Subaru XT Turbo Forester

pitbull

I'm jealous - I NEED one of those!

 

Th's going to be my first 'real" mod as soon as my budget alllows; I also fashioned a homebrewed 3" cold-air intake, courtesy of Home Depot for $2.69.

 

 Can anyone loan me a $100 for thw swaybar?? ;-)

 

Anyone want to buy my O.E Geolanders? - Not quite 5000 miles as of this writing (always well treated).

 

I also have a set of Nokian NRW's, in 215/55-16 that I had on my Legacy GT wagon.

They have about 80% remaining tread life left, and the tread is still deeper than the nearly-new Geolanders!

Truly outstanding tires for snow & wet driving, but still excellent for year-round use.

I drove across Canada in winter on these - absolutely faultless.

tidester

Can anyone loan me a $100 for thw swaybar?? ;-)

  

Anyone want to buy my O.E Geolanders?

 

Please, no solicitation on the boards! ;-)

 

tidester, host

deadeye5

Hi All ... Just drove 1385 mi. from NW FL. to Canada (1385 mi.) kept it on 72-76 MPH when able to==got 24.6 for the entire trip. I also now go

7500 mi on oil chg.-5w-30 and never add between chg's. Have a tad over 14K on it now.Been here in the 6-8" in snow for 2-3 days and feel like the tires have Velcro on em.--VERY secure feeling...

 

                                  Deadeye Sends

Donluce

What is difference between V rated and H rated tires. Since I am not going to drive my XT 149mph, what advantages are there having V rated tire over a H rated tire?

 

Thanks again,

 

Don Luce

subearu

Sidewalls will be stiffer, ride will be more sporty, handling will be very good, tire should stay cooler than a lower rated tire (although probably not perceivable). Typically, V rated tires are those in the 'ultra-high-performance' or even 'touring' type, with many choices in summer only type tires.

 

Any particular tires you're looking at?

 

-Brian

Donluce

Brian, thanks for the informaton. I am thinking of going with Falken ZE-512 225/60R/16 with a V rating. Since the 225 is a wider tire with a little more sidewall, I was hoping the V rating would give me about the same sidewall stiffness and performance of the Falken ZE-512 215/60R/16.

 

Thanks again,

 

Don Luce

wjcstl

I recently had an engine fire in my 2004 turbo Forester with 7800 miles. Subaru says it's not their fault and tells me that it was a bad oil filter and/or the filter installation. The oil change mechanic says no way! This was the second oil change. I am caught in the middle and will apparently have to rely on insurance for repair at a cost of $6-10K.

 

Subaru assures me that this is not the same problem that caused them to recall some 26,000 Foresters in Japan in the last year or so.

 

Any one have any thoughts or comments?

bluesubie

If you haven't already, call 1800Subaru3 to open a case. From your post, it sounds like you used an aftermarket oil filter? Can you tell exactly where the fire started? I

 

t might be difficult and expensive to prove who was at fault. Actually, the insurance adjuster might be able to spot that. I don't have any experiences with car fires.

 

Good luck,

Dennis

p0926

Uh oh... might have to stop picking on the CRV ;-)

 

Seriously though, I'm assuming that you used your own mechanic to change the oil. If it was one of the quickie oil-change places then my money is on them screwing it up (but of course they'll never admit it). If you used a reliable independent mechanic then it's harder to say. I would think it's in the insurance company interest to prove the cause of the fire and who was at fault just so they don't have to pay the claim (or recoup their money later).

 

-Frank

baydrive

I just went to the NHTSA and looked up for a recall....I am assuming that you checked also.....seems that in September there was a recall on 26 2004 turbo Baja's, Foresters and Imprezia's (only Turbo models seem to be affected)....said something about non tightened bolts around the oil gasket that could lead to an oil leak and possible engine fire.....have you looked all this up? They list the vin #'s of the cars but possibly yours might have had the same problem.

dcm61

FYI - the XT takes a different (slightly smaller) filter than the non-turbo motors.

 

Did your mechanic use the correct filter?

 

DaveM

subearu

it's #04V473000 (subaru recall WWU-05). for certain *early production* 2.5L turbos *including* the Forester, Baja, and STi, 26 vehicles affected. Letters went out in October, so if you have one of the vehicles affected, you would have gotten a letter. You could also check http://my.subaru.com and see if the recall shows up or call Subaru.

 

The PDF that you can download from nhtsa site states this involves the variable valve timing oil control valve.

 

-Brian

corkfish

Here's the information on the NHTSA recall. Did you notice any oil leaks or smoke before it happened?

Maybe if you print this out and show it to the dealer it may help your case.

 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/results.cfm

subearu

Unfortunately, the nhtsa site doesn't pass the query in the url, so that link you provided only takes you to their site, not the recall. :-(

 

-Brian

corkfish

See if this works. You still have to drill down to get to the actual announcement, but it should get a little closer.

 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/recalls/recallsearch.c- fm

wjcstl

Hello Dennis... thanks for the suggestions.

 

I have sent a letter to Subaru America headquarters - they denied responsibility at that level.

 

It was an aftermarket filter installed by a large metro car service center (20-30 service centers). I suppose the mechanics and quality of service are as good (or bad) as anywhere else.

 

I am not sure where the fire started but it appears to have started adjacent to the oil filter around the exhaust manifold. After the fire was extinguished I noted a large puddle of molted plastic below the car. Apparently the shielding or cowlings around the engine caught on fire or at least melted.

 

As you noted and as a practical matter it is almost impossible for an individual to prove fault in a case like this. My attorney tells me that the only way this could be done against a Corp. the size of Subaru is with a class action. At the moment, without knowledge of other cases like this in the USA, this is not likely.

 

The insurance adjuster/examiner is in the process of determination - we will soon see.

 

wjcstl

wjcstl

Hello baydrive... I did check with the NHTSA and have since filed a report with them. According to the reports from Subaru the recall does not apply to my Forester and they have no reported fires in any USA units. It will be interesting to see if there are any others out there.

 

wjcstl

wjcstl

Hello dcm61...

 

Regarding the question "did they use the correct filter".. I don't know... they say they did.

 

You mentioned that there are differences between the filters on the turbo and non turbo motors. Is this difference a matter of filter volume/size or in mounting hardware or procedure. Purolator mentions only one filter on their web site... is there more detailed info available that you know.

 

thanks

 

wjcstl

wjcstl

Hello corkfish... We have been able to download the info on the recall... thanks. We did not notice any oil leaks or smoke until my wife (who was driving at the time) saw another driver behind her waving and signalling frantically. When she pulled over she saw smoke coming from the engine compartment and called the fire department - which luckily was only a mile or so away. The dealership says they were not involved and have no responsibility in the matter.

 

wjcstl

deadeye5

HI All...Sorry to hear of the fires some of you

had. I own a 04 XT and when I go to a dealer

for an oil chg. I tape a note to the steering

wheel " Turbo-BLACK Filter 080" I have had them

start to attach the larger white filter but, being

the "sweater" that I am I saw it and stoped him..

Makes one want to chg oil at home....I do most of the time.. Happy Holidays Deadeye

miamixt

I would not let anyone else than a qualified Subaru Technician touch my XT, the one that I no longer have, and yes I miss it, and no it didn't catch fire. Those of you that have been with this thread since the 04 XT came out are well aware of the Special Oil Filter used. My Mechanic actually showed me the Filter, Filter Box, and the Turbo Blend Oil used prior to installation. If this is any help, my XT always smelled like Gas, and others here have mentioned the same thing?

corkfish

A common mistake that some oil changers make is to overlook the oil filter gasket. I change my own oil and sometimes on my Sentra the old gasket gets stock on the housing when I take the filter off. Once I didn't notice and I screwed a new one on top of the old one( effectively putting two gaskets on!). Needless to say it leaked. It only took once for me so now I double check the gaskets every time. My freinds think I'm nuts changing my own oil, but I've heard to many stories about the quick change places.

lfdal

I have seen / been on the receiving end of so many screwed up oil changes in the past few years that I now change my own oil on both our Subarus. I'm not only blaming Subaru dealers for this as I'm convinced Ford Lincoln/Mercury mechs must believe every engine on the planet takes 5 quarts, because that's how much they added to everything I owned.

 

And the quicky places have totally blown out one friend's engine - they changed the filter, and added how ever many quarts, too bad they forgot to drain out the old stuff.....

 

Aaaaarrrrggghhh.....scream of frustration.....

 

Larry

troop2shos

The updated oil filter p/n is:

15208AA100

Also, 5 qts of oil are required with a filter changeout.

deadeye5

Have any of you had to replace your winshield ???

I am nowhere near a dealer-guess I will have to get one shipped in. What source is best and is it

the same as the std. Forrester ?? Bad timing eh?

Xmas eve--Bummer.....

 

                            Tks. Deadeye

miamixt

First of all, under Florida Law, if it's the Front Windshield, you won't have to pay a Dime,(no Deductible) assuming you have Insurance. Second, the Windshield replacement people come to your Home or Office, or you can drop by their Shop!

roadtripper

i had to do it on my impreza several years ago. it really was not a big deal -- the windshield people came to my house and did it for me there. i'm in CA so i can't recommend anyone, but your insurance company may be able to (that's how i found the people that replaced mine). or you could call the nearest dealership and ask who they recommend.

lucien2

just remember you have the heated windshield.

miamixt

22. My front windshield was broken. I have comprehensive coverage with a deductible. Will I have to pay the deductible before the company pays for the replacement of my windshield?

 

No. Florida Statute 627.7288 states that the deductible shall not apply to windshield damages.

4mygrey

"Just remember you have the heated winshield."

 

I thought wipers were heated (and mirrors)....is the glass heated???

miamixt

Thats Ok, I always thought the Heating element behind the Rear View Mirror was an antenna!

njswamplands

is the glass heated? take a look down where the wipers sit, you will see the heating elements in the windshield.

miamixt

OK, however what is that netting right behind the Auto dimming Mirror, inquiring minds want to know?

samiam_68

The "netting" behind the rearview mirror is to reduce sunglare above the mirror. It doesn't work very well, because it's too sparse.

njswamplands

miamixt

4mygrey

Thanks for clearing things up! So I suppose it will cost an arm and a leg to have this winshield replaced? *Ugh* Just raised my comprehensive deductible to save on insurance.

miamixt

Move to Florida?

p0926

So I suppose it will cost an arm and a leg to have this winshield replaced?

 

Depends on where you live, there are other states that do like Florida and require insurance companies to cover windshields with zero deductible. Otherwise the answer is yes, the XT's windshield costs about $900 IIRC ;-(

 

-Frank

ateixeira

Frank, you made me spit soda out my nose with that CR-V comment.

 

Actually, if Subaru caught it that early, and just 26 cars are affected, kudos to their checks and balances.

 

-juice

edunnett

Roadtripper - I just got the 20mm sway bar upgrade for Christmas! I can't wait to install it! Happy to hear you're lovin' yours!

Elissa

bluesubie

Now you will need tires sooner because you'll be pushing the car harder. :-) Bigger swaybar and better tires make a nice improvement.

 

-Dennis

roadtripper

That's great, Elissa! Let us know what you think after you install it.

 

And I have to agree with Dennis -- I got new tires about a week after installing the swaybar! They certainly feel better than the Geolanders.

 

I'm about to upgrade the springs as well. I bought the Forester STi springs after hearing that they make a significant difference in handling and don't lower the car that much (about an inch).

 

After the springs, the only thing I plan to do is get a new windshield wiper blade for the left wiper. It smears right in the middle of where I need to see!

rochcom

Wiper Blade: Before replacing, try cleaning with isopropyl alcohol (70% or higher) until all of the black residue is removed. Then wipe with dry cloth. Also make sure that the blade slides smoothly in the holders.

 

Glass: For future reference, in some states you can add zero deductible glass coverage to comprehensive for a relatively small premium. It saved me hundreds when my Forester windshield was damaged by a stone.

subewannabe

I cant find a filter wrench that fits correctly. All too snug or too loose. I haven't tried Subaru parts yet, assuming that will be a really expensive option. Anybody find a good one? I'm tired of busting my knuckles?

 

Mark

dcm61

I've had one similar to this one for years. Use it with a 3/8 extension and ratchet. Auto adjusts to filter. Note this is for removal only.

 

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&- - - - vertical=TOOL&pid=00946955000

 

If the link doesn't work, search for item # 00946955000 at http://www.sears.com

 

DaveM

ugly2

I bought mine from Snap-On. Of course it costs $20 but it works great in both directions, even though I prefer to tighten by hand. It has three prongs and looks very similar to a cheaper version offered at Napa that didn't grip the filter well.

 

John

roadtripper

Thank you for the suggestion! I will definitely try this.

 

I had no idea about the zero deductible glass coverage possibility. When I had my Impreza windshield replaced, it only cost about $150. I was stunned to hear that replacing the Forester windshield could cost $900!! That would be a nightmare, and I can't help it if a rock hits my windshield.

 

On my Impreza, a rock hit it and made a small mark, and then a second rock hit it about a week later IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT, which made it spread. Unbelievable coincidence. With that kind of luck, I should look into the insurance coverage!

mike33

Les,

 

Just picked up my 2005 MT XT. So far it is meeting all my expectations. My wife had suggested a used Forester with the four cylinder. At 60 years of age, I still like a little more oomph.

 

The Forester replaces a 1999 Passat manual GLS with the six cylinder. I had to replace it because the car self-destructed in my parking spot. Rain killed it! The car has pollen filters as part of the air conditioning system. Replacing them is on the 20,000 mile check. Mine got clogged. The result was that drain water from the moon roof and front windshield backed up under the dash and killed all the electronic control boxes as well as flooding the car. My insurance company totaled the car. The car had 57,000 and was in really great condition. Just a warning.

 

My Forester also has a replaceable air filter that is supposed to be changed every 7500 miles. Has anyone done this? I don't think it is as critical as the Passat but may reduce the fan air flow.

 

Mike

ateixeira

Yes, it's under the glove box, and not too hard to access on the Forester.

 

Change it about every year or so. Mine was OK after a year, but absolutely filthy after 2 years.

 

Happily I can say it didn't cause any problems, though. Wow, totalled?

 

-juice