Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

hypov · December 2003

looks like you may be pushed off the fence prematurely.

-Dave

kens · December 2003

I'm afraid it's what you think. IIRC, Colin also experienced a similar thermostat reading and a loss of coolant.

Sorry to hear that, dude.

Is that WRX wagon still available for cheap?

Ken

lucien2 · December 2003

*not yet!*

yea they are Ken, but Fitz also cut the FXT pricing to $23,373. That's at the outer limit of my budget, but.....

a) better driveline
b) more space

I think that Cobb bar kit and maybe STi springs, and good tires will go a long way to helping the XT handle very well. Maybe 17" SDRs in the Spring when I have some more cash.

I don't know. I am going to wait for the Leg debut and find out $$ and on-sale date before I do anything. This fence hurts!

hypov · December 2003

Just don't sit on the barbwire ;-)

-Dave

lucien2 · December 2003

When I started the Legacy this morning! LOL

subearu · December 2003

that just has to suck Loosh. I think you've got it covered though - add fluid 'till it's full and add more after running it a bit. Does the cranking the heat up trick work when the gasket is bad? :dontknow:

Well, regardless, you need to get it fixed so it's in good trade-in shape for that SG-T that us fence folk are 'kindly' pushing you to! ;-)

-Brian

hypov · December 2003

around the bend with all the water you're putting in.

-Dave

lucien2 · December 2003

I quit putting water in it, and won't drive it until I can get more antifreeze. According to others' experience, this is the first and earliest warning. The car probably has another 2 or so months before the problem comes to a head, as it were.

And this is all assuming that it really is the HG. I mean, no mechanic has actually looked at the thing yet.

dcm61 · December 2003

the cooling system that is. There's a plastic bleeder screw (phillips head within a square head) on the top passenger side of the radiator on Gen II Legacies. Remove the bleeder screw while you add water/coolant. IIRC, the bleeder screw and the procedure for bleeding is in the owner's manual. Make sure you don't overtighten or lose the o-ring!

DaveM

hondafriek · December 2003

Hate to rain on your parade but I would bet money it is the head gasket, I am sure Colin will agree,
.

Cheers Pat.

ateixeira · December 2003

Keep something in mind, folks. A new Subie will cost about 10 times as much as that repair.

Just keeping it in perspective! :-)

-juice

subearu · December 2003

that new Subie will likely have at least 10 times the GRIN factor...let alone the increase in cargo space he could use.

;-)

-Brian

kens · December 2003

Loosh,

Since WRX wagons and XTs are fairly abundant now, at least you know you can pull the trigger whenever you need to.

I think the XT with some tweaks would be great for your work and fun. You could easily pay off the difference through the added wine you can haul with the cavernous cargo space. ;-)

Ken

lucien2 · December 2003

quite true about the cost. It's just that I've already committed, mentally, to making a change, so this is kind of forcing the issue. I am not the type of person who would normally shy away from a potentially costly repair by simply getting rid of the vehicle.

That said, there's only one EJ25 Mk.I in the family I feel like investing in, and it isn't the GT. The OB is the family workhorse, our first new car ever, and one we intend to have around for quite a long time.

ateixeira · December 2003

Plus it's a wagon, and it can't possibly outlast its own usefulness.

-juice

nygreg · December 2003

Good news. Sounds like Santa needs to bring you a new SUBARU radio/cd player (and maybe new dealer).

Greg

ateixeira · December 2003

I have two plain AM/FM/cassette players. Heck, I'd *give* you one to see this issue resolved, if you would pay for just shipping.

It's probably worth investing in something nicer, though. You can get a used WRX 6CD changer for $130-200 on Ebay.

-juice

nygreg · December 2003

Cheeryyyyl? Are you there?

Must be all charged up and about with a smile.

Greg

stuhall · December 2003

Last week I was headed home early from work, doing ~65 on the highway when my Forester XT felt like it dropped to 2nd gear, I heard the revs go sky high and I pulled over to the side of the road. My AT Oil Temp light and Check Engine lights were on and my Cruise Control light was flashing. I had it towed to the dealer just to be safe. Mechanic plugged into the computer and said I hit the rev limiter at 6700RPM and casually asked if I were doing any "performance type" driving....which I was not...I was actually on the cell phone and driving along pretty slowly in the second lane of traffic on a five lane highway.

We took it for a test drive and he forced the rev limiter again hitting 6500RPM to ask if that what's I felt. The side to side shake was not the feeling I had earlier, it was more like the bottom dropped out and THEN the RPM's sky rocketed.

He suggested maybe I hit the shifter by accident, which since I was on the phone would be have been hard unless I sprouted a third hand to drive. We could not replicate the problem so I took the car home and drove it under similar circumstances several times to try to replicate the problem.

Since that time, I have passed 1100 miles on my '04 Forester XT AT and on my last three drives over 20 miles I've noticed a pretty distinct burning smell...not really gasoline, maybe slightly rubber/metallic. I would think that at this point I would have burned off any undercoating a long time ago.

After 10 years in a Honda and NEVER experiencing anything as scary as this I'm really concerned. IF...and that's a huge IF....I didn't fully shift to Drive and it slipped to Neutral on the highway, I could understand that problem. I don't find that likely....but now the smell has me wondering what's really going on.

Your thoughts/advice are appreciated.

Stuart

ateixeira · December 2003

I think even if it did over-rev, it was for such a short period that it'll be fine.

To be safe, just change fluids at 30k, I mean ATF and gear oils. Have the drain plugs checked for metal shavings, they are magnetic IIRC so shavings stick to them.

-juice

cllapham · December 2003

Originalbitman asked I'll be interested in knowing if it was a bad install or defective unit.

The Subaru dealer said they checked the wiring and it appeared to have been wired correctly. So this must have been a defective unit (or one which was not compatible with this car since I did not have the same problem with my previous car).

To Greg and all the rest, thanks for your best wishes. It's amazing how peppy the start is on my car now!
Cheryl

locke2c · December 2003

you have the exact same problem that resulted in me trading off my Impreza. try replacing the water pump for good measure as it's not very difficult, but if it isn't that then yes you've got at least one blown head gasket. if you overcook an all-aluminum engine really good (or several times not as crispy) you will warp stuff and then no head gasket will stay sealed.

if I had to do it again and not get a new car, I'd probably do water pump and then go immediately to salvage yards for a complete longblock. if I did it again with a new car-- right now-- Forester XT.

-c

p0926 · December 2003

Whoosh!!! As Frank goes by waving with this huge guano-eating grin on his face!

subaru_team · December 2003

it out again. Just to make sure there is nothing serious happening. I'm not sure if the smell is related, but the dealer should be able to tell you if everything is okay. If you're not happy after that, give us a call and one of our Reps. can check out what the dealers findings are.

Thanks - and I'm sorry you had such a frightening experience.

Patti

subaru_team · December 2003

to "read" the positive tone of your messages now. It's great that you are now able to actually enjoy your Subaru - the way it should have been from the start.

I am still very sorry about what happened, but I'm glad that you got to the root of the problem. It must have been very frustrating to not have had this addressed correctly from the beginning.

I hope you continue to enjoy your Subaru and get many more happy and safe miles!

Patti

95gl · December 2003

Guys-

Yesterday I hit a curb in my Forester at approx. 25 mph. I've been checking the tire everytime I go outside and it seems that it may have a slow leak. I need to get a tire gauge to check the pressure to be certain. I've got approx. 22,600 mi. on these tires now. If I have to replace it now, should I bite the bullet and buy 4 or should I use the spare that has never been used?

Thanks- Keri

ateixeira · December 2003

That's a pretty major blow. I'd be concerned about hidden damage, even.

Your profile says you have a 2002. If yours is an L model, you have Bridgestone Duelers. Those aren't all that great to begin with, so I'd definitely swap them out.

If you have an S model, the Yokohamas they had back then were decent. But still, the diameter of the tires won't match exactly. Circumference has to be within 1/4", that's very little tolerance.

I'd go to a tire dealer to inspect/patch that tire, or even ask if he has a used one of similar age.

In the big picture, tires are cheap, so get a nice set and don't look back. You could buy 3 identical new tires and use the spare as the 4th, then keep one of the used ones as a spare.

Good luck.

-juice

ateixeira · December 2003

Cool Cheryl, I'm psyched to see you are a happy camper also. Sorry it took so long but hopefully you'll stick around and become a Subaru Crew regular.

After all, Subies were built for the cold!

-juice

bkaiser1 · December 2003

Both of my Subaru's have distinct burning smells from under the hood at times...especially after driving in the rain or snow. My Outback would smell after snow driving even after 55K miles on it, and I noticed my new WRX (now with 12k miles) was making a burning smell a few days ago after driving on the freeway in a hard rain.

I'd still be a little concerned about your situation with the transmission ghosts, but I wouldn't let the smell (in and of itself) worry you.

Brian

kens · December 2003

Ken,

You may also want to check to see if the wheel/rim is not bent. A 25mph curb bump could deform the rim such that the tire bead is not seated properly resulting in a leak. Most tire stores should be able to check and hopefully repair a rim that is out of round.

(Yet another) Ken

ateixeira · December 2003

Our 2002 Legacy had that recall performed, where they coat the frame rails in goop, I guess.

Any how, every time we come to a stop it has a pretty nasty stench, I imagine it's some overspray on the hot exhaust, something like that.

-juice

jdlangan · December 2003

Hi all,

Well, the 2000 OB has just over 40 K on it. Last week we had to replace an air injection valve?( I think - info is in the car), to the tune of almost $200. Okay, can deal with that. The head gasket also needed to be replaced, slight leak - covered under powertrain warranty still. Noticed clutch slipping this week. Now, we're told we need a new clutch. First we were told it's our driving habits, and it would cost us $875. After contacting SOA and talking to the service manager they will cover it all except maybe the clutch disc, depends what they find when they get in there. We have always driven standard transmission, just replaced the clutch for the first time in my Explorer at 96K, drove several other cars to death w/o ever replacing a clutch. Am glad SOA is stepping up to the plate and taking care of this, question is, is this just a string of bad luck, or should my antennae be raised with this particular car? I've gone from loving my 'OB and looking forward to replacing the old Explorer with the new larger Subaru I've heard rumor of, to wanting to run as fast as I can back to Ford....

Jeannette

ateixeira · December 2003

The air injection valve is a fluke, I've never seen that problem before.

Head gaskets are less and less common with newer models, and unheard of on the H6 (which is the engine the 7 seater will get). In fact the H6's auto tranny is also very robust, so both are non-issues with that powertrain.

I'm shopping for that new big 7 seater myself, and nothing on these boards would have me leaning towards a Ford. Look at the Escape boards, compare them to the Forester boards, I think you'll find Subaru owners have far fewer problems on average.

-juice

jdlangan · December 2003

I know that we've likely been lucky, but my '96 Explorer has been a tank - almost 103K and we've really not been great on maintenance, other than changing the oil fixing things as needed. If we had had to pay for this clutch we would have spent as much on repairs already on the OB as we ever have on the Ford up to the time we replaced the clutch at 96K. I'm just very annoyed that they tried to get away with telling us that it wasn't covered warranty because they determined it to be our driving habits and wear is not covered. At 40K we'd have to be on the baja circuit to wear one out - maybe! Our poor old Honda Civic had to be put to rest because the frame rusted through, never replaced that clutch, nor did we ever on any of our other vehicles, and we rarely get rid of one before 80 or 90K -

ateixeira · December 2003

Well, in some cases WRX owners were blowing out clutches and even gear teeth by street racing and doing burnouts. One guy on NASIOC talked about spinning tires in 3rd and even 4th gear, then complained that his clutch gave out (duh!).

That might have put Subaru on the defensive, they can't subsidize these kids' expensive habits of ruining their own cars.

I think when they realized yours was a valid complaint, they stepped up.

Do open a call with 800-SUBARU3 and keep us posted on what it ends up costing you. You might not pay anything. SoA has a rep here and we'll make sure that you are treated fairly, at a minimum.

-juice

ray_c · December 2003

juice,

Can you tell us littel more about that 7 seater

Thanks,

Ray

dcdouglas · December 2003

So it looks like the DC Subaru Crew has a group for Friday the 26th. Bob (rsholland), Juice, and I (dcdouglas). Any others?
--dcdouglas

p0926 · December 2003

Ken- Am I missing something? How did you get "Ken" out of "Keri"? Maybe that quake did rattle your brain afterall :-)

-Frank P.

hondafriek · December 2003

Have the suspension ckecked for bent components, at the very least you have probably screwed up the alignment after a hit like that.

Cheers Pat.

p0926 · December 2003

Jeannette- Going running back to Ford because of its reliability? LOL! Now that's not one I've heard before. I know it's no comfort to you but in every reliability survey, Subaru is always way ahead of Ford. Perhaps you have the fortune (or misfortune depending on how you look at it) of having a reliable Ford and an unreliable Subaru. Of course its entirely possible that your Explorer will die tomorrow and the Outback will carry on, giving many more years of repair-free service. Now where did I leave my crystal ball...

-Frank P.

ateixeira · December 2003

We're going but I'm not sure what day. If we're towing the kids with us, believe me, we won't be able to keep up with you.

I'm trying to talk the wife into leaving the kids at home with the nanny. Let's discuss further in Subaru Crew Events.

7 seater? All we know so far is that Subaru went independent on this one, not using a GM platform, thankfully. It's supposed to get an H6, but we're not sure it'll be the 3.0l with 250hp or so, or a bigger one, some rumors say 3.6l and 280hp or so.

Check the Future Models thread under Subaru Crew, we talk about it a lot.

-juice

95gl · December 2003

Don't worry Ken - I've been called Ken many times before (notoriously bad handwriting!)

I may have overestimated my speed, but I definitely will have the wheel and alignment checked this weekend. I thought the edge of the rim didn't look right, but I really need to compare it to the others a little better than just eyeballing it for air pressure.

Luckily there is no snow in the forecast this weekend so I can make DH drive with no regrets!

jdlangan · December 2003

I know that "Ford" and "reliable" usually don't end up in the same line of thought - at least not on the positive side, but we've been lucky.

I'm very anxious to see what Subaru comes out with, and if you find that crystal ball Fred please tell me that the Explorer will keep on going until it's out!

I have a complaint number from SOA, after I called them I called the dealer back and asked to speak to the service manager. SOA had already called him by the time he got back to me. He left himself a bit of wiggle room after he told me that I'd have to pay for the disc, saying that "maybe they'd find something after they opened it up" which would put the whole thing under warranty. I'll let you know what the bottom line is when we pick it up tomorrow.

zman3 · December 2003

This is only one more data point but before we got rid of it our 95 Explorer was far more reliable than my 98 Outback. The only non maintenance money I spent on it in 7 years and 80K miles was a new thermostat. There were many minor issues during the warranty period that were addressed and they did make for a certain level of inconvenience.

However, I never had an alternator recall, bad wheel bearing, blown headgasket, or new block like I have in my Outback. I chuckle when people talk like domestics fall apart as soon as they are driven off the lot. It's not the 1980's anymore folks. Statistically "imports" may still be more reliable but all the dometics I have own have all been pretty darn good vehicles.

ateixeira · December 2003

My dad's Outback has been bullet proof, his '92 Taurus wagon has sunk $6-8 grand in repairs. But these aren't large enough samples to draw any conclusions.

The Taurus is about average, the Outback slightly better than average.

-juice

zman3 · December 2003

that for once I would beat the statistics and have a car that has virtually no issues. I figure I am due for that one of these years.

I really do like the features of my Outback but the reliability has been disappointing. I may go for the H6 next and buy the extended warranty. That engine sounds like it has been pretty darn good so far.

This will lead to my dilemma this summer. Buy a proven H6 wagon or roll the dice on a new 05? Maybe I'll just have to wait a model year and buy an 06.

p0926 · December 2003

Well sure, anecdotally, you can make a case for anything being either reliable or not. For instance I had a 92 Cherokee that was great (traded it with 130k on the odo) but I've seen enough reliability stats to convince me that I was one of the lucky ones.

-Frank P.

ateixeira · December 2003

It really has. We had one troll and that was the only significantly bad experience. Since it's a troll we can't even verify that, it's only "alleged", and he's long gone!

Subaru's 2.2l was bullet proof. The early 2.5l was not, those are the ones with most of the gasket issues, seals too (O-ring). Later ones are better.

No such problem with the H6. The 2.0T is also better but still doesn't match the H6's track record IMO.

-juice

jdlangan · December 2003

The serivce manager today told me that the head gaskets had been an issue, but the new ones were fine. Our OB is an '01, bought in August '00, maybe it's one of the early 2.5l's, don't know enough about that.

I have to say that for the most part people we know who have Explorers have had pretty decent luck, as has my Dad with his F-150's. Experiences with Ford cars have not been as positive. I definitely prefer to take the Explorer on trips, much more comfortable seats, and I feel the interior is nicer all around, and it's a pretty basic model, same options for the most part as we have on the OB. As I said, I will definitely look hard at the new 7 passenger - please oh please don't let it look more like a mini van than an SUV as I've seen on some of the threads - but I'll also take a look at new Explorers and how reliability has been lately -

Jeannette

ballistic · December 2003

please oh please don't let it look more like a mini van than an SUV

I must be a minority of one. There are numerous SUVs that, to my eye, are downright ugly, and there are at least several minivans that I'd call very attractively styled.

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