Blinking AT oil temp lamp on startup

SoobCrazy · #1 06-14-2010, 12:52 PM

Just got my first SVX, a 1996 EP LSi. Woot!, and I've noticed a few problems with the new toy.

I read in the owners manual that if the automatic transmission oil temperature light blinks after you start the car, it means there is a problem and you should take the car to Subaru immediatly. Blinks about 16 times, IIRC.

I have also read on the SVXWN that 1996 and later models simply don't have a transmission "Power" lamp in the dash. How would you know if the trans is throwig a code without the power light?

My questions: Can I pull the codes from the TCU myself? Could the AT oil temp lamp be the TCU error code signal?

Anyone have experience with this problem?

1986nate · #2 06-14-2010, 12:57 PM

The 96 and 97 SVX use the oil lamp to signify a code as well as for reading codes instead of the power light on the earlier models. I am not completely sure if you can "pull" the codes the same way as in the earlier models though. I am sure someone else can tell you.

SoobCrazy · #3 06-19-2010, 07:13 PM

Bump to the top.

SoCal LS-L · #4 06-19-2010, 08:31 PM

Any shop with a decent OBD-II scanner can pull those codes for you.

SoobCrazy · #5 06-23-2010, 10:48 AM

I've used the scanner they have at Schucks and it doesn't seem to communicate with the TCU. Is there a seperate diagnostic port for the TCU?

Green1995SVX · #6 06-23-2010, 11:49 AM

No, it should communicate through the standard OBDII port. The scanner is showing no codes?

SoobCrazy · #7 06-23-2010, 05:22 PM

Correct. The only codes I'm getting is for the knock sensors. I'm not using a Subaru Select Monitor, but still, shouldn't I be able to find out what is causing the blinking?

SoCal LS-L · #8 06-23-2010, 05:38 PM

Some of the cheapie scanners they retail might not be able to receive transmission codes, check your manual. Our Snap-On MODIS retrieved everything thru the OBDII port, which most scanners residing in an auto shop will do. The little tiny ones they sell at CSK, maybe not, never used one.

SoobCrazy · #9 10-27-2010, 11:01 AM

Bump. Is this light supposed to blink a bunch when I start my car? One or two, maybe even three blinks and I wouldn't bat an eye. This thing blinks 16 times though...

huck369 · #10 10-27-2010, 11:21 AM

The 16 blinks means it has a code thrown...
Check the how-to locker to see how to pull the transmission codes....it may not work on your OBDII, but then again it might...costs nothing to try...

b3lha · #11 10-27-2010, 01:36 PM

I think the TCU only supports OBD1 even on the cars with OBD2 ECU. But it's not the same TCU as the OBD1 cars. Try the procedure in the howto for retrieving TCU codes. If that doesn't work then chances are you'll need a select monitor.

Huskymaniac · #12 10-27-2010, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b3lha

I think the TCU only supports OBD1 even on the cars with OBD2 ECU. But it's not the same TCU as the OBD1 cars. Try the procedure in the howto for retrieving TCU codes. If that doesn't work then chances are you'll need a select monitor.

Where does one get a select monitor and what can it retrieve that the typical OBD2 reader can't?

b3lha · #13 10-27-2010, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Where does one get a select monitor and what can it retrieve that the typical OBD2 reader can't?

The select monitor is the proper tool used by Subaru dealers. It talks a proprietary Subaru protocol instead of OBD2. The principal advantage is that it can talk to the older units that don't support OBD2. The SVX-compatable ones are pretty much obsolete now, but still hard to get and expensive.

I think a couple of people on this site have got them.

Can you confirm whether the procedure in the howto works on the OBD2 cars?

Huskymaniac · #14 10-27-2010, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b3lha

The select monitor is the proper tool used by Subaru dealers. It talks a proprietary Subaru protocol instead of OBD2. The principal advantage is that it can talk to the older units that don't support OBD2. The SVX-compatable ones are pretty much obsolete now, but still hard to get and expensive.

I think a couple of people on this site have got them.

Can you confirm whether the procedure in the howto works on the OBD2 cars?

Which procedure are you referring to? The one that is used to make the light blink TCU codes? If so, I have yet to have a TCU code to pull so I have never tried it.

Can you get the tranny temp using the select monitor? I checked out the evoscan website. It looks like they sell some cables to connect to OBD2 connectors but I have no idea if I would want SSM1 or SSM2 and I'm not sure if the base evoscan software will pull all the possible data. I like that the have pocket PC software. It can convert a PPC into a gauge cluster but what I really want is the tranny temperature. I climbed a steep hill yesterday and was really wondering what the temp climbed to. It was a 560 foot climb in a short period of time. The good news was that the temp gauge didn't budge. I am still planning on doing something with the tranny cooler but would really like to monitor what is going on.

b3lha · #15 10-27-2010, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Which procedure are you referring to? The one that is used to make the light blink TCU codes? If so, I have yet to have a TCU code to pull so I have never tried it.

Yeah that's the procedure. With any luck you'll never need it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huskymaniac

Can you get the tranny temp using the select monitor? I checked out the evoscan website. It looks like they sell some cables to connect to OBD2 connectors but I have no idea if I would want SSM1 or SSM2 and I'm not sure if the base evoscan software will pull all the possible data. I like that the have pocket PC software. It can convert a PPC into a gauge cluster but what I really want is the tranny temperature. I climbed a steep hill yesterday and was really wondering what the temp climbed to. It was a 560 foot climb in a short period of time. The good news was that the temp gauge didn't budge. I am still planning on doing something with the tranny cooler but would really like to monitor what is going on.

Yes. The select monitor can do it. Evoscan doesn't have support for TCU, only ECU. FreeSSM was supposed to be able to read all the transmission stuff, including tranny temp, but I'm not sure if they've got it working yet.

I can read my tranny temp using a homemade cable and some software I wrote. But it's just experimental. Nothing I could release as a product.