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Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

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

You are in the Subaru Crew Forum.

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


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Your Community Leaders are ateixeira and rsholland.

Messages Page 1922 of 1929

#19204 of 19283 Re: 2012 forester ecm problem [harborboy] by girlcarbuilder

Feb 15, 2012 (2:01 pm)

Replying to: harborboy (Feb 10, 2012 7:07 pm)
Hmmmm, not good for Subaru to have your post here! Because people like me/brother who buy their product will consider more carefully the next purchase.
 
As far as I am concerned, ECM should be good for at least 200K miles or more. If it fails before then, get rid of the car and fire the manufacturer. Yup, we harsh on them. We buy transportation not something sitting in my shop or theirs. There really is no excuse for any major driveline problems in anything for the first 200K miles with proper maintenance of course, other than abuse or accidents. That has been my atitude for the past 15+ years.
 
Now, if I was you, first to the dealer to fix it, 2nd call to attorney for advice, 3rd, begin needed documentation if it turns out to be a lemon.
 
A lemon from Subaru? If made in the US, I would not be surprised. We have seen a quality difference in American built versus Japanese built Subies.....and Toy's as well. Something that is considered now when buying.

#19205 of 19283 Subaru 1993 impreza wont start by subaru93chick

Apr 28, 2012 (8:51 am)

I just got this vehicle and we have been having some issues with it. First is when we drive in the interstate over 60 mph the car starts driving very ruff and the check engine light comes ON. Second once its driving I start smelling clutch oil ( like burning oil and rubber) burning when we are in 1st second gear AND when I park it you can smell it pretty darn bad. I check where it migh be leaking and I found underneath the clutch oil check is Over the muffler is where the oil has been landing on and burning. Its kinda wet down there but only in that area ( problably underneath the belts just where the opening torwards the muffler).
 
Could it be the seals ? or If anything can be wrong with it I REALLy apreciated the help figuring my caR PROBLEM.

#19206 of 19283 Re: Subaru 1993 impreza wont start [subaru93chick] by ateixeira

Apr 30, 2012 (6:37 am)

Replying to: subaru93chick (Apr 28, 2012 8:51 am)
Sounded familiar so I wanted to share what happened to us...
 
We had a 626, and an axle boot was damaged and leaked grease. The grease ended up shorting out an O2 sensor and gave a check engine light (plus the axle was noisy).
 
So one problem had a domino effect and created another. I think it was a rock or something that cut the rubber axle boot.

#19207 of 19283 Re: Subaru 1993 impreza wont start [subaru93chick] by girlcarbuilder

Apr 30, 2012 (7:44 am)

Replying to: subaru93chick (Apr 28, 2012 8:51 am)
Being a 93, I could rattle off a bunch of things. Like some one said before, check the drive shaft boots. That is a good start. Damaged boots will cause vibrations at high speeds. Subaru's not cared for will develope a lot of leaks in many areas, so you better know how to deal with them. One of them, the parts are cheap, but the labor to correct is not.
 
Now, based on what you said I assume a manual transmission? Is the leak over the first cat or second cat. If you can not determine where it is coming from, then you need to clean house. Get a can of engine cleaner, follow directions and clean up everything under there. Then you start watching what and where the leak is as you use the car. Tip, put cardboard underneath when it is parked at home and mark how it fits under the car. Where the drips are is where the leaks starts. Oil will also blow back from air flowing underneath as the car runs.
 
Common leak points to watch on Subies are: valve cover gaskets, power steering systems and the dreaded oil galley seal. The first can be tighten a little bit, the first second and third I live with until it threatens serviceability of the vehicle. There are other sources, but these are the most common and have engine oil of power steering fluid.
 
So again, I need more info, mileage, engine, model and transmission type. By the way....won't start? Oil leak? That old of a Subaru does not use "clutch oil." Are the tires in good shape also? Any bulges in any of them? Look at them carefully especially in the tread surface. Spin them and watch the tire tread for eveness. Tha year is OBD I, so check the oil level.

#19208 of 19283 noise proportional to road speed, not engine speed by curiouseng

Apr 30, 2012 (7:41 pm)

I have Outback 2004, basic model with manual transmission/ At ~101k, started getting road noise that is proportional in pitch to road speed. It is not changing with engine rpm's (absent when engine is rev-ed up at idle), it is not changing with turning or breaking or acceleration, just the road speed.
 
I brought it to Subaru dealer for diagnostics thinking that they will find a bearing problem. Instead, I am hearing over the phone that they are still looking into this, dropped the oil pan, and are finding possible issue with "turbo". My engine is not turbo-charged. It seems like complete nonsense, like they are confusing my car with someone elsse's. But then I got confused by a Yahoo/answers comment "all Subarus have turbo". Is there some other part of the Outback engine/transmission that can be called "turbo" ? Is it feasible that such part would move with the road speed and not with engine speed ?

#19209 of 19283 Re: noise proportional to road speed, not engine speed [curiouseng] by xwesx

May 01, 2012 (9:24 am)

Replying to: curiouseng (Apr 30, 2012 7:41 pm)
No to the turbo.
 
What sort of noise is it? A whine? Is there any vibration?
 
I had an old outback that produced a bit of a whine from the rear differential the last 50,000 miles or so that I owned it (started at about 170,000). It grew progressively louder as the mileage advanced, but was constantly there, varying with speed and, to some degree, temperature (it didn't produce the noise during the winter months until the differential warmed up).

#19210 of 19283 Can't catch a break by pathtomax

May 05, 2012 (12:04 pm)

I am trying to sell back my 2008 Outback to a Subaru dealer. Ready to give up on it. I have a summer car to get me through a few months while i decide what else to buy. Still making odd noises, and the radio and HVAC controls occasionally don't work.
 
They tested it today and gave me a low ball offer. Apparently my rear trailing bushings are going and they need replacement. I have an extended warranty from a different dealership with no deductible so should this be covered? They said it is a $500 fix. ...with 44,500 miles on the car?
 
Would this bushing thing make it shake on the highway?
 
I just can't sell this on my own with a clear conscience knowing how annoying these issues are.

#19211 of 19283 Re: Can't catch a break [pathtomax] by aatherton

May 06, 2012 (5:54 am)

Replying to: pathtomax (May 05, 2012 12:04 pm)
Here's a photo of the bushing - the cylindrical rubber cushion around the bolt that holds the trailing arm to the bracket that mounts to the car.
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a383/Kostamojen/Impreza%20Suspension%20Lift/tr- ailingarmbrackets.jpg
A worn and loose bushing would allow play in the rear suspension and drive that affects alignment and could cause shaking on the highway.
Seems unusual for the bushing(s) to wear out at 44K. Maybe the car has been cornered hard or used off-road.
Here is a comment on another forum about these bushings:
http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/rear-trailing-arms-bushings-104446/

#19212 of 19283 headgaskets by jd_24

May 16, 2012 (8:36 am)

Well, they lasted langer than most 2001 Subaru headgaskets do. Oil had been leaking a bit coolant seems just a touch low. Shop says $1500 to fix both gaskets and machine heads. He said something about doing some value work too, just because the engine is out of it, but I can't remember much beyond the $1500. They thought its an external leak at this point but haven't confirmed it fully.
10 hours of labor cost. Is the price out of line? Is it worth it?
2001 outback with 200K miles.
 
--Jay

#19213 of 19283 Re: headgaskets [jd_24] by xwesx

May 16, 2012 (11:30 am)

Replying to: jd_24 (May 16, 2012 8:36 am)
$1500 for both? That's the best I have heard in a long while.... if they do quality work!

Messages Page 1922 of 1929

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