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SOA Warranty Problems & Questions

140 messages,  Last post on Feb 26, 2008 at 12:18 PM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Outback, Subaru SVX, Car Warranties

Messages Page 11 of 14

#101 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [larryak] by ateixeira

Apr 05, 2007 (12:32 pm)

Replying to: larryak (Apr 05, 2007 8:51 am)
See if you can get a low-cost digital camera that also has a video feature. Nowadays that's pretty common.
 
At least for future use.
 
Cheers.

#102 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [xwesx] by larryak

Apr 06, 2007 (12:05 am)

Replying to: xwesx (Apr 05, 2007 10:29 am)
Up till the "fresh vs. recirculate" moment I thought we were making progress. Just for grins, here's what happened that day:
I dropped the car off on Tuesday A.M. I had a bad omen because the AC was working when I dropped the car off. Received no updates until I called on Thursday at which time they said they had not been able to replicate despite repeated attempts. Too late to pick up that day so I go in Friday noonish to pick the car up. The service advisor that I'd been dealing with was out to lunch, but another advisor was pulling lunch duty. I insisted on him being present as I started the car. Low and behold, the AC is not working. Compressor pulley is not engaged, no cooling fans operative, etc... Just warm air coming out of the vents since it was parked in the sun. Now this is where I made my "fatal" mistake. I noticed that it was set to recirculate, which I hardly ever use. So I switched to "fresh". Anyway, the guy agree with me that it was not working. We ran it for 5 minutes or so, during which time the compressor pulley never engaged. Since the adviser I had been dealing with was not expected back for 20-30 minutes I turned the motor off and walked down the street to have lunch. When I returned the two advisor's and the mechanic were gathered around the car and as I walked towards them the meeting broke up and my adviser announced that they had found the problem. Although dubious, I said "great!". This is where it got "fun". The AC was now working, pumping out plenty of cold air. They said the reason that hot air was coming out earlier was because the "fresh" air was being pulled in over the warm hood. Somewhere around here the service adviser who was present when the AC was not working scurried off. I then pointed out that earlier the cooling fans had not been running and the compressor pulley was not engaged as I would expect based on my previous observations during periods when it was cooling properly. In the ensuing discussion it became apparent that even the mechanic was seemed unsure about what cooling fans should be operating when the AC was on. Anyway, I wasn't getting anywhere and had to get back to work so I left. That weekend I emailed Subaru.
 
During '06 I had the car in for 3 "official" visits, the first in Feb, the last in Sept. Plus there was at least one other unannounced visit when I took the car there while it was malfunctioning and demonstrated it to the service adviser.
 
Does anyone have an opinion on if there is anything to be gained by talking to the regional rep or asking for someone higher in the organization? Does that ever work?

#103 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [ateixeira] by larryak

Apr 06, 2007 (12:16 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Apr 05, 2007 12:32 pm)
Actually, now that I think about it my digital camera will record for 15 seconds.
The issue with recording it is how do you prove a negative? If I show them video of the AC not working, who's to say that I didn't have the switch on? I guess I'd need to have a notary present during filming.
A video might be useful in "proving" that I'm not hallucinating, but if they can't replicate on the premises and there's no service bulletin dealing specifically with "phantom" AC malfunctions then I probably would not have been much better off.

#104 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [paisan] by larryak

Apr 06, 2007 (12:31 am)

Replying to: paisan (Apr 05, 2007 10:41 am)
I think I didn't start beating on them right away because I expected the frequency of malfunction to increase over time, which should have made it easier to diagnose. As the standard warranty had already expired and the extended warranty had 18 months left there wasn't an urgent reason to bring it to their attention. Initially the car would go for a few weeks between malfunctions, and in '05 there was a period of several months when it behaved itself. Made a dealer visit easy to put off as the car was not in need of any other service or maintenance in early to mid '05.
 
Larry

#105 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [larryak] by xwesx

Apr 06, 2007 (10:59 am)

Replying to: larryak (Apr 06, 2007 12:05 am)
Well this (the service personnels' behavior) is very curious, indeed, because the problem does not seem to me like all that much of a mystery. Seems the problem is with the clutch on the compressor pulley, or with the electronics that control it. Either should be a relatively simple (labor-wise) fix unless the compressor clutch cannot be replaced independently from the compressor.
 
As for the cooling fans (I assume you are referring to the dual electric cooling fans mounted to the radiator for the engine coolant), they turn on based on the temperature of the coolant. I do not think they come on automatically simply because the A/C compressor is on, though the compressor does add a significant load to the engine at idle so it is far more likely to come on once the car is warmed up.
 
There are many times that my cooling fans do not run at all during the winter months (or very intermittently), even at highway speeds, simply because the ambient air temperature is cold enough to keep the coolant temperature down even without the forced induction.

#106 of 140 Re: Subaru Extended Warrany issue [xwesx] by paisan

Apr 07, 2007 (10:52 am)

Replying to: xwesx (Apr 06, 2007 10:59 am)
The secondary fan comes on anytime the compressor is engaged on Subarus.
 
-mike

#107 of 140 Time for a follow-up by bogey5

May 08, 2007 (3:45 am)

Good Day All,
 
Five months and five thousand miles after the damage to and replacement of my front differential following a catastrophic draining of the differential during an oil change, the car is running fine. Mileage is as expected. No noise, no smoke, no smell, no nothing.
 
Thanks again to all those who offered advice and counsel during the height of the anxiety. I always recommend CarSpace to folks who are having car problems or questions.
 
Bogey5 (Pastor Steve)

#108 of 140 Re: Time for a follow-up [bogey5] by paisan

May 08, 2007 (4:25 am)

Replying to: bogey5 (May 08, 2007 3:45 am)
Thanks for the update Pastor Steve! Hope all is well and spring is treating you well!
 
-mike

#109 of 140 Re: Time for a follow-up [bogey5] by ateixeira

May 08, 2007 (6:22 am)

Replying to: bogey5 (May 08, 2007 3:45 am)
Glad to hear it. Thanks for sticking around to give us a long-term update.

#110 of 140 Re: Time for a follow-up [ateixeira] by xwesx

May 08, 2007 (9:55 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (May 08, 2007 6:22 am)
Absolutely. I am still amazed at how well this event worked out (thus far) for you; due mostly to your persistence! I refer to it frequently when musing "oops" scenarios with service centers.... I hope you do not mind!

Messages Page 11 of 14

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