Weird transmission issue after driving in snow.

[jseabolt]

I posted this on another forum awhile back. I thought I'd cross post it here.

2003 Subaru Baja, 5 speed ~ 70K miles.

So we get out first major (6") snowstorm in three years. Even though I have already driven 15 miles in the snow (but using the shifter), I am driving at around 30 to 40 mph in 3rd gear for about 5 miles or so. Not really going above 3000 rpms. Not anymore than I would be going at 70 mph in 5th gear.

So I come to a red light and try to gear down into 2nd. The shifter doesn't want to go into 2nd gear!! WTF!! Nor does it act like it want to go into 4th either.

So I drop off my passenger at a grocery store. While idling, I try put the car in 2nd gear and let out on the clutch and it just revs up. It feels like the shifter is in a bind.

So after a few minutes of idling, I try to put the car into reverse. Now it seems to be OK and will go into 2nd and 4th without any binding.

What would cause this? I have driven this car in snow several times and never seen this happen. Is it even snow related? I thought I burned my transmission up somehow.

The only thing I can think of is snow had somehow got packed around the linkage preventing the shifter from going into the even gears. Is this even possible? This was the real slushy snow by the way. 32 to 33F.

Since this has happened I have put maybe 600 miles on the car and it goes into the even gears just fine.

[tomato_88]

WoW. Scarry. If it does not continue to do it, I would not worry about it. But definitely check your fluid. If something is loose in the linkage than it could happen again eventually.

[Ahzlon]

WOW.. I have never had this issue and I have driven through deep snow too. A few things could make this happen. I"M thinking on first out. Your engine/tranny bushings my be going. If a bushing goes bad and the engine leans left or right it can cause the linkage to not align properly.

[AintGotNoSol]

I agree with your "snow packed in the linkage" theory. Especially since all the gears it WOULDN'T go into were in the same direction, referring to the linkage. What I mean is, it sounds like you're implying it went into 1,3,5th gears with no issue, but not 2,4, or Reverse. in 1/3/5, you push the shifter forward, which pulls the linkage back (since the shifter is a lever, with your hand at one end, the joint in the middle, and the linkage at the other end) and in 2/4/R, you pull it back, which pushes the linkage forward. Seems possible that a bunch of snow may have gotten packed up in the linkage somewhere, not allowing it to move forward for those gears. Especially since you mentioned you drove for some considerable time without shifting.

The last time I drove mine in the snow, I had a little but of accumulation on the front of the car, and in the wheel wells, but the next afternoon, i was AMAZED by how much snow had melted and fallen out from underneath the car.

Have you had the issue happen since?

[jseabolt]

I agree with your "snow packed in the linkage" theory. Especially since all the gears it WOULDN'T go into were in the same direction, referring to the linkage. What I mean is, it sounds like you're implying it went into 1,3,5th gears with no issue, but not 2,4, or Reverse. in 1/3/5, you push the shifter forward, which pulls the linkage back (since the shifter is a lever, with your hand at one end, the joint in the middle, and the linkage at the other end) and in 2/4/R, you pull it back, which pushes the linkage forward. Seems possible that a bunch of snow may have gotten packed up in the linkage somewhere, not allowing it to move forward for those gears. Especially since you mentioned you drove for some considerable time without shifting.

The last time I drove mine in the snow, I had a little but of accumulation on the front of the car, and in the wheel wells, but the next afternoon, i was AMAZED by how much snow had melted and fallen out from underneath the car.

Have you had the issue happen since?

Sorry for the late reply.

We usually get one major snowstorm per year which is about 6". After that snowstorm we never got another one.

But once I was able to shift into the even gears, I never had anymore problems. I've put a maybe 1000 miles on the car since this happened.

The reason we don't get much snow here is it has to be in the mid 30s. So our snow is always slushy and will build up in the wheelwells almost flush with the tires.

I guess it's the jet stream effect. If the temperature is below 32F, we almost never get any snow. That's why I never could understand why up north it can be well below freezing and still snow!