"SPORT" Mode on a H6 Legacy

[Zelidar]

I have an European 2004 H6 Legacy with the 5 speeds automatic
transmission and, despite the 9000 km I have driven with it I did not
figure out the exact conditions under which the "SPORT" display lights
up.

In a few words, when the gear lever is pulled from D to the left,
"SPORT" sometimes lights up but most time the move has no effects other
than showing the current engaged gear. A Subaru dealer I've asked had
no clues about it.

Does anyone else have experienced this or have an explanation to share
on this forum?

Zaid

 

[Alan]

Sport mode happens as you described- when you move the trans lever to
the left. It means you can shift up or down as if you had a manual
transmission. Read your manual.

 

[Zelidar]

Hello Alan, thanks for the reply.

I did read the manual and the Subaru dealer read it too after I had
asked him.

I am not questionning about that semi-automatic mode (with the up and
down shift with the lever) you are mentioning but about the full
automatic SPORT mode I "sometimes" get when the stick is first moved
from right to left.

To later initiate that semi-automatic mode one need to pull or push the
stick... at least on my car.

 

[LB]

Full automatic Sport mode is achieved when lever is put IN BETWEEN + - sign
for manual shift. Make sure to place lever in-between and DO NOT move it up
or down (i.e. DO NOT shift)

Yes, confusing. I have to explain how tranny works to anyone who wants to
drive my car at least once.

 

[Zelidar]

Exactly that! I DID NOT shift up or down the lever, I stayed IN
BETWEEN (+) (-) but, as I explained already, sometimes the "SPORT"
light on the display lights up, sometimes not. I still have not found
the logic behind it.

 

[Pete Grey]

Sounds like your switch has a problem.

Mine works as expected every time; when I ONLY move it to the left it just
goes to Sport-Mode.
Moving it to the plus or minus marks engages the semi-manual mode.

-pete

 

[Zelidar]

Mine works as expected every time

Interesting! So it was not a question of logic but probably just a bad
electrical contact.

Last time at the Subaru dealership with the car parked, foot on the
brake pedal, it worked every time as well so the service man looked at
me with his eyes saying "What have you been smoking?"

 

[Kjell-B Pettersen]

I have an European 2004 H6 Legacy with the 5 speeds automatic
transmission and, despite the 9000 km I have driven with it I did not
figure out the exact conditions under which the "SPORT" display lights
up.

In a few words, when the gear lever is pulled from D to the left,
"SPORT" sometimes lights up but most time the move has no effects other
than showing the current engaged gear. A Subaru dealer I've asked had
no clues about it.

Does anyone else have experienced this or have an explanation to share
on this forum?

I have an 05 Outback 2,5, not same gearbox, 1 gear less :-( but same
functions.

Sport mode can only be used with cruise main switch off.
When cruise main switch is on, and you move gear lever to left it only show
current gear.

Test and reply the ressult.

KjellP in Norway
MY2005 Outback VDC

 

[Zelidar]

There are so many low speed limits down here in Switzerland that I end
up using cruise control a lot (which, by the way, works beautifully).

Thanks for the hint, I will report the result ASAP.

 

[Zelidar]

You were right. When the cruise light is turned on (even without
cruising) the sport mode will not engage. Thank you very much for the
tip.

 

[Kjell-B Pettersen]

You were right. When the cruise light is turned on (even without
cruising) the sport mode will not engage. Thank you very much for the
tip.

It was an 100% tip. I read about it for 1 year ago, and it is same functions
on my aut.tranny.

kbp