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Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

19283 messages,  Last post on May 01, 2013 at 9:15 AM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru Impreza, Subaru Outback, Subaru Forester, Subaru Legacy, Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, SUV


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Messages Page 1911 of 1930

#19092 of 19283 Re: Subframe replacement [fibber2] by stackman1

May 10, 2011 (12:04 pm)

Replying to: fibber2 (May 10, 2011 4:44 am)
Thanks Fibber. Your message motivated me to call SOA. Got a nice person and they said to take it a dealer - give them the case # - put it on the rack. The earliest I can get is Friday at 10am.
 
I had already had a local mechanic order the subframe parts and caught him before he was going to begin work on it. I will also have him do the exhaust and rear drum brakes - rotors rusted (big surprise).
 
The local guy is very trustworthy and I don't want to give him the run around - and I would certainly pay for whatever expenses he has incurred - if Subaru miraculously is willing to underwrite it.
 
It is not an inconvenience for me to wait till Friday. But I want to treat this local guy with respect. (GirlCarBuilder?).
 
Here is the question for the board: what are the odds that Subaru will do anything for me. It is a 2002 OBS Impreza; used to live in Minnesota....... Has anyone ever heard of SOA paying part of a fix, like if I ultimately had my local guy do the work? He was expecting the part today......or do these dealers always want to perform the job?
 
Thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks again Fibber and all the guys and gals on the board. Very helpful.

#19093 of 19283 Re: Subframe replacement [stackman1] by fibber2

May 11, 2011 (8:32 am)

Replying to: stackman1 (May 10, 2011 12:04 pm)
You are most welcome! Maybe, just maybe, you will luck out and SOA will at least cut you a deal. I'm sure that this isn't something they like to see happening.
 
I also have a Toyota, and was driving thru the dealership's back lot the other day. They have a stack of (I think?) Tundra truck frames rusting in a heap. Looks like they are stripping the bodies off of frames and restoring them. Must be a lot of labor to do an entire vehicle, but apparently something is going on.

#19094 of 19283 Re: Subframe replacement [stackman1] by girlcarbuilder

May 12, 2011 (7:30 am)

Replying to: stackman1 (May 10, 2011 12:04 pm)
Most Definitely, if you have a good mechanic on hand, treat him like gold. They are a rare breed. I guarantee he will understand if SOA is going to fix for free. As you may have seen from my latest posts I have begun rethinking my thoughts on your problem as being very real. Still would like to see pics. Legacy, Outbacks and Impeza share undercarriage parts. The Toyota Tundra is a good example of problems from something not being done correctly. Not to mention my surprise of the condition on the 03 Impeza in service in MO fleet.
 
I have an understanding with my jobbers that if I order something and decide later I do not need it, I will eat it before they do. Many times they can return the part, but sometimes they can not. Helps on the much older cars still in service like the 86 Toy and the 89 Mazda when it comes to ordering parts.

#19095 of 19283 Re: Subframe replacement [fibber2] by fibber2

May 13, 2011 (4:28 am)

Replying to: fibber2 (May 11, 2011 8:32 am)
I was back at Toyota yesterday picking up some parts, and saw them working on a truck. It involves Tundra models of about the same time period (2000-2003) as our rust problems, and they strip everything off and move it all to the new frame. They have an outside contractor come it to do it, and it takes about 1.5 days per truck to do. They were doing one right out in the back parking lot! Wild!

#19096 of 19283 Subframe Pic (Fixed Pic) by stackman1

May 13, 2011 (10:45 am)

Here is a Pic of my left front Subframe. As you can see - it remains barely attached. In fact, not all of it is - note the long bottom piece that just hangs in the air.
 
PS. Colin Thanks for Pics Tips
 

#19097 of 19283 Re: Subframe Pic [stackman1] by colin_l

May 13, 2011 (9:56 am)

Replying to: stackman1 (May 13, 2011 10:45 am)
Stackman,
 
You'll need to upload it to a photo hosting site such as Photobucket. (There are many, many others.)
 
They you will have to link to it here. Photobucket and most other sites give you easy links to do that.

#19098 of 19283 Re: Subframe Pic [colin_l] by xwesx

May 13, 2011 (10:10 am)

Replying to: colin_l (May 13, 2011 9:56 am)
I can get mine to link from my Facebook albums, but it is a bit of a chore. In addition, the forum here can sometimes be finicky about actually displaying the photo, even if it works properly in the "preview" screen, so you might have to try a few times.
 
I recommend that you fix the size using the following script after the image source itself (between the final " and greater-than symbol): height=420 width=540 (for landscape photos, the opposite for portrait). Otherwise, the width can cause readability issues for forum posts.

#19099 of 19283 Re: Subframe Pic (Fixed Pic) [stackman1] by girlcarbuilder

May 13, 2011 (12:22 pm)

Replying to: stackman1 (May 13, 2011 10:45 am)
Okay.....agreed you do have a serious rust problem. Now for some good news. I recall seeing this same "new part" in the 03 Impreza design from MO land. My first question was "what is your purpose in life new part!" I think this is more of a bracing system in the frame system because it is not on the 94 or 97! I guess it may have been added to improve crash worthiness. Look and see if this is separate from the engine crossmember system. That is the main frame system in the front. I suspect it bolts to that.
 
Check to see if that control arm bolts into the area above it separate from the rusted part. If so, like I suspect, that is your frame! The part above the rust piece is your frame and this part appears to run underneath it. I would be concerned about it falling and getting jammed under the car while traveling. Yes, they call it a subframe, but if nothing is bolted to it, it is more of a frame bracing system! Check this website and see it confirms the same part. Look at the drawings. https://www.1stsubaruparts.com/part_number.html This is for 03 Impreza.
 
For everyone else, to get a good view of this pic, go to page on IE and select zoom and blow it up to 400%.
 
Back to the website drawing, look at it carefully, if it is like the Impreza, it appears that this part bolts onto the main frame system more for bracing rather than support. Being flat, I can see how the salt water would collect on it. If all of this is correct, it appears to "just bolt up from underneath with nothing else hanging on it." $328 for the Impeza part. You may need some new bolts as well. You may be able to forget the new car idea for another day! If SOA pays, even better.
 
Wish the 03 was here in LA so I could look at it and get a better idea about it for you.

#19100 of 19283 subframe update, website by girlcarbuilder

May 13, 2011 (12:29 pm)

You will need to do a part lookup since that link does not go directly to the page I posted. The brace system I saw goes from one side across the front and back to the other side in one piece and bolts up from the bottom.

#19101 of 19283 Subframe - Pic by stackman1

May 13, 2011 (12:55 pm)

Replying to: girlcarbuilder (May 13, 2011 12:29 pm)
Sorry - tried to fix the resolution and deleted previous pic.....
 

Messages Page 1911 of 1930

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