need new tranny

**silverrex4** · 03-31-2002 01:31 PM

i just got my wrx,,,,i have around 5k on it and one day we had a little snow and i was fooling around doin donuts and then after that night...my tranny was messed up....NOw everytime i shift from 1st to 2nd my gears grind...i thought it was a sincro...but the dealer is rebuilding my tranny...I think that it shouldn't do that no matter how hard u beat on the car....

**93.5Auto** · 04-02-2002 04:20 PM

I have no first gear and the dealer is calling it abuse. The car is completely stock and it shredded first gear. Anyone that has had this happen or knows of anyone this has happened to please send me an email. importtuner2@prodigy.net

Thanks

**93.5Auto** · 04-02-2002 04:23 PM

Are they charging you to rebuild it? I shredded 1st gear on a completely stock car and they are calling it abuse and won't fix it.

**burntclutch4u** · 04-02-2002 06:30 PM

Ahh, man!

I just had the 1st gear and full synchro set replaced... for the same reason... *under warranty*! Of course, the grinding prob surfaced in the break-in period, so it wasn't my driving style.

The sneaky bastards @ the dealership tried to suss me out for two days, trying to get me to admit that I have raced the car on the street and/or rallyed it. I have, on both counts, but I stood my ground (I lied to them and said that I had not), and when they cracked the tranny they found *no damage* that could be attributed.

Stand by yer guns!! They have to fix it. Unless they prove you did do it :-)

**silverrex4** · 04-02-2002 07:01 PM

I did the same thing...i stood my ground...they are fixing it but it is taking so long for them to fix it...it's about 2 weeks now...so i don't know what is goin on.....+ do u think the tranny will be the same as when the day i got the car.....i have no clue...do u think i have to baby the car now...cause if it happens again i am goin to pay for it.....

**pace** · 04-02-2002 10:11 PM

There was some lengthy discussion on this topic on I-club. It seems that some folks found that SOA were shipping replacements parts to their dealership that carried the same part # as the original (damaged) pieces, but which had obviously been redesigned. Seems pretty sneaky on Subaru's part, but the general consensus from people that had experienced this was that their vehicles shifted better after the repair than they ever had done previously....

-Pace

**PlatinumWRX** · 04-03-2002 06:56 AM

Take your car to a different dealer, complain like a little baby.

Good luck!!!!

-Jim

**pace** · 04-03-2002 05:38 PM

I've been watching these two threads which have been documenting the 1st/2nd gear tranny issues:

http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthr...hreadid=109493
http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthr...hreadid=126892

-Pace

**Rex N Effect** · 04-05-2002 06:24 AM

I have always had a problem shifting into 1st even from a stop. I took the car in for the car shaking bad at idle, bad AC, and difficulty shifting into 1st. Guess what Subaru said, "Can not duplicate customers problems" They test drove it for probably 10 minutes and said nothing is wrong. I have seen numerous posts about these problems on our site. Obviously, Subaru built a poor quality car and is trying to deny the problem and screw all of us that encounter these problems. Anyone a lawyer?

**ticrab** · 04-05-2002 11:41 AM

Damn... for what it's worth: http://www.bbb.org

I used them to make complaints before. AT&T was giving me problems with their long distance service. It took some time, but the BBB takes it all the way up and check your version against theirs. Then file that company on the list of complaints and that company is at fault or deny everything without explaining their decisions. Yeah, you may still be screwed at this point, but AT&T was worried and a top person called me back and fixed the problem right away, REAL QUICK. They don't want to look bad. Subaru is a big company. I would assume they will take the BBB more seriously than you(sorry, no offense...) unless you have a good lawyer.
I also did it once for Red Lobster(the worse waiter ever!). I provided the exact amount paid, the receipt number, name of waiter and got a $50 coupon and apologies weeks later. I know we are talking about a 25K car here, still it's free and will show you are trying to do the right thing and they are not.

Just go online, make a complaint and wait. You will need details, names, dates, etc...
Another thing, be straight to the point, don't blame anybody for anything, just report the facts. When that complain reaches somebody big(hopefully) at Subaru, the tone of your complaint will either make that person feel your complaint could be legit or not. Some people who sent a bitchy complaint were discarded real quick. One time, a friend of mine was like "F*&% this and that", spent originally $200 and wanted more money back and wanted to keep the equipment: yeah, didn't work.

**ticrab** · 04-05-2002 11:44 AM

Another thing about the BBB... even if you think somehow the matter was solved afterwards after arguing and fighting with those people, just go online and file a complaint. The BBB asks you what kind of outcome you would like. Just specify you want to report that those practices are improper. Subaru or any other companies are very aware that this is not good for their image and will respond. If they respond properly, the BBB will clear the case.
If nobody knows about it, that kind of things will still be going on. Subaru, their employees or other companies.

So far, I'm a happy owner.

**93.5Auto** · 05-02-2002 10:20 AM

Just wanted to update everyone. After 2 weeks of arguing with the dealership and a district guy they finally replaced the tranny.

Whit

**ticrab** · 05-02-2002 10:38 AM

Good job. We pray with you that the job was done right. I always think that tranny work is like knee surgery... do it once, never the same. Now 93.5Auto will start cursing me out!

**93.5Auto** · 05-02-2002 11:45 AM

I agree with you, its sucks that they even had to touch it. But the mechanic that worked on the car is in his late 40's early 50's and is Subaru Master Certified, plus he's been with Suby for 23 years.

They had a new tech that went to Texas for a training while the car was in the shop and he came back telling everyone how every tech he talked to said their dealership had swapped at least 1 tranny or 1st gear. Once they realized this they were alot nicer to deal with.

Whit