Subaru Replaced Tranny Parts on 2003 Model on the Quiet

[SACTOWNREXMAN]

Yup, it is becomming more and more apparent that the MY03 has different internals on the 5MT then the MY02. Subaru is not admitting to it though. Some sharp i-clubbers put 1 & 2 together and figured it out. Recall time! Follow my links!:
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237081
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237781
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237910
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237077

You had better get really mad too!

Andy

[bedabi]

From i-club:

Originally posted by Kenneth2000
Last week, I ordered the following parts:

1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Gears, Synchros & Baulk Rings, along with a bearing kit & gaskets .... and the Input Shaft (that the clutch sits on)

The reason: First off, my 1st gear synchro hardly seems to work at all, and 4th synrchro has been gradually going for the last 2 months ... grinds each time I put it in fourth .... and I'm looking for a solution that can handle my power a little better

So, because I have replaced the clutch with an aftermarket, and I'm making much more than stock hp, I didn't bother trying to warranty it, and decided that Cryo'ing the stock gears would help me out....

Yesterday, the Subaru Dealer called me and said "You're not going to like this"

Apparently, all of the parts for 2nd, 3rd, part of 4th (the gear), part of 1st (the synchros) & the Input shaft, have all been mysteriously discountinued, and replaced with newer, more expensive parts, which of course, aren't available, no one has stock, and no one has an ETA on them......

The Parts Mgr suggested that Subaru either "Re-designed the system" or "Changed Mfg's" ... I go with #1 ...

So, in essense, it looks like Subaru finally got up off their asses and re designed how the input shaft and some of those gears and synchros work, looks like the MY03's will have the better design, and that is also the reason for not having any stock of the new parts, they're all going into the new cars....

Subaru is obviously aware of its weak transmission system on the WRX.
Read about it here:
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237077

Someone is even thinking about a class action lawsuit!
http://forums.i-club.com/forums/show...hreadid=237910

[bedabi]

Doh! You beat me to it by five minutes! I posted this in "Maintenance and Service" where we've been having a discussion on warranties.

Can a moderator help please!

[SonicYellowWRX]

well i assumed that was the case. it shouldnt be a secret to anyone that the WRX tranny is the weak link in an otherwise great car. of course subaru knows this! with every model year, subaru has tweaked the tranny more and more! its no surprise to me that the 03 would recieve some tweaks as well.
its gay how someone would sue. its not like they knew the tranny is crap and would blow. its just all subaru could muster up until now for a tranny... and they been improving it year after year ever since its conception. its not like Ford with the pinto AKA car bomb! ford KNEW that in a accident, the gas tank would get purged by the gears that turn the rear wheels... and they did not bother to fix it. This was proven in a court of law and FORD lost quite a lot of money... and those who sued and their lawyers and families of those who had been lost due to a pinto blowing up on em, were heavily compensated! i know the lawyer who did the case and he is living large still!

[thechickencow]

I don't think you're understanding why they are filing cases against SOA. The class action lawsuit is most likely from the people that have had tranny problems but have had to replace them out of pocket because of TSB's released by subaru telling dealers not to warranty the transmissions. I think that if my transmission had broken (hasn't in ~9500mi) I would be trying to participate in this suit. Personally I'd be VERY happy if SOA issued a recall and fixed the problems with the tranny of our '02 cars. Maybe I personally would never have to worry about it, but who knows. I just don't want my car to blow a tranny at 40k miles and have to pay to replace it out of pocket.

Keep in mind that I only know what I've skimmed tonight, but i'm making assumptions about the lawsuit and such.

-J

[jimb]

Gross speculation that these parts are any sort of improvement at all.

jb

[pace]

Originally posted by jimb
Gross speculation that these parts are any sort of improvement at all.

jb

Except that people who have had replacement components to fix tranny issues have been told by the mechanics that although the replacement parts had the same cat #, they visibly differed from the original components. This was going on as far back as the beginning of this year.

Why make the effort and expense to redesign a component, unless it's to attempt improvement in operation or durability? Why assign it the same part #, unless you want to keep it low-profile?

-Pace

[pace]

Originally posted by bedabi
Doh! You beat me to it by five minutes! I posted this in "Maintenance and Service" where we've been having a discussion on warranties.

Can a moderator help please!

I merged them to "Maintenance and Service" since this is where we have been conducting warranty-related issues, regardless of the vehicle component type.

-Pace

[SonicYellowWRX]

good point pace... its no attempt to keep things secret. if they assigned the same part # for different parts... then theres a conspiracy!

[2003WRX]

I've been ignorant of the '02 tranny problems until recently when I bought the car. I actually almost bought an '02, but it was silver and I wanted blue. I hope I "accidentally" purchased an '03 which may have a stronger trans. I guess time will tell...

[rjc1976]

Well, I just bought an 02 Wrx wagon, so I hope that if there was indeed a change, it was a running change that the later 02s may have received as well. If the change in transmission internals is true, do we actually know the change went over with the model year? Many cars get running changes within the same model year. Just look at the clutch on the 02 WRX for example.