Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

stevek · October 2002

I don't know what kind of driving you do, my '01 Legacy GT has almost 60k on them and all the brakes are just fine, the front pads may wear out a bit quicker but having to cut the rotors are not a sign of good things. I have a friend who has a Honda Accord and he went thru 5 break jobs in 50K, on rural road driving, go figure

ateixeira · October 2002

For the pads, sure, that's about par for the course.

Don't know about the rotors, though. Is their surface smooth? Do you feel any vibrations in hard braking? If it's smooth in feel and operation, I'd skip the resurfacing.

Otherwise, ask if they have an on-car lathe, those are more accurate.

-juice

dude · October 2002

Finally got my sunroof fixed yesterday, just in time for snow

ateixeira · October 2002

It's good, actually, any precipitation could cause a water leak.

-juice

xccoachlou · October 2002

Just a reminder - when birds feed they tend to show their gratitude by depositing something on a nice freshly cleaned car.

Pigeons, America's urban pheasant! lol

mrk610 · October 2002

Ok i hope this is not a stupid question . Went to the dealer to get a oil filter . I'm going to change my oil for the 1st time myself . He gave me a crush washer with the filter . Now for my question . The washer is used for the oil drain plug in the pan right . It seems to fit the filter ,but I know you don't use a gasket with the filter.

thanks in advance mike k

fibber2 · October 2002

Mark: In the past I have asked for 'block sanding' rather than lathe cutting if the rotor is in basically good shape. It can be done (best) with a coarse grit paper on a flat block or (OK) with a hand held grinder. It simply roughens up the iron rotor - breaking up the surface glaze, decreases the high spots, removes the high rust ridge at the inside and outside edges, etc.

By removing the minimum amt required to achieve reasonable flatness, you avoid removing the 'hardened' outer layer that provides the longevity in OEM rotors. This method will require that the pad wear a bit faster to fit the rotor, but I think gives the most cost effective and painless brake job.

Mike: This came up during the summer and was a source of some confusion. I think we all settled on it being the 17mm drain plug crush washer (even though it seems to fit the hollow spot on the OEM spin-on filter).

Steve

bluesubie · October 2002

bat - You're lucky to have the pads last that long after a few PA Backroad Drives. ;-)

My wife needed new front pads on her OB at 60K. I believe the rotors were replaced before that. OTOH, the pads on my OBS needed to be replaced at around 40K IIRC. Just don't do like I did and go to Meineke. Oy vey!

-Dennis

bsvoller · October 2002

-juice, I believe it was you who was looking for comparison replacement part costs, wasn't it ?

We just had the alternator go out on our '95 Sentra (88k mi) - $320 remanned + installation. Installation involves draining the radiator and removing the lower hose 'cause it's in the way.

Sigh. I remember when you could get a $20 voltage regulator and be up and running in 20 minutes. Must be dating myself....

This car has gotten expensive in the last 2 years: brakes, battery, starter motor, left front axle, brakes again (rotors this time), tires, right front axle, alternator. It has a slow leaks at the front crank seal, the left axle seal and the steering pump reservoir, but I'm not fixing them yet 'cause I don't have any fluids on the floor.

Here's hoping the Subie does better in years 6-7.

-brianV

locke2c · October 2002

it should, but don't bet against the front crank seal leaking on it too.

-Colin

ateixeira · October 2002

The only thing I've spent money on was the battery, basically. Mine's just over 4 years old now, 48k miles.

-juice

ateixeira · October 2002

My Subie goes from car port to garage, fortunately it's almost never uncovered.

-juice

bsvoller · October 2002

My Forester is 2 1/2 years old and has 30k, which seems about average, maybe a bit low. You're not exactly wearing yours out, are you ?

p0926 · October 2002

No he's not! My Forester is also 2 1/2 years old and just passed the 40k mark. Argh!

-Frank P.

lark6 · October 2002

3 years in January and I'm at 46K. I wish it could be lower.

Ed

kens · October 2002

I'm at 78K miles in 4.5 years. That's about 17K miles a year. :-)

A buddy of mine put on 60K on his Forester in just 2 years! :-O

Ken

subaru_team · October 2002

cptplt · October 2002

had front pads at about 45K, rear at 60K. Rotors haven't needed doing yet but I think I will be needing my fronts done in the next year and will probably need new rotors, have 72K after 57 months now.

ateixeira · November 2002

Simple explanation - I put about 15k miles per year, but I've had two cars for the past 2 years.

So at first I was accumulating a lot of miles, but then the pace slowed. Still, in the last year or so my Forester took 9k miles, the Miata, about 6k.

Roadsters are great for quick errands and sunny days, but the Subie pays the bills.

-juice

bsvoller · November 2002

OK, so today I actually measured the interval between when the stock engine temp gauge reads "normal" and when the optional oil temp gauge does the same.

On a cold morning running 5w-30 - car was in the garage, outside temp ~20, the engine temp gauge stabilized after about 7 miles at ~50 mph in light city traffic. At this time, the oil temp gauge was just coming off of the bottom peg (50 C = 122 F). 7 miles later, the oil temp gauge stabilized at ~70 C (=158 F). I normally expect a little more - closer to 80 C (= 176 F), but my commute is short. It seemed to be pretty stable at that temp.

'01 Forester S with performance gauge pack
-brianV

ateixeira · November 2002

Cool, you have more data for you analysis vs. most of us. :-)

-juice

jfl · November 2002

3 years (and 7 days) on my Legacy ~54k mi. Still on original brake pads. I plan to change pads in the next 6k miles or so.

A recent dealer brochure contained a blurb about current brake pads not lasting as long as in the past due to changings in the compound. Possibly something about eliminating asbestos. Has anyone else seen this?

Jim

zrock · November 2002

Hello,
I have a 2002 Outback Sport and it has about 25,000 miles on it. Recently we have noticed a burnt rubber smell coming from the car after we are through driving and we get out of the car. The has cropped up very recently. I have looked under the hood to see if any rubber hoses are hitting the engine but I cannot pin down where the smell is coming from. Any suggestions out there on what to look for, etc?

thanks

ateixeira · November 2002

At your 30k service, I'd ask the dealer to do a thorough inspection of the belts, hoses, motor mounts, and suspension bushings.

Do you notice any other symptoms besides the smell? Does the smell get worse under certain conditions (i.e. weather, speed, etc)?

Or it could just be the undercoating burning off the exhaust. That would have a nice rotten egg aroma to it.

-juice

ateixeira · November 2002

That happened a long time ago, though.

60k miles from a set of pads is not bad at all.

-juice

idahodoug · November 2002

I appreciate the data points. So, roughly 15 minutes of driving before your oil came up to temp for things like full acceleration, etc. Interesting and frankly a LOT longer than I'd expected. I'll think twice before stomping on the gas before then when I'm in a hurry on some cold morning. Makes me start wondering how long it takes for the transmission oil on an automatic gets fully warmed...

IdahoDoug

idahodoug · November 2002

Most likely this will be something to do with the engine accesory belt (s). Check with a very bright light around the pulleys, the tensioner pulley, and the accessories for evidence of rubber dust. Immediately after running errands, pop the hood and put your hand carefully on the drive belt (watch out for hot components and electric fans that can come on with no warning. If one belt is warmer than the other, or if the belt is hot to the touch, you've got your source. Obviously, check for a loose belt as well as worn edges from dragging on something.

If nothing surfaces, I'd be concerned about the engine's internal timing belt. If you're so inclined, pop off one of the easiest covers and visually inspect the cover's inner surface for black rubber dust, the belt for damage, etc.

IdahoDoug

ateixeira · November 2002

I'd expect it to warm up faster than a manual. Why? Because there is slip until the lockup torque converter acts.

With a manual the clutch absorbs the slip.

-juice

bsvoller · November 2002

What the oil temp gauge has taught me is this:

1) On my commute, I may not quite get the engine fully warmed up. I will continue with a 3month / 3000 mile oil change regimen.

2) Bearing in mind that my car was not stone cold this morning either, if it had been it's prolly 15 minutes of easy driving at least before it's warm, or, say, up to 10-12 minutes after the engine gauge says you're all clear. Park it and go in for dinner and a movie or something on a cold night, and you're looking at quite a while before oil hits normal operating temps on the way home.

-brianV

jfl · November 2002

Brian, thanks for the info. About 3 blocks out of my driveway, I need to be up to 40-50 mph! Wonder what kind of wear and abuse my engine's going through!

juice, I'm very pleased with getting ~60k on my front pads, I had expected to replace them earlier. 8~)

Jim

kens · November 2002

15 minutes until oil warms up? Sounds like a case for using synthetic.

I'm still on my original pads at 76K. But then again 90% of my driving is highway and my Forester has a manual tranny. I'm probably going to replace them soon. I do have a touch of rotor warpage so I'm wondering if I should:
A) Replace just the pads and fuggedaboutit

Machine the rotors but risk increased warpage later
C) Replace both pads and rotors and take a big chunk out of my wallet

Any advice?

Ken

ateixeira · November 2002

Pads are cheap so I'd do those now.

You'll trade in for a turbo something or other by the time you'd need any more brake work. :-)

-juice

kens · November 2002

You know me too well, juice! ;-)

Ken

dcab · November 2002

We are getting quite a bit of wind noise on the driver's side of our Forester XS.

I'm wondering if anyone else has noticed this with their XS, and/or has any idea as to the cause and how to fix it.

The noise seems to have gotten worse in the four months that we've had the XS. It comes from around the area where the tweeter is and first becomes noticeable at around 25 mph. It is not noticeable on the passenger side. It almost sounds as though the window is open a crack, but there is no noticeable draft. I thought that it might be the side mirror, and folded the mirror in but the noise is still there. Besides, if it were the mirror, I'd think that the noise would be apparent on both sides.

I can't find any visible difference in trim or anything else on the two sides of the car, so I'm baffled.

Any ideas?

kens · November 2002

dcab,

Check to see if all the seals and gaskets are intact. Open the door and look along the frame where the window would push up against. Also check to make sure the rubber gasket where the side mirror mounts to the window is okay. A small tear would allow air in causing the noise. Another thing to check is to see if your window is up all the way by opening the door and raising the windows. Sometimes tight seals can prevent the windows from rolling all the way up.

Ken

fibber2 · November 2002

As I mentioned last week, I am an advocate of block sanding rather than lathe cutting when the rotor is not in bad shape. That plus new pads, and you are on your way!

Steve

fibber2 · November 2002

Brian, IIRC, your optional gauge pack oil temp sensor replaced the oil drain plug? If so I suspect it is giving a somewhat pessimistic reading.

In the lube system, the pan acts like both a reservoir and supplemental cooler. The pump picks up oil from the pan and sends it thru the block to the filter, then up to bearing surfaces thru small passageways. These very small quantities rise in temperature rapidly along the way. I am sure that the point-of-use oil is well above that of the bulk in the pan.

Placing an oil temp sensor at the very lowest point in the bulk storage region is akin to placing the water temp sensor in the radiator (rather than block). Eventually it will read the right temperature, but the sensing action will be delayed.

I don't mean to throw stones, but I suspect that the lubrication system is in much better shape than your gauge pack is telling you.

Steve

bsvoller · November 2002

Good points, Steve, and well-taken. I'm well aware that the oil temp gauge is going to lean toward the cold side.

On the other hand, it's only a 4 quart system, and the amount of oil in the pan is relatively small, so it shouldn't reflect too large a delay.

My interest was more in the size of the delay between the engine temp and oil temp displays. Some delay might be expected, sure.

I actually got it with a mind to monitor the high side while towing in summer. A 4 quart system is more prone to overheating for the same reasons.

Cheers

-brianV

celica115 · November 2002

MY02 seden has the same problem on both side of windows. Ken is right. Try raising the window up all the way before close the door. That's one of the solution. The dealer would not fix it because I could not prove it.(who can drive up to 45, 55mph in their parking lot?) Anyone knows is there any after market seal can put on?

kens · November 2002

One other thing is that dealers will often track down things like noises only during the first year of ownership. They should try to replicate the problem (ie. drive it on the highway).

Ken

celica115 · November 2002

Even he drives it on the highway with you. They may just say "nothing is wrong, that's normal ... etc.".

liamzdad · November 2002

Our Subaru is wetting itself. Rain is coming in the air vents and onto the floor wells of the driver front and rear sides thru the floor vents.
Does anyone know how to deal with this?
My shop vac is working overtime.
Thank you,
liamzdad@yahoo.com

kevin111 · November 2002

Had same problem with my Camry. Was due to the rubber window seals being faulty. You can either have a mechanic re-seal the window seals up, or use double-sided tape as a quick fix. If it is within the 1st year, have the dealer take care of it!

mdisaacs · November 2002

Had to rent a drain snake for the basement last weekend and while returning it to Home Depot in my Outback it laid over sideways and gouged the rear window tint nearly dead center. After a couple choice words...and kicking myself for not tying it down, I could only shrug -my bad.
Any ideas on possible repair? The gouge is about 1.5 inches long and 3/8 inches wide, vertical. And yes, it does extend over one of the defroster lines.

fibber2 · November 2002

Gordon: Just saw your post from a few weeks back (been out of the country). Thanks - glad to hear that I was able to help.

Steve

idahodoug · November 2002

If you're sure the water is coming in the actual ventilation outlets, and it does not smell like engine coolants, you have a clogged drain or two. Pour water onto the base of your windshield and it's supposed to go throught the grilles and down a couple drains that can get clogged by debris. See if you can remove the plastic grill and trim at the base of the w/s and find the holes with leaves and debris blocking them. Gently run wire down them in an effort to dislodge the crud without tearing the hoses. There's also a condensation drain from the bottom of your A/C heat exchanger in the dash that may also be a source. Sorry I don't have specifics - late here - but you sounded in need of a quick comment.

IdahoDoug

liamzdad · November 2002

Thank you IdahoDoug,
I really appreciate it.
Its rain water that is flooding the cabin.
This is happening overnight while the Outback is
parked outside and it has rained the night before.
The water is coming thru the air vents front and rear on the drivers side only.
I will attempt to run a thin wire thru the top, outside air vent and gently try and dislodge any debris.
I love this car. Besides warped brake rotors, have not had a thing go wrong with it. It only has 75,000 miles.
Thank you again.

pnassmac · November 2002

dcab,

I have a 2003 X 5spd and it also had the same problem. I would hear it at highway speeds (70+) and as you found it quite annoying. To fix it, I would push pretty hard against the closed window with my left elbow till the sound increased and then slowly release. This movement most likely re-sealed the window because afterward, the window was silent. I would do this each time I opened/closed the door.

I took it to my dealer and told him about the problem and how I solved it (just as above.) Even though I found no rips, tears or obvious misalignment of the seals, they "replaced the seals and adjusted the window." Now the noise is gone.

originalbitman · November 2002

Got my new 950s mounted and now I need to get an alignment. Any ideas on picking a good alignment shop? Not many alternatives here in Eureka. I am going to the dealer this week and they do alignment. Would that be a good choice?

Tint Scratch - Bummer. No good fix that I can think of and removing that rear film is tricky. You might check here for ideas:

http://www.tintdude.com/

bit

kens · November 2002

Ouch! I've scratched my tint also so I know that feeling. Unfortunately, there probably isn't much you can do short of replacing the entire tint unless you can live with imperfections.

The quick and dirty fix is to use a grease pencil and fill in the scratch. This technique might not work if your tint is light or the scratch too big.

Other than that, I'd take it to a tint shop to see what they can salvage. I'm going to guess that they could cut out a strip and replace it, but it would be difficult to get the edges to line up correctly.

Ken

Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles