Problem with 2003 Subaru Outback. Help?

I don't know how off-topic you could get in this part of the forum, but any help would be appreciated.

Last night I thought I'd rev it up a little and put it in drive to see what would happen. I heard a pop and now the front wheels won't pull the car. I have to wait for the center differential to engage. I've done some research and found that Subarus don't have chains in their transfer cases.

Can anybody tell me what happened and what could be done?

 

I have a 2003 OB myself. Is the AT OIL TEMP light on? neutral drops are super hard on the OB automatic don't do them :/. You can try installing the FWD fuse which disables AWD and see if the car will move.

 

Have you looked underneath your car yet? Check your drive shaft. If it doesn't look damaged, it's probably your front differential. Gears are probably trashed. But I don't know much about AWD Outbacks, so I could be wrong.

 

My brother did this once around 8 years ago, ruined both the transmission and front diff. I believe the correct term for it is "you done goofed", thats at least what the mechanic said.

 

It could be many things. Unless you're keen on stripping it down I'd just take it to the mechanics and they'll tell you straight away. A quote shouldn't cost anything.

Also, if you want to do fun things like this, please get a manual.

 

Press R.

 

I spent some time thinking about it but havent got to a conclusion. I'd take it apart but I dont have time to be playing around a transmission right now, although as soon as I do I will.

I've actually took it to a shop. The car moves but it can't pass about 38. It just raises RPM like you threw it in neutral, but the speedometer raises speed too.

I have. When it was at the shop I took a brief look. When they had it up the rear wheels were spinning but the front wheels weren't. So the transmission is good, it even shifts well too when I'm driving, I just can't pass 38mph as I've explained earlier in the post.

I admit I done goofed too, but the transmission changes gears and it pulls the car so long as the rear differential is engaged. As soon as the car hits 38mph the rear differential disengadges. That's just my opinion though. I'm saying that because my drivers side front CV shaft has a little play it it and it shouldn't at all, so maybe the CV shaft is broken or stripped.

I did that as well as a test to see what's going on as I explained previously, rear wheels spin, front wheels don't. It could be the differential, the problem is is that the front differential and transmission are all one unit, so I might be able to take the transmission apart but I've never really worked on transmissions before but I don't have the money to have it "professionally" replaced.

 

:| LOL.. Good luck.

 

Thanks, I'm gonna need it knowing my luck.

I forgot to mention to you that the AT light is not only on but it blinks constantly and my cruise control became inoperable after the incident.

Also, just in case you dont know what the light means: Automatic Transmission Oil Temperature

So you might want to check yours out.

 

Probably destroyed either front or centre diff. Transmission on a modern car like that is a fickle beast, if you don't know what you are doing then don't touch it. Take it to a mechanic.

And welcome to one reason automatics suck.

 

Moral of the story don't neutral drop. First car I owned was a 2k1 civic coupe auto. Notorious for their perfectly super duper high quality forever lasting transmissions. I neutral dropped that sucker almost every day from 148k miles to 200k the day I traded it in. Slippery as can be lol. Seriously you probably should have not done that. Most likely you decimated your front differential. Go to a junk yard get one and crack out some tools. Your mistake your time to learn what my papaw always told me lol.