I just recently bought a 2004 Subaru Outback and have had some
problems shifting the car into first and reverse. This only occurs
from a stand-still, and it happens about 10% of the time.

I took the car in and they told me that I wasn't pressing down hard
enough on the clutch. I explained that when I can't get the car into
first or reverse, I actually have to let up off the clutch slightly
before I can get the car into gear. After keeping the car all day,
they found that the first gear synchro was worn and the shift shaft
seal was leaking (which they replaced).

I am still having some problems getting into first sometimes,
although
not as often as before. But reverse continues to be a headache.

The service crew is now telling me that this is because my car is an
All Wheel Drive vehicle and the gear teeth are bigger so sometimes
they don't come together easily. They told me that I have to double
clutch or shift into third before I shift the car into first or
reverse to align the gears.

Well, when trying to back out of my parking spot this morning, I
tried
everything that they said. I double clutched, and I also shifted the
car into third 2 times before reverse finally engaged.

I have owned 4 other standards and have never had a single occurance
in which I couldn't get the car into first or reverse on the first
try...

I'm just wondering if this is common, or if I'm just being fed excuse
after excuse because I'm a girl...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

jenn.sugaree@gmail.com wrote:

> I just recently bought a 2004 Subaru Outback and have had some
> problems shifting the car into first and reverse. This only occurs
> from a stand-still, and it happens about 10% of the time.
>
> I took the car in and they told me that I wasn't pressing down hard
> enough on the clutch. I explained that when I can't get the car into
> first or reverse, I actually have to let up off the clutch slightly
> before I can get the car into gear. After keeping the car all day,
> they found that the first gear synchro was worn and the shift shaft
> seal was leaking (which they replaced).
>
> I am still having some problems getting into first sometimes,
> although
> not as often as before. But reverse continues to be a headache.
>
> The service crew is now telling me that this is because my car is an
> All Wheel Drive vehicle and the gear teeth are bigger so sometimes
> they don't come together easily. They told me that I have to double
> clutch or shift into third before I shift the car into first or
> reverse to align the gears.
>
> Well, when trying to back out of my parking spot this morning, I
> tried
> everything that they said. I double clutched, and I also shifted the
> car into third 2 times before reverse finally engaged.
>
> I have owned 4 other standards and have never had a single occurance
> in which I couldn't get the car into first or reverse on the first
> try...
>
> I'm just wondering if this is common, or if I'm just being fed excuse
> after excuse because I'm a girl...
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!
>

Can't say if what you experience is worse than other complaints - but
yeah, many people have issues - usually with first gear being the most
common complaint. Some folks say higher quality/synthetic/special oils
reduce the problem when substituted for the standard gear oil in the tranny.
You might 'pretend' to shop for another car and try out transmissions in
other soobs to help decide if 'they all do that' or if yours is very
severe and needs further repair work.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

On 24 May 2007 15:17:28 -0700, jenn.sugaree@gmail.com wrote:


>Okay - I guess I'm glad to hear that it's not just me, but I'm a bit
>sad to discover that I'm going to have to cycle through gears or
>double clutch this often Not that I want to go back to an
>automatic any time soon, but I was secretly hoping that this was an
>isolated problem so that I could fight for a repair to the
>transmission...

Park it in gear (1 or R) so at least it's already in gear when cold.

On 24 May 2007 14:44:02 -0700, jenn.sugaree@gmail.com wrote:


>
>Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I noticed today that I had to spin my transmission input to get it
into first. Pop clutch in neutral with motor running, then
immediately shift into first. Drops right in.

On Thu, 24 May 2007 14:44:02 -0700, jenn.sugaree wrote:

> I just recently bought a 2004 Subaru Outback and have had some
> problems shifting the car into first and reverse. This only occurs
> from a stand-still, and it happens about 10% of the time.
>
> I took the car in and they told me that I wasn't pressing down hard
> enough on the clutch. I explained that when I can't get the car into
> first or reverse, I actually have to let up off the clutch slightly
> before I can get the car into gear. After keeping the car all day,
> they found that the first gear synchro was worn and the shift shaft
> seal was leaking (which they replaced).
>
> I am still having some problems getting into first sometimes,
> although
> not as often as before. But reverse continues to be a headache.
>
> The service crew is now telling me that this is because my car is an
> All Wheel Drive vehicle and the gear teeth are bigger so sometimes
> they don't come together easily. They told me that I have to double
> clutch or shift into third before I shift the car into first or
> reverse to align the gears.
>
> Well, when trying to back out of my parking spot this morning, I
> tried
> everything that they said. I double clutched, and I also shifted the
> car into third 2 times before reverse finally engaged.
>
> I have owned 4 other standards and have never had a single occurance
> in which I couldn't get the car into first or reverse on the first
> try...
>
> I'm just wondering if this is common, or if I'm just being fed excuse
> after excuse because I'm a girl...
>
> Any help would be greatly appreciated!

My 1999 Outback has had a similar problem getting into reverse since I've
bought it new. I eventually learned to live with it. Usually just
letting the clutch out with the transmission in neutral then engaging
reverse works for me.

On Fri, 25 May 2007 19:24:18 -0500, Mike Rezsutek
<mrezsutek@gt.rr.com> wrote:

>
>My 1999 Outback has had a similar problem getting into reverse since I've
>bought it new. I eventually learned to live with it. Usually just
>letting the clutch out with the transmission in neutral then engaging
>reverse works for me.


The classic double clutch,

Do it, and move on...

My experience with four Subarus - all with manual shift - is that the clutch
wears out fairly early but it shifts just like any other stickshift. It's
not the smoothest shifter I've ever driven but it definitely doesn't require
any special handling. I think your mechanic has no clue and is just assuming
that girls don't know how to drive a stickshift. Did you go to a Subaru
dealer? Someone who doesn't know Subarus is probably more likely to
attribute the problem to some mysterious properties of AWD rather than admit
that they don't know how to fix it. If you have to let up on the clutch to
get it into gear, then something is obviously out of adjustment.

On Fri, 25 May 2007 20:22:48 -0400, "Bonehenge (B A R R Y)"
<DwightSchrute@DunderMifflin.com> wrote:

>On Fri, 25 May 2007 19:24:18 -0500, Mike Rezsutek
><mrezsutek@gt.rr.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>My 1999 Outback has had a similar problem getting into reverse since I've
>>bought it new. I eventually learned to live with it. Usually just
>>letting the clutch out with the transmission in neutral then engaging
>>reverse works for me.
>
>
>The classic double clutch,
>
>Do it, and move on...

My '96 Tacoma (2.4) 5 speed does the same thing. I think it's normal.