is the automatic really this bad from the factory?

[jeisen]

I went to test drive the RS, having already driven the TS and was blown away byhow much more quiet it was. My only problem with the subaru is that i need an auto for i will be commuting in NJ traffic every morning. Both autos i drove seems to jump or clunk between gears (the car actually moves). I was so surprised a new automatic could do this. Is this normal in the auto? Everyother car i drove shifted so much smoother.

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[Wizzy]

Were the cars you test drove new? I have driven 2 brand new autos - RS & WRX and they both shifted hard at first.

[xtorted-legacy]

Weird that you have mentioned this. I have a 95 impreza which shifts hard into second. I thought it was just on its way out. Anyone else have a hard shifting auto?

[SLIGHTLY]

well my stang shifts hard....but thats another deal there less conver slipping/less heat=no more burnt trans fluid and faster times.

[f4phantomii]

Yeah, my Eagle Talon Tsi turbo Automatic shifts hard too...actually it shifts pretty well when upshifting.

Downshifting it makes a big clunk!

-Michael

[jeisen]

is this something i should worry about then? Yes the cars were all brand new. What causes the hard shift exactly? Also i found that it didn't hold a gear very long. I was cruising at certain speeds and it was constantly shifting up and down. Wizzy, did your auto break itself in and the problem dissappeared? I only worry that it is bad for the transmission. I love the RS package, the ride is perfect and the handling is great combined with AWD. My only problem is with the automatic. At this point i believe i can get a new sentra 2.5s for about 14k. I do not believe it will hold up as well as the impreza will, but it is cheaper. I would spring for the impreza if i knew that the tranny problem dissappears.

[nerrad5]

On the wrx, it will shift hard if you drive it hard. Its a learning TCU. If you drive like granny, it will shift soft and smooth.

[TheRipler]

When I had the '02, I trained it to shift hard, and I liked it.

Hard shifts = good/fast

My last band, the drummer was a transmission guy, and his opinion was that harder shifting trannys would last longer. So, I never worried about it.

[Kevin Thomas]

Originally posted by TheRipler
Hard shifts = good/fast

My last band, the drummer was a transmission guy, and his opinion was that harder shifting trannys would last longer. So, I never worried about it.

The Ripler has a point. I guess it would have to be why your tranny is shifting harder. It it's on purpose because of a modification (valve body) then it's all good. However, it could be a malfunction inside the tranny causing the hard shifts because usually autotrannys aren't built to shift hard from the factory.

It's those soft shifts that kills the auto because of the heat generated by the clutchpacks spinning against each other instead of just locking (hard shifts). The spinning causes the shift to be softer by allowing the clutchpacks to come together slower. Harder, firmer or more sudden shifts reduce or eliminate the possibility of heat building up since the shift is instant.

So your instant shifting may actually be prolonging the life of your tranny BUT I don't think it's normal. Your idea of a 'hard' shift may be different than others. Perhaps you should ride in my OBS. You'd probably think your car shifts like a Lexus.

Oh yeah, my car shifts hardest right after I start it up. If I let it warm up some, the firmness of the shift is reduced somewhat. It was like this when the valve body was stock.

[Spaceman]

i drive a 2000 2.5 RS AT
and like people said, it really depends on how much gas i give it.
if you graze the gas pedal when the light turns green, it will seem almost like a progressive tranny.

when stepping things up a bit, the gears will not only change at higher RPM, but also engage quicker and harder. the lenght of the shift is reduced a lot.

I am not worried, and the little jump it gives at the start is just better to take off.

[DanRx]

My 2002 WRX auto shifts great, the only worry I have is that it will develop a problem because I am scared to let anyone touch it. Has anyone used a synthetic ATF? Or is there a "top shelf" service that should be performed soon? I have 37k on it and believe no service to have been performed. I have also wanted to convert the diff. fluids to synthetic as well, to prevent breakage and maximize reliability/performance. Any suggestions?

[SubaruImpreza_power]

I can Make my 95 Impreza Shift hard... If you Floor the car.. and right around 6000 rpms take your foot off then floor the car again, the car will clunk into 2nd gear... No thats not how I always drive.. but on normal days.. the first shift of the day into 2nd gear is a little louder then normal but thats it.. I don't worry about it at all.

For the Forster.. I had the lucky time of 3AM to open it up on the highway... I started all the way from 30Mph all the way to the Speed limiter which was around 115MPH..

For that I have a question.. Going at those Speeds is the car still doing 90/10? going that fast I would love 50/50.

[jeisen]

i just want to be sure that a hard shift and a jump is the same thing. I know it sounds stupid but this is a huge purchase for me.

[mrman3285]

Originally Posted by SubaruImpreza_power

I can Make my 95 Impreza Shift hard... If you Floor the car.. and right around 6000 rpms take your foot off then floor the car again, the car will clunk into 2nd gear... No thats not how I always drive.. but on normal days.. the first shift of the day into 2nd gear is a little louder then normal but thats it.. I don't worry about it at all.

For the Forster.. I had the lucky time of 3AM to open it up on the highway... I started all the way from 30Mph all the way to the Speed limiter which was around 115MPH..

For that I have a question.. Going at those Speeds is the car still doing 90/10? going that fast I would love 50/50.

My 96 impreza LX shifts really hard too. only it shifts hard basically all the time the harder i press the gas the harder it shifts. also when i'm taking a turn into a parking alot, my tranny seems to shift back and forth between 1st and 2nd...very annoying but no one seems to know what's wrong....

as for the 90/10 questions i understand it only changes if the back tires have lost grip

[SubaruImpreza_power]

Yeah I can't stand when it does the Hunting.. But what really bothers me is the "New" redone 4EAT on the 2003 Forester I have.. You know when you floor it a car will downshift from the gear it's in.. Well the Forester wont do that. It just stays into the gear until you reach the speed you want, And it seems to start at around 3rd gear.

[jeisen]

guess i should update, i bought a stick and love it... thanks for everyones input though