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Comments
Thanks.
You reminded me that my would be due for a changed.
Had mine changed @ ~10k. The tech that did my car recommended that it be changed ~10-15k. In his own words, in layman's term, "It's like the kidney of the engine. That goes, everything else will follow." $25.00, IIRC, is a worthy expense.
-Dave
1) oil rings begin to fail, leading to oil consumption
2) oil foams, which breaks it down rapidly and the resulting loss of quality can lead to wear, rust and even sludge especially when oil change intervals are long.
but yeah a PCV shouldn't be neglected. ;-)
-Colin
This PCV valve thread has been very informative. The pictures from
the i-forum were dead on for locating the PCV valve even on my Forester.
I will be ordering a replacement part soon. Interestingly enough,
the factory service manuals (FSM), doesn't even mention it in the
general maintenance section. Even the Haynes manuals for
the Legacy says it should be inspected very 60K miles.
So, in addition to PCV valve replacement, can you guys recommend
other maintenance procedures not explicitly culled out in the
FSM and their intervals?
Off the top of my head, I can think of :
* Upper/lower radiator hoses
* Radiator cap
OK, the FSM does recommend inspecting the hoses, but it
doesn't actually say to replace them unless there is
something wrong.
Thanks,
Ken
P.S. The black foam on the top of my radiator has virtually disintegrated.
I've tried taping it back, however, it didn't work very well. I guess it isn't
that important. My guess is that air flow to the radiator is reduced
somewhat. Has anyone tried replacing it?
I was just reading an article in Businessweek Magazine Online on the Auto Industry, and they mention an A.J.Teixeira who looked at 7 vehicles before getting a Subaru Wagon.
Is that anybody we know and love????
It took looking at that many to decide on a Subie?
Dukephoto
mentioned in #5427, here's the link:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_28/b3791001.htm
My questions are these:
Are problems with the ECU common? Does reprogramming get at the problem or does the unit need to be replaced? Why does the ECU ever need reprogramming? And lastly, is there a real problem which the reprogramming or replacement might cover up? I get the feeling the dealer is not looking past the initial computer diagnosis or ECU problems. TIA
Any comments on brands, especially for the wires?
Thanks,
Jim
-juice
Hey, that's me! They even spelled my name correctly. And it was Edmunds that put me in touch with them. :-)
One correction, though: we didn't "settle" for a Legacy, we "moved up" to a Legacy. ;-)
-juice
bit
I originally posted this in the Subaru Problem group, but I will also post it here. The responses seem to revolve around an upgrade to the ECU programming and/or O2 sensors. The service people had said that is what happened in late April. Any other ideas? I'll be bringing it in this Wednesday due to their work schedule.
I have a 2001 Forester S with about 27000 miles. I am curious if anyone has had any problems with the "Check engine" light coming on?
I had the light come on in late April of this year. The dealer tried their computer diagnosis, which said something was wrong with the ECU. They said it needed to be reprogrammed. So it was sent back to Michigan (?) and the thing was back in three days. And it has not come on until now.
Well the light came on again Saturday, and I'll be going back to the dealer again.
My questions are these:
Are problems with the ECU common?
Does reprogramming get at the problem or does the unit need to be replaced?
Why does the ECU ever need reprogramming?
And lastly, is there a real problem which the reprogramming or replacement might cover up?
I get the feeling the dealer is not looking past the initial computer diagnosis or ECU problems.
TIA
What plugs are you using and at what price? I've seen platinum Champions locally at $2.
Any advice? (No way I'd pay $12 for a spark plug!)
TIA.
Jim
Ty
plug changes are easy on a SOHC Subaru, so there's no reason to shy away from them.
-Colin
I usually get Bosch platinum, and they are under $2 per. I haven't changed my plugs yet, though.
dry_fly: CELs are common (and not just for Subaru), and really not a big concern unless the light is blinking.
You can blame the feds. On Board Diagnostics Level II (OBDII) is a requirement for all new cars, so something as simple as a loose gas cap must trigger the light. Even worse, you must have a Dealer reset the light, because the feds didn't want people ignoring a potential environmental hazard.
Leave it to them to protect us from ourselves. But the good news is it's usually no big deal, just have it checked anyway.
-juice
Also, I believe that you folks recommended synthetic transmission/differential fluid as weel for better shifting. Which one is necessary on a MT.
Thanks again for all the help!
Mark
Almost trip over a skid at COSTCO when I saw the carton, my eyes was affixed to the carton whilst advancing for a closer look.
Mobil1 (TriSyn) is now SupeSyn, I do believe.
I think the Mobil Clean is the Dino/Syn Blend.
-Dave
YMMV
-Dennis
Jon
Dave- I know Costco carries Mobil 1, it just seems they never have 10W30 in stock.
Dennis- Someplace like PepBoys should carry the Amsoil, correct?
Mark
I have the tire folks put weights wherever they are needed, but ONLY stick-on weights. The factory (for most vehicles) hammer-on rim flange weights tear up a nice wheel in short order.
-Colin
The loss of braking was in fact a normal loss of power assist, but the increased effort can be disconcerting. If you were ever faced with a stalled engine again and want to stop, don't repeatedly pump the brake, simply push down normally and don't let up until you're stopped. There is a reserve of power assist that lasts about 3 pumps. The steering assist has no such reserve and when the engine stops so does the assist. Guess you now know what it was like for your grandmother to drive a car, eh? Heh.
In sum, I'm 99.99% sure you got bad gas with some water in it and it will not happen again with quality gas. However, this makes my recommendation to get some HEET in the tank more urgent if you live in an area where it's freezing at night. It's available at virtually any auto parts store and most service stations. All you do is pour it in the fuel tank. The most annoying part will be breaking the tenacious seal or prying off the lid. I don't know why they make this such a pain, but they do. Probably a DOT regulation to transport this chemical and avoid spills.
The reason I say it's more urgent is that water is heavier than fuel. Any water in your tank settles at the bottom where the fuel intake resides that feeds the engine. If you have water in the tank, another stall may be in your future. Worse, the water can settle into the lowest part of your fuel line at night and freeze into a solid plug. You will be unable to start the car at this point. If it happens, the car will have to be towed into a heated area so the water plug melts, but then you're still back to the stalling issue.
I put a can of HEET in every vehicle I own each fall, and again in the spring. All vehicles get some water in there from normal condensation and this ensures it gets combined into a burnable mixture and pulled through the engine without harm.
Thanks for your kind words, BTW...
IdahoDoug
If anyone tries to balance wheels with the weights only on the inside they will not have balanced wheels. Don't waste your money on "cosmetic" balancing and don't risk the excess wear on your tires. Get those wheels balanced properly.
I have never had any vibes in the steering, and she tracks beautifully.
-juice
Also, the key was the installation procedure, not the part itself. It has to be torqued to specs, no more no less. The new design is just more fault tolerant, but the mistake is made during the installation, not in manufacturing the part.
-juice
-mike
-Dennis
Jon
I would imagine alot is said 'bout the wheels if magnets do stick.
What other metals are conductive to magnets besides iron, tin,...???
-Dave
-juice
I have a 2001 Forester S+ with about 25K miles and hear a squealing noise from underneath the car. It occurs when i go foward or reverse from a standstill, with no braking of course. Ususally audible at about 5-10 mph.
thanks!
It had 70k miles or so, but cost a rather painful $820 IIRC. The car was falling apart so we dumped it.
-juice
Prior posts provided a lot of evidence on the value of replacing the PCV valve. (Thanks!)
What are your opinions on O2 sensors?
Jim
if you haven't replaced one and you start experiencing driveability or economy problems it's something to try. they can be difficult to replace due to heat & cooling of the sensor and exhaust pipe...
out of warranty, I would recommend Bosche oxygen sensors for any vehicle. you can get them at most autoparts stores.
-Colin
1. Gas tank: it doesn't fill completely. At first it filled to 3/4 tank. I took it to the dealer, who told me that the gas tank is in the shape of a horseshoe and goes around the transmission. In the middle of the horseshoe is a small valve, which apparently got clogged in my car. They had to take off the wheels and transmission to get to the gas tank, by the way. Anyway, the situation only got worse. Now I can only fill the tank to 1/2 tank. I took it back to the service guy who says it's a "trait of the car" and he won't try to fix it anymore.
Air conditioning: It "cools" to 85 degrees. Service guy says that "everything works fine".
Paint: the paint is chipping off on my 8 month old car. Dealer says that it's "normal" wear and not covered under warranty.
Does anyone else have these problems?
Can anyone give me any advice?
I've contacted Subaru of America twice now. The first time I called and spoke to someone who was incredibly rude to me. She took down all the information and said someone would call me back, but they never did.
The second time, I wrote them a letter. A different amazingly rude woman called me and told me that the Regional Service Manager would have to look at the car. I took it to him at the appointed hour. I was really excited, hoping that I'd get my problems resolved. I took him for a test drive, welcoming him into my Subaru world. Naturally, that was the ONLY time (honestly!) that the gas tank filled completely. Murphy's law, I guess.
Interestingly, the air conditioning problem seemed to resolve itself for the moment. I have no doubts that it'll return.
Any advice or help is welcome. Patti, I really hope to hear from you. Can you help?
Cheers,
Elizabeth
Jim
We have had regular contact with Subaru of America -- as I say, no problems, just for various non-problem reasons before and after our purchase -- and everyone at Subaru of America has always gone out of their way to be polite and helpful.
I suppose there can be problem vehicles with every manufacturer, and it sounds like you've had the bad luck to get one. It sounds absolutely unbelievable that a dealer would try to tell you the things you've said were wrong with your car are normal! If you pursue getting these problems fixed, I'm confident that Subaru will straighten it out for you. From all I've seen on these boards Subaru does an excellent job at standing behind what they make and sell. Patti is a wonder and a blessing (as my mother would say). I know that in my family Subaru is what we drive: me, my brother, and my sister (Sis has two). Statistically (consulting Consumer Reports, for example) Subaru vehicles are very reliable and are recommended as used vehicles -- Subaru makes great cars, and the Foresters have proven to be very good cars, looking at the model as a whole.
Good luck! I'm sure it will all work out.
-juice
The newer A/C systems no longer use Freon and aren't quite as cold, but they should still cool well. If you park in the sun on a humid day, of course, it'll take a while for it to catch up. Consider tinted windows if you park in the sun every day, better yet find a garage. :-)
Paint chips are a common complaint. But the cladding on the L model should help there. You might want to consider Invisibra or similar stick-on protection.
ejhara: try resetting the ECU. Disconnect the negative terminal on your battery, wait 30 minutes, then reconnect. Idle until warm. I bet that makes a difference. Your first tank will have low gas mileage, since it runs rich until it leans out the fuel mixture.
Subaru came out with a "shim kit" fix for squeeky brakes, and those that got it reported good results. Ask your dealer about it.
-juice
I have had the car for a year and a half. I have gotten the egg smell less and less frequently over time while the mpg has been getting slowly better. It started at around 20-22 mpg, and I have a manual. I was expecting to get high 20's, 26 at the minimum with a standard and a 4 cylinder. At least like I've gotten with all the 4 cylinders I've owned in the past. Now I get around 23-24, 25-27 maybe if I do a lot of highway. I do 90% city driving though so I don't expect it to be 30+ unless I do all highway. I figured that I was just on the real low end of the average, since that's what the law of averages is all about.
I will definitely be checking this board to see how your situation turns out! Good luck with it!