Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

rangerron7

Good idea on the 30K trans service. I'll definitely mention the trans clicking again when I bring it back in on Wednesday to have a strut replaced. This will be the 3rd time I have it back to the dealer to fix a metallic rattling that I complained about. The first time they attempted to fix it, they said it was gravel that was trapped in the heat shield. When I brought it back the second time, I requested a mechanic ride with me so that HE could hear the noise and it's origin. Now they say it's the right front strut. (Of course they don't have the part in stock, so trip number 3 on Wed)
I hope this takes care of it. I'm REALLY getting tired and frustrated with taking my OB back to the dealer every 2-3 months.

originalbitman

Colin - Well the pump on my 01 is somewhat louder than others. I never heard it on my 00 and now that I am aware of it (OCD kicking in) I can hear it on some other Soobs but barely. I suppose I could obsess over it but it isn't all that loud to really make me worry.

bit - 2001 GT Wagon

subearu

I thought it was mentioned long ago that the 'click' during a AT shift was something to do with the torque split adjusting auto-magically.

I have heard that on our OB also, but not regularly. Since I think it's ok for it to do that, I probably tune it out more.

-Brian

vincer2

Ron,
My 2000 OB makes the identical noise that yours does and it is primarily when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. it also quiets down after several shifts. i don't remember that it did this since it was new but it has been doing it for at least the past 12 months.

Since it stops doing it after a few shifts i always forget to mention it when i drop it off at the dealer.
vince

ateixeira

Hmm, doesn't the tranny stay 50-50 in 1st and 2nd gear, then go to 90-10 in 3rd? That could be it.

-juice

paisan

Juice, Patti got back to us, maybe while you were on vacation. it's 80/20 split on the ATs, and no special split for 1,2 and R. and can go to 60/40 max.

-mike

ateixeira

Cool, I was skimming and must've skipped that post.

-juice

99gs

Does anyone have suggestions on what kind of rims to buy for a set of snows for an llbean? Best place to buy em. Also what brand snows should I look at? Thanks.

Jack - Ohio

paisan

I'd go with 15" snows, steel rims or stock rims 16"

Best tires I know of are Blizzaks.

-mike

locke2c

Uh, be careful with that advice. The H6 Outbacks use the same brakes as the WRX down to the rotor size... in short, nearly all 15" wheels WON'T clear the front brakes. Yes they are different from the Impreza RS brakes-- the rotor is larger and the caliper bracket is a bit different. Same calipers.

Shop at the www.tirerack.com -- if you buy wheels and tires they are mounted free of charge and phase-balanced on a Hunter GSP9700. (nerd speak for "really awesome balancer machine" :-P)

I would avoid blizzaks due to their multiple tread compounds and best effectiveness only on the soft, fast wearing outer tread layer.

-Colin

ateixeira

I think the brake rotors alone are 11.4", so I can see what you mean.

Also try discounttiredirect.com.

-juice

francophile

I'm researching them now. I have to agree on the Blizzaks for my use, which will be primarily dry winter roads with occasional ice and snow rather than a steady diet of heavy snow and ice. I also have no interest in wearing out winter tires in the spring and summer after the "good part" of the tread is gone, as would be the case with some Blizzaks and other tires too.

The Michelin Pilot something is the one I'm leaning towards at the moment; far, far better than an all season tire in snow and ice, and yet good dry road and wet road manners - better than most all season tires, according to anecdotal reports. They're not as "winter-only" as the Blizzak, which reportedly is squirmy on dry roads due to its soft compound and aggressive tread. Same compound throughout too. Bridgestone has some new Blizzaks out, dunno much about them though.

Cheers,
-wdb

rangerron7

I appreciate the posts on the trans 'clicking'. I guess I feel a bit more at ease knowing that others are experiencing this. Like Juice said, I plan to get it on my service record when I bring it in tomorrow.
Ron

stevek

Gee, I thoght I was a bit OCD (obsessive car disorder) thinking about winter tires (for my 01 Legacy GT sedan) in 100 degree August NY heat.

crashton6

My 2000 Forester has been doing this for a while. Every time I've had it to the dealer I've asked them to check on it. They say they can't duplicate my complaint. When I ask them to check the brakes because of all the noise they make they also say that they can't duplicate the problem. I wonder if the dealer service writer is just following the company line. I will keep all my documentation in case the tranny fails out of warranty. Other than the noisey brakes & my worry about the 2nd to 3rd gear tranny noise I love this car.

Chuck

ateixeira

Are the brakes only noisy first thing in the AM? Once the surface rust on the rotors and pads is cleaned off, often they'll quiet down, so the dealer can't hear the problem.

I've heard this is due to a higher metallic content in the brake pads, to make them last longer. But it should not be a concern, so long as the noise goes away.

For the tranny, I'd get the ATF flushed at 30k regardless of the noise.

-juice

rangerron7

Thanks for the post. I'm getting the same "It's normal" response. Personally, I'm fed up with the dealer service department! Yesterday, I took my 2000 OB in to have the right front strut replaced. This was the third trip to fix a chassis rattle that I brought to their attention. Their first attempt at "repairing" the problem was to brush some gravel off the top of the heat shield. It would have been nice if they had road tested it. So, yesterday they replace the strut (time will tell if it is really repaired) and I had the cabin air filter replaced. I get the car back and there is oil and grease smudges all over the glove box and front of the passenger side dash. A real schlock job! And, I was charged $145.31 to have the filter replaced. Spent a half hour getting the grease off of my leather.
This is not the first time that I've had problems with this dealer. Previously, it took 3 trips for them to properly diagnose and replace a bad speaker.
Well, the bottom line is that this dealer has lost another sale. The wife and I are ready to buy a new car within the next two weeks and she wants a Forester. We will definitely go elsewhere. But, I'm at the point that my confidence in Sube has eroded somewhat. Subaru needs to address their parts availability problem! Secondly, the dealer mechanics need to do a MUCH better job at diagnosing problems. (In fairness, Subaru is not the only manufacturer to have this problem.)
Sorry for the long post but 8 trips to the dealer in 13 months has me totally frustrated!
Ron

bg18947

I bought a set of Blizzak MZ-01s mounted on Team Loco 142s from tirerack on my 2000 GT Ltd. They look pretty good. The tirerack rep recommended MZ-01s for NYC metro area weather. Not the ultimate winter tire, since the winters are not extreme here, but a good compromise for when it does turn bad. Keep in mind that these are uni-directional. I keep a right tire (Blizzak) as a full-size spare in the trunk (running stock RE92s) during the summer assuming that the probability of a right side flat is more likely.

Ideally, you'll want steel rims, but I'm addicted to alloys. The less objective side of me made the purchasing decision.

ateixeira

I'd be frustrated too, Ron. Just remember, the sales and service departments usually operate independently. So I'd change where I got service, specifically, I mean.

Alloys are typically lighters and less unsprung weight means the suspension doesn't have to fight with itself. Yeah, the finish can erode but it's up to you to wax it and keep it clean. Besides, steel wheels rust, too.

-juice

ramon

Oh no! My car has recently developed some kinda squeel. It happens when I go on reverse and when I move forward slowly. It's not brakes. I checked it. It's coming from the passenger side. Any thoughts? Help!!!

thanks

ateixeira

I'd check accessory belt tension. Is the noise coming from under the hood? Does it happen while standing still in neutal?

If it only happens in motion, I'd lithium grease up the sway bar bushings.

-juice

ramon

but the bushings are polyurethane not metal. Also it seem to be coming from the left front and maybe back as well. Could it be the shocks and springs?

ateixeira

Sorry, I read squeek, not squeel. You're right.

Try washing the undercarriage. There may be some debris caught up somewhere in the suspension.

Sure it's not the emergency brake?

-juice

paisan

Perhaps a sticking caliper? Sounds like it's sticking and then once you are moving, it releases.

-mike

ramon

It squeels on very slow speed like reversing and incing forward. So what shall I do? Bring it to the dealer? I'll drive it a around a few times and see. I hate it whenever I bring anything to the dealer and the trouble is gone! YOu know those type of times....
juice: the parking brake's off. See I thought the suspension caught some rocks or debris. So I purposely drove over bumps, but no noise.... so scratch that out.

paisan

Pull your tire, and hit the brakes, with the car running. Make sure that the caliper is moving in and out as they hit the brakes. Also look for excessive wear on the side that squeeks compared to the other side brake pad. They should be running about even wear on both. Also try driving it slowly til the noise goes away, then let the car come to a stop without hitting the brakes and go in reverse. If the caliper is sticking and you don't hit the brake before going into reverse the noise should not be present.

-mike

originalbitman

Maybe you need to elaborate on this technique a bit.

ateixeira

I had a sticky parking brake on my Escort. It was the right rear only, too. paisan is right on target because that pad wore more quickly than the other side, which is how I found out.

Also, eventually, it squeeled. Sounds like a possibility.

Get her up on 4 jack stands, wheels off, and have someone apply the brake and check out if the action is OK.

-juice

paisan

Yep, that's the idea. You could try the "no braking rolling stop, then reverse" idea too, that's easier to do w/o taking the tires off.

-mike

originalbitman

I think the 4 jack stands was a critical step missing from Paisan's post. It would be interesting results with one wheel off the ground.

bit

paisan

You don't need 4 jacks to do my test.

You jack up the 1 corner that's making noise, turn the car on, and hit the brake, you should be able to see the caliper close and open the brake pads. Although 4 would be nice.

-mike

originalbitman

I thought you were suggesting engaging the driveline and turning the wheels before applying the brake...

bit

paisan

Nah, I'm not that mechnically inept!

-mike

ramon

i don't have 4 jacks or jack stands with me. So I drive slowly and then let the car halt by itself and then go on reverse?! I'm schedule for an oil change next week with the subie boys. I'll bring it in if need be. If it's the brakes, will I get replacement pads?

ateixeira

Depends on how much wear they suffered. I doubt it, since you caught it right away.

-juice

paisan

Yeah that's the idea, see if rolling to a stop, then reversing yields the same noise. If it does not, then chances are you have a sticking caliper. Next I'd pull the wheel, check the pads, and see if they are excessively worn, compared to the opposite side. And check to see that the caliper is releasing properly when you let off the brake. You pads may not be properly seated, or you may have a bad caliper. Beyond that, I'm at a loss.

-mike

nygreg

could be caused simply by a vibrating pad. That is what squeel is, a harmonic caused by vibration. IfI all the other ideas fail, find out what wheel is making the noise, disassemble the brakes and apply anti-noise compound between the shim and pad and lightly sand the rotor. You should do both sides also to keep balance in the braking. You don't mention how many miles are on the pads. Are they new?

Greg

nygreg

Was at the dealer today to check the "fuel pump" noise and have a plastic windshield clip replaced. Spoke with the service "guy" and he mentioned that the tranny filter located on newer cars is never changed according to Subaru. He feels that eventually they will ask the dealers to change it with the fluid change. Oh, and they call it an "accumulator", not a filter. :-o He also said the 30K service for my 01 OB is around $400! They change all the fluids, you know. Think I'll do it myself.

Greg

jackleung

What yrs is yr Ford Escort? I had a 1990 and I think I screw up the firing order when I was changing the spark plug.

Rgds,
Jack

blane

That's "squeal", not "squeel". Thanks.

p0926

Squeal, squeel. So what if one isn't a real word. At least they sound the same phonetically. If you want a grammatical nightmare you should check out the Hung & Tung posts in the Forester vs. Hyundai vs. etc topic.

-Frank P.

paisan

Checked the rear brakes on my dad's '97 Legacy last night cause he was complaining of noise. The rear pads weren't worn badly, but they were so tight in the holders that they were nearly frozen to the rotors. I had to take em out and file the crud/corrosion off of them to get them to move smoothly in and out.

Did a set of front pads on my buddy's 2000 RS. Pretty easy, took about 45min start to finish. He finally let me take it out and got to whip it around a bit. Handled well, but he needed more air in the tires for my driving (or I'm used to my yokos too much)

Anyone come across a problem of hesitations from a slow start on their 00 RS? He was complaining of it and I finally felt what he meant by it.

-mike

ateixeira

Mine was a 1991, the first year where they used the Mazda Protoge chassis and engine (GT only for the engine). So the powertrain was mostly Mazda, and it held up pretty well.

The interior didn't hold up as well. Little pieces of insulation would fall out, and the motorized mice belts never worked right.

paisan: ask him to check the throttle cable for slack. But don't over tighten it or it will idle high and mileage will tank.

-juice

paisan

I think it may be the MAF or MAP? He did have an O2 sensor replaced earlier this year, but his CE light is still on and off intermittently. He just wanted me to verify there was something wrong with it before he brought it to the dealer.

-mike

locke2c

paisan--

Yes, that's the infamous MY00 "hesistation" problem. Have him search around on the iClub, it was a long and drawn out issue and I didn't stick around to hear the conclusion / resolution since it didn't apply to me.

-Colin

paisan

Thanks!

-mike

nematode

The engine knock in our 2k OB Ltd. is getting worse.

Things that did not work at all:
1) 4 full tanks of 91 octane
2) injector cleaning
3) tune up

Things that make it worse:
1) hot days
2) ANY load prior to full warm up regardless of the hot day or cold day
3) just getting worse (louder) over time

Things that make it better:
When the car is fully warm it stops completely under any kind of load.

Things I'm going to try:
1) Another tune up at another dealer (30k)
2) NGK plugs instead of Champion

Any other ideas????? There are 3 of us in my department with the same problems. The other 2 did not know their car was knocking until I told them what to listen for and to drive with the windows down. Currently you can hear ours even with the windows up. By the time we get it to the dealer its not doing it any more. We are going to leave it there for the 30k overnight so they can hear it for themselves.

ramon

i think it's really the brakes now. I've tested what paisan and juice and others noted. Will drop by my dealer next week. just so busy these days...

tropicalaurs

Approaching 60K and time to replace the Michelin tires on my 98 outback.

I hear Toyo tires are good. I like the Mich tires I've had.

Would appreciate hearing some recommendations from the OB community on tire recommendations.

Thanks

armac13

I had Toyo's on my VW Golf but unfortunately I can't remember the model. My experience was that they wore like steel, were fairly quiet and smooth but on the other hand the performance was a disappointment. They were fair in the dry or wet and terrible in any snow. Overall I'd give them a C+/B-. Don't know if this is of any help.

Ross