Subaru B9 Tribeca Transmisson Problems

mikejl

I took a trip over the weekend and had a disturbing experience. I was traveling in the farthest left of four lanes going through Baltimore when my Tribeca started slowing down. I pressed on the gas pedal and got nothing in response. I pressed harder and got nothing. Totally non-responsive. The car continued to slow so I made my way through the three lanes to my right and stopped on the berm.

The engine did not stall. When traffic cleared, I hit the gas and tried to continue the journey. The car revved up and started moving, but it wouldn't shift out of first (or maybe second) gear. I quickly backed off and stopped again.

I had the car in 'Sport' mode, like I usually do. The second time I stopped, I put the car in Park. Again the traffic cleared and I again tried to resume my trip. This time, the car accelerated normally (not in Sport mode) and I have had no further problems in the 500 miles since. Some of that distance was in Sport mode, so I'm not sure that was any part of the problem.

Have any of you had anything similar happen? I want to get this to a dealer to be checked, but I can't do it immediately. In the meantime, I am on alert.

tupin

wow...scarry story. So it sounds like prolonged sport mode use triggered some problems. I wonder if you had popped it right back to normal mode if this would have eliminated the problem? Either that or something wrong with the accelerator cable?? So the engine wouldn't even rev up?!?! Musta been a helpless feeling!

Sounds like one of those hard to figure out problems as you can be sure you won't be able to replicate the problem for the dealer.

Keep us up to date.

subearu

No flashing AT light or anything? There is not a "cable", it's a drive by wire system.

-Brian

aka1

My worst fear is that the transmission is not suitably designed to handle the weight of the B9 and may overheat and fail prematurely and abruptly...

tupin

Given that the transmission is designed to carry 2000lbs in towing weight without a separate cooler (3500 with a cooler) then I think it should be ok. If you have concerns, simply install the transmission cooler that comes with the tow package.

The fact that this person who had trouble couldn't even get the engine to rev up makes me wonder if it is a transmission issue. Sounds like the transmission was willing but not the engine....really kinda strange but to start saying the transmission is not suitably designed is a little premature.

mikejl

Electronic accelerator, electronic transmission, etc. My guess is it was an electronic glitch of some sort and I don't know of any way to replicate it. I hope a code shows up when they run diagnostics that will point to a problem, but that's pretty iffy, too.

I suspect there is nothing that can be done to fix it unless some additional diagnostic information shows up, but I am nearly at 36,000 miles, so I need to get this registered as a problem before I am out of warranty.

I posted here to benefit from any previous experience anyone may have had, but this sounds like a unique problem, at least so far.

I will post an update after it's been looked at.

aka1

I've had a transmission fail on me before on my Acura and it was rated for 2000lb's of towing (not that I ever did)- and its not the best thing to fail, considering warranty is usually up by then as well... So, needless to say, my worst fear is STILL that the transmission wasn't designed suitably to handle the weight of my B9.

My transmission does shift abruptly when cold and has an occasional "hiccup" around 25mph when decelerating. My opinion is also that the best transmissions are those from GM.

mikejl

I did have the car looked at. Whatever the problem was, it left no tracks and it hasn't recurred. If it happens again, I'll post an update.

dbarlow

In mild or warm weather I get a loud hum from what sounds like the front left at exactly 29mph. Anybody else have the problem...and more importantly found a dealer that can find it and fix it?

ateixeira

Give us more details... this is a Tribeca, right? What year?

Does it happen while coasting, or only when you're on the gas?

I would lube the sway bars first, because that's so easy. My guess is it would be wheel bearings or something in the suspension that is just resonating at a frequency that causes that noise.

-juice

dbarlow

I agree it sounds most likely like a bearing. Here are the particulars:

2006 B9 Tribeca 7 psgr. Outside temp needs to be between 45 and 75. If is colder or warmer it goes away or is very faint. Sometimes you can hear it at other speeds but it is at it's loudest at exactly 29mph. VERY loud sometimes. Sometimes it goes away when I drive it for a while and it warms up. But then it could come back at any time. Of course when I take it to the dealer they never hear anything...except one time when I insisted on taking one of them for a drive. They put it up on the rack and ran the wheels while listening with a scope...but heard nothing. Which tells me it needs a load on the tires. The noise happens both when coasting and when hitting the gas. Nothing to do with the brakes either as I have heard it when hitting the brakes and when not. Dry roads or wet so it isn't the tires.

ateixeira

It's gotta be the bearings, then. What else changes under load like that?

The noise should get progressively worse, but see if they'll replace them pre-emptively.

-juice

paisan

If it's not the bearings, it could be a loose bearing nut. I had this issue on the race car. We thought the bearing was bad so we stopped running it (it was the end of the 2nd day of a 2-day event) Didn't get around to pulling the hubs until a few weeks ago and found out that one of the nuts needed a 1/2 a turn and the noise went away.

-mike

aka1

When I first read the post- I too suspected the bearing and thought it was an unusually defective one. However, a friend in a 2006 330xi had identical symptoms- the dealership replaced the tire and the noise was quelled.

Please have tires rotated- the noise should then dissipate. Dealership will point you to a Goodyear dealer to have it replaced.

1bcpastor

We've had similar problems. First occurred Dec 'O6. Total loss of power when I tried to accelerate to pass another vehicle. B9 was bought new and only 8 months old. Called dealer & told me to bring it in. We were out of state for Christmas. Took B9 in the next week. They checked it out, it ran perfect for them and computer showed no codes/errors. I've had a few instances of minor similarities, but not to the extent as the Dec. incident. That is until yesterday (3/12/07). Driving on interstate and went to pass and B9 lost all power. Would not accelerate, tach jumped up to 5000, stuck, and then fell to 2800. (B9 has 18000 miles now). Called dealer and told them I was on my way in and asked to have someone ready to drive my car when I get there. I was able to "milk" the accelerator to get up to speed and "limp" in to the dealer. The manager drove it and it had no power for him either (much to his surprise & mine). From a stop, it would shift out of 1st gear fine, but 2nd gear just fell flat to nothing. At cruising speed, any acceleration to pass would be total loss of power. I have a loaner now while they check mine out. They called today and said the computer shows no errors/codes and everything is fine. But their manager drove the car and experienced for himself exactly what was going on. Of course it will not do it again for the service techs. The service dept. also informed me that there was an update issued for the TPS (Throttle Position Sensor) for the B9 (that was not listed in Dec '06) and that update was applied to my car today. He said there is also an update to eliminate the hard cold shift trouble as well. I asked the when & why for the TPS update. He could not answer but said he would research it. A couple hours later he called back and said he could get papers from the Pentagon easier than trying to figure the when & why for this update. He said he feels confident this should solve our problem (though their computer says my B9 has no problem). I'm leaning toward computer/electrical trouble or transmission personally. I called SOA customer service to inquire. They said "no updates have been issued for the B9." But they would contact the dealer to see which updates were applied and call me back tomorrow. While waiting, I thought I would do my own research to see if my problem has happened to others. We have been very pleased with the B9 except for this power issue. Now it's twice in less than 3 months (less than a year overall). I thought I would see if yours has recurred or others experience anything similar. This may be a one (or 2) in a thousand incident. I will post a response when I hear from SOA. Hope someone can figure this out. Thanks for your post.

ateixeira

My eyes hurt, can use some paragraphs to make your posts easier to read, please?

Good luck and hope they resolve this quickly.

-juice

1bcpastor

Just a brief update on our situation. The B9 spent all last week in the shop. They were unable to duplicate the problem. The computer shows no codes/errors. And the problem is still unfounded.

Two updates were applied to the ECU, which the dealer and SOA say might help the problem or might not. Since the problem is not showing on the computer, there is no way to know for certain if this is the solution. Their suggestion is to drive the vehicle again and see if the problem is in fact solved by these updates.

I have the car now and will drive it for a couple days to see if there is any difference. Overall the car is great & my wife loves it. I feel the problem is still computer related and no way discourages us from future Subaru vehicles. I think we just have one that "stumps" them all.

We would highly recommend the vehicle to anyone. Safety features, handling, and overall appearance of the B9 are great! Subaru (dealer & SOA) is working with us very well to correct the problem.

wishman68

Hi All,
We had a similiar issue with our new Tribeca 07. Picked it up 2 weekend ago and noticed a slight shimmy in the front. Finally took it to the dealer today to have a remote start put in and ask them to check the shimmy. Just got the call, the belt on the tire has shifted and Tire Rack will handle the warranty. It's a bit disconcerting since it's a new car. Got the car with 12 miles. So far the wife loves it and that's what matters.

ixxi

I've had these same power/shifting issues and have been waiting for some new codes to comes out... sounds like they might have. I'm due to bring my Beca in for service in another month or so; wondering if you could share the technical terms/numbers for the codes so I can ask about them intelligently at the dealer? Plus, have you noticed any smoother performance with them?

1bcpastor

We finally made some progress. Turns out the tranny is fine. It was determined by the dealer that the engine was misfiring on all cylinders due to a fuel problem. The fuel filter, tank and sending unit were clogged up. The tank was removed and cleaned, new pump, filter, and sending unit. All seems to be running great again. Oh yeah, this is NOT covered under warranty--even though it is 1 year old and 20,000 miles.

xwesx

If it was caused by the fuel itself, then I would agree it should not be covered under warranty. If you can determine where the fuel was purchased (and have proof of that), it might be worth seeking resolution through that party. Your vehicle surely was not the only one affected if that were the case.

desertrat3

My 06 Tribeca has 8,700 miles. Bought in Sept. of 05, we began complaining to the selling dealership about what we described as a hesitation when turning corners, merging onto freeways. Dealership took a look and told us they could not find any problem.

After numerous complaints to same dealership, the service manager admitted Subaru knew they had a problem with this car but could not come up with a fix. The computer has been "flashed" but to no avail. I consider this a safety issue and have informed Subaru that I will file a complaint with NTSB.

I am not in negotiations with Subaru to replace this car with a 2008 but their offer is several thousands of dollars off anytime I can afford.

Has anyone else out there come across the same problem? Has anyone else out there dealt with Subaru yet?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

desertrat3

I am sorry. I did not proof read my last message. I am in negoations with Subaru for replacement.

ateixeira

Hang in there, be patient and polite. I used to work for a Help Desk and trust me, the nice ones got the best service. Trust me.

Any how, good luck and let them know the Edmunds.com community is eagerly awaiting to hear about a resolution, that should help.

Be nice! :shades:

mikejl

It has been a while, but I just had another episode, similar to the first. Highway driving, 70-75 mph, the car suddenly started slowing down and did not respond to any attempt to accelerate.

I again worked my way off the road and put the transmission in Park. I then put it back in gear and drove off with no problem.

This time, I was more observant and I have a feeling both episodes were caused by a nearly-empty gas tank.

On this new occurrence, my low gas indicator was definitely on. I am pretty sure the indicator was on when it happened before, too. I did not run out of gas either time - I have never put more than 14 gallons in, ever - but I just have this feeling that the computer chip in the car may have gotten some signal that we had, indeed, done just that.

That would explain why there was no response from the accelerator. Stopping the car from highway speed may have moved the gas around in the tank enough to reset any switch or indicator that had signaled an empty tank.

This is just a theory, but I think I'm going to try to stop for gas sooner when I'm on a trip from now on, just in case.

BTW - I have 61,500 miles on my Tribeca now and I still love the car.

ateixeira

That's a lot of miles!

Maybe there isn't much of a baffle in the fuel tank so the gas sloshes around, starving the fuel pump temporarily.

I'd fill up sooner, too, because you can overheat the fuel pump if it runs dry for too long.

mikejl

I don't think there is much chance of the fuel pump running dry with 2.5 gallons (or more) in the tank, although that is something to think about. I think the problem may be with the sending unit or some other sensor that 'reads' the fuel level. I believe it cuts off the fuel pump prematurely based on an incorrect reading.

If this is what is happening, then keeping more fuel in the tank should prevent any further occurrences. Time will tell.

ateixeira

Maybe they turn off the fuel pump if they "sense" the tank is empty, and that sensor is failing?

Just speculating as to the cause.

mikejl

This will probably be a tough problem to truly diagnose. All I have is speculation, too, and I could be totally off base.

I think I would have had this problem more often, or at least sooner after the first time, if it was a failing sensor. (I'm speculating again.) I'm thinking it is a sensor that is poorly positioned, due either to poor design or an assembly error on my particular vehicle. Probably the latter.

There is no way to verify that, short of a more drastic repair action than I want have done at this point. If it happens again, and I have been successful in keeping more gas in the tank, I might have to have it thoroughly checked out.

ateixeira

I agree, the problem is your dealer, not the manufacturer.

Plus, cross-posting is against the Town Hall rules.

ateixeira

Here you go, a story to counter your experience.

This guy's dealership actually bought back a brand new Subaru when the owner found his bad back just didn't agree with his Subaru's seats.

Incredible! Now that's service. Find a dealer like this one:

danellh, "Forester Interior & Passenger Comfort Questions" #63, 30 Sep 2007 10:15 am

bgriffiths

I bought a 06 Tribeca in April & suffer the same prob at 48kmh (29mph)
Still trying to sort out since April. They are offering new tyres & rims & then test drive to see if humming goes away...
Still waiting !!!!!!

flgirlaol

RE: the owner that got his money back because of those seats...

My Tribeca seats are just not supporting my lower back like our other car does. There is no electronic adjustment to give lower lumbar support and on long trips I have to wedge a pillow back there. BAD DESIGN!!!!

However, I'd never return the car, but I'd like to find a nice leather wedge to match my light interior to give me that support instead of a bulky pillow on road trips.

flgirlaol

I'm still having Transmission problems.

It happens sporadically that I don't think the dealer will be able to find this problem! It happens every 2 to 3 days. Always in the mornings on the way out. I live in warm climate in FL so the engine isn't too "cold" but when I pull out into an intersection out of my development in the mornings......it's like I can't get into 1st gear...even though I'm in Drive it's in neutral and the engine roars but the car doesn't go anywhere. It's very dangerous because I'm getting ready to pull out in traffic and I nearly miss my moment to turn left. Sometimes it happens on my first left into a major intersection, other times it's my section left into an intersection. It's dangerous and embarrassing. BTW, I have a 2007 Tribeca

Do you think Suburu and fix this? What is this?

reginareb

I have an early 2006 Tribeca that takes awhile to shift, especially when passing. In fact, the rpm's shoot way up before there is any acceleration. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

jerseygirl9

I'm having transmission issues too. Two separate occasions, leaks found in the transmission. What would make 2 hoses split? After the first leak was fixed, about a month later, I had another. It was the hose right next to the original leak? The engine "revs" without pressing the gas pedal, and sporadically when pressing the gas, it takes a few seconds for the car to accelerate. How was your issue resolved?

ilushka03

Hello evreyone,

Has anybody had issues with the transmission when the car is cold, and when it is shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear?

My 2006 Tribeca, w/30k miles, seems to shift hard when cold. Even if I warm up the car for 5min. it will still do that. (usually in the mornings)

However, I try to drive smooth and sometimes I even shift it manually from 2nd to 3rd, and by doing that I know when it is going to shift, so I let go of the gas a little to have it shift smoothly.

I have told the dealership couple times, and last time they said they reprogrammed the computer. However, I can' tell if it's a lot better or not. It seems to be a little better.

I am worried a little that the transmission might fail after the warranty expires and that it is a little weak for tribeca's size...

Anybody having or noticing same issue with shifting when cold?

Thanks,

adkcar

Greetings. I have an '06 B9 with 33,000 miles on it.

Since Feb '08, the car has suddenly made a humming noise when I was driving about 50-55 mph. But, this has only happened six times.

Eased off the gas and nothing happened. Gave it a bit of gas and there was a bit of vibration felt. Took it to dealer who noted all wheel bearings were fine, but had no solution for it.

This has happened with winter and then my summer tires on.

Anything ??

drpeace

Hi fellow Tribeca Owners!
I wonder if anyone have experienced this transmission problem (have not seen it described on this thread)

When the car shifts from 2nd to 3rd gear (automatic) there often are vibrations/abnormal sound in the car and a slight hesitation lasting 0.5 to 1 sec longer than usual. It feels/sounds like the gearbox is "skidding" before finally going into gear. It is definitely not normal and started to appear a few months ago on my 06' Tribeca with just about 20,000 miles on it.
- It is always when going from 2nd into 3rd
- It rarely happens when performing a slow gentle acceleration
- It almost always happen when performing a normal to fast acceleration

I am worried of the transmission is going to break down, I have no warranties on the car since I have exported it from U.S. to Sweden (where I now live)

Any fellow owners there with a similar problem and their action taken? :confuse:

Cheers (a Swede with a B9 Tribeca)

sept2martin

Have a new Tribeca with about 4000 miles. have noted (since new) that the transmission seems to "buck" in 5th gear on a slight incline (under slight load) at about 2000 rpm. Have had it in three times for this problem and dealer has tried to reprogram the transmission each time with no improvement.
Initially I thought the car was "missing" under load as you can get with a fouled plug or faulty plugwire...the sensation is very similar.
Has anyone experienced this or heard of this problem?
Otherwise I love the car.!!

kathy30

I have the same problem. I have had it in the shop numerous times & the dealer tells me they can't duplicate the problem & therefore can't help me. I have been told by other people that it's probably an electrical problem. Moat likely with the computer. They did reset the computer for me once & it seemed a little better for a little while. Have you gotten any answers?

sept2martin

Further to my last post regarding my 2008 Tribeca with a transmission torque converter lock-up problem that behaves exactly like a "missfire".......
I now have 13000 km on the car and still have the same problem....might even be a bit worse! When in 5th gear, either in Sport mode or Drive, and doing about 2000-2200 rpm, and under load as in climbing a slight grade or gentle acceleration to pass another vehicle, the car behaves exactly like a "missfire". Some times it will do it once or twice and sometimes many more times in rapid succession.
I have had it to the dealer about five times for this problem, and each time they tell me it is the computer and the torque converter not locking up, or locking up intermittently. They advise there is no cure for the problem and they all do it.
The district technical representative had a look at it and said the same thing. Said I had a very " light foot " on the accelerator. Said his Legacy did the same. No cure for the problem, but if Subaru came up with a cure they would let me know!! How nice of them!!
Having owned many different AWD vehicles and having heard so many good things about Subaru, we decided on this Tribeca. This is my first and last Subaru!
If this problem is so common, :mad: I do not know how so many people out driving Subarus can put up with this problem??!! :mad: :lemon:

xwesx

No, not common, not normal. What they are really saying is that the computer is not telling them anything and therefore they do not know where to start. Have you ridden with any of them to demonstrate the issue? Five times.... sounds like it is time for you to research the Lemon Law(s) in your state.

1bcpastor

We have an '06 Tribeca. Had the same problem about 14 months ago. I was frustrated that they could not duplicate the problem; though it happened to me 6 times.
It finally "misfired" again and I drove straight to the dealer and had them put in on the computer and take it for a drive (I drove & the mechanic rode holding the computer). It showed a misfire on all cylinders.
When I shut the car off and restarted it to drive, the computer said no problems. In the past, after shutting it off, it would run fine for a day or a couple weeks and then "misfire" again.
The problem wound up being trash in the fuel tank and the fuel pump was stopping up. It did seem to get worse when the tank was less than 1/4. When the car is shut off, the pump shuts off, the blockage falls down into the tank and "goes away" for another day.
Oh yeah, the fuel pump, removing the fuel tank to drain/clean, and replacing the fuel filter is NOT covered by the warranty!! Try keeping more than 1/4 tank of fuel and see if that makes a difference.
Hope that helps. There was a computer upgrade that was supposed to adjust the cold idle. That helped the cold idle, but not the misfire feeling. Good luck.
We have not had any further problems since the cleaning. We love the Tribeca and would recommend the Subaru to anyone! We have been pleased with it and the kids love it (even though we didn't get the DVD/Nav system).

garyphilip

I just purchased a new 2008 Tribeca. My driveway has a slight incline. When I shift from Park to Reverse, I hear a clanking noise. When I am on a level surface the shifting is fine and there is no noise. When I discussed with the dealer's technicians, I was told this is normal, and to alleviate the noise to put on the emergency brake. I told the technician that the incline was very small and that I was really concerned. Especially when I have owned and rented many cars over a 20 year span. He again stated that this is normal for AWD Subaru's. Therefore I am inquiring if this is indeed "normal".

ateixeira

I would hold the brake with your foot until the parking brake is set. That way the brake is holding the weight of the car, and not the transmission. This is a general recommendation I've heard, not Subaru-specific. Out of habit I do this will all my cars.

xwesx

This is normal, especially on a more pronounced incline, but you might consider trying the same scenario in a different Tribeca (test drive?) to see what happens. If it is the same in the same car, I would say it is normal. It should not harm anything, but peace of mind counts for a lot.

sept2martin

My problem has not showed up on any computer checks. It has been isolated to the torque converter. Subaru called me a week or so ago and advised me that they were changing the torque converter for me as they have had a few of these problems.
Let us hope this clears it.
thanks for your response.

ilushka03

I have the same problem with shifting between 2nd and 3rd. When engine is warm, and driving it slowly/smooth acceleration it sounds like it takes longer to switch to 3rd and unusual quiet skipping sound... however, when driving in the morning or when engine is cold, it does a hard shift with a loud noise (kind of like the rpm were not right during the switch) and it sounds like it is not good for the transmission. I had it inspected by the dealer several times and last time they adjusted the computer, which didn't help at all... I am getting ready to call them again and have them look at it(maybe take i for a drive with a mechanic)
If anyone had similar issues, please reply with results...

Thanks,

Eli

jimsimp3

I have a 2008 tribeca with about 3700 miles and it also suffers from a rough upshift, (2nd-3rd) at around 2500 rpm. I first thought it was contributed to a after-market trans cooler (the dealer said have it removed because it is not needed). Now that I see others are having the same or similar issues perhaps it is a design flaw.
I am going to have the cooler removed but doubt if that solves the issue. I will keep you posted.

ccolt1

Please update us on the problem once you have it worked on.I have a 2008 Tribeca with about 2400 miles and just started to notice every once and awhile it feels different between 2nd and 3rd.It feels like it is shifting hard into 3rd.Thanks