Recall - A/T Shift Lever Replacement
NUMBER: WXH-65DATE: 4/27/98
APPLICABILITY:
1997 & 1998 Legacy Models (As noted below)
SUBJECT:
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER
Subaru of America, Inc. has determined that some 1997 & 1998 Legacy vehicles manufactured from May 9, 1997 through August 28, 1997 may have a defective Automatic Shift Lever Assembly. Due to a supplier manufacturing error, insufficient welding within the shift lever assembly can cause several different types of failures including stuck ignition keys, broken shift levers/linkages and improper movement of shift levers.
Subaru of America, Inc. will notify all owners of the affected vehicles by first class mail and instruct them to contact their nearest servicing dealer for repairs.
VEHICLES INVOLVED
The affected vehicles are 1997 & 1998 Model Year Legacy Sedans and Wagons, and 1997 & 1998 Legacy Outback Wagons.
Vehicles with potentially defective switches are identified in Chart 1.
^ These vehicles have production dates of May 9, 1997 through August 28,1997. ALL VEHICLES SHOULD BE CONFIRMED AS APPLICABLE USING THE VEHICLE COVERAGE INQUIRY IN THE DEALER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM (DCS).
OWNER NOTIFICATION
SOA will prepare and mail an Owner Notification Letter to the owners of the potentially affected vehicles. The owner notification is scheduled for May 25, 1998.
DEALER PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITY
Dealers are requested to promptly repair all affected vehicles in their inventory (new, used, demo) in accordance with the instructions in the Service Procedure Section of this bulletin. Vehicles taken into dealer inventory in the future should be corrected by following these service procedures. Dealers should contact owners of vehicles sold since the date of the computer address listing and provide them a copy of the owner notification letter and arrange to make the required repairs according to the service instructions enclosed. A copy of these supplemental owner notifications should be forwarded to SOA Government Affairs Department for our records.
PARTS INFORMATION
Replacement Shift Lever Assemblies will be allocated to each dealer. Initial supply of parts will be approximately 50% of vehicles on the affected VIN list. Additional quantities may be ordered from your facing warehouse. Please note that orders will be reviewed to insure quantities ordered are reasonable.
If it is necessary to keep the customer vehicle overnight, the cost for a rental vehicle will be covered for this repair by entering applicable rental charges (maximum $25.00/day) in the rental field during the claim submission. Replaced Shift Lever Assemblies should be tagged and maintained for inspection by your DTM.
Parts Pricing
SERVICE PROCEDURE
A/T SHIFT LEVER ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES
Note:
The following procedures were developed with the vehicle's battery connected. This is to allow operation of the shift lock system for easier serviceability.
Removal:
1. Place the shift lever in the neutral position. If the shift lever is damaged and will not go into the neutral position, place the lever closest to the neutral position as possible.
2. Lower the center exhaust system heat shield from the body of the vehicle to access the shift cable. Refer to figure 1.
Note:
Be careful not to damage the rear 02 sensor wire harness.
3. Remove the shift cable from the shifter assembly. Refer to figure 2.
Note:
Do not place shift lever in the park position for the continuation of this repair. The shift lever will not release from the park position with the shift cable disconnected. If the lever engages into this position, depress the shift lock override with a screwdriver to release it. Refer to figure 3.
4. Remove the shift lever console plate, hand brake cover and the center console. Refer to figure 4.
5. Using a razor knife, slice the floor insulation on the LEFT FRONT SIDE of the shift lever assembly to access the mounting screws. Refer to figure 5.
Caution:
To prevent damage to the shift lever wire harness, the floor insulation must be cut in this spot only.
6. Disconnect the shift lever wire connectors. Refer to figure 6.
7. Remove the 6-shift lever mounting screws and remove the lever assembly. Refer to figure 7.
Note:
Remove the lever assembly with the shift lever in the neutral position.
8. Transferring the shift handle to the new shift lever assembly:
a. Remove the two shift handle mounting screws. Refer to figure 8.
b. Depress the shift handle button and remove the handle from the shift lever assembly. Refer to figure 9.
Note:
Keep hold of the shift handle button or it will pop out from the handle.
c. Apply Nigtight LYW # 2 grease or equivalent to the new shift lever rod. Refer to figure 10.
d. Apply Nigtight LYW # 2 grease or equivalent to the shift handle button, if necessary.
e. Reinstall the shift handle button into the handle. Refer to figure 11.
f. Depress the shift handle button and install the handle on the new shift lever assembly. Refer to figure 12.
Note:
Pay close attention to the proper orientation of the shift handle assembly.
g. Depress the shift handle button and confirm proper operation of the shift lever assembly.
Note:
Do not allow the shift lever to engage into the park position. If the lever engages into this position, depress the shift lock override with a screwdriver to release it.
h. Position the shift lever into the neutral position for reassembly.
Installation:
1. Reinstall in reverse order of removal.
2. Torque specifications:
a. Shift lever mounting screws:
(5.9 +/- 1.5 N.m (0.6 +/- 0.15 kg-m, 4.3 +/- 1.1 ft-lb)
b. Shift cable bracket to shift lever mounting nuts:
(18 +/- 5 N.m (1.8 +/- 0.5 kg-m, 13.0 +/- 3.6 ft-lb)
c. Shift cable adjusting nuts:
(7.4 +/- 2.0 N.m (0.75 +/- 0.2 kg-m, 5.4 +/- 1.4 ft-lb)
3. Adjustment of the shift lever cable:
a. With the transmission, shift cable and shift lever in the neutral position, adjust the inner shift cable nut against the lever to obtain zero clearance. Install the rear nut on the cable and tighten to specification. Refer to figure 13.
Note:
The shift lever assembly needs to be synchronized with the transmission linkage.
4. Confirm the proper operation of the shift lever assembly.
a. The engine starts when the shift lever is in the park and neutral positions, but not in any other positions.
5. Warning:
The following steps are to be performed with the engine off and the ignition switch on.
a. Check that the shift lever does not move from the "N" to "R" position without depressing shift lever button. Refer to figure 14.
b. Check that the shift lever does not move from the "R" to "P" position without depressing shift lever button. Refer to figure 14.
c. Check that the shift lever does not move from the "P" to "R" position without depressing shift lever button. Refer to figure 14.
d. Check that the shift lever does not move from the "3" to "2" position without depressing shift lever button. Refer to figure 14.
e. Check that the back up lights are illuminated when the shift lever is the "R" position and not illuminated in any other position.
6. Confirm the proper operation of the shift lock system.
a. Check that the ignition switch rotates from the "ACC" to the "LOCK" position when the shift lever is in park.
b. Check that the ignition key can be removed ONLY from the "LOCK" position.
c. Check that the shift lever moves from the "P" position to all other positions when the brake pedal is depressed and the ignition key is set to the "ON" or "START" position.
Note:
If the above procedures can not be performed properly as stated, the shift cable needs to be readjusted.
CLAIMS REIMBURSEMENT AND ENTRY PROCEDURES
Credit to perform this recall will be based on the submission of properly completed repair order information. Dealers may enter the applicable claim information through their Dealer Communications System (DCS).
All properly submitted claims will receive an automatic credit of 0.6 labor hours for replacement of the Automatic Shift Lever Assembly.
Parts will be reimbursed at suggested list price.
Listed is claim entry information.
SERVICE PROGRAM IDENTIFICATION LABEL
Each vehicle corrected in accordance with the instructions outlined in this bulletin will require a "Recall Campaign" completion label. Each label provides a space to include the dealer code performing the service program. The information may be inserted with a typewriter or permanent ink pen and placed on the upper radiator cowl.
A quantity of 25 labels are being provided to each dealer with this bulletin. Additional quantities of these labels are available through your area/distributor service office.