Subaru Crew: Official SOA Presence (aka Patti)

nygreg

I understand that his answer is incorrect. However, perhaps Subaru is changing their flush frequency or at least SOA should know what a dealer is telling his customer (who knows better).

Greg

hypov

Patti-
Not digging up the dead, but was just wondering if SoA is aware of mail queries WRX owners are receiving.



-Dave

ateixeira

They must know, I'm sure many employees are owners too.

-juice

joybell

That's because they ARE a completely separate company. They source stuff through SOA only because it is cheaper to do so, not because they have to.

leo2633

What happened to Patti? She hasn't been here for quite some time now.

Len

bluesubie

njswamplands

and she startled riding her bike toward juices new beach love shack. she should arrive around memorial day.

nygreg

in the new Legacy deliveries?

rsholland

She's been very busy at work, and I'm sure we'll be hearing from her soon.

Bob

ateixeira

She was in intensive '05 product training.

Hurry back and SPILL THE BEANS! Woo-hoo!

-juice

PF_Flyer

Join the Subaru Crew every Thursday evening for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. The chat room opens about 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, so stop on in, even if it's just to say Hello! All things Subaru is the general theme, but anything automotive is fair game too. Come on in and get to know some of your fellow Town Hallies better! See you there...

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subaru_team

weeks. If you have an issue that you want me to get to "quicker" than by the time I read through all of this, can you let me know the post number? Thanks!

I've been in some new model technical training and a few projects that were very time consuming. Plus - lacrosse season has me running at night. I'll be on the chat tonight.

Please accept my apologies.

Patti

subaru_team

I'm awaiting a return call from a contact there. We're trying to set up the "deluxe" tour that will show you a lot and some other special things. June is going to be tough for them. They will be stepping up production just prior to their annual close down for vacations in July. They seem excited about this too, but I'm still working out details. Funny that there is so much involved in this. Now - the bad news. I cannot attend with you. We have some projects launching in June and I was told that I will have to help out on the weekends in June.

I will be posting more details about the trip at some point tomorrow. I will need a solid head count. If you are going, please send me an e-mail so I can start the formalized list for SIA. I'm so psyched for you all and just wish I could be there with you!

Patti

subaru_team

told, so don't shoot the messenger! I am trying to find out what changed to allow it to be in new models. Stay tuned!

Patti

subaru_team

we're basically turning things inside out to try to duplicate this thing. It's a shame because I know that the "buzz" on the net is that we're not doing anything about the problem, but that's not it at all - we just can't seem to duplicate it and neither can NHTSA. I think it would cost less to fix it if we could find it rather than this mess, but I'm sure folks do not see it that way. Thanks for the heads up though!

Patti

subaru_team

June of '99? I just noticed that on my profile. Hmmm - that makes missing the trip in June even worse! uggghhh. Well, we can always try to do something at SOA........

Patti

ateixeira

That's a lot closer. I am there.

-juice

dcm61

I would most likely be able to attend a headquarters event since I'm just around the corner (actually across the river) from Cherry Hill. About an hour drive; 20 minutes if I ride with paisan.

DaveM

rsholland

jfl

(As Jim recounts his frequent flyer miles...)

Jim

Yes, there are enough to do both!

bat1161

Patti,

Cherry Hill is a lot closer than Lafayette, IN. I would still do both though. Who else is going again to SIA(you can put me down for that)?

Take care Patti, and try to take some time for yourself in the midst of everything.

Mark

fibber2

Got your note this morning! Good to know that you are alive and well. BTW, Jay told me this morning that the check came, and he is extremely grateful for your help in making it happen.

I couldn't get on line last night. I was very disappointed to have missed the chat again...

I cannot believe that you will not be there with us, but I am planning on going to Indiana. I have always wanted to see a plant where they build big, hunking metal objects! (real man's stuff...) All I ever get to see is plants where they make microscopic thingies (on dinner plate sized wafers). I would consider driving, but am still leaning towards flying if I can do so.

Steve

subearu

I put in my 'notice of appearance' for the 6/18 SIA tour. I should have the F-XT by then

-Brian

bluesubie

Parking lot barbecue and "Crew" autocross! Yeah, like Legal would approve that. ;-)

-Dennis

ldbricker

yet? Just made for an event like this... at least according to them.

mruebusch

hi there patti...this is michael from last nights chat session..thanks for your email address however a it is now no longer on my desk and the gremlins are denying any involvement. could i please get it from you again ..thanks

judyran

I have an 01 Forester and I smell antifreeze from time to time. I had an oil change last week and asked my mechanic to look for a leak; he didn't see one. Naturally I am worried about my head gaskets and really don't want to get in an argument at the dealer. Can you help me?
My car has alot of (mostly highway) miles on it (96,500).

ateixeira

michael: welcome, be sure to join the Subaru Crew thread under Owners Clubs. Come to the Meet the Members topic and introduce yourself.

You can reach her at pmickel at Subaru dot com. I spelled it out so that harvesting software doesn't pick it up and start spamming her.

Judy: did they use the coolant conditioner in yours yet? I'd rush that. You should get a letter from SoA, but don't wait, call and schedule the appt now. Call 800-SUBARU3 to expedite, but you can schedule that w/your dealer directly.

-juice

judyran

They did NOT use the coolant conditioner yet. However here's what I'm worried about: use the conditioner, already have a head gasket problem, drive it over 100 grand, get stuck with the total head gasket bill. I want to know if I have a head gasket problem now, and get it fixed now.

ateixeira

Understood.

I would consider getting an oil analysis done. Some of the folks here have had that. You could also flush the coolant and look for oil comtamination.

Basically if you find oil in the coolant or vice versa, then I'd be concerned.

-juice

judyran

So, what you're saying I should do, is go to the dealer monday, tell them I know about the TSB and I want my oil analyzed to see if there is contamination from coolant in it. Just trying to get a plan together.
I'd really really like to feel like Subaru is watching my back, so to speak. That's why I posted on here.

judyran

... of why this head gasket thing makes me so nervous.
My last vehicle was a toyota truck. The head gaskets blew at 82,000. Yes, it had water in it. I don't know why it blew but the timing chain was slack in it...anyway toyota was no help. I spent alot of money and time rebuiding the top and then the bottom of the engine. While waiting I pretended I was getting a new car to cheer me up. Guess what car? A Forester! I had the Subie brochure and everything. Then I got the truck back and flipped it on the interstate. Totalled. Took the money from the insurance, and instead of paying off the engine rebuild debt, bought a brand new Forester. Hey, a near death experience will make you get what you want. I LOVE my Forester. I drive my Forester all over the SouthEast to paddle rivers (I'm a kayaker). It's been the best car I could have chosen for my needs. Having another lemon engine would be horrible. Please, Subaru, help me with this!

ateixeira

Go ahead and call 800-SUBARU3, because you really want to have your complaint registered. You'll probably still have to give the conditioner a try, but the important thing is you will have documented your complaint, i.e. the issue was originally identified while still under warranty.

Patti's catching up but I'm sure if you do that, you should be covered.

When you call the 800#, ask them to open a case file, even if it's just a "Customer Says" complaint. Get a case number, too.

-juice

mruebusch

juice thank you for patti's email address..i know about those spammers....cant wait to buy my subuaru

judyran

... and an appointment to bring in my car Monday. However, the guy at 800Subaru kept saying, "Well I can't imagine why you'd have a problem with the dealer". He also said the conditioner would fix any leaky gaskets, do you think that's true? It makes me nervous...

ateixeira

They extended the gasket warranty to 8 years or 100k miles, plus you have it documented now. I think you're good.

Will it work? Well, in tests they say it did work, but even if it doesn't you have the warranty.

-juice

judyran

that 3,500 miles is not alot of time to find out if the conditioner works or not.
The way I see it, if my gaskets are leaking now, then Subaru should replace them now.

ateixeira

I see....

Hmm, they're going to want to try the conditioner, though. It hasn't overheated or anything, has it?

I don't think they'll agree to go to that expense right now.

-juice

judyran

... from its normal position.
Here's the thing - if the gaskets need replacement now, they need it because of a manufacturer's defect, not because of my care or lack thereof. So if Subaru doesn't fix the problem now, and this fall, my gaskets fail, my engine overheats, and I need a rebuild should I be responsible for the cost?

c_hunter

My gut feeling is that you'd probably have an engine overheating if the gaskets were failing at such high mileage (in other words, if they were going to fail according to the known issue, they would have failed mildly at earlier mileage or spectaculary at higher mileage).

Many things can cause you to smell coolant, and the most common is a leaky hose connection somewhere. So I'd be leaning in that direction now. Heck, I spilled a little coolant when I did the 30K checkup on my Outback, and smelled that off and on for months!

Two simple things you can do: 1) take off the oil cap soon after the engine has been shut off, and look on the underside of the cap for any creamy beige frothy stuff, which would be coolant in the oil. Also examine the dipstick for this. 2) on a cool engine, look under the radiator cap, in the reservoir, and perhaps drain a little coolant out the bottom of the radiator and see if it looks OK. If there's oil in the coolant, you'd know.

If these two diagnostics don't turn anything up, that's positive news. Furthermore, if you car has not overheated or gone through large quanitities of oil or coolant recently, those are good signs too.

Craig

judyran

... my gas mileage has been not-so-good lately. I got new tires this past winter, a new timing belt, water pump, thermometer, radiator cap, and fuel filter. Is gas mileage indicative of head gasket problems?

judyran

... just occasionally. There's no pattern to it. I can drive 2 miles or 200 miles and smell it, or not. That's why I asked my oil change mechanic to look for a leak and he didn't see one.
My brother and I are going to jack up the car tomorrow and look at the drivers side head gasket to see if we can see a leak.

ateixeira

Visually inspect for oil stains on the bottom of the block. You'll see any oil leaks. Also check the front of the block.

Though if you changed the water pump you should have a new O-ring (front main seal), that's usually changed along w/ the pump.

The radiator is easy to drain. You turn a knob until it drains, the knob doesn't even have to come off. This takes seconds to do once you've found it.

-juice

c_hunter

my gas mileage has been not-so-good lately. I got new tires this past winter, a new timing belt, water pump, thermometer, radiator cap, and fuel filter. Is gas mileage indicative of head gasket problems?

I would not expect HG problems to anonymously affect gas mileage, you'd surely notice the HG problem by other symptoms at that point.

Biggest culprit with gas mileage is underinflated tires. Make sure they are pumped up correctly.

Since you had major cooling system work done recently, those may have contributed to the coolant smell you're detecting, particularly if something was not done correctly and there is a small leak.

Craig

judyran

'cause I want to drive this car another 100,000 miles!

cusafr

If you book it, they will come!

If it is anytime except the third week in July and we could work out a date soon, I will come all the way from West Texas!!!

CUSAFR

subaru_team

so call us back once it goes into the dealer. FWIW - if this is a problem with the head gaskets, the problem is an external leak that should be easily seen.

Please try to remember - this isn't a recall - it's a customer service campaign. We're doing the best we can considering that not ALL of the vehicles will experience the seepage. It's more precautiounary because we've seen a higher number of issues than what we anticipated. The feedback continues to support that this conditioner does a great job. Try not to worry about it too much. If you get it checked out by a dealer, they will know what to look for. And....call us back once they do. We'll do our best!

Patti

subaru_team

of the facility. Once I have a number of folks that are planning on going, I'm going to try to get some type of discount on accomodations (and maybe a rental if it's needed). Please just let me know if you are going and how many.

I'll try to get something nice together for you! And....I'll be jealous the whole time!

Patti

jfl

for SIA in June. I'm really disappointed that we won't be able to meet you and say thanks for all you've done for the Crew and Subie owners.

Jim

rsholland

We're still talking about Friday June 18, right? That date is firm, correct?

Bob