Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

fibber2

Could be timing belt off a tooth, a minor vacuum leak (intake gasket, cracked rubber hose), or as they said, an injector. Either way, it should be their problem to diagnose and fix, as they had it apart.

Steve

saedave

HOPE THIS GETS FIXED VERY SOON.

Mr_Shiftright

watch it or I'll banish you to the Yahoo boards. you don't want that... :P

lfdal

I have to agree with Steve. Despite the number of issues I've had with my wife's OBW, Subaru has ultimately stood behind them. The auto transmission was a 3 visit item, but they ended up replacing it, $4800 under warranty. The piston slap was eight or nine visits over 2 years, but they ended up replacing the pistons , $1760 , under warranty as well.

I've read on numerous boards about how Subaru considers that they've gotten burned by warranty work on transmissions they feel were raced or otherwise abused, so I can understand their reluctance to blanket warranty those repairs.

On the other hand, if the owner/driver's never abused a transmission then it does seem they're being considered guilty until proved innocent.

I can understand the teardown charge, especially if it involves opening the gear case. But - that should have been brought up front before the work was done.

A friend of mine rebuilds transmissions (auto / manual) as a side job for several of the dealers and garages in his area. They pull the trannies and deliver them to his door. He rebuilds them, they pick them up and re-install them. He's done so many he can tell by looking at the components what caused the failures. An inordinate large percentage are abuse, a few lack of maintenance, and a relatively small percentage due to random mechanical failures. BTW - his work is good enough that the dealers warrant the transmissions the same as their factory rebuilt ones.

Anyway, I don't think Subaru is any worse than any other car company honoring their warranties from my own personal experience. With a little persistence, I actually think they're better than most.

My 0.02

Larry

xwesx

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

As a side note, my log in occured automatically this morning, but for some reason every time I post a message, it takes me from my selected forum (Subaru - Outback) to the "home" forum for the thread (in this case, Wagons - Subaru Crew). Eh, as long as the forum works, that is good enough!

PF_Flyer

Shifty is JUST the guy to do it :P

grahampeters

G'day

Funnily enough, I was speaking to a transmission specialist on Monday. He commented that if he had to rely on Subaru transmission work, he would starve, as they fail comparatively rarely. His next best pick was Toyota.

When I have talked to Subaru technicians they have commented on how common serious abuse is to WRX's. This may be why the dealership and Subaru are wary.

From observing the coments on this site over the last 7 years, I would have to say that Subaru seem to be more generous in their warranty interpretation than most manufacturers. That's not to say that they do not have problems but they seem to deal with them far better than many.

Cheers

Graham

hypov

I'm certain SoA have test cars with their transmission deliberately abused, as well as with normal wear and tear, and the Field Techs are schooled to identify the difference.

As to not giving out numbers, I doubt any Field Techs would.
Should had made yourself aware of when the Field Tech was reviewing your case and avail yourself on that day to be at the dealership.

lwyswinter

Just wanted to say thanks for listening -- car will be in to dealer on Friday. Crossing my fingers for a break in this very unseasonal weather (it was nearly 80 here today) in order to replicate the problem.

Sorry to all who don't love the snow as much as I do

On a side note, I was really looking forward to testing out the 4WD on snow this winter and have had no luck! I guess there's always next winter

fibber2

....was really looking forward to testing out the 4WD on snow this winter and have had no luck! I guess there's always next winter.

You probably didn't really notice it (and maybe that is just the point...), but you probably tried out your AWD the last time it rained! The non-drama you experienced was the system silently and seamlessly working in the background keeping you safe.

Steve

jfl

So Larry, would you ask your friend what causes a tranny to pop out of gear and the typical repair cost?

Thx,

Jim

locke2c

I'm certain SoA have test cars with their transmission deliberately abused, as well as with normal wear and tear, and the Field Techs are schooled to identify the difference.

That would be any press car, right? :P

~Colin

Mr_Shiftright

usually bent shifting forks I think...

ateixeira

That was a bunch of nonsense from a troll, notice the hit and run, the extreme negative tone of the post, all the tell-tale signs.

The regulars here have done fine.

When my wife's Legacy had a throttle cable that wasn't very smooth, they pre-emptively replaced the entire thing and put us in a Mercedes-Benz C240 4Matic wagon.

Worthless? I don't think so.

-juice

hypov

That would be any press car, right?

exactly

-Dave

lmn908

Took our 97 Legacy 2.5 GT with a little over 90K miles on it in for routine maintenance, and was told that: 1) valve covers are leaking oil and 2 ) AWD system is binding in turns. (Our son drives the car most of the time and hadn't voiced that there were any problems.) Estimates for fixing were $600 and $1100 respectively. Ouch!

We were only planning on keeping the car through the summer. In looking at the driveway, there are no major oil spots. How urgent is it to fix the leaking valve covers if we keep an eye on the oil level? With regard to the AWD binding, any other potential fixes than the $1100 rebuild prescribed by the dealer? The tires do not appear to be unevenly worn. What if I disengage the AWD and put it in FWD with the fuse as recommended in the owner’s manual when using the temporary spare?

Thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions.

Larry

lfdal

Something seems off here - $600 for just valve cover gaskets is ridiculous. I could see them soaking someone for 2-3 hours, which I think is too high, plus the gaskets and maybe charge between $200-$250.

On the other hand, $1100 for an AWD binding fix seems too low. A front diff, center diff, or rear diff would all cost more than that I would think. I know the front and center diffs do because they have to pull the tranny. At least with the automatic.

If anything was binding, I'd be checking the CV joints in a couple of tight turns. Usually if the AWD binds there's no mistaking it.

I think I'd go for a 2nd opinion.

HTH

Larry

lmn908

Thanks. 2nd opinion seems like a good idea. I didn't get much of an explanation for what they were planning on replacing/rebuilding for the # of $ involved.

Larry

lwyswinter

Yeah, I meant to type AWD

No complaints about good weather or the Forester's handling on slick roads here! Just a general wish for one decent winter snowfall....

saedave

WHEN WILL IT BE FIXED???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????- ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????- ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????- ??????????????????????????????????????????????????????

lfdal

Am I missing something? I can log in and post fine...... Or are you trying to use a feature of the system I'm not familiar with?

Just curious.....

Larry

samiam_68

Sign in is working, but it doesn't remember the user. Once you close the browser and reopen, you have to sign in again. Edmunds must be outsourcing their I/T work.. shame shame shame :P

ateixeira

Re-torque the valve cover bolts, see if that helps. Look for oil stains to try to find the source of the leak. It's slow enough that you have no oil puddles, so that can probably wait. It's the valve cover, not the heads, so it's not nearly as critical.

For the AWD, try driving in a figure 8, that's what a tech suggested when someone else here reported a similar problem. Open your windows and see if you have any tire scrubbing (also look for uneven tire wear).

Fix #2 may be required, though.

-juice

xwesx

Agreed. Valve covers is a non-critical issue. You could drive it another 200K with those things leaking and, while messy, it would run fine with regular oil-level checks. $600 to repair them? Hahahaha. Are they planning to use that repair to train their green "mechanic?" I almost wonder if they were including other things, like replacing the cam seals, in that price.

lfdal

That's interesting - I can leave edmunds, hit some other sites, etc, but if I close the browser I've always been logged off. Some of the other sites I visit are the same way.

Or are people clicking the "remember me" feature or whatever it is that uses cookies to log them back in automatically?

Larry

grahampeters

G'day

The sign in behaviour is variable. Seems to be working fine with no need to log in at times and then shifts to requiring reinput of email address and passwor. Then intermittently issue warnings that I am going to a non secure site. last night got eight repetitions of this warning, each requiring confirmation. Just now only required one confirmation.

Variety is the spice of life?

Cheers

Graham

ateixeira

I still have issues. It recognizes me, but then it says I still need to login.

The "Read New Posts" button works at times, and does not work at others, even within the same IE session.

-juice

PF_Flyer

The sign in issue is being discussed over in the Forums Software! Your Questions Answered... discussion. Rather than clog up things here, that's the place to get answers to forums software questions.

alaskanwill

Hey guys, I've been reading thse forums for awhile but just finally got around to registering today. I've been thinkng about upgrading Subarus, but figured I'd check in and ask some other nice Subaru people for their input

I have a 2000 Subaru Legacy with 68K on it. I got a service bulletin for the head gasket problem, so I guess my engine is in the VIN range for that potential problem in the future. I'm happy with my car, but mechanical problems really annoy me - when can I expect this head gasket problem to occur, and how much will the replacement cost be? I've been having my (independent) mechanic add the Subaru conditioner at every 15K service. Also, is it reasonable to expect to have to upgrade the clutch sometime soon?

As a side note, my fuel pump crapped the bed this past summer - that's the type of $750 parts/labor bill that I figured I would be avoiding this early in the car's life by buying a Subaru.

The advantages I see of upgrading to the new 2.5i wagon are a nicer interior, better safety (side airbags), and a slightly more powerful/efficient engine, in addition to the fact that I'd rather have a wagon. Disadvantages include $12,000 outlay for the upgrade!

What would you do in my situation? Are my mechanical fears well-founded?? Any input would be appreciated - thanks for having me.

PF_Flyer

Welcome to the forums! You'll find the Subaru folks here a VERY helpful group. Hope we get to see you in CarSpace and on Thursdays at 9PM ET in our weekly Subaru Crew chat!

fibber2

Welcome, Will!

If you received the TSB concerning the head gasket issue, and you have been adding the conditioner and changing coolant as per instructions, you are covered for 8yrs/100k, IIRC. So I would not worry too much about that issue as being an out-of-pocket expense item for another 2 years or so, in your case.

Clutch judder was also an issue addressed by a TSB, but you might be too far out now to get any help. Others can comment on what to do here.

$750 for a fuel pump... ouch. Unfortunately, the trend now is to put the level sender, fuel pump and filter all into the tank, so labor cost becomes a major factor in any repair. Disconnect everything, drop the tank, etc. I went thru it with a Toyota.

Steve

alaskanwill

Thanks, Steve.

I should add what my mechanic told me regarding the fuel pump that might help others in the future: don't let your fuel tank get low too often. I would always wait until the needle was below the "E" to fill up (I only ran out of gas once - that happens well below the E on my Roo!). However, keeping low amounts of fuel in the tank facilitates the fuel pump sucking in air, particulate matter, etc. which needless to say contributes to its wear.

Also, I don't know if the fuel system on a Subaru is at all gravity-fed like a high winged Cessna, but if so then keeping fuel in the tank would help the fuel pump not to work as hard because the weight of the fuel in the tank would help to push the fuel through the system. Of course, with the fuel tank on the bottom of the car this would probably have a negligible effect if any now that I think about it.

Another thing I've started to do is turn the key to the "ON" position for a few seconds before I start the car - I have some vague recollection of reading someplace that this allows the fuel pump to prepare itself for the cold start. There's a quiet whirring I hear for about a second after turning the key to ON - is that the fuel pump?

fibber2

Will,

The need for doing the 'on position for a few seconds' thing seems to be very vehicle dependent. A check ball arrangement keeps all of the fuel from leaking down from the mile of lines and back into the tank. If everything is perfect in the system, the lines actually remain under some small degree of pressure when you shut down.

As liquids are largely incompressible, it should only take a fraction of a second for the pump to restore the full psi requirement (35 to 50, IIRC) in the lines if they remain full. If you have one of the cars in which the seals are less than perfect, sufficient fuel leaks down and you need a few seconds of pump priming to re-establish full lines and proper pressure. Otherwise, the injectors just will not fire correctly.

Steve

ateixeira

Go for it, life is short.

I would not try to justify it on the basis that your existing one is likely to cost you a bunch, because it basically has 32k left on the coverage if you put in the coolant conditioner.

Instead, buy it for the safety upgrades.

Did you watch Dateline last night? What a difference side curtain air bags make, and the Legacy is best-in-class for safety (IIHS Gold Award).

Now there is a reason to upgrade!

-juice

jfl

Welcome Will! I have a 2000 Legacy sedan with 130k. I love the car but have been disappointed in its reliability. I've had three significant repairs. Tranny popping out of 5th gear (~80k) - rebuild $1200. Clutch pedal sticking in the down position (~120k) - replace slave and master cylinder $600. Head gaskets & radiator (129k) - replaced $2300. All three of these are known issues on endwrench.com.

Hopefully, it will go the next 130k with very few repairs as the major ones are done!

Would I buy another? Don't know.

Jim

fibber2

Hi Jim,

You very briefly mentioned the possibility of a HG problem a few weeks ago, then nothing. Sounds like it became reality... Both sides or just drivers? External leak only? Any other damage? What was the issue with the radiator - clogged or leaking? Details, man!!!

Steve

jfl

Steve,

Radiator was leaking at the seat (where the cap sits) & would not hold pressure. Coolant did not enter the engine but exhaust gases were getting into the coolant. The two problems resulted in boil-over.

Had both HGs replaced, heads milled and tested to confirm flatness. The work done by my regular mechanic. Running fine since.

You must have been thinking about my "big screen tv" comment!

Are you still coming out to the left coast next week?

Jim

fibber2

Jim,

Yes! You mentioned that the funds for the tv had been hijacked by your car...

This is potentially bad news for all of us, as you experienced an internal passage to passage rupture - one of the first times I have heard of that on a phase II engine. Usually it is just an external leak like I had.

The trip keeps getting pushed out. They now sound ready, but I have conflicts for several weeks out. I may end up out in your land the first week in April. The 6th is my BD (49 for the first time...), so maybe dinner & cake?

Steve

alaskanwill

Is it just me or do headlight bulbs go out alot on Legacies? I replaced both of mine around 40K, and here I am at less than 70 and another one goes out. The good news is I learned that Schuck's has them for $12 as opposed to the $20 I've been paying at the dealership to this point. Schuck's also has HID models for $56 a pair that the guy tried to sell me - does anyone have experience with these? Do they look offensive/boy racer-esque? I hate the look of xenon bulbs, but those are blue and blinding while these are white. I think Xenon bulbs ought to be illegal, incidentally - it's like driving around with your high beams on.

xwesx

They go out frequently on mine. At least once per year (~22K per year mileage). I put some of those HIDs in mine once because I was told they had a "lifetime" warranty (3 year) and figured it was cheaper in the long run than $11 per bulb I was paying up to that point (at NAPA). The first one went 3 months later and both the seller and manufacturer were unwilling to stand by the product. I went back to the $11 bulbs after that and just keep a supply of 2-3 in my cargo tray. :mad:

fibber2

It is strange how some cars eat bulbs, and others do not. Knock on wood, my OBW has only lost a license plate bulb in almost 4.5 years. Yet my Honda Odyssey, without daytime running lights, 6 months younger, etc., has gone thru 4 headlamp low beam filaments (H7 dual filaments). I changed it out again just this past Sunday night. The other three were in the blister packs. We are now even at two deads ones from each side!

Just gotta comment here: Conventional bulbs are gas filled incandescent. That means they have a tungsten filament surrounded by a gas that acts to redeposit the evaporated metal back onto the windings, rather than on the glass. Earlier bulbs used halogens (group 7 - chlorine, iodine), more modern use inerts (group 8 - krypton, xenon). In theory, the inerts are less likely to react with stray materials, and can be run hotter and thus more blue/white (lighting is measured in response to temp, degrees kelvin). They put out broad spectrum illumination, with a blend from near infrared thru low ultraviolet.

HID = high intensity discharge, otherwise known as arc lamps. Think sodium (orange) or mercury (blue) vapor street lighting. The output spectrum reflects the material being energized by the high volage being passed directly thru the gas, and is different depending on the gas in the tube. Xenon gas gives off a brillant blue/white. Because the output lacks the red end of the spectrum, colors of things they illuminate can look very funky. These bulbs & their HV transformers cost more like $500. For $50 you are getting dolled up xenon halogen bulbs, not HIDs.

Steve

jfl

Steve,

I'm out later this month but early April works for me.

Jim

iracible

"(~120k) - replace slave and master cylinder $600"

I've had to do this replacement in most of my vehicles at about that mileage. I think of it more of a normal wearout than a reliability issue. But yowser... $600 is pretty steep for a couple little cylinders though.

"Tranny popping out of 5th gear (~80k) "

That one's not sounding too good. My sister has a Forester with about the same mileage... it's starting to have the same symptoms.

"Head gaskets & radiator (129k) "

Coolant PH and anti-corrosion maintenance are critical in aluminum block/radiator engines as is keeping a good aluminum-friendly coolant in place. If you get phosphate buildup in the cooling system it clogs the radiator and can create hot spots in the heads... which can cause failure.

jay_24

I just replaced my second headlight bulb @83k on my 2001 OB. First one went out at about 70k. Paid about $5 for a Sylvania H1-55w bulb. I drive with the headlights in the on position all the time. 5 years is good enough for the life of a bulb.

NAPA online lists a similar H1 Low beam for $5.99 and 9005 high beam for $7.99 (and up)

hammerhead

I just replaced both bulbs on my 97 OB for the first time since I've owned the car (6 years). Had a 2-for-1 sale on TruView bulbs at Napa, so I changed them out before I needed to.

Overall, I haven't gone through many bulbs on this car at all.

Cheers!
Paul

rob_m

You guys jinxed me!

I had a headlight go on my 05 LGT with 18k two days ago. Replaced with a set of Sylvania silverstars. Rob M.

hkottcamp

Steve, I read your message above. I have had identical problems with my transmission in my 2000 Subaru Outback. I ask my mechanic to change the fluids as you described. When I picked up the car there was no longer any delay. I have driven it six weeks since then and have never experienced any delay since then. I don't know if this will be a long term fix, but so far it is perfect.

Thank you.

Harry

fibber2

Harry,

Kind of funny.... I had to click on the link and go back in time a year to remember what the subject was, and what advice I gave!

Wonderful news!! Thanks for sharing your results. Now for the follow-thru. Go back and have them change the fluid again. This gets out any debris that has come loose and is now circulating around looking for a new place to stick and reek havoc.

Always glad to be able to help.

Steve

jfl

$600 is pretty steep for a couple little cylinders though

I agree fully! The dealer I used charges HIGHER than list for parts. (I checked the prices online at 1stsubaruparts.com.)

Endwrench.com recommends changing the slave cylinder when this happens but the dealer said both slave and master needed replacement. At least I had enough Subarubucks to cover this repair!

Is Prestone coolant aluminum friendly???

Jim

grahampeters

G'day

If you get recurrent bulb failure, it is usually a pointer to voltage control problems. Might be worth getting a specialist auto-electrician to check what voltage the alternator is giviing out. Usually below 13.2 Volts, I think. Even fractional increases above this age bulbs very rapidly.

More typically, you might see a bulb failure every year or so and not all headlamps

Cheers

Graham