High RPM's on slow acceleration

[gwt79]

Ive got an 06 Legacy GT with an automatic trans. When I start to accelerate the RPM's will go to the 4's and 5's. This does not happen all the time, its completely random and it happens on slower accelerations. Its still under warranty and I have taken it to the dealership three times but they wont fix what they cant duplicate. They did replace all the fluids but that didnt help the problem.

Another issue, that I believe is related, is that when I park on an incline and then go to put it back in drive there is this loud clunk and I feel a very obvious thump as the car gets in gear. BTW...I live in Florida so when I say "incline" I am referring to something very minor. When I mentioned this issue to the dealership they blamed it on soda being spilled on the shifter (there has never been soda spilled in my car) and it possibly effecting the solenoid in the shifter box.

 

Any ideas? I am running out of time on the warranty and I would prefer to get this fixed before it runs out.

 

Thanks

[Dr.Outback]

I assume that when you talk about the rpm's going to 4-5k, you don't feel any acceleration. But do you feel sluggishness or does the car slow down? This could indicate a speed sensor in the transmission is intermittant, but that should trigger a check engine light. Does the transmisson have issues under hard acceleration?

 

The clunk you hear when parked on an incline and shifting from park to drive is probably because you don't engage your parking brake before removing your foot from the service brakes. So the car "leans" on the parking pawl in the transmission and causes an aprupt feel when shifting back into drive. It's a bit hard on the parking pawl when you don't apply the parking brake, so I would just apply the parking brake before removing my foot from the service brakes.

[supafla777]

i agree 100% as far as the clunk part explanation that dr outback gave. i've experienced that with many different cars i owned. any time i parked in an incline, as i put it in drive rest i assured i had that same scary thump. but it was nothing to be freaking out about.

 

good luck with the other issue

[dwolson2]

+1 on the tranny/inclen., I think I know what your talking about, even if your accel slow, it wants to go to 4-5K even though you would rather it shift earlier? That happens to me a lot. I don't think there is anything wrong. on a note with the parking brake, I always set mine, IMHO its easier on the transmission.

[smokedoutv6]

with the surge on slow accel i get the same thing and have since i've owned the car (stock, stg1, stg2). i have a feelign its a speed sensor but i dont have any real evidence thats what it is, just a guess based on a some info i've read on the forums. i notice it the most when making left turns for some reason but if i put it in sport and shift it manually it doesnt happen. who knows, maybe if/when i get my VB upgraded i'll see if they can change the speed sensors while the tranny is opened up.

 

witht he incline i get that too but it also happens on other cars (non subby) i've been in. basically if i park on an incline i use the e-brake before shifting into park. that puts the weight/strain on the brake and not the tranny (or so i've been told). then when you take off basically do everythign in reverse, put it in gear then let off the e-brake. no clunk at all when i do this.

[fishbone]

The 5EAT has adaptive shifting. It will alter the shift points based on throttle input. If you jab the gas pedal at a quick rate when leaving off the line, even if you don't go full throttle, it will delay the upshift thinking you're about to floor it. Rather than jabbing the gas pedal, try to make it a point to always slowly roll/squeeze it and see if it allows the car to uprev. I can get my 5EAT to act this way upon command. All I have to do is blip the gas pedal about 15% and hold it there, and it'll rev up to 5K before upshifting. If I roll the gas pedal to said 15% rate, it won't do it. This is a point of complaint for my wife, she rarely drives my car and sometimes she will accelerate abruptly and will then complain that the car will take off like a bat out of hell

[05GT Guru]

The 5EAT has adaptive shifting. It will alter the shift points based on throttle input. If you jab the gas pedal at a quick rate when leaving off the line, even if you don't go full throttle, it will delay the upshift thinking you're about to floor it. Rather than jabbing the gas pedal, try to make it a point to always slowly roll/squeeze it and see if it allows the car to uprev. I can get my 5EAT to act this way upon command. All I have to do is blip the gas pedal about 15% and hold it there, and it'll rev up to 5K before upshifting. If I roll the gas pedal to said 15% rate, it won't do it. This is a point of complaint for my wife, she rarely drives my car and sometimes she will accelerate abruptly and will then complain that the car will take off like a bat out of hell

 

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS RIGHT HERE CLOSE THREAD.

 

When my friends drive my car they think its the fastest thing ever even when some of them have much faster cars. Because they think wow its acceling this fast and only pushing the gas down less than half way. Put your car in sport mode and it gets even worse, the car just assumes your gonna hammer on it and the converter is ready to lock up.

 

Now i understand it will also do this if you accel slow, if you blip the gas then the converter is locked up and the rpms just keep rising even though your not acceling fast because you have to wait for the converter to unlock before it will shift. Take your foot completely off the gas and give it a sec then put your foot on the gas and it will have upshifted most likely a couple of gears.

[dwolson2]

i thinks maybe my problem is I ALWAYS blip the pedal...lol