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I checked the prices on Subaru-Parts and they look about the same as subaruparts.com. I could have gotten our Sube form Thomason for a little less than I paid Bud Clary but I gave them the business because I liked the salesman and they are only 35 miles away. Now it looks like I should have bought from Thomason in the first place. Will probably wind up in Portland for major service anyway. I'll check out Wentworth.
Thanks again
Guy
Subaru had lots of new models in the past year (VDC, LL Bean, and the whole Impreza line), and perhaps a few more teething issues than usual. Still, that study measures just 90 days of data, and you're under warranty anyway. I care far more about reliability 4-5 years down the road. Consumer Reports ranked Subaru #7 out of all manufacturers, not too shabby.
BTW, Forester won JD Power's APEAL study last year for its class, and was 3rd best in the IQ study, too.
-juice
I had this happen on a couple of my accords with factory sun roofs.
If no sunroof then I would probably guess that the roof rail mounting bolts are not tight and could be missing a gasket entirely, has been known to happen.
Cheers Pat.
My wife just heard from the dealer - they're going to replace the sunroof (I don't know if that means one or both - of if that's even an option).
I know about the sunroof drains - I've had a number of cars with sunroofs. My '97 Max has one (pop-up or slide back), and when I lived in Texas I always left the roof popped to vent the heat when I parked it for any time. As a result, I had to regularly clean out the four "corner" drains where tree debris accumulated. Apparently it's beyond that with the OB.
Good thing it [finally] rained hard before the warranty ran out!
Cheers from the PNW,
Ken M.
You must have had some surplus... thanks!
All we can hope for now... Go Diamondbacks!
Cheers! from the former "dry side" (Spokane)
Paul
Please send some rain here. Not a drop in 14 days. The new grass seed isn't happening.
As for initial quality - I have to agree. My impression so far is that Subaru needs to improve on that. But, I agree with Juice. Long term reliability is paramount and I expect a long happy relationship with our OB now that I had the initial items addressed.
Greg
Maui on my mind, just one week to go!! :~)
Cheers, Tom in Victoria B.C.
It's a 2000 Legacy L wagon with 16000km( I know it's almost nothing ) on it and for the last couple of months I've been experiencing a problem with a vibration of the steering wheel while driving at 55 to 70mph, the strange thing about it is that it comes and goes, it's very inconsistent, it's mostly noticable when the car is cold, however there are days that it's as smooth as a table, it starts to drive me nuts, my other car which is 98 with 60000km on it doesn't even have a tinny bit of vibration at any speed.
I took it to the dealer, they couldn't reproduce the problem.
I had the wheels rebalanced at a local tire shop, still no help. Last week I switched the original wheels with potenzas for a winter tire set on new rims, still no help. At this point I can safely say it's not the wheels.What else can this be?
I would appreciate any help you could give me.
I can't say this is your problem too, but check out the following link. It will help you diagnose yours.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/general/vibechart.htm
Just my $.02 - keep the change!
Cheers!
Paul
You can if you want to...
Cheers!
Paul
-mike
I post this message a few months back and have not heard any respond. Apparently the problem is unique. I'm going to take it in this Thanksgiving vacation. Just hope it won't take too long...
I had that problem on a Toyota Camry - we never did find out why it happened. Ideas, anyone?
tidester
Host
SUVs
Patti
I've known of several folks over the years with various brands of manual transmissions that would occasionally pop out of gear. No particular brand of car - and no particular gear, for that matter. I had a mid-80s Dodge that did it VERY occasionally (once or twice a year), and, as I recall, it was third gear (of a 5-speed).
I'd guess it's a minor linkage flaw. At least yours is first gear - where you presumably don't spend much time. It's an obvious suggestion - but make sure you "snick" the shifter as far forward as it will go in first. I realize you've probably already done that. Unless it gets worse, or is a safety issue, I'd live with it rather than have the tranny/linkage torn down. No guarantee they'd find it anyway.
Reminds me of '75 Audi Fox I had that had something in the linkage break (it was a 4-speed) - couldn't get it into reverse (which was left and forward). The four forward gears worked - as though the whole linkage assembly had shifted to the left - blocking access to reverse. Of course, it broke while facing forward down my steep driveway - right up against the garage. A couple of neighbors and I eventually pushed it around enough where I could drive forward and off to get it fixed. Troublesome car the whole time.
Cheers from the PNW!
Ken M.
It is only for first gear in your case. Is 2nd too high in parking lots with a bit of clutch applied?
Cheers Pat.
Cheers Pat.
hien: there was a TSB (technical service bulletin) for that popping out of 1st gear problem. Patti's right, I had seen it a while back. The dealer ought to be familiar with the fix for that problem.
-juice
The parking brake is a seperate system from the disk brakes. Are you using your parking brake for braking? If so, it will not last very long as it is a very small mechanical brake shoe and drum system only designed for parking and emergencies. If not, which is what I suspect, you may want to have your brakes checked by a dealer.
Cheers, Tom
And how's performance of the stock Bridgestone Potenzas on the '02 s anyway?
I'd get the tires ( Tirerack?)and try to sell the OE rubber privately - that's what I'm doing.
There is a separate parking brake system that pushes a drum-like brake against your rotors when you apply the parking brake. It doesn't use the caliper that is used for regular braking.
-mike
Have a question. I bought a new OB 01 around a year ago and noticed that when I step on the gas, it hesitates a bit and then accelerates. I asked the dealer and they said that lot of people complained about this and they found nothing wrong with the car. They just recommended that I use a brand name gasoline.
I do use brand name gas, BP and it still hesitates when I step on the gas. Any thoughts or comments. Thanks
So far, I'm happy as a clam. I like the upgraded sound system with subwoofer and 6-disc changer. I was on the fence over this new red or the Winestone on the 2001. I'm glad I waited for the '02. I like the color alot.
So, expect a few questions and comments from me now that I've officially joined the ranks of Subaru ownership.
Shannon
Congrats Shannon. I haven't seen the color in person yet, actually.
-juice
If you look between the spokes of your alloy wheels at the center hub of your disk brakes (lug bolt region), you will notice that the rear hub is considerably larger than the front. This larger hub is actually a miniature drum brake. It contains shoes on the order of 3" or so, whose sole purpose is to act as a cable operated parking brake. There is no practical way to actuate the hydraulic disk brake caliper mechanically, thus the use of a redundant braking element. Unlike normal automotive rear drum brakes, these mini's usually lack auto adjusters on the star gear that sets the baseline shoe-to-drum clearance (or wear compensation), so it has to be done manually. Some can be done as a pre-tension adjustment on the cable at the parking brake handle, some must be done thru a port hole in the mini drum itself.
Disk brakes are different in that they are always in 'contact'. They have very little travel when you push or release the brake. When relaxed, they only back off a fraction of a mm.
When you park for an extended period, several things can happen:
The mechanical components of the cable system may not fully retract, resulting in continued partial contact. Driving vibration may cause final movement in the assembly, or the contact spot may wear down when you start driving. As no drum is perfectly round, this may be felt as a pulsing. Jack up the tire and give it a spin. You may feel the 'high' spots as drag on rotation.
It is also possible that grease or other contaminants may be on the drum shoe, causing it to 'stick' to the drum. Chemical reactions can pit or damage the surfaces.
The other thing that can happen is that the close disk pad tolerance can block air and moisture. This area will remain unoxidized, while the rest of the rotor will rust. When you start moving, you scrub off the oxide, but this leaves the rotor thinner on 90% of the surface, with a high spot where the pad protected. Usually the difference in height is measureable in microns, and cannot be felt. But sometimes the iron has what some call 'soft spots', or material discontinuities that can increase the effect. Again, it usually evens out with driving, may need resurfacing, or even replacement.
Hope this helps,
Steve
-juice
John Lee: You are not alone with your hesitation problem. I've been to my dealer a couple of times on this issue, and even had a test drive with the district rep. There is a person on the Forester board with an S+ with the same problem we're having. Definitely tell your dealer and try to take a test drive with your district rep in case there are more cases not posted on Edmunds. Also, the Forester guy and I can't seem to find any rhyme or reason as to exactly what causes the hesitation. Can you?
Now, I need the board's help and advice with tires: For the last 6500 miles, I have been back to the dealer approx 5 times for steering wheel vibration problem that feels a lot like a tire is out of balance. They have rotated, re-rotated, balanced, rebalanced, etc., the tires and finally sent me to the Firestone dealer to have them evaluated. Firestone said there is nothing wrong. The dealer said it is Firestone's problem because SOA doesn't warranty the tires. Sooooo I called Firestone back, and they told me to have the dealer switch wheels and tires from a brand new Outback to my car and see if that solves the problem.
So, this morning, between 7:30 and 12 noon, the service manager at my dealer went for a test drive in my car. Then we drove a brand new outback, THEN he had the wheels and tires switched to my car and we went back out and the car was fine (drove just like the 0 mile car). 12:30 I was back at Firestone and told them I did as they asked, so they said, "Oh, OK, no problem, we'll swap out the tires then!" 2 hours later they came out to the waiting area (where I had made friends with a 92 year old guy who was putting his first set of new tires on his 87 Buick with 24,000 miles on it! Anyhow, I digress...) and tell me that they don't have any replacement tires (the Wilderness) and had a different tire for me: the BT70 22560R16 97S. The difference with my tire being the S vs. H rating. The tire has a 70K warranty, great wet handling and performance, but only speed rated for S. The guy at Firestone said I will really notice improved handling in the rain we get in Sunny South Florida, as well as a quieter and smoother ride. The owners manual says to use H speed rating though, so the guy said he could get in Wilderness HT's which are made for light trucks and will be more like the tires on my car now. I must say, I was intrigued by the quieter, smoother ride, and better handling in the rain...
Then I asked him about the Potenzas that are on the '02s. He said that would be an "upgrade" (...???) but would check with the manager who was out today.
SO, MY QUESTION to the board is which tires should I take, and why? Is the difference between the S and the H a big deal? Does anyone know what the HT's are like? Why are the Potenzas an upgrade? (and please, more then just "It's a better tire- I got that from Firestone!!") Please advise. Also, if you have guidance on any other Firestone tire, please let me know.
Thanks, I really appreciate your input on this!
OB165
David
David
But I would look at the UTGQ ratings to get treadware, wet traction, and heat resistance ratings. I think the Firestones are only B rated for heat resistance, but I would not get anything lower than that. For wet traction I demand an A at least (AA is even better).
You can compare them in this case because the tires are from the same manufacturer.
You can also check Tire Rack's customer feedback, but I doubt that is a popular tire model.
Glad to hear Firestone is replacing it for free, though.
Yes! We got another Dave! I knew it - most Subaru owners are indeed named Dave! :-) Congrats and welcome.
-juice
I'm not mechanically verse, so take what I know with a chunk of salt.
1 - it is mainly noticeable with ATs, if not only on ATs.
2 - the AT shifts from 1->2 very quickly (too quick for most).
3 - AWD torque shift may have some play in this.
and it usually goes away after the driver adjust their driving style and gotten to know the car.
Make observation of yourself and the car when the hesitation happens, and when it doesn't happens.
It will help narrow things down.
-Dave
OB165, nope, I'm nowhere near Ft Lauderdale. Just outside Raleigh NC to be exact. I'm not sure if Sharon and I use the same dealer, I used the Raleigh one rather than Durham or Chapel Hill.
I need to test-fit the kids car seats in the rear and get some more time in the drivers seat. We'll likely use the Sube this weekend instead of the Honda Odyssey. I'll report initial impressions on that later as well.
Shannon
John - Please give more details on your hesitation. Is it from a stop once in a while? Between shifts? Could it be the transfer of power from the wheels that slip to ........? Inquiring minds want to know.
Steve - nice explanation on the brakes.
Greg
Thanks for the great explanation on the parking brakes. Since the slight pulsing occurs when applying the disc brakes, there must be some common contact point of the two brake systems? The problem is subtle and therefore not worth an hour trip to the dealer, and does not seem to affect any aspect of normal braking. Perhaps I will try to engage the parking brake briefly to see whether any oxides will be removed to smooth out the surface. I will definitely try to remember not to engage the parking brake during the next long stint at the airport.
The hesitation is when I have parked for awhile and then when I put it in drive or reverse. I then step on the gas and it hesitates for a second or so and then accelerates...if this is common to others and the car is still OK after lots of miles(100K+), then I will just live with it.
john
Thanks for the feedback on tires. They also confirmed for me what Dave said, that the Potenzas are the same as the Wilderness with a different name. I'm going to try to get the Firestone dealer to just replace the Wilderness with Potenzas... otherwise, I'll use your notes, Juice, to select another tire.
On another note, anyone notice how manufacturs are all bringing out WRX Wagon wannabes? Mazda, Kia, Pontiac, Toyota, etc.
Have a good day, all!
I'm picturing a very very light foot gingerly accelerating to pull out of a parking spot, and that will do it (hesitation). If that's the case, it's just us hesitating. :-)
-Dave
Steve
Sorry i have a 2002 outback wagon 2.5 auto trans it has 2100 miles on it bought it in sept of this year .
Heres another question when did you change your oil for the first time .I just made a appointment for mine because the oil is starting to get dirty, but get this the dealer keeps telling me to wait untill 3000 miles .Whats up with that . I have had no other problems with the car , no brake squeal,wind noise,hesatation,pinging nothing I really love this car .
A few weeks ago I posted about my then new OB asking about valve lash. I too believe that I am hearing a bit more 'ticking' than expected when cold & under load, which goes away as soon as the engine temp begins to rise. It will probably be labled as normal cold valve / cam clearance that closes up when the metal expands. And yes, my brakes squeal when I back out in the morning. I get slight hesitation at the 1-2 gear change (auto), but it seems to be diminishing. I think the 'learning logic' is holding 1st longer as I drive more aggressively (now out of the light foot break-in period). Items to discuss with the dealer at the first scheduled service.
I just did a 'pre-emptive' oil change at 1100 miles, more because it made me feel good, than any other reason.
Steve
Does anyone know if this "learning logic" applies equally to manual trans cars? I have never noticed any difference whether I drive the car continuously as in the 5,500 km September road trip, or whether my wife drives it for commuting and local journeys, which is the usual state of affairs. And no, we do not have the same driving style.