Subaru Forester transmission problems

WHEN DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED FOR 10+ MINUTES, THE CAR SPEED BEGINS TO DRAG AND SURGE (SUDDENLY SLOWS, THEN RESUMES SET SPEED). THE CAR SEEMS TO BE ACTIVELY PULLING BACK AGAINST THE THROTTLE IF I PUT MY FOOT ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE PAST THE CRUISE SETTING, THE DRAGGING BACK AGAINST THE THROTTLE STILL OCCURS. IF THE CRUISE IS LEFT ENGAGED, THE LURCHING WORSENS, AND WHEN I EXIT THE FREEWAY THE (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION DOESN'T WANT TO DOWN SHIFT. IT RESISTS UNTIL THERE'S A LOUD NOISE, THE REAR OF THE CAR BUCKS, AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE NEXT LOWEST GEAR. THIS HAPPENS THROUGH EVERY GEAR, AND THEN AGAIN UPSHIFTING FROM A STOP: THE RPMS WIND UP HIGHER THAN NORMAL, THE CAR RESISTS SHIFTING, AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THE PROBLEM REMAINS UNTIL I STOP AND TAKE THE CAR OUT OF DRIVE, WHICH APPARENTLY RESETS IT. THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR IN WEATHER UNDER 70 DEGREES. THE DEALER HAS REPROGRAMMED AN ENGINE CONTROL MODULE PER RECALL #WWF89, AND HAS ALSO REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE IGNITION RELAY, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS DANGEROUS, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT'S WINDING UP TO SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR AT 60 MILES AN HOUR, AND IT VIOLENTLY BUCKS INTO GEAR. ALSO, THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND MORE UNPREDICTABLE. MOST RECENTLY, I WAS TESTING THE CRUISE CONTROL TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR IN RAINY WEATHER. WHEN IT BEGAN SURGING, I IMMEDIATELY DISENGAGED IT, BUT THE DRAG-BACK ON THE THROTTLE CONTINUED ANYWAY (THIS WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT IN WHICH THE LURCHING CONTINUED AFTER I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL). I AM CONCERNED THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO OCCUR WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL BEING ENGAGED AT ALL, AND ALSO THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO SEIZE UP WITHOUT WARNING. (NOTE: THE "INCIDENT DATE" ON THIS FORM IS THE DATE THE FIRST REPAIR WAS ATTEMPTED, BUT THE PROBLEM ACTUALLY STARTED HAPPENING IN APRIL, 2003. THE "NUMBER OF FAILURES" IS AN ESTIMATE -- IT HAPPENS AS OFTEN AS I TEST IT.)*JB

MANUAL TRANSMISSION. CLUTCH SHUDDERS (CHATTERS) IN 1ST AND SOMETIMES 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM OCCURS AFTER CAR HAS NOT BEEN USED FOR A WHILE (SUCH AS OVERNIGHT), AND ESPECIALLY IN THE MORNING. CAR WAS BOUGHT USED WITH 14,000 MILES, AND HAD THIS PROBLEM FROM WHEN IT WAS BOUGHT. DEALER REPLACED CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE REMEDIED THE PROBLEM.*AK

CAR "HESITATES" OCCASIONALLY, 1-2 SECOND DELAY AFTER YOU PRESS THE GAS PEDAL UNTIL THE CAR RESPONDS. ALSO, THE CAR SHIFTS INAPPROPRIATELY. MOSTLY THIS OCCURS ON HILLS. YOU WILL ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE, AND THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS; OR YOU ATTEMPT TO PASS SOMEONE ON HIGHWAY AND CAR WILL HESITATE, THEN BEGIN TO ACCELERATE, THEN WILL SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFT. I HAVE HAD CAR TO DEALER, FIRST I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. THEN, THEY REALIZED THERE WAS A PROBLEM, AND HAD THE COMPUTER RESET. THIS SEEMED TO IMPROVE HANDLING FOR ONLY ABOUT A WEEK. THE CAR IS NOW HESITATING AND DOWNSHIFTING ON A REGULAR BASIS.*AK

CLUTCH CHATTERS BADLY AND CLUTCH DOES NOT ENGAGE UNTIL THE PEDAL IS ALMOST FULLY DEPRESSED WHEN VEHICLE SITS OVERNIGHT. PROBLEM SEEMS MORE PRONOUNCED IN COLDER WEATHER, BUT OCCURS IN ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION TO CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING SITUATION, THE CONDITION MAY CAUSE FIRST AND REVERSE GEARS TO GRIND WHEN SELECTING THESE GEARS FROM A STOP. AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY AND THE CLUTCH OPERATES NORMALLY. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO SUBARU REPAIR SHOPS NUMEROUS TIMES, INCLUDING AT 33,220; 59,451; 74,213; AND 92,380 MILES. THE SUBARU REPAIR SHOPS CAN USUALLY DUPLICATE THE CHATTER, BUT THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE CLUTCH ENGAGING ONLY AFTER BEING ALMOST COMPLETELY DEPRESSED. AT 92,380 MILES THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY 1.5 MILES IN THE MORNING TO THE SUBARU REPAIR SHOP WITH THE POOR CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT STILL OCCURRING, AND THE SUBARU REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY STILL COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE ENTIRE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY WAS REMOVED AND REPAIRED SHORTLY AFTER THE 33,220 MILE SERVICE COMPLAINT AT SUBARUS EXPENSE, BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNED WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SUBARU FORESTERS, AND POSSIBLY OTHER MANUAL TRANSMISSION SUBARUS (FOR PLE, ://FORUMS.VMAG.COM/SUVSUBARU0200/MESSAGES/5197.HTML).*AK