Subaru B9 Tribeca startup problem

in Subaru
Hi there,
Recently I bought a '06 Subaru Tribeca, a used one which the dealer used as a loaner vehicle, with about 9K miles on it. I was happy to get a great deal on the vehicle. However, after bringing the vehicle home, I found something frustrating: there's a engine startup problem.
When I turned the key to start the engine, I heard the engine clicking, but I had to hold the key at the turn position for a few second to get the engine running. It's especially obvious when the engine was cold. Sometimes I had to turn the key a few times to start the engine after failing to start.
I bought the vehicle to the dealership twice, but they kept saying that it's the carbon buildup in the engine(assuming that when used as loaner vehicle customers used regular gasoline to cause the extra carbon buildup in the engine). I was told that after running for several tanks of premium gasoline, the problem should go away. Does it make any sense to you? They have replaced all spark plugs, and an on-board calibration computer with minimum improvement. I wonder what the next step is? Can the problem be the underpower DC starter motor?
Please advise
Recently I bought a '06 Subaru Tribeca, a used one which the dealer used as a loaner vehicle, with about 9K miles on it. I was happy to get a great deal on the vehicle. However, after bringing the vehicle home, I found something frustrating: there's a engine startup problem.
When I turned the key to start the engine, I heard the engine clicking, but I had to hold the key at the turn position for a few second to get the engine running. It's especially obvious when the engine was cold. Sometimes I had to turn the key a few times to start the engine after failing to start.
I bought the vehicle to the dealership twice, but they kept saying that it's the carbon buildup in the engine(assuming that when used as loaner vehicle customers used regular gasoline to cause the extra carbon buildup in the engine). I was told that after running for several tanks of premium gasoline, the problem should go away. Does it make any sense to you? They have replaced all spark plugs, and an on-board calibration computer with minimum improvement. I wonder what the next step is? Can the problem be the underpower DC starter motor?
Please advise
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Comments
I had the exact same symptoms, and it turned out to be a weak/dying battery. If you have a voltmeter, put the test leads on the battery terminals while someone else cranks the vehicle over. When I did this with the bad battery, the voltage dropped from 12.0 volts to 8.0 volts.
If the battery is indeed weak/dying, then it could be that you have a bad alternator. The dealership (or any auto repair center) can run a test to check out the battery and alternator.
Hope this helps!
-mike
No biggie. Check the fluid levels, you may be able to add distilled water.
But I'd just replace the battery. Cheap piece of mind, and the OE ones aren't all that strong anyway.
-juice
I've read bad battery, bad leads, bad wires. Will attend to.
Read bad tach sensor, but didnt look like the Tribeca uses that.
Any other avenue that I might be missing?
Hopefully, this will help others.