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Comments
just my non-pro experience, Mary
On Thursday, I was disconcerted to see a news article
http://biz.yahoo.com/apf/000725/tire_lawsu.html
that suggests these tires have potential design flaws that make them susceptible to blowouts (at least in the south). For more detail on Firestone ATX and Wilderness tire problem you may want to check out
http://www.strategicsafety.com
This news was especially disconcerting since safety was one of the major reasons for selecting Subaru.
Does anyone know what, if anything, Subaru will do to respond?
-Colin
I wonder how fast those individuals were going at the time the tread separated? It sounds like me and this is my own opinion, that they exceeded the speed rating for that tire. Tires get hot from use and the faster you go the hotter they get. The tread and tire will come apart if it melts from too much heat. That is the main reason for speed ratings on tires. I say this because how many times have you seen a Mini Van ,SUV or any vehicle for that matter speeding down the street or highway on tires not designed for sustained high speed driving? Please do not get me wrong, people dying is unacceptable. If the tires are indeed defective then the manufacturer should be held accountable. I just wonder how fast those automobiles were being driven when they crashed.
My best answer is "I don't know", because nothing ever broke. I've only been to the dealer once in 29k miles, and that was for a recall.
Though I do all the maintenance myself, and purchase parts from QSubaru, a discount wholesaler. That way, I'm way ahead of the average maintenance costs.
Rust? Newer panels are galvanized, so unless you get a scratch and fail to cover it with touch-up paint, you should be good to go.
Older ones rusted, but those were from the pre-galvanized days. Besides, they were the only cars able to drive in the snow, so they were getting salt and road grime while others were stranded and/or useless.
First wax? I've heard 6 weeks after the paint is applied, so it's got time to cure properly. It may be that old when it reaches dealers, but check the production date to be safe.
Question about the tires: lots of times a tire will have the same name applied to several different models. Is that the same model tire on the Outback?
-juice
actually it would take quite some time for speed alone to overheat a tire if you were driving in a straight line. if you are driving a more "normal" path on a roadcourse or highway, you would *feel* the grip go away as the tire overheated. if you continued then a blowout is possible.
besides, if a tire lets go like that it's very easy to do a post-mortem on the chunks of tire at the scene. if the tire overheated the tread will be melted and/or chunked. if it's not, the tire was probably within operating temperature. an underinflated tire will fail at the sidewall first of course.
if you don't find any of these telltale signs, then the tire may have been defective.
-Colin
becomes deadly on the Explorer because its high center of gravity makes it more difficult to control..." and "...if you're driving a regular sedan, I don't think you have to worry because you don't have the stabilization problems...".
Subarus use a boxer engine, which boasts is a lower center of gravity. Because the outback is a wagon or sedan. This means that Attorney Gary Pajcic, who is trying to say that it is potentially dangerious on an Explorer, but should be ok on a sedan.
I hope i'm not wrong on this. (sorry in advance if I am)
Jeff
Most mission-critical things are over-engineered to provide peace of mind: bridges, airplanes, automobiles, etc. Even CPUs in computers can usually be over-clocked.
Ash
(an electrical engineer)
If anyone's Outback is going over 130mph, please let me know when you want to sell it.
-juice
The van I passed was doing 60 in a 65 and I went around him at over 80 and then just kept the hammer down until I was ~6 car lengths ahead, went to shift and then I realized I was going... whoops, too fast. I then resumed my cruise control at 70.
I have noticed with an inexpensive infrared pyrometer (the needle type are better, but these are street tires) that my new Y rated tires get hotter, faster than my old tires which were "only" Z rated.
-Colin
Man, and I thought upgrading from S-rated to H-rated tires was cool!
-juice
Colin -- Whoa! 110MPH. Now that's RS territory.
The first car i've seen that has a speedometer that fits it's top speed.
Jeff
(that's a plain jane RS. owner saw fit to stick on the STi decal I suppose.)
Not that there's really any cause for it on public roads...
-Colin
PSI to 35 and will see how that goes before
lowering it again to maybe 33. I'm more
concerned about safety and even tire wear
(yawn!
I am enjoying my new Forester - took it in for
the 3K oil change. Also had them check the
alignment (it was off so they fixed that),
the rattle (?) when I take my foot off the
accelerator (couldn't reproduce there so they
didn't do anything), and the whistling noise
coming from the driver's window when it's open.
On this last issue, the service guy argued with
me quite a bit saying this was standard "body
noise" with Foresters but it did get a little
better when they adjusted the window gusset (?).
If this happened on both front windows, I'd
probably accept it but since it's just the
driver's I'm sure there's something wrong
that can be fixed. But I can't seem to determine
what's causing the noise (for example, by
changing the wind flow across different sections
using my hand). I'm pretty sure that it's
coming from inside the side-view mirror housing
(moving the mirror doesn't eliminate the noise
but it does change the sound).
Other than that, things are great! I'll be
ordering the bike and ski attachments soon
and then anxiously awaiting snow in the Sierras!
ps. Sorry for the late reply - I was out of
town last week.
You lowered the pressure to 35psi? What were you running at before? I'm sure you'll notice the ride becoming a little more softer without a penalty to performance.
Did the repair order note all your concerns? It's a good idea to get everything you mention officially documented just in case it does turn into something major later on.
Snow in the Sierras...It's only July (well, pretty much August) and I'm dreaming of 'boarding already. Actually, I'm hoping to get out to an OHV sometime during the summer -- gotta find something to do with the AWD in the meantime!
Shane: make sure you get quotes from Darlene for the bike and ski attachments. It should save you some green.
-juice
BTW, the fastest speed you've ever gone is logged in OBDII compliant ECUs. That's right, if I took my car in for service the dealer could tell I'd gone 110MPH at some time.
-Colin
My guess is that if they do it for one, most cars log the fastest speed similarly.
Mary
I bet if they read 140mph they'd think it was an error and reset the whole darn thing!
Q: does the ECU reset delete this data?
-juice
-Colin
In post 530 (the one with the speedo from the impreza), the needle is clearly showing >120mph, which means that the car should be moving at >120mph. My question would be, if you are going at such a speed, wouldn't it be hard to take such a steady speed? And wouldn't it looks like it was not taken at an angle (so it had to be taken from the driver's seat), which would involve the driver taking his hands off the wheel. And at 120mph, that's dangerous.
Jeff
The photographer had some serious cojones.
-juice
-Colin
-juice
http://bitman.com/topo/speedomax.jpg
bitman
I guess you could just the the camera with the strap and put it on auto then accel.
Jeff
p/s: I should really start proofreading my posts...the one before this didn't make much sense. (or one sentence)
I can see that someone, probably you judging by the language at your homepage, has altered the original (authentic) picture I linked to and produced what you are linking. Look at the ODO where the speedo needle was in the first pic, look at the gas gauge where the needle was in the first pic.
Another problem is that taller tires will change your actual speed but will not affect what's displayed on the speedometer unless it has been recalibrated. Plus your profile here says you drive a 2000 Legacy and that's clearly a 99-00 RS.
Weasel.
-Colin
Actually, there are differences between the two, but I am shocked at the similarities. If you open each image in it's own window, and switch rapidly between the two, the RPM needle is the same value, the engine is running at the same temp, one has more gas in the tank, the time is different, but the steering wheel is in the exact same place.
Actually, if you switch rapidly between the two, it looks kinda cool because the needle moves and as it mooves it reveals the "sti".
Everything (besides the things I said were different) is in the same place. Which means it was taken from the same distance (I doubt zoom would have been used), both drivers prefer the steering wheel at the same tilt level, and...well....I can't think of anything else.
Oh...and hey bitman, did you do this in broad daylight? (there would normally be cars on the bridge i'm guessing, and not all cars go at >120mph).
Juice: what did you mean by "Sounds a bit big-brotherish of GM"?
Jeff
Question, though. Did you get the speedo recalibrated? If not, you're actually going faster than indicated. Wow!
The steering had better be in the same place - dead straight!
My comment about GM was that they are keeping track of the top speeds you've run, and can later perhaps use it against you if the engine blows.
-juice
1)Alternator crapped out on me in the middle of a busy intersection last week(DC, rush-hour, armed irate drivers). Fortunately Sub. replaced for free.
2) Stereo showing signs of premature wear. Volume crackles as you turn the dial like a cheap transistor radio.
3) Small but persistent oil leak. I change my own so I know it is done right. Suspect a gasket leak somehwere. Anyone heard of similar problems?
4) V4 is way too underpowered. AC struggles with any significant load in the car. Engine too small to pull my day sailboat. Wish I had a V6 (and AC vents in the back seat).
5)Anyone w/ a Thule ski box mounted on the factory rack? With the box holes aligned with the crossbasrs I am unable to open the 5th door all the way. May be possible to drill new holes in the box and move it forward but it looks like this may be unstable.
6) What is Darlene's website url?
7) How does the window tinting work? Approximate cost for rear windows. In MD I believe they restrict the intensity of the tint and don't allow it on the front 3 windows.
Thanks for the help...Blat
Darlene
Do you know of a report or recall notice on this problem or where I could find it. Would be nice to have when I go BACK to the dealership so they don't yank my chain.
And your website address for soob parts?
Cheers-Blat
http://www.houseofhelms.com/htmlpages/about/area/peninsla/photo2.html
Here is Darlene's site (you need the w's for the hot link to work). You could also go with Subaru's OE premium sound speakers, subwoofer/amp, and tweeter kit, I believe she carries those.
The engine is actually an H4, since the pistons are horizontally opposed, not angled like a "V". It's also called a Boxer or flat four. The 6 cylinder, similarly, is an H6.
I had my windows tinted, in MD, too. New Again did mine, they're in Silver Spring. I got Solar Gard for $170 for all 7 windows at 35%. I've had a little peeling though, so check the install job carefully and do not open the windows for at least a week, so the glue dries.
MD law allows only light tinting (35%), and none at all on front side windows and windshield. Here's the loop hole - some would consider the Outback an SUV, and in that case you're given a lot more leeway (any amount on all but the windsheild).
They tinted my Forester without any resistance. To do my wife's 626, they asked me to sign a release. But no cop will harass you over a 35% tint, 'cause it ain't that dark. 20% maybe. 5% limo-tint definitely.
Happy Soobing.
-juice
http://www.geocities.com/mr_quag/speedomax.jpg
If anyone's offended, I am really sorry...I just couldn't resist.
Jeff
Or just show a speedo with metric units (kph instead of mph) and edit out the "k". You could reach 180 easily.
-juice
I suspect the speakers are not at fault. When I turn the stereo own and rotate the volume (upper or down) the unit makes a crackle noise. This is not unlike an older home stereo I had in which I had to replace the Volume control gizmo. Not sure what it is, but on cheaper units the contacts can go bad sooner then would be expected. Just wondered if others had experienced the same.
Any thoughts on the Thule ski box dilemma?
Blat
I could have changed it to look more real by putting more effort, but i'm too lazy (like there's white stuff around the black circle that holds the needle, and the lines that I added to the clock and odo look different).
Hey, I just realized that the one in post 530 and the one by bitman could well be authentic! For some reason, the steering wheel is changing places from the last time...well...time to see the eye doctor.
I wonder what the dealer will think if I took a pic of he speedo/tach. (kmh)
Oh wait....then you'd have to change the mph to kmh too.
Jeff
Sorry, no experience with Thule.
Jeff: just white-out the mph. Actually, do speedos in Japan even HAVE mph? I doubt it.
-juice
Jeff
Frank P.
dnickel - My stereo must be analog since it has a turn knob. I'll try the tuner cleaner. At least it will get the coffee spills out of the buttons.
Ciao, Blat
Go to Home Depot and get some high temperature insulation and wrap the high pressure line better. Now your AC will be considerably more efficient and thus colder.
-Colin
Factory tint is actually specially treated glass. They radiate it (or something like that) to darken it. Aftermarket tint is applied as a film. You can buy it yourself at an auto supply store (not very good quality though) or have it done professionally. Cars you see with the tint all-full of bubbles are invariably do-it-yourself jobs. There are several different brands of tint out there to choose from (though I suspect that they all perform about the same). You also have a choice of 3 different types of material used in the film: plain plastic, partial metal and 100% metal. Metal tints look the same but cost more and are usually guaranteed against fading/turning purple. You will also have a choice in colors (I.e. mirror). Cost of installation depends on quality of workmanship and guarantee offered.
Finally, Edmund's Town Hall has a whole topic dedicated to tinting which covers all these issues in greater detail. If you check back a ways, you'll find a web site that lists the allowable tint level for all windows as it varies by state.
Frank P.
Blat - my tint was a film. They use glue and squeegees to get it on. With 35% you can still easily see at night.
Colin - my A/C cranks, but I'll try that anyway. Sounds like a fun project, and I'll share photos with you guys. Fender flares are next though, so it may take a couple of weeks.
To be safe, Firestone owners shouldn't be running a high pressure until they figure this out. Keep them at factory specs, guys.
-juice
Thanks!
Bitman
There is an SAE label to look for, and I think they're up to "SJ" for the best quality oils. Compare those, and ignore all the hype.
-juice