Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

francophile

WRX rims are a direct replacement for Legacy GT rims, both in width and offset. Go over to the i-Club "private for sale" boards and you can pick up a set for roughly $400 -- they might even still have (ugh) RE92's mounted on them! I got a set and just had Blizzak LM22's mounted last week. I can't tell you how the tires do in snow yet, but they're by no means scary on dry roads -- as I've heard some winter tires can be. I think a lot of winter tire selection comes down to an honest assessment of just how much driving on snow/ice you will do. When I made that assessement I realized that what I really needed was a tire that was more competent in the occasional snow/ice than the admittedly horrid RE92's, but more importantly they had to be still quite competent on dry winter roads. The reason winter tires make sense to me even though they'll see only limited snow is threefold: 1) I'm going to use up two more sets of tires on the car anyway; 2) winter tire rubber compounds are made to work well in cold weather, snow or no snow; 3) I have a long commute, at night, and I don't relish the thought of sliding into a ditch out in the middle of nowhere at 1:00am. In short, I'm worth it ;-)

The reason I chose the WRX rims for winter was that I figured the snow would be less likely to collect among the simpler spoke design. The problem is that now that I have them on the car, I think I like the way they look better than I do the stock alloys :-) What to do...

Cheers,
-wdb

hondafriek

LOL.you bin in the juice again.(pun intended).

Cheers Pat.

stevek

I had no problems with the RE92's last winter (they were brand new) and at 30K I still have plenty of thread left on them, but I know they will not be good in snow anymore. I don't travel much daily but do frequent trips up north to snow country. So what I have done is: I ordered a set of Dunlop WInter SPort M2's, will mount them on the factory rims and when spring comes I get a summer set of rims (whatever that maybe) and will remount the RE92's on them which will last me thru the summer of 2002. This way I propably will not need tires until the spring of 2003 (if I am still alive - lol).

pattim3

that is a bite. Sometimes, things do go wrong and I like the fact that the bad is posted along with the good. There is a good sense of honesty here without the "extra" nasty stuff.

We do have breakdowns in our cars. If we didn't, we wouldn't need our warranty department ;~}

It's unfortunate that it happened to your Subaru, but let us know if the repairs do not go well. Also, if your dealer needs to keep your car, make sure they supply you with a loaner/rental under warranty.

Once again - sorry for the dissappointment.

Patti

wmiller4

Dealer said the car is operating normally. I still feel something
is wrong but I will wait until more 02 Beans get on the road and
see. I just don't think the car should accelerate unless you are
pressing the gas pedal. I have heard of steering with the throttle,
but throttling with the steering wheel is a new one!

Still I love this car!!!!!!

lark6

Hello Patti,

Thank you for the message. I know it isn't your fault personally. I have been flying under the radar for a couple of days, thinking I overreacted. Colonial Subaru in Feasterville, PA is handling the repair. The Forester is going in to have the work done on Monday; they will keep the car at least for all day. Colonial provides "shuttle service" in that they will drive you to your place of work in your own car, then drive it back for servicing. I'm not keen on that approach but given that I work on the same street as the dealership, albeit 5 miles away, it's not always the worst thing that could happen. I don't expect to have to travel out of the office on Monday but if the car's not done by COB I will need a loaner as I have to visit a client on Tuesday.

I will keep you all posted as it progresses. I am impressed with the quick turnaround and the personal attention; I just hope that the repairs are performed properly. I sincerely want to be a long-term owner; it's been such a fun car to drive and one that has served my needs very well thus far. It's been a long time since I've owned a car that makes me want to learn to be a better driver and take advantage of its capabilities - and this isn't even Subaru's "hottest" model!

Besides, I can't think of many other single-marque owner groups where the people are as unpretentious and honest about their cars, warts and all (the cars, that is). Try hanging around a group of Packard owners and you'll understand.

Patti, I do know how to reach you and I'll be in touch on Monday.

Thanks,
Ed
(a man who drives a Forester)

armac13

No reason to fly low. :~) You were upset and that's OK. If you are at all like me, you really like and enjoy your Forester and it's always difficult when you are let down by a trusted friend. I agree about the owners we see here at Edmunds, generally an unpretentious, honest and friendly bunch. You just let off steam among friends and that's what we are here for.

Ross (Another male forester)

hondafriek

Glad to see that you have decided to rejoin the group, as I posted before most of the people who post here are honest about subes faults as well as their many positive aspects.

You just have to accept that there are some jerks in all walks of life you just have to learn to ignore them, if they cannot bait you they usually go away.

Cheers Pat.(very happy GT owner.)

subearu

I rotated our OB tires front to back, same side today. After driving it today, it now wants to ever so slightly pull to the left, even on a right crowned road. It didn't do this before the swap.

So, I think I'll swap front right to left and see if that cures it. While I had each of the wheels off, I noticed that the tread is wearing well and even, including the outer parts of the tread. (No I didn't measure it, I just eyeballed it and compared how the tread looked to the various wear bars.) So, the alignment is probably in good shape until spring.

-Brian

ateixeira

Well, some recommend you bring the front tires to the rear and criss cross. The rears just go forward, same side. So I would just swap the rears, from side to side, right now. It's easy - use the rear differential as a jacking point.

I traced the leak on our 626. It's actually axle grease, not engine oil. It was all over the right front wheel. Cleaned it up and found the rubber boot closest to the axle was torn, and all the grease spilled out.

I have a photos but PhotoPoint won't let me login. I'll put it up later today.

We have an appointment with the dealer to get it fixed tonight, so I hope it won't be too expensive. Any guesses as to the cost to replace it? FWD, Mazda 626.

-juice

hondafriek

Should be around a hundred and fifty max, If they have to replace the whole shaft should not be much more.

Cheers Pat.

hondafriek

BTW. if the boot has only just recently splt you should just need a new boot.

Cheers Pat.

ateixeira

The noise started about 3-4 weeks ago, when I started looking at the tranny oil.

Do they have to pull the wheel, brakes, and axle to get the new one on? That's quite a bit of labor, no?

-juice

hondafriek

The going rate here to change a boot is $150, should not be any more where you are.

Cheers Pat.

hondafriek

Just about six months before I sold the Accord wagon I ahd two driveshafts with a lifetime warranty installed for $425.

Cheers Pat.

ateixeira

hondafriek

Thats something everybody with FWD. or AWD.should be checking every time they do an oil change, this is a very common problem especially on the front.

Think about it, every time you turn the steering that rubber boot has to flex every which way, as well as being subjected to all the road crap.

Cheers Pat.

locke2c

yep, torn CV boots untreated lead to seized CV joints. CV joints will wear out eventually anyway, but without the boot to keep out dust and keep the lube in, they fail quick.

around here it's $150-200 including parts for most hondas, a bit higher for Subaru I would think due to parts if nothing else. yes Juice, they pull the axle and whatnot but it's a typical and oft-performed repair so it's no biggie.

-Colin

subearu

I think our Saturn has that phenomenon starting to occur also (the boots have started to show signs of leakage, although no fluid is leaking onto the ground). I think we'll try to get 'er fixed over the holiday next week.

Juice: if it's that torn, I'd get it replaced asap. besides, if you go to trade it on a WRX (hint, hint), that'd be the first and easiest thing that the appraiser would check for when looking underneath the beast.

-Brian

crawdadking

juice: I had an Audi LS100 years ago (about 1977 I think) that had a Rzeppa joint or CV joint boot split. The dealer wanted big bucks to fix it. Since I only paid $1100 for the car I decided to try and fix it myself. In my search for a replacement boot I discovered an outfit that made a boot with a zipper (actually little snaps). All I did was cut the old one off, fill the new one with grease, wrap the thing around the axle, button it up and put the clamps on each side. The car had 68k on it when that happened and I drove it until it had about 90k and never had a minutes trouble with it.
You might want to check and see if such a thing is available tor your Mazda. Wish I could remember where I found it but it was a long time ago.
Good luck

Guy

ateixeira

Thanks folks. To clarify, that is our Mazda 626, so I hope parts aren't too pricey. We have an appointment tonight and I think the shop will know that I've done some homework and won't accept being overcharged for it.

The wife takes the Mazda in for anything but routine service (which I do). I don't really feel like taking on this project, given the cost shouldn't be high, but thanks.

-juice

c_hunter

You could definitely fix this yourself. I had the same thing happen on a FWD car many years ago. I pulled the damaged boot off, cleaned the old grease out of the CV joint with gas and a paintbrush, re-greased it, and then used the split boot that Guy mentioned (kits are available at most auto parts stores). You just "stitch" it together with small screws or rivets, and then use split band clamps to attach the boot to the half-shaft and hub. You should be able to crimp the clamps with a simple pair of wire cutters. 45 minute job tops.

At the time, I took this approach based on a mechanic's recommendation. I have since learned that it's a fairly common fix in cases where you don't want to have the whole half-shaft taken out for a boot replacement.

As long as the CV joint was not contaminated with sand or other abrasive debris, it should just require a boot replacement.

Craig

ateixeira

That's what I'm worried about, though. I do hear a whirring noise from that axle. I'm going to let the shop take care of this one, since they'll know exactly what to look for once it's opened up. If I did it I might just be masking a more serious problem.

-juice

c_hunter

Whirring noises are questionable. Clicking would definitely be a bad sign, especially during turns. Probably a good idea to have a mechanic take a look. Let us know the prognosis!

Craig

ateixeira

I'm hoping that it's just the lack of grease, and the fact that the insulating grease/rubber cover isn't there to reduce normal axle noises.

-juice

crashton6

Juice, If the boot has been torn for a while there is going to be a whole lot of road grit in there. The labor is almost the same to change an axle as to change just the boot, just add the cost of a rebuilt axle. It is possible if you just put a boot on that down the road that joint will fail & you'll have to pay for an axle anyway. Don't ask me how I know this.

Chuck

lark6

I just took the time to scroll through all of your responses and want to thank you for the positive reinforcement. Current status: car went in at 7:30am today and is still in the shop, targeted to be completed tomorrow. Dealership had Enterprise come out to me with a beige metallic Ford Focus sedan. Driving the Focus (third time I've had one, BTW) it's apparent that Subaru's WRC cars must be much closer mechanically to their production counterparts than the Focus WRC is to this rental car.

Pat and Vince's comments were especially relevant; I researched an awful lot before deciding on the Forester. I am trying to focus(no pun intended) on the dealership experience, turnaround time and, ultimately, the effectiveness of the repair. I am biting my lip, however, based on the number of i-club posts Colin referred me to which lead me to believe that mine is not an isolated occurrence and that head gasket failure occurs on Phase I and II EJ25 blocks.

Here's hoping this takes care of business...
Ed

PS: juice - FWIW I had CV joint/boot failure on my old Jetta almost too many times to count. It seemed as though both inner and outer joints failed at ~ 60-65K and since I had that car up to 146K I ended up replacing 8 joints.

anibalb

Juice,

Cv boots are easy to do. A bit time consuming depending on the model. But if the tear has been there for a while just replace the axle and that is easier to do. I am not so confident on the zipper boot. But, it seems folks have used them successfully. On my 90 Accord I replaced them 2 times by 165K miles. I think it may be more efficient to just replace the axle. I think they are around 120 bucks. Honda charged me 55 for the boot kit. Also, when replacing a cv boot always do both. The inner ones last a bit longer but why do it twice? And there are 2 types of grease-one for the inner and the other for the outer. Don't confuse them. And since you will need a sledge hammer to take the outer off the wheel assembly remember never to hit the tip of the axle directly otherwise you will crown the metal and it will not slide off the wheel or back in for that matter. Let us know how it goes.

reblack_jr

On my many Hondas I had to replace many CV Joint covers but never a joint (lucky I guess). One way to keep the boot from splitting is keep your wheels straight. I know it is hard to turn corners with straight ahead wheels but skids are fun. Really what you should try to do is park your car straight into parking spots with the wheels straight. As the rubber ages it becomes less flexible and does not like to be stressed or stretched over extended periods. I have developed a habit of always parking with straightened wheels rather than turned wheels. I had been parking with turned wheels to make my job of backing out of my small notched driveway easier and was paying big bucks for this convenience.

ateixeira

Focii don't drive that bad, do they? Maybe you got one without the Zetec engine.

8 joint replacements? Ouch. At least this one lasted 70k miles, and even then only one ripped.

Interesting, because I always park with the wheels straight and my wife doesn't. I've never had a boot fail...

-juice

nygreg

Had the two half shafts replaced on my Camry earlier this year. The parts store wanted $65 per shaft for a rebuilt unit. Easy to do, but had no time. Had a local shop do the work and he charged me $325 (claims he uses better rebuilds than the one I was quoted). Did a great job - both shafts. Toyota wanted $300 + for each wheel which is a complete rip off.

Greg

luck11

Hey, finally got my roll developed. (yeah I know, get digital) Got a pic with the old and new filters side by side. Yuck, it looks more disgusting in the picture! Anyone out there have means to post this pic up so others can view? I will scan it in and can send as jpg or gif, whatever is preferred. Although I can get around a PC, I am not technically competent enough to know how to post it up here. Send me an e-mail at invest_san@hotmail.com and I'll fire the pic off to whoever wants it, or whoever can post it for viewing by all.

Thanks.

ateixeira

OK, finally spoke to the Mazda tech. $299 for the boot, parts and labor. It's a dealer so I was expecting prices slightly higher. He did inspect the axle and says it's fine, so he saw no need to replace it.

Next time I think I'll just get the kit and do it myself.

The check engine light showed an O2 sensor shorting out, and to replace that was a more painful $366, with $212 just for the parts. He said it's a heated sensor, which I've never heard of, and that there were two of them. That includes diagnostic labor and labor for replacing the sensor.

I had been to Trak Auto and found an O2 sensor for $70, but I think that one's OK, it's the one farther down the exhaust that is bad.

Ouch, man, Mazda charged me $28 for a gas cap for the Miata (could not find an aftermarket one locally that fits) and now $212 for an O2 sensor? By comparison that makes Subaru parts seem cheap!

That puts the total repair tab for the 626 at $1200 over 6 years. Not too bad, I suppose, but it really makes you consider those long warranties.

-juice

locke2c

Wow, they got you good. Bosch makes O2 sensors for most cars on the road today and they are cheap ($70 even seems high), and as long as you have the will-- and oft-times, a torch and an impact wrench-- they are easy to remove and replace.

About the heated sensor: yes, an oxygen sensor is nothing more than a fancy thermocouple. Basically it sees heat and interprets this as how rich/lean the fuel mix is.

-Colin

ateixeira

I searched and found no Bosch replacement for the Mazda. They had another brand, I forget now, and it was $70. But they only listed one sensor, and the dealer says there are two. Maybe it's the other one, ever so elusive, and they are different? No idea.

I did find a Bosch for my Miata, something like $25. Took me all of 15 minutes. I told the tech this but he said the heated sensor in the 626 is quite different that the one on the Miata. As in 10 times more expensive!

If it were my car I wouldn't even have taken it in, but the wife likes dealer service (and prices).

-juice

hondafriek

The painful truth is that Mazda nad Nissan replacement parts are very expensive, but I did not think they were as bad as you were quoted.

If you have not already had it done check some of the franchise,s for a quote on a replacement drive shaft you may get a pleasant surprise.

Cheers Pat.

nygreg

You need to tell your wife that Mazda estimated the fix at something like.....Oh.....$25 grand.
;-)

Greg

miksmi

ateixeira

I checked out some Mazda vendors on-line, but none had the O2 sensor listed.

Oh well, I learned my lesson. No more dealer service for the Mazda. I really should have just done it myself. I bet it would not have been $100 for the boot kit and the O2 sensor. Instead it's $730.

I did need to read the OBD2 codes to find out what was wrong in the 1st place, but my guess was the O2 sensor anyway. Rats!

-juice

hondafriek

You bin reading my mind, usually when I want to trade I start with the whining and complaining that this car is about to leave us stranded.

Wife is not stupid she knows my game, but like the good soul she is she lets me think otherwise.

Cheers Pat.

nygreg

that men run the world is a fool. Women have us pegged and enjoy watching us think we are getting away with things.

Greg

ateixeira

Well, I wear the pants in my house (when I'm doing her laundry). ;-)

-juice

stevek

Just put a set of Dunlop Winter Sport M2's on my 01 GT limited. The car rides quieter and smoother than with the RE92's. Now I am in search of another set of rims to mount my summer tires on. I read in here that if I go to I-club I could pick up a set at reasonable prices? What is the I-club?

bluesubie

http://i-club.com is the North American Impreza Owner's club. There are forums there and a GREAT search engine. For tire and wheel info, check the Tire and Suspension forum, Classified forum and the Legacy Forum.
I see you're in NY. There's also a Tri-State Forum.
Dennis

miksmi

I've heard of such a thing. Just not here. ;-)

..Mike

nygreg

A little off topic, but I trust this group. Installed Yokohama Aegis LS4s on my Sienna. On the side of the tires is a little red and yellow triangle. Three of the tires were installed with these marks facing outward and one facing inward. Tirerack said it doesn't matter which way as these are symmetrical tires. I noticed a slight pull to the left. Last night I rotated the tires front to back and cleaned up my brakes. This morning no more pull. I know that a little more drag on one disc can cause this too and I possibly fixed it with the brake cleaning. Pressures are good. Any thoughts? As for being on topic, I noticed a 98 or so OB with new LS4s installed this weekend.

Greg

ateixeira

If the tires are indeed symmetrical (you can tell by looking at them), I agree with the Tire Rack.

-juice

lark6

With a new head gasket, water pump gasket, water pump, valve cover gasket, coolant and oil. A two-day job for the people at Colonial, who again washed the car prior to my arrival. The ~400 miles between oil changes has to be some kind of record for me. So far so good - commuted home and back to the office with no problems.

juice: The rental Focus did handle well but is in need of at least another 40-50 hp and better tires. The seats were heinous, though - cushions way too flat and about 4 inches too short. While I had the Focus, the cover of the driver's side visor mirror fell off (yes, somebody does make lower-grade visors than Subaru) and the radio turned on and off of its own volition. Can you say possessed?

Ed

ateixeira

Subaru visors are cheap indeed. Mine are plastic and there is no mirror at all on either side! While the materials are cheap, at least they are put together well.

Look at the sunny side: you got a free coolant flush and oil change, and spakin' new gaskets in a few places. Oh, and a clean car to please any OCDer. :-)

-juice

PS When my brake master cylinder was recalled, that meant my brakes were bled for free!

kens

Greg -- In theory, symmetrical tires can be mounted in either orientation. However, it is possible that some manufacturing variances will cause the tire to behave slighlty differently depending on the orientation. I've heard of people who's "pulls to the left/right" issue was corrected when they swapped sides.

Ed -- Glad to hear your Forester is back in action. Hope this repair fixed it once and for all.

juice -- Yeah, the visors need improvement. My S visors have vanity mirrors in them, but they still feel flimsy -- especially the clip that allows it to swing to the side. The visors in my wife's Jetta are made much better. They have a great sturdy feel and the clip is magnetized.

Ken