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Subaru B9 Tribeca: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • megreyhairmegreyhair Member Posts: 154
    Well, I got a dent on the front pass door. I think someone open their door a little too hard in the parking lot and dented it. It is about 3"x6", not too deep and no sharp edge on the edges. But the paint on the edge of the dent cracked :cry: I have owned couple of cars already and this is the cheapest paint job I ever seen.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    More chrome or less chrome?

    2007 Subaru B9 Tribeca Special Edition (Inside Line)

    image

    Chat reminder - Subaru chat is tonight. The chat link is in the left sidebar.

    Steve, Host
  • spence66spence66 Member Posts: 39
    I was curious if you know what the proper PSI should be
    My warning pressure light keeps appearing on dashboard
    (IT is 0 degrees today in CT)
    I have also noticed the car seems to not handle well around corners in the colder weather
    Any thoughts?
    I am thinking it is either alignment or tire pressure but car was just into service three weeks ago
    (I know it sounds crazy but it seems as if car is sloping to the passenger front side

    thanks
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    The psi is on a decal on inner side of the drivers door. It is 32 or 33 front and 33 or 34 rear. I read many temp related low pressure readings - but here in Chicago we have had some brutally cold weather and I never had lo pressure light come on.

    If the passenger side tires are okay maybe you need to weigh the right side passengers (just kidding. Measure the distance from the ground to rail on each side. If there is a difference take to the dealer.
  • cheitzercheitzer Member Posts: 5
    When I washed my Tribeca in a Touchless Car Wash the front end started smoking. Then the engine began to knock and all the electronics where blinking on and off it took a good 10 minutes before this whole bizare show stopped. Anyone else have this problem. Also, while looking at the front grill area I noticed the grill inside looks like it is getting some damage from pebbles and such hitting it. Seems like there should be a grill to protect the area. And one more item. Both my fog lights appear to have little stress fractures on them. Any input would be great.
    :confuse:
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    Both my fog lights appear to have little stress fractures on them

    That happened to me and several others. All of us had them replaced under warranty because there was no evidence of any stone damage to that area of the car. If the service manager will not help you = tell him you want to be put in contact with the regional or zone manager from SOA. SOA is aware of this. I had to see the regional guy who was great and told the dealer to cover it under warranty.

    Then the engine began to knock and all the electronics where blinking on and off

    Sounds like some water got into the computer or electronics have the dealer check those modules for water tightness.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Check under the hood, look at the fuse box first.

    -juice
  • fjelffjelf Member Posts: 8
    After installing sonar distance sensors for front and rear I found a connector taped to the wire harness in the left front wheel well. My guess is that is the connection to the Puddle lights.

    I also found some other unused cables/connections:
    mid pillar driver side has at the bottom some wires bundled into a protective cover.
    Still on the left side further back there was another bundle with the same translucent cover.
    I do not have the DVD player but do have the NAV option.

    Does anyone know what these cable bundles are for?
  • chassolchassol Member Posts: 95
    1) This is "normal" - has to do with bulb (way bulb is manufactured) alignment, not aiming headlight. Other brands do the same thing.
    2) Dealer may need to order new one - sounds like a broken clip or part missing.
    3) Every 10 degrees temperature change equals 1 lb difference in tire pressure. Did you buy your car when it was 75 degrees and it's now 25 degrees - that's an example of 5 lbs difference in tire pressure.
    4) The new rear hatch struts really correct this. BUT, I'm going to bet there will be some folks out there that will have it done and say now they are too fast and hard to close. Not me I love it.
    5) This is a normal trait of Subarus until the Auto transmission fluid warms up. If I remember correctly I read somewhere it helps "protect" the transmission (shifting the way it does) until the fluid warms up.

    Hope this helps. I've owned almost every type of American car and many of the foreign brands over 40+ years of driving and I've found Subaru to be the best of them all.
  • spence66spence66 Member Posts: 39
    Did you install the puddle lights after market?
    I have DVD and NAV but would like to have the puddle lights installed as well as the distance sensors
    Any info is appreciated
  • b9bingob9bingo Member Posts: 46
    I want to install a after Market Rockford box. I have a few questions I hope someone could answer for me. Are there any left/right RCA out jacks behind the radio? What do I do for a remote to the amplifier if there isn't a power antenna wire on the B9 to use, or does the B9 have another wire I could use that will only power on when the radio is turned on? does the trabeca have a powerful enough alt. to deal with a 800 Watt RMS Rockford amplifier or do I need to upgrade my battery and maybe install a 3+ farad capacitor. Thanks in advance for your input.
  • klrskirklrskir Member Posts: 5
    Same thing with my B9...Talk radio vibrations in the speaker/moulding area. I've got almost 11,000 miles on it and there is nothing I can figure out to get rid of the vibration.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    TAKE IT TO THE DEALER

    That is what your warranty is for.
  • fjelffjelf Member Posts: 8
    no puddle lights as of yet, but I think I will try that next... the sonar was an ebay item with eight sensors, head unit and main computer. Drilling in a new car bumper was scary, but with matching color on the sensors it looks great!
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    What brand did you get and what was the price. I have been trying to find one with color matched sensors.

    Thanks
  • cluelesspacluelesspa Member Posts: 648
    they couldnt fix it. I saw myself behind the door panel. they tried using a black goop like glue (reminds me of the stuff for windshields to hold the plastic vapor barier tighter, but no luck. I just adjust the base so it doesnt vibrate. it only happens rarely. its a design flaw of the door materials. I gave up and was glad all my other issues are fixed.
  • marilynwmarilynw Member Posts: 24
    In November I had X-pel protection applied to my headlamps and fog lights. My Tribeca was purchased in September. I noticed that there seemed to be water trapped behind the x-pel. I brought it back to the x-pel installer, and when he removed it the x-pel had MELTED. He said he had never seen anything like it, and was going to contact 3-M and X-pel. He ordered a new kit and is re-applying this week. He is re-doing my headlamps as well! Anyone have any similar problems? I also had the front side windows tinted to match the tint in the rest of the car. It looks awesome.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    Which one melted, fogs or headlights?
  • nycb9nycb9 Member Posts: 30
    Hi Marilyn,

    You wrote: "I also had the front side windows tinted to match the tint in the rest of the car. It looks awesome."

    I live in your area (New Hyde Park). Is having that dark a tint on the front windows legal in NY?

    Thanks...Joe
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    :shades: Marilyn should stop a cop and ask him
  • megreyhairmegreyhair Member Posts: 154
    Very dark tint like the one in the back of the beca is illegal. Stopping a cop to ask....well, he might just give u a ticket on the spot.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    I was making a joke about asking a cop.

    The dark tint though unsafe is not illegal every where. I know for a fact it is legal in Wisconsin.

    Though I think it looks cool it should be illegal.
  • megreyhairmegreyhair Member Posts: 154
    It looks cool until you run over something at night...
    ;)
  • robotb9robotb9 Member Posts: 82
    State laws on window tinting vary quite a lot. You can find a state-by-state summary here:
    http://www.tintcenter.com/laws/
  • cluelesspacluelesspa Member Posts: 648
    I was making a joke about asking a cop.

    well you should add at least a ;-) or a LOL at the end to show you are joking. IF the person had followed your advice it would have been not cool :(

    Florida and other southern states its legal due to cutting down the heat in the cars...

    here in PA following that link it looks like: Front Side Windows= Must allow more than 70% of light in. So you can add a light tint but dont forget to figure in the slight tint that is built into factory glass. so your more like 20% tint (reduction).
  • marilynwmarilynw Member Posts: 24
    The x-pel melted on the fog lights.The x-pel was replaced on headlamps and fog lights today free of charge. As far as the tint, I have had tinted windows on my other cars and have never been been hassled, nor have run over anything. If I get a ticket, it comes off. After checking the NYS law the back side windows and front windows are the same for tint allowance. 70% light allowance. The front sides now match the back. So, if the tint is to dark, then Subaru sold me a car with illegal tinting!
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    I did use ;)

    Look again or do you have a dark tint on your screen :confuse:
  • cluelesspacluelesspa Member Posts: 648
    I did use ;)

    Look again or do you have a dark tint on your screen :confuse:

    Actually you used :shades: which is COOL and not ;) which is WINK

    oh well just with postings I learned you got to use smiles or more to let people know your intent.

    interesting Marilyn on the NY laws... thats new on the tint law for NY. I lived in upstate NY for 6 years and the law used to be similar to PA. the side rear windows have to be 70% as well transmission :surprise:

    good argument if they pull ya over but from past experience back along time ago when I was in High school, the cops wont care. they issue you a 30 day ticket that if you dont come back and prove you removed the tint on the front windows, it becomes a fine.

    Its mainly because cops were getting shot coming up on tinted widowed cars because they couldn't see the people inside pointing a gun at them when they approached.

    also at night its tough to make tight turns because you cant see anything out your side windows. ran over a few curbs that way back in the day

    I also had water caught in my fog lights. I saw it boiled up some from the heat, so I turned them off. he was able to heat it the film up and get the water out without having to replace the film. all is well now :D
  • css1css1 Member Posts: 247
    Hi everybody.

    Good to see more becas on the road.

    (Refer to post # 401 and earlier)

    The thumping - (like a heartbeat) did not go away with the repair of the front bearing.

    They switched wheels and tires with a new and demo vehicles and the vibration moved to other cars. But oddly enough the vibration was evident in all the cars tested including the SOA reps car!The only difference is it was mild and hardly noticeable. Without my car it would not come to any bodies attention.

    It was most evident in my car on smooth newly paved roads at about 15MPH.

    To make a long story short SOA feels the vibration is a normal operating condition of the car - perhaps the front Diff which may be amplified by the tires.

    Since my car was more severe they changed out my tires - Vibration gone!

    Keep in mind that without it being more noticeable in mine - It would be near impossible to detect on another car if you don't know what your looking for. It does not affect the handling or safety of the car.

    It appears to be a tire issue. I'm glad that it was not a car problem. Subaru backs their cars as well as they build them.

    I'd buy another Subaru in a heartbeat!!

    Charlie
  • jay_24jay_24 Member Posts: 536
    Dark tint (more than 50%) on front windshield, driver door and front passanger doors is NOT legal in WI.

    Front Side Windows Must allow more than 50% of light in.
    Back Side Windows Must allow more than 35% of light in.
    Rear Window Must allow more than 35% of light in.

    Wisconsin is in-between Illinois and Minnesota on the law (and on the map) MN requires 50% light transmission on all side windows and back. IL requires no shading on front sides, but can be 100% shaded on back and rear sides. (0%light in.)

    Most southern states allow lots of tint to help keep the heat out. Only a few northern states (ID,MT,CT,IN,SD are a few) allow really dark tints on all side and rear windows.
  • fjelffjelf Member Posts: 8
    I got the distance sensors off of eBay
    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=60203&item=5859521488
    and painted them with matching color bought from http://www.automotivetouchup.com/spray_paint.asp

    Total cost just under $100 and I got to take the car apart, and drill in the new bumpers. :)

    I found that the reverse light is not sent to the trailer (found the connector in the rear) but all other signals were easily accessible and after some color code matching from the cables I figured out which one was the reverse.

    The only flaw with my setup is that the display is not bright enough for direct sunlight... but then again that's it. I am very happy with it and the paint match is perfect! Just remember to clean the sensors before you paint them since they use silicon in the molds when they manufacture them.

    Hope this is helpful for you.
  • subienewbie2subienewbie2 Member Posts: 458
    Thanks a lot for the info

    Very kind of you
  • mjk7mjk7 Member Posts: 8
    Does anyone have any inside info on if or when Thule or Yakima will come out with a fit guide for the Tribeca? I can't seem to get any info from them except for a generic response that they will let me know when they have a fit out ready. I need longer bars for windsurfing. I love the car it is amazing but I can't beleive the fixed roof rack that is very limiting. The Acura MDX is the same way. I use the SUV as an SUV and the factory rack is just not adequate.
  • yoyodkyoyodk Member Posts: 28
    I've had my Tribeca for a little over 2 weeks now and just passed the 1,000 mile mark. I noticed after the first week I was about a 1/2 quart low on oil and after 2 weeks I was down a full quart. I'm hoping this can be attributed to the break-in, but this doesn't appear to be a common thread in this forum. I have to take it in to the dealer in a couple of weeks to get my crossbars so I plan on asking the service department about this issue then. :(
  • yoyodkyoyodk Member Posts: 28
    There are quite a few messages about X-pel protection film, but I also came across another one called Invisible Patterns which uses a film called Venture Shield. Seems like pretty impressive stuff. Anyone every heard of this product?

    http://www.invisiblepatterns.com/

    Anyway, I'm trying to locate a local shop (Seattle area) that will put on the headlight & foglight protection as well as tint my front windows to match the other windows. I'll call around and see what the price difference is between the X-pel and the Venture Shield.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    I had a similar problem and it went away after about 3000miles and I've not had to top up since then, have about 11K now. Have no clue why it did that but I was checking the oil almost every other day the first few months!
  • yoyodkyoyodk Member Posts: 28
    Thanks cptplt, that's good to hear that this will hopefully resolve itself. I had read about the defective oil filters earlier in this forum, but I checked my oil filter and could see no signs of leakage, plus my car was manufactured (2/06) after the bad lot of filters. No other signs of leakage or burning in the exhaust, so it's gotta be going somewhere....
  • aka1aka1 Member Posts: 110
    My car was MFG'd 08/05 and had an identical problem, was low about a quart the first thousand miles or so, topped it off twice. After the first oil change the level has been correct and has never needed top offs. I suspect the breaking in consumes more oil, but I did not notice any change in the exhaust gas...

    AKA1
  • yoyodkyoyodk Member Posts: 28
    Thanks, it's somewhat comforting to know that the initial oil consumption is not that unusual. I have to wonder if it's that way with all of the H6 engines or just a select few such as ours? My neighbor has a brand new Forester and his engine (H4) did not consume any oil at all during the first few months.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The H6 has been out since 2001 IIRC. I haven't heard complaints about oil consumption. The Tribeca is a bit heavier, so it is working a little harder.

    -juice
  • kmartinkmartin Member Posts: 427
    My service rep asked me today how I like the Tribeca after 11 months and 16k miles. I told her I love it more every day, and feel quite spoiled each time I drive it. She mentioned that they really anticipated lots more service problems since it's a new model, but have been surprised with very few issues in a year's time, and all relatively minor. Nice to know! Hope this is the case everywhere.

    -Karen in AZ-
  • b9bingob9bingo Member Posts: 46
    My DVD player screen is not working. It works fine on the nav. and the DVD player works well, but the 9" screen is all white with a colored bar code look displayed on the screen. Is there a reset button? I tried turning it off a few times, and a different movie, but had the same results. Anyone else run across the same problem? I've been working so many hours I wont be able to take it to the dealer anytime soon. I guess I'll try to set up something with them tomorro.
  • b9bingob9bingo Member Posts: 46
    Anyone notice the rear hatch rattle when you go over a bump? I know the rear hatch shocks have a recall, but I dont think it would solve my problem, plus the hatch is working perfect thus far. I had my wife drive and I stuffed myself in the third row seat (200 lbs.) and I can actually see the hatch vibrating. It's closed fully, I guess I have to set something up with Subaru for this too. By the way, I LOVE MY B9!
  • aka1aka1 Member Posts: 110
    I haven't had any problems with the hatch- but the second row seats, if they are reclined and left in that position without anyone sitting in them, they make more noise than if left in the normal upright position. The third row seat belts if not put in the "clips" along the wall tend to rattle as well.

    AKA1
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Has it been a year already? Wow, time flies!

    I've had the Forester for almost 9 years! I can't believe it.

    -juice
  • b9bingob9bingo Member Posts: 46
    I've noticed this as well and have solved them just as you have, but the rattle I'm getting now is from the rear hatch. I hope it an be fixed with a simple hatch adjustment.
  • solhornsolhorn Member Posts: 2
    I got the SV1 Sirius radio for my B9 tribeca and it has been a complete nightmare. the quality is so bad that last night I ripped it out of my car and I am returning it tonight. I have alot of static and a high pitch whistling noise in the back ground. If anybody has any thoughts i would really appreciate it. :mad:
  • pschreckpschreck Member Posts: 524
    I had to use a ground isolator to eliminate the whine that I got when hooked into the rear entertainment inputs. I got it on eBay for ten bucks with shipping and hooked it up yesterday. I haven't had much of a chance to check it out yet.

    The problem with using the RES inputs is that I can't get much volume when using them. The FM hookup is much better in that respect. I guess Subaru put a resistor on the inputs to keep kids from blasting the volume on their video games to much.
  • skernerskerner Member Posts: 18
    Hi All - have the B9 about 3 weeks - so far so good - but, the nav system seems sub-par compared to others - my nissan has a great one. B9's has missing street names - can't find streets that have been on maps for 5 years, etc. Does anyone know if there is an updated dvd for the system? My dealer couldn't even find the manual for me for an hour....Thanks,
    Steve
  • pschreckpschreck Member Posts: 524
    Somebody on one of the boards said his dealer told him an update would be out in June. I have no idea how accurate that info is though.
This discussion has been closed.

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