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Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions
19285 messages, Last post on Jun 03, 2013 at 10:22 AM
You are in the Subaru Crew Forum.- Your Host is KCRam@Edmunds
What is this discussion about? Subaru Impreza, Subaru Outback, Subaru Forester, Subaru Legacy, Coupe, Sedan, Wagon, SUV
Go to NHTSA to file a safety complaint.
Or call Monday-Friday (8 am to 8 pm ET) (888) 327-4236 TTY: (800)424-9153
Your Community Leaders are ateixeira and rsholland.
#286 of 19285 gobagoo by rsholland
Sep 16, 2002 (7:46 am)
My experiences are not unusual. I've been an active member of the Subaru forums here at Edmunds for several years (I'm one of the "Subaru Crew Leaders" here at Edmunds).Yes, there are Subaru owners who have had problems. No vehicle can be expected to be 100% problem-free, so some problems are to be expected. Your situation, however, seems unique, and very much out of the norm.
1998 was the first year for the Forester, so that may account some, if not all of your problems. Although, another "Crew Leader" here (Juice) has a '98 Forester, which he loves. So, who knows...
Did you buy your Subaru new? I'm assuming you had it serviced as per the normal recommended maintenance schedule, at a Subaru dealer?
Bob
#287 of 19285 by ateixeira
Sep 16, 2002 (8:27 am)
Usually the clutches get worse when it's cold, not better. So that struck me as odd. So does that screech. Definitely make sure it's documented, even if the paper work mentions "customers says...".Joe: grab Consumer Reports' annual auto issue, and the Forester is at the top in their reliability rankings. It's virtually tied at the top for the best overall rating, too.
Noone's perfect, but that's close.
kaysey: you're compaing FWD to AWD, it's like apples to oranges. Volvo's XC gets 17/24 mpg with AWD, so you'd be lucky to match your average with strictly highway driving on the Volvo, and that's premium fuel, by the way.
gobagoo: you're half right. It's not that we're lucky, it's that you are unlucky. You got the bad apple in the batch. The CV joint problem is rare, in fact I'd never heard of one until now.
The seal leak is not unheard of, but still not common.
I have my original brake pads, even, with 47k hard miles, including towing and off roading.
Venting makes you feel better, so be my guest, just don't assume all Subies are like that. Mine certainly isn't, and that's why we became a repeat customer, the 5th Subie in our family.
-juice
#288 of 19285 What's scary, gobagoo... by aa717driver
Sep 16, 2002 (9:32 am)
Is that the Subaru reps. sound so much like the Ford reps we tried to deal with when we bought our '97 Expedition.All the customer service people did was refer us back to the dips**t dealer. Newsflash, Billy, if the dealer was going to help us, we wouldn't be calling the customer service in the first place!
If the Forrester is so sterling(our neighbors finally got rid of theirs a couple of years ago because of mx problems and dealer intransigence) why did the Subie reps tell gobagoo to pound sand?
I'm getting a WRX next time, but only because they are built in Japan. Anything built in Lafayette is a domestic automobile.TC
#289 of 19285 by ateixeira
Sep 16, 2002 (9:45 am)
You work with the local people first, then the regional, then the central 800 number and/or Patti.The CSRs may not have known that you'd already been at the dealer, since people might just call them first. It's easier to pick up the phone than to pay a visit to the dealer.
I used to work at a Help Desk, and it's the toughest job in the world. Strangers call you to yell at you in anger over something that wasn't your fault, and you have to be polite.
My wife's 2002 Legacy is solid and has better NVH control than my 1998 Forester did when new.
-juice
#290 of 19285 For what it's worth... by rsholland
Sep 16, 2002 (9:53 am)
the Forester is made in Japan, not in the USA.<< I'm getting a WRX next time, but only because they are built in Japan. Anything built in Lafayette is a domestic automobile. >>
Bob
#291 of 19285 >__< ... not again by celica115
Sep 16, 2002 (11:38 am)
My WRX has oil leak again. I just got it fixed last month. They replaced the seal and the O ring. Now I am wondering that the dealer is cheating the SOA because SOA pay the dealer for the repair cost under warrenty. I don't know I should go to different dealer for repair.>__< ...
#292 of 19285 by ateixeira
Sep 16, 2002 (11:56 am)
It'll be hard to tell because of the mess.But yeah, if you suspect your dealer and have other local options, I would use them. In fact, call 800-SUBARU3 and ask if there is a regional rep near by that can supervise the fix.
-juice
#293 of 19285 Even Better News by gobagoo
Sep 17, 2002 (5:07 pm)
Bob -Since you are a team leader for this forum and seem to be the one responding to my notes, I will address this to you.
Local dealer took the transmission off today to discover that not only has the rear oil seal failed, but also the pin seal. Please note that this car has a perfect maintenance record and is only used for street or highway driving.
Have been spending way too much time lately speaking with people who have had experience with Subarus. Most interesting was a mechanic who uses these engines in "sand rails". He was very familiar with the oil seal issue. His opinion was that the relief valve (please forgive any wrong technical terms)on this engine is undersized. This, in turn, causes pressure build-up and blows the seals. He claims that someone sells aftermarket kits to rectify this problem and they install them on all the sand rail engines. Has anyone else heard about this?
I have noticed quite a few complaints about oil leaks, seal failures, etc. in this forum so in this issue we are not too rare. Any help would be appreciated. MAP
#294 of 19285 Utah Subaru by dmtracy
Sep 17, 2002 (5:44 pm)
My first Subaru was a lease back 96 Subaru Legacy. I did not pay much attention to all of the repairs, leaks, and idle problems because I bought the extended warranty and did not pay for all of this.I traded in the 1996 and bought a 2000 subaru Outback. I baby the car. No hard driving. Now it has 36,600 miles. It has never idled smooth. It had a recall for a sensor. Which did not seem to smooth out the idle. The fan makes an irritating whine sound. The AC is not generating as cold air as it used to. At 30,000 miles, the idle arm had to be adjusted. I don't know if this is on all cars, but the fan coming in from the outside blows across the engine and the air is very hot and does not work for an alternative to AC.
Yesterday the Check engine light came on. It seems to me that this is a poor record.
Am I too picky?
#295 of 19285 gobagoo by rsholland
Sep 17, 2002 (6:58 pm)
Have you contacted Patti (Subaru Team) here at Edmunds? She works for Subaru of America (SOA), and is an active member in this and other Edmunds Subaru forums, and really does try to help with those who are having problems. It's also good to get a claim started with SOA, so they can keep track and follow up on it.Her email is: PMickel
subaru.com. As to your oil leaks, I'm afraid I don't have any answers, as I'm not a mechanic.
Bob
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