Legacy 95 Automatic "Shudders"

[Filipo]

My wife's '95 Legacy with 145,000 miles on it still runs well except
for that occasional violent shudder which happens whenever she slows
down to approach and climb the sloping driveway into the elevated
parking garage. It also happens when she has a running start with a
cold engine. I would have suspected a clutch problem except for one
thing - this has an automatic transmission and to the best of my
knowledge, information and belief, it has no clutch in the way you
think of a clutch in a manual transmission. When it shudders, the
transmission seems to want to violently separate from the engine,
almost the same as when you lug the engine by driving in high gear at
a very slow speed. It has a rabbit-like tendency to lunge forward,
shudder, shake rattle and roll.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks much.

 

[Hallraker]

My wife's '95 Legacy with 145,000 miles on it still runs well except
for that occasional violent shudder which happens whenever she slows
down to approach and climb the sloping driveway into the elevated
parking garage. It also happens when she has a running start with a
cold engine. I would have suspected a clutch problem except for one
thing - this has an automatic transmission and to the best of my
knowledge, information and belief, it has no clutch in the way you
think of a clutch in a manual transmission. When it shudders, the
transmission seems to want to violently separate from the engine,
almost the same as when you lug the engine by driving in high gear at
a very slow speed. It has a rabbit-like tendency to lunge forward,
shudder, shake rattle and roll.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks much.

Well, there is a clutch pack inside the transmission, which is part of the
AWD system. However, you didn't specify if yours was AWD or front drive,
and I'm not an engineer so I don't know how the clutch packs are
similar/different compared to a manual transmission clutch.

I also have a '95 Legacy, and aside from the occasional reluctance to
upshift under hard acceleration, I've had no transmission issues.

-Matt

 

[John]

I've experienced the same issue from time to time in my 95 but only when
turning corners, and left turns at that. I know it was from the tires and
AWD system which was corrected when I purchased 4 new tires. So I would
suggest:

Check and/or change the tranny fluid
If yours is AWD, place the fuse in the FWD block and see if the issue still
occurs
If AWD, check the tire inflation and wear. Different circumference
measurements on the tires can cause that shudder and wreak havoc to the AWD
system. This difference in measurement can also be caused by tires not
being rotated enough and the front getting more worn than the rear.
You also didn't mention the tune-up history, straight-line performance
issues are most commonly engine related.
Do you have ABS? Possible that a wheel-speed sensor is malfunctioning and
activating the ABS with the change in wheel speeds. I'd suspect the ABS
light on the dash would turn on but if the bulb is out or has a bad contact
you'd never know.