auto tranny won't shift when cold

My 2005 Legacy 2.5i has the automatic transmission and 130k miles, I've owned it for 5 years. For the past 2 winters it had trouble engaging first gear unless I let it warm up for 5 minutes. The past 2 days have been the coldest mornings since last spring and sure enough, it wouldn't go into gear. Except this year, it takes 10 minutes to warm up and it's 30 degrees warmer now than it'll be in winter.

I remember reading about solutions last year but I can't find any of those posts that relate to my issue. It only occurs when the engine is cold, and the problem goes away once it goes into gear, but sometimes the first minute or so has a few clunks as it's shifting up and down as I leave my neighborhood.

I've never changed the fluid/filter since I bought it, so is that a good place to start? Is this a sign that there's a more serious mechanical issue?

Replace the fluid. To do a complete rfluid change, you'll have to drain and fill about 3 times,since all of the fluid does not drain at once. Some stays in the torque converter etc.
Need to drive at least 10 miles between changes. You should notice a difference after the first change, unless there is something mechanical going on.
Start with the simple things first

O.

Change the fluid at a shop that has a BG fluid exchange machine or similar and just use the BG Universal ATF. You will get out close to 100% of the old fluid using an exchange machine rather than several drain and fills.

Is the fluid full? Definitely change it, hopefully it's been changed before, cause 130K miles on transmission fluid I'd be surprised if it still shifted at all.

I've done the drain-and-fill twice, and I'm still having trouble getting the car to shift into gear on cold mornings. Also, I could only get 4 quarts of ATF out each time I drained it. Does that mean I'm about a quart low? I think I'm reading the dipstick right and it looks full, but maybe I'm wrong and the low fluid is the main cause of my shifting issue?

Originally Posted by gary_gnu

I've done the drain-and-fill twice, and I'm still having trouble getting the car to shift into gear on cold mornings. Also, I could only get 4 quarts of ATF out each time I drained it. Does that mean I'm about a quart low? I think I'm reading the dipstick right and it looks full, but maybe I'm wrong and the low fluid is the main cause of my shifting issue?

A drain and fill only gets out about half the fluid because the torque converter will not drain. You have to go to a shop that uses a fluid exchange machine in order to change 100% of the fluid. If you went 130k miles on the original fluid the transmission could be toast. A well maintained car is a happy one.

I'd try Trans X medic. It has helped many a sluggish tranny.
Although not recommended, I've seen too many subys with as many miles as yours or more with the same T fluid. They seem to be running along ok.

O.

Does anybody else have any ideas? I've still got this problem every morning. Another thing I've noticed is that when the car is cold, but warmed up enough to go into gear, when I'm turning sharp (but driving slow) to get of the parking spot, there is some clunking coming from something by the wheels. Is that normal, or another problem?

drain and fill the ATF a couple times.

the clunk could be a number of things. Check your front LCA bushings first

Originally Posted by laff79

drain and fill the ATF a couple times.

the clunk could be a number of things. Check your front LCA bushings first

Better yet, unplug one of the ATF lines and let the engine pump out the old fluid while you add new fluid through the dipstick--much more efficient.