Subaru Forester (up to 2005)

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Comments

  • twrxtwrx Member Posts: 647
    i need those blue lamps to go with my spreewell wheels.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Bling Bling!

    My wife keeps her receipts and jots down the number of miles between fill ups. I do the rest for her.

    I average about 1/2 mpg better, but hers just recenctly got fully broken in, and mileage tends to improve with age. So it's a friendly competition we have.

    -juice
  • brainlessbozobrainlessbozo Member Posts: 36
    Thanx Ken, Juice & Ballistic on your comments for lighting. I called the dealer, and found the stock bulbs are 55W halogens. I say some "White" Osram stuff at Advance Autoparts, but have to go back and check on the Phillips. I have to check the sites you mentioned, Balistic.

    Just a comment on mpg. I'm as finicky when it comes to milage. So much so, that I prefer to drive my VW Passat 4 Mo in the "stick" mode, rather than in "D". For our 03 Forester, with just 5800 miles aboard, we average 23-24 mpg. I reset the tripmeter (whatever its called) to 0 at every fillup. That way, even if the fillup is unscheduled, I know how many miles have flown by for that many gallons.

    B
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    As accurate as you may seem, how do you know you fill it to the same spot every time? Do you fill it til it overflows everytime to ensure accuracy? :)

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, I was averaging at least 6 consecutive tanks per season. So if one tank wasn't quite as full, the next one made up for it.

    Any how, my mileage is very consistent, basically, trips just make it a little better.

    Relating that to our discussion, I don't think A/C has a large impact on fuel efficiency, at least definitely not the 4mpg some suspect, not in my case.

    Or, pick your poison - oxygenated fuels or A/C. I pretty much use them seperately and the results are similar.

    -juice
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    I always stop at the second click-off. I'm sure that leaves some slight variation from tank to tank, but it'll always cancel out across every two or three tankfuls. Thus, I plot mine on a spreadsheet and compute a 3-tank moving average as the real indicator of the mileage I'm getting. This also provides an excellent indicator of when an engine really needs a tune-up, as opposed to always performing one just because it's "due" according to the schedule.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You guys have tons of free time!

    I can't be bothered with that, I just tune mine up 1x every 1.5-2years or less. Mostly cause I push em hard!

    Why not get a flow-meter on the fuel line? Then you guys can pinpoint it to like the .xxxxxx place! ;)

    -mike
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I fill up until the first click. Don't want any spillage, and I've never actually run out of fuel. On this vehicle, at least. ;-)

    -juice
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Don't know about a fuel-line flowmeter, but I do miss the trip computer from the van. It's distance-to-empty readout was phenomenally, consistently accurate. If it said you had 1 mile left, no sweat. When it said zero, there'd better be a gas station on the next block, or you're walking.

    As for recordkeeping time, it takes all of 15 seconds to update my spreadsheet after each fill. The trends and aberrations revealed by accurately tracking tracking MPG history is more than worth it.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm surprised a fuel read out could be that accurate, given the fuel sloshes around in the tank. Do they calculate weight instead of level?

    Doesn't take my much time, either. I just get a receipt, which takes an extra 5 seconds. Then I jot down the mileage and zero the odometer, and toss the receipt in the center console.

    To be honest, I wait until I have 5-6 receipts before I update my log, which I have at work. So I spend 3 minutes every couple of months or so, nothing significant.

    -juice
  • brainlessbozobrainlessbozo Member Posts: 36
    Paisan, you are quite cynical. I do exactly what jiuce does, and stop with the first click. To me, that seems failrly consistant when you start looking at the mpg trends, and the fact that 2-3 successive months produce comparable numbers.

    Finally, how is having a flow meter in the fuel line ever going to help? You plan to stop using gas if the numbers are too high?

    B
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, if you could get instant mileage, that would be useful. I guess some cars offer that nowadays, like Bimmers.

    So when mike is hitting 90, and he finds out that by going 70 he'd get +3mpg, well, of course ... he'd still go 90! LOL

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    with trip computers give you that ability.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yeah, some just not accurate. I've rented too many Chevys for that! LOL

    -juice
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    pretty accurate. That is shutting the fuel off when the tank portion is full, and the fuel is now rising up the fill tube. Given the diameter of the fuel tube is only a couple inches, we are not talking about more than a half pint or so of fuel.

    Most accurate mpg numbers will come from tank fillups where the tank is near empty, or from keeping track of all the tanks and miles over a long haul. Fewer fill ups = fewer errors.

    John
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I have (obd-2.com) has built in realtime mpg figures based on fuel consumption and mileage from the vss. I did have a nice trip computer on my LeBaron GTS, would be nice if this was standard in all cars, even if it costs a couple hundred bucks to include it.

    -Brian
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    ...isn't quite as accurate as you might think. The fuel will begin rising up the neck while there is still foam and air bubbles (from the turbulence of the inrushing fuel) in the tank proper. If you were to stop at first click and immediately yank the nozzle out and look into the pipe (hard to do these days with the unleaded-only restrictor) you'd see the level immediately fall, disappearing clear back down into the tank, as the bubbles dissipate. The extent of this is a function of the rate at which the nozzle was supplying fuel, which varies from station to station and from one automatic-fill triggler-lock notch to another. When you start again and dispense until the 2nd click, you're replacing the frothy air with liquid fuel. That's why the 2nd click will always be more consistent. On some cars I've owned, continuing to the 2nd click adds several more gallons.
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    lol. You don't miss a trick, but I find that on the Forester, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th clicks don't really add much gas. This is on a gas pump that CRANKS, man, I hardly ever see my dollars disappear as fast as this pump can consume them. So presumably there is lots of foam, air, etc, but again these don't affect the volume on my Forester: my guessis, the neck of the filler tube is quite a few inches above the top of the fuel tank.

    John
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Apparently, on newer vehicles with an evaporation control system, there's no point in "topping" off the tank. Subaru actually recommends against it!

    Craig
  • chaynes1chaynes1 Member Posts: 27
    This nonstop BS about fuel mileage and 6 significant digit accuracy makes me think that some of my fellow Subarians(?) should "get a life." You finiky ones should just buy a Prius and spare yourselves the hand-wringing. If you had gone from a Ford Explorer to the Suby like I did, you would appreciate even 24 MPG. My occasional 28 MPG is pure heaven...on regular gas, yet. Purely a matter of perspective.

    Hey, let's talk about what's wrong with the Forester (for a change). I'll start with the drivetrain "slip" when going from reverse to drive. Still scares the heck out of me. Subaru should know better than design a drivetrain with this obvious fault. I have other gripes, too, but let's all chime in and collect them so that the Subaru folks can get busy improving the breed. All the track testing in the world can't equal a bunch of exacting owners like us.
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    chaynes: LOL.

    I coined the term "Subaristi" a while back and it seems to be sticking in some circles. ;-)

    Ed
  • hayduke01hayduke01 Member Posts: 128
    I average about 25 MPG. Usually just set the trip odometer and then do a quick estimate after filling to the second click.

    In September I got 452 miles on a single tank in my '02 5 speed. Travelled from just outside Durango, CO, to Colorado Springs, and then the next day made it to the north side of Denver before filling. That was with four adults in the vehicle, over many mountain passes, with only the Colo Springs to Denver part of it on Interstate.

    Had topped 400 miles on a tank once previously. Both of those trips included lots of high-elevation driving, speeds probably ranging from 55-85 mph, averaging around 60.

    The fill up north of Durango was in the morning. I've heard that morning fill ups are better because the gas is a little cooler (and therefore more dense?).

    Overall, still very happy with my Forester at 25k miles.

    Also happy with this Subaru community. My wife is looking at non-Subaru vehicles now. In checking out Toyota and Volkswagen forums I'm reminded that our Subaru community here is truly unique. For whatever reason, most other vehicle discussions don't gnerate near the quality or volume we have here at Subaru.

    So thanks for all the great info and support!
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    John
  • russskirussski Member Posts: 47
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'm with Craig on this, the fumes and air pockets are sucked either back into the fuel pump or into the vacuum canister in your fuel system. That's where the air bubbles go.

    When I used to top it off, it usually spilled. That tells me it's very close to full.

    -juice
  • njswamplandsnjswamplands Member Posts: 1,760
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    This nonstop BS about fuel mileage and 6 significant digit accuracy makes me think that some of my fellow Subarians(?) should "get a life." You finiky ones should just buy a Prius and spare yourselves the hand-wringing.

    This is exactly the sort of condescending, trivializing, belittling attitude that occasionally crops up here, and that leads me to go elsewhere until it fades away. How obnoxious can you get? Is everyone required to share your particular set of priorities? Are the priorities of other participant somehow less valid than yours? Is this a place where all views are welcome and encouraged?

    The Prius is undoubtedly perfect for some drivers. Others have different objectives. To call others' views 'BS' is (IMO) unacceptable.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    To call others' views 'BS' is (IMO) unacceptable.

    I agree. Let's tone it down.

    tidester, host
  • tazerelitazereli Member Posts: 241
    Does the'02 Forester "L" come with a limited slip rear or is that only in the "S"? Just wondering. Will soon be the new owner of that 02 Forestor L.
    2 months and counting and its ours when the in-laws move to Florida. YAY!!!!!!

    Kyle
  • dnestrdnestr Member Posts: 188
    It's easy to check. Look at its rear diff from a tail part of your vehicle. If there is a thermosensor with two wires then yours has LSD.

    Good luck.
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I believe only the S had the LSD. The L had an open rear diff.

    Len
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Len is correct.

    The AWD alone gives you solid traction. The rear LSD was just icing on the cake for S owners.

    -juice
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    Jack and Ken,

    Thanks for the recent info on Forester headlight bulbs. I just lost the left side low beam last night. I picked up a generic H4 bulb at NAPA this morning. I think I'll order a pair of the Philips for $29 and see how they compare. Thanks again.

    Len
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Len,

    You won't be disappointed with the Philips. Let us know what you think after you get them.

    Ken
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Your IQ is higher than mine, so you no doubt already know that there's a trick to detaching the harness plugs from pins of an H4 bulb.

    Not knowing that, I d@mn near ripped the backs of my headlamp shells off while doing the bulb swap.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You gotta pinch them, I believe.

    The retaining pin can also be tricky, to get the lamp out of the headlight assembly.

    Ken had some great pictures up before homepage.com went out of business. :-(

    -juice
  • iggsoiggso Member Posts: 31
    Is that a good deal?

    Do most people here buy the extended warranty? and is $590 a good deal?

    Thanks!
  • lite1lite1 Member Posts: 26
    Don't know if that is a good price. I am about to purchase XT and have gotten wildly differing prices for a Gold PLUS warranty 7/100,000 with $50 deductible. Differential in pricing has been: $1,475 $1,825 and $2,195 The dealer who had asked $1,825 was OK in matching the $1,475 price. My conclusion is that this is a big profit item for dealers and they ask whatever they think they can get away with. I probably will buy policy but note I have not done so yet and I am looking at gold Plus policy not what you purchased. Edward (S.Oregon)
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    I don't think you really need to buy the warranty until the regular warranty is about to expire, so take your time deciding. Personally, I've never bought extended warranties on any of my cars, and never have needed them on the Hondas or Subarus I've owned.

    Craig
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The $590 sounds pretty good. You're really only buying 2 years or 24k miles extended bumper-to-bumper and roadside assistance. Remember the powertrain is already covered for 5/60, so if you hit 60k miles in 5 years the powertrain warranty is not extended at all.

    So I would try to get a longer term. Shop around, I've seen slightly better prices, though maybe they've gone up recently. What was that web site? subaruwarranty.com, something like that?

    -juice
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I don't know about a high IQ. I found out only by dumb luck that you have to squeeze in the sides. I was about to peel the rubber cover off the wiring harness connector, when it occurred to me to get a flashlight and look more closely. That's when I noticed something indicating that you need to squeeze in the sides. Then, after the whole job was done, I looked at the owner's manual (again) and noticed it showed two little arrows pointing in at the "squeeze points". Sometimes it pays to read the directions first, I guess. Other than that, the job was a piece of cake. Probably took all of about 2 minutes, if that.

    Len
  • lfdallfdal Member Posts: 679
    I posted this on the OutBack board but I know that there's a lot of knowledge over here as well, so...

    Anyone out there know if Subaru uses counter weights attached at the rear of the driveshaft near the rear diff to balance the shaft?

    The reason I'm asking is that the wife's 03 OB wagon has recently picked up a bit of a howl that wasn't there for the last 8 months or so.

    I've seen American cars that use weights and when they throw a weight it can cause everything from vibration to howling to premature rear end failure.

    I looked under the wagon today when I rotated the tires and changed the oil. It looks like there's a spot at the rear of the shaft where a weight "used" to be - now its just a rectangular rusty spot outlined with some kind of gray material (epoxy, weld? ).

    Any info appreciated.

    Thanks

    Larry
  • solowalkersolowalker Member Posts: 118
    I posted a question about about towing procedures 18 months ago. Never got an answer.

    Maybe a new member can answer it or has had some experience with towing an AT 2000 S Forester..

    Appreciate it.....

    solo
  • ballisticballistic Member Posts: 1,687
    Towing any AWD Subaru requires all four wheels to be off the ground, either loaded onto a flatbed truck/trailer or one end on dollies and the other end hoisted.
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Page 9-23 of my '00 Outback owners' manual states that you can tow with all wheels on the ground. Here's a blurb about towing the AT:

    "For vehicles with automatic transmission, the traveling speed must be limited to less than 20 mph (30 km/h) and the traveling distance to less than 31 miles (50 km). For greater speeds and distances, transport your vehicle on a flat-bed truck."

    The MT can be towed as well.

    Never tow just the fronts on the ground or just the rears on the ground - you'll damage the center differential.

    However, I still prefer and suggest to flatbed or use a full vehicle trailer for all Subaru's.

    -Brian
  • ghgemmerghgemmer Member Posts: 5
    While I was at the Subaru dealer having my oil changed (yes, I know I can do it myself but it's convenient), I was reading the brochure on the WRX ('03 or '04 ?) and I noticed it has a limited slip differential no both the front and rear axles. Have the WRXs always had this on both or is this new?

    Greg
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    As they say, RTFM... :o)

    I'm usually left with one or two spare screws after I do something like that. I wonder if these are important? LOL

    Greg: the WRX STi has them on both axles. The regular WRX has a rear LSD only, the front diffy is open and unmanaged.

    -juice
  • once_for_allonce_for_all Member Posts: 1,640
    6/80k for an '03 XS with a $100 deductible was $870.

    John
  • speterson1speterson1 Member Posts: 228
    A while back this board was talking about cleaning the film that forms on the interior of the windshield. This past weekend I finally had time to take some 409 and newspaper and clean my windshield, and that did the trick! Man, you don't notice how dirty something is until you clean it. Thanks for the tip.

    Also recently removed the roof rack crossbars because we never use them for anything and I was curious if it would reduce wind noise noticably. Removal was a piece of cake since I still had the torx (sp?) screwdriver that Subaru supplies with the Forester. I made sure to label which crossbar was which and put a directional arrow on them with masking tape in case I ever need to put them back on. Haven't noticed a huge difference with wind noise, but I think my judgement may be affected by the new tires I just had installed. Monday I had the OEM Duelers replaced with Yokohama Avid Touring's. They have less than 100 miles on them but I fell in love with them instantly. For starters, they're WAY quieter than the Duelers! You expect that from a touring tire, but wow, I'm impressed. This is why I can't judge any wind noise difference from the crossbar removal, b/c now it's so quiet in the cabin I think it's easier to hear the wind. The Avid's came with great reviews from Tire Rack, and were only $46 per tire! Had them drop shipped to a local installer and everything went smooth as silk. I'm curious to see how they respond in the snow this winter.
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