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Comments
-mike
My hydraulic jack came with one, and I should try it some time. If it works, it wouldn't be a bad idea to follow Eric's tip.
Check that spare, guys. My Forester was only a bit low, but the spare in my Miata is a donut and was at just 10 PSI! It's supposed to be at 65 psi! Yikes!
-juice
I'd been using a foot pump I got in '85 (for something like $5) which finally gave out (to me that's amazing). I'm now using my standing bike pump as well but is wearing me out adjusting the pressure on all four tires. (I'm not as young as I used to be... :-)
I second the motion to check the spare. Finally had to use the donut last year and the pressure was at something like 15 psi which could barely hold itself up, let alone an Outback!
Thanks again,
-Dan
The recall involves the inspection of fuel hoses, rear center seat belts and right front wheel bearing housings on some models, including Legacy L, GT and Outback.
The company said layers on the fuel hose may separate, causing it to leak. The hose recall affects 1,456 vehicles.
Subaru will check 1,977 cars to check for a casting flaw in the right front bearing housing that could lead to loss of vehicle control.
The company will also inspect 368 Legacy sedan vehicles with beige interiors to replace the rear-center seat belt, which may not extend to the full length.
The problems were found during quality-assurance testing, the company said. There have been no accidents or injuries, Subaru said.
Registered owners of vehicles potentially affected by the recall campaigns will be notified by mail. All repairs will be made at dealerships at no charge to the owners.
--
Also see Press Releases on SoA.
BRAVO Subaru! Sure, in my utopia cars would be perfect. Given the recent problems with Mitsubishi and Ford, it's refreshing to see a company own up to problems and fix them without being forced by a regulatory authority.
..Mike
..Mike
Personally, recalls like this do not really upset me much (except for the hassle for the customer's). I'm kind of proud of the way we jump on things if we even suspect a concern instead of burying our heads in the sand.
There are not too many vehicles in the inspection range, so it should be no major issue.
Don't forget to call if you are concerned about this in ANY way.
Thanks!
As I rapidly approach 30k on my 2k OB, I'd like some recommendations on what really should be done. (I do nothing myself.)
Again, my brakes squeak, but the dealer says they're ok. I'm being told elsewhere that Subies do this at this mileage, especially if you don't over use them.
Back to service, the manual says plugs and wires, one dealer recommends all fluids, alignment, tire rotation (I do that every 7500 miles) and plugs and wires for the discount price of 450 bucks.
I don't really want to pay that, but what should be done? How much of this really is necessary when you hit this point in one year?
Vince14
Brakes today are a bit noisy. It is a tough balance between brake pads with higher metallic content (so they last longer) or softer pads. They are quieter, but the have a very short life span. If you notice that they make noise after not being used for a bit, some gentle, but firm braking on a clear road will clear off some surface rust that can cause the noise. It's a good idea to get them checked however. The warranty on the pads is 12 months so, it's good to get them checked prior to the warranty expiring.
If your dealer is recommending additional services, ask them why before you choose from their menu. Then, make the decision that best suits you and your type of use.
-mike
I would have expected a good look over after a fuel injector failed and left me stranded 500 km away from home.
To top it all off, 4 months later, a second fuel injector failed! (at least this time it was only 30 km from home).
Needless to say I am still wary that the other 2 fuel injectors are going to fail. Not exactly confidence inspiring.
-- ash
According to the harness maker, I should find an extra plug behind the access port on the driver's side at the rear of the cargo area. I see a plug and socket in use there, but no "extra" socket, and I think I fished around behind the access port pretty well. A call to the installation number provided with the harness resulted in puzzlement and a suggestion to look in the spare tire well (no joy there). Do I need an additional part that lets the harness tie in to the junction I found? I was led to believe there would be a plug just waiting for the harness I bought. Hmmm.
P.S. The directions that came with the hitch itself were great, and we installed the hitch, which is indeed very "hidden" in short order. My only suggestion to others is to be sure you tighten the hitch to spec using a torque wrench. If you "guess", you'll probably not tighten the bolts enough.
Thanks.
--Jay
..Mike
..Mike
-mike
Check Engine begins flashing 30 seconds after starting. Rough idle (enough to vibrate gear shift, steering wheel, and car body). No power up a small incline; no power on level road in all gears and RPMs. Acceleration sluggish; to reach 55mph, must shift at 4-5,000 RPM. Upon opening hood, detected a burning odor, the acrid smell of burned electrical insulation.
This occurred 6 Dec. Not knowing what was going on and being paranoid, I called Subaru Roadside Assistance and had it towed at no charge from my house to the dealer (what a great service!). The mechanic repaired an open connection between the ECM and an ignition coil (no details); problem solved.
This morning the problem reoccurred; this time I drove to the dealer (after confirming driving with these symptoms wouldn't damage the engine).
Per a mechanic, diagnostics indicate an open connection between the wires from the ECM (replaced under recall) to the ignition coils (one per spark plug, unlike the good ol' days) on cylinders 3 and 4. It's possible that the ECM replacement triggered this problem. It's just a guess but it's the last thing that changed. (BTW "What changed?" is my first question when diagnosing Windoze or Unix problems.)
Tischer Subaru, Silver Spring, MD, is performing the work.
Original post: <15.992</A>> Service Program WXV-79
My free loaner is a hot-rod Ford Escort with 4 not on the floor, no it's a 4 door automagic. What have I done wrong to be sentenced to this vehicle? Kate, keeper of the Ford scriptures
..Mike . 00 GT wagon 5MT . Silver Spring MD USA
..Mike
A flashing CE light means that a misfire is occuring. In my opinion the vehicle should not be driven in this condition, particularly if it is persistent.
Instead of a plug wire or coil problem, you could get the flashing CE if timing were out of whack... and I assure you worse things could happen than a fried coil.
-Colin
..Mike
..Mike
-Colin
I'd have them assign someone to do nogthing but test and retest all the connections to the ECM, *carefully* - after all, this is the second time for the same problem, a problem that occurred after an ECM change. If they don't find anything I'd pound on them until they replaced the ECM again. You might have gotten a dud.
Regards,
-wdb
(Whose first question is also, "what changed?")
The mechanic replaced the ignition coil. When I asked, "aren't there two?", the CSR said she specifically asked the mechanic, who said there was only one. I'm sure something was lost during the translation from mechanical to lay speak, but it's still annoying that I've got to come here to get accurate info (not that I don't like you guys). Giving the mechanic the benefit of doubt, maybe he meant the ignition coil on cylinders 3 and 4, an accurate statement.
So Colin, I know WDB prefers payment in beer, how may I repay you?
Thanks Colin and WDB; I hope my ignition coil problem doesn't begin to compete with Ash's fuel injector saga.
..Mike
..Mike
Before i begin my rant, let me say how much I like my car. I bought a 98 forester this summer with 90k kms on it for a pretty good price. Since I have owned it, I have replaced the clutch and a wheel bearing and now need to replace the sway bar link and a crank case seal. This is getting ridiculous. What really gets my goat is that I did some research and found out all the things I fixed or need to fix, except the clutch have already been replaced once already. I also found out from another forester forum that clutch wear on 98's is not an unheard of thing. Up to this point I have chalked up the repairs to buyer beware and paid for them graciously. My patience with subaru however is wearing thin. The dealers I have dealt with have been very helpful but not very good at dealing with my 'beefs'. When I bought my forester, I was all excited about the car and was considering buying my wife one also. Given my past 9 months or so, I ve changed my mind. If anyone has any advice on what I should or could do, I would appreciate it greatly.
Thanks
Jason...
..Mike
..Mike
Since my 2nd injection failure, I've only had the rotors resurfaced at 19,000 miles because I was noticing a vibration.
Interesting symptoms you noted .. mine were very similar, except once past 4000 rpm, the injectors would start working again, and the CE light would stop flashing. I agree with the rest of the group though - and would stop driving it immediately (as I did with my OB).
As for the injectors, I haven't driven the OB anywhere for more than 2 hours continously in over 4 months. The injectors failed on trips over 5 hours. Ironically, they were consecutive trips (ie. back to back) - hence doing little for my confidence. Still I have to drive it home on Christmas day. Hmm .. maybe I'll make that the 26th :0|
-- ash
ps. mike, are you sure you don't want to compete
The reason the device on top of the intake manifold with plug wires connected to it is called a coil pack is simply because there are multiple coils inside of it. Like a six pack of beer. ;-)
If there were just one coil, say like on most older vehicles, then it would just be the coil. If it had a distributor the coil is before that and then the distributor is what all the plug wires connect to. It doesn't have a distributor because it's controlled by the ECU.
If it had coil-on-plug like an SVX, then it wouldn't have a coil pack because each of the six coils would be located individually.
-Colin
I'm sure this is more a problem of tires than of the vehicle. It came with Firestones (not sure which model) which I run at about 30 psi. I know inflation makes some difference, but I don't consider it the problem. Comments...?
Jason - same thing, but I'm not sure where you are so just tell the Rep. to talk to me after they start a case.
I hate to hear of vehicle failures, but I love the challenge of trying to make things right!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thanks!
Patti
I am in Canada, is there someone specific I should call here. I also found out that the dealer knew about the wheel bearing under warranty and did not fix it. I also learned that they had previously fixed 2 sway bar links and the crank seal under warranty and they have failed again. If you can, let me know who to get in touch with please.
Thanks a lot,
Jason
I posted (just a few days ago) similar remarks about poor traction in the snow. I have yet to get stuck in snow (we got about 30 cm overnight), but I agree, the Outback w/Firestones on light snow is like melting ice cream sliding around in a bowl.
However, I am also convinced the reason is because the Wilderness tires are just not agressive enough to handle the weather. I have been contemplating an upgrade to either real snow tires or better all seasons.
Has anyone used Michelin MX4 Rainforce all seasons? how do they handle in the snow?
-- ash
Thanks!
Patti
Jim: yep, tires. Consider snow tires on steel rims. I found the Desert Duelers on the Forester adequate, and while I could spin the wheels if I tried, I also never got close to getting stuck. I now have less aggressive tread, but we get so little snow anyway.
Jay: my Forester had a harness plug in the wheel well. It was towards the back on the passenger side. No splicing required.
I think your Outback also has a harness hidden somewhere, since it's rated for towing (the other Legacy models do not, I think).
Jason: the wheel bearing issue I've seen before. Make sure they used the correct torque settings - bring this up to the mechanic that replaced yours, or it will happen again.
Sway bar links? Wow, how hard was that thing driven? The stock rear sway bar is a very wimpy 13mm, and flexes like Gumby.
You sure the previous owners didn't install some fat sway bars? This happens to some Miata owners that get fat bars and drive very hard, but usually those people are racing.
Clutch is hard to say. Yours was used to who knows how it was treated. Maybe the owner taught people how to drive stick shift!
-juice
Ash, Thanks. How did you know the injectors started working again? Is it as simple as, "the injectors started working again because once past 4000 rpm, I again had power." Or is there more to this, as in "the CE light changed from flashing to solid, indicating the injectors started working again". Sorry if I'm being dense. (and, hehe, no I don't want to compete)
Colin, I thought "pack" might mean "multiple" (a la beer LOL); thanks. Ah, the SVX had coil-on-plug, yes, I remember reading that. That's what I get for assuming; my bad. And maybe you didn't fix the problem but you sure helped me understand it. That's what I like about you and the folks on this board!
Patti, I'm not unhappy; my problem was fixed! (Though if you just want feedback on a dealer, I'll be happy to do that.)
Gosh I apologize to everyone if I came across as whining or ranting (it's the written word so it's par for the course); upon re-reading it I guess it's not my most neutral piece and for that I apologize. I'm just coming clean here. Subarus aren't perfect, no car is. I'm just reporting my experiences; maybe it'll help someone in a similar situation. It'll take a lot more than two trips to repair one problem to shake my enthusiasm for Subaru.
However, I do think some dealers could improve their feedback to the customer. Most of my dealer experiences have been "black hole" experiences.
car + problem + dealer + money = car - problem
To balance the equation, I'd like:
car + problem + dealer + money = car - problem + explanation
Back to watchin' the game, havin' a Bud.
..Mike
..Mike
Mike - On "lost in the translation". I had that problem a lot at my previous dealer. I have since found another dealer where the techs are only a few steps away from the advisors. AND the techs actually talk to the customers.
ash - What are the tires on the 99 OB? Michelin MV4's (MX4's?)? My wife says they're fine in the snow. Although she's only driven in a few inches and doesn't drive as hard as I do. She'll probably test them more since she's commuting to Morris County in NW NJ this winter. Might be time for some Arctic Alpins.
juice - When my former service manager told me I needed a new clutch, I told him I was so easy on it. He said maybe you're too easy on it and they need to be driven hard. Still had a problem after it was replaced. SoA took care of that though.
Dennis
-mike
Something like that.
-juice
If you get time, otherwise, I'll just be glad things are okay now.
when the injectors failed I noticed rough idling and shaking only at low rpms, and the CE light would start flashing indicating a misfire. once up at higher revs the light would stop flashing, and the shaking would also completely disappear. no power loss at higher revs, just at the lower ones.
in fact, I only noticed a problem at the end of trips when I got of highways and started going into lower rpms.
kind of weird isn't it?
the '99- OB had OE Michelin (MV4?) tires on it - I've heard nothing but good things about them. The MX4s are similar in nature but not made for "all-roads" driving, as they are a on-street passenger radial. We bought a set of MX4s in November for a Ford Contour so maybe I should go play with that car for a while.
Yet, nothing really beats having two sets of tires.
Also note that snow tires and ice tires serve different purposes. The Yokohoma Guardex's I have on my MX-6 are phenomenal for sticking to ice, but not great in slush at all.
Anyway, I really wish Subaru stuck with the Michelins...
-- ash
The two times the coil problem occured, it was on a chilly (for DC) morning (30-35F IIRC); the nights before had been mid 20F.
So would the CE light go from flashing to steady (if that is possible) or would it go from flashing to completely off? On my coil pack prob, it was initially steady, then flashed (and remained flashing) after 30 sec.
..Mike
..Mike
I believe snow tires are designed to pack ice/snow into the tread.
Look at Aquatreads, and they do the opposite - they expel water as quickly as possible.
-juice
..Mike
-mike
It's been a while, so I'm not sure if I completely recall. However, I can say for sure the light never went out. I'm pretty sure the flashing would stop eventually at higher rpms but the light would stay on. I think once I hit lower RPMs again, the light started flashing again (indicating a misfire). I didn't drive it much once the problem started.
Juice: they were Michelin XW something - you're right
-- ash
I would strongly recommend the use of Aquatreads in the snow, have had them, hated them, had an accident with them, and any tire guy I've spoken to recommends against them. Consumer Reports has some updated tire info, Michelin and Yokahama seem to make the best "A traction" rated all-seasons, but I do agree you can't beat 4 snow tires on any car in the snow.
Vince14
-juice
A friend of mine blew a coil pac on her Olds Calais with the Quad-4 engine (buzzes like a lawn mower). Because of the rich exhaust, the catalytic converter got clogged and glowed bright red from the heat (scary sight to look under a car and see a large red lightbulb where the cat used to be). Once we fixed the problem, everything seemed OK, and the car ran fine. I do imagine that a lot of the catalyst honeycomb core got burned out, though!
Craig
Ok, CE = stop the car (unless you just filled up the tank and didn't turn the cap until you heard 3 clicks).
..Mike
PS - That's bound to start some discussion
..Mike
Jason
NOW, the thing I was disagreeing with is driving on a *flashing* CE light. That's a misfire and has been covered, can be very bad for a variety of reasons.
-Colin