.00.





Dave

[oab_au]

Originally Posted by red95svx

Sounds like the tranny is in safe mode. According to the service manual "if trouble occurs in either of shift solenoids 1 and 2, both solenoids are turned off and the vehicle is made driveable in the 3rd range."
Sounds like the problem you described. Those solenoids are sold as one unit, and it retails for $357.00.





Dave

Yes as Dave says, it's staying in 3rd because of a shift solenoid malfunction. The Power light should flash on start-up, and produce a code to show which solenoid it is.( being a 96 model, you would need a Subaru Select Monitor to read the code). This may be the solenoid itself, or a fault in the wiring to the solenoids, either open or shorted. The box may be OK.

Harvey.