I just did some light off-roading in my 2000 OB, including climbing a relatively steep hill in first gear. It was fine, and had plenty of power. This is in coastal Virginia, right near sea level. I am guessing your problem could be due to one of two factors:
1) Altitude -- 4000 ft is not high by western US standards, but you still lose about 2 psi of ambient pressure at that altitude (about 12.7 psia versus 14.7 psia), which is significant. Whatever's wrong with your car could be aggravated by low ambient pressure, or perhaps the engine is not properly adjusting for low pressure. It could be the intake or fuel systems, a bad ambient pressure sensor, or even something with the engine control computer. The computer should be using the ambient pressure measurement to adjust the engine and compensate for the effects of altitude. If it can't do this, the engine will feel very doggy at high altitude.
2) grade -- if the problem only occurs on steep inclines, then it might be something that gets affected by that -- fuel tank/fuel pump/fuel lines. I base this on a similar problem I heard about on Car Talk a few weeks ago, except it was a problem going down hills in that case.
What happens when you drive the car on flat roads at high altitude? Does it seem OK there, or just as bad? Conversely, what about hills at low altitude? This ought to help you narrow down the problems a little.
BTW, the dealer service dept might have a portable diagnostic computer which they can plug in while you're driving around. It reports all sorts of things, including the ambient pressure and temperature measured by the engine control system. Maybe you could talk the service guy into taking a ride with you into the mountains with the computer hooked up.
Ken/Juice, thanks for your replies regarding the steering wheel. After posting that, I realized the question wasn't phrased very well. I was just wondering if this was a common problem and if so, did it have a name (or, what parts would be involved in the fix; eg. steering column, etc). It's just weird that doing a full alignment would fix the steering wheel but only half the time. By the way, it was rather tricky to track down what was actually going on since the tilted wheel seemed rather random at first.
Dave B, thanks for your message regarding tire pressure. My understanding is that there's about a 4psi difference from hot to cold. But when I tested the tires just before I bought the vehicle on the dealer's lot (but after a thorough test drive), all the wheels were at 40 but after leaving it overnight in the garage, they were only down to 38. I lowered all the tires to 35psi (cold) using a top quality tire gauge. I had a Miata previously and ran it at 40 psi (hot) all the time - never had problems but I only had it for 3 years.
By the way, I measured the MPG last week and I'm getting about 22 (almost all highway). I hope it improves over time as others have mentioned because I'm already doing as much as I can (driving-wise) to maximize the fuel economy.
I also got my new plates a little while ago. They start with "4MBS..." so I figure that it's either "for mountain biking and skiing" or "for my big Subaru".
Ken, sorry about your windshield! And apologies for the late posts - I usually can only check in once or twice a week.
i don't know if this is related to your problem, but it is a known issue that many of the new foresters (not sure about other models) have had defective oxygen sensors, and you wouldn't know until it turned on. mine turned on the moment i drove the forester away. go figure.
Picking up my new Forrester on Aug 22 00. Is there a question I can put to the dealer to make sure I do not get this faulty sensor?? It seems the dealer's " wait until it fails " attitude is not a good one if they know the defective part is in your vehicle.
Appreciate replies to my questions on the check engine light and the lack of power at time of my 2000 OB Limited. Will call Prestige Subaru in Asheville in the morning and try to get in there and get this taken care of.
Craig - this vehicle has no problem except up here on the gravel road to my home. We have about six miles of gravel road up here that I ride on checking out wildlife etc. Hill around Asheville and Waynesville do not seem to be a problem, but it is not often that I have to stop on a hill anywhere except up this way.I use mostly Ammoco gas and almost never let the tank get below half full. Thanks to all for the advice.
I remember your hillclimbing problem but I don't think I said then what I'm going to say now...
There have been at least 3 revisions of the clutch pressure plate (cover) since your car rolled off the assembly line. The latest one is VERY strong, you will notice a firmer pedal and it clamps a LOT harder than previous versions.
Ask your service rep if the replacement clutch cover shows a different part # on your 2.2L car then it does on the 2.5 (say, an Impreza 2.5RS).
You have the older 4 bolt transmission but the clutches are no different... get the 2.5L clutch if they are different. Sad to say, but if they won't warranty your clutch (it's a wear item but IMHO the early clutches were defective-- didn't clamp enough) then I guess you try another dealer or bite the bullet and buy one. It WILL fix the problem of the clutch slipping.
I would email QSubaru for a quote on all the parts, then call a local clutch / transmission specialist for a labor quote. Most likely it will be significantly cheaper than the dealer's quote. Or if you're a DIYer, you can have the flywheel turned at local shop and do the rest yourself in one weekend. Get the Haynes Legacy manual, the tranny is the same and well-described. (Factory service manual = $$$)
Stephen, sorry to hear about your mirror. How aggravating!
Glenn, I wish I had suggestions about the lack of power when climbing the steep incline to your house. Perhaps OBDII codes will reveal the cause when you next visit the dealer. I encourage you call and ask the service advisor to schedule time for an extended test ride with you. Ask him to locate a nearby steep incline that approximates the conditions (steep incline) at your house. If that fails, I'd drive him back to your house to demonstrate the problem.
After all, this has been going on since June and you'd like it resolved. Once you demonstrate the problem, the dealer's techs won't be wasting time on unbillable work (which has been the case so far).
Shane, in your tire pressure discussion with Dave B, you mentioned using a top quality tire gauge. What brand do you have? I ask because the most recent Consumer Reports is Feb 93 and I imagine most of the model numbers have been discontinued since then.
What does everyone prefer, pencil or dial gauge? The dials have larger, easier-to-read digits. Some dials have a bleed valve that allows you to let out air while you monitor the presure, a handy feature. Pencils, OTOH, fit my bulging glovebox more easily.
My wife's 1996 Legacy GT (with 4-wheel disks) has about 48K miles on the odometer. I drove it today and noticed a significant pulsation in the brakes (again). At 24K miles we had the same symptom and had the rotors turned down. Of course that eliminated the problem then. It seems like it must be done again (if there's still be enough meat left to do it a second time)
In my experience, every 24K miles is too frequent for such work to be needed for any vehicle. I checked the NHTSA and Alldata websites and found no TSBs on the subject.
I would appreciate knowing of anyone else's experiences with premature warping of Subaru rotors.
I wrote in about this problem back in early July when I first got my OB wagon -- basically, the steering wheel shakes when the brakes are applied. It doesn't always seem to happen, more like 70% of the time (perhaps related to the steering wheel angle during braking). The shaking seems most intense around 40-45 mph, and diminishes as I come to a stop.
I re-torqued the wheels, adjusted the tire pressure, and had the local dealer re-balance the wheels (which did cure a general vibration at 65 mph). But, the shake'n'brake steering wheel problem continues on. I have about 1600 miles on the car. Anybody have any other ideas or simple fixes I can try before I head to the dealer?
By the way, there is no pulsation in the brake pedal when the shaking happens, and I don't hear any slap,slap noises one would generally associate with warped rotors.
Barry: I suggest trying what Craig has done first.
Mike: welcome back. I've broken my share of pencil guages, so I finally gave up and bought a nice, sturdy dial guage. I'll have to check what brand it is and get back to you.
One suggestion for all: take long test drives, and in the specific vehicle you will purchase. You may not notice any minor quibbles in just a mile or two.
Firestone update: they say most of the defective tires were manufactured in a plant where there was a strike, and non-union, untrained workers were filling in. Can you say quality glitch?
They were the 70 series truck tires, though, not the Outback's.
The past two summers I have experienced clutch petal collapse. Last summer,(Summer of 99), the clutch petal would gradually soften and end up on the floor boards without returning to top petal position. The pressue loss was gradual but persistent. ONLY happened in HOT weather and ONLY when the AC engaged. Car was under warranty
Subaru Fix: First Subaru dealer bled the clutch lines. Problem returned. Next, Subaru dealer replaced both master and slave clutch cylinders. No problems after these cylinder replacements (warranty) until this summer season.
Summer of 2000 (car now out of warranty) The Clutch petal softens, loses top engagement, increasing the "play" in the petal before effecting the clutch engagement. Mynormal clutch petal has little to no play, then softens to two to three inches of play. Clutch gets softer and engages with petal much closer to floor board. Petal has not failed completely as it did last summer, but gets disturbingly low.
Problem is again ONLY when very hot sun and AC is running. Summer in Florida is always sunny and hot.
Suggestions? Please help. You may respond directly to
Larry, the problem is that the clutch fluid is boiling. Go to a large autoparts store near you and look at their fluids. Find the Valvoline DOT4 synthetic hydraulic clutch fluid and have your dealer use that. (If they won't do it, do it yourself or go to an independent servicer.)
The valvoline stuff boils at a considerably higher temperature than the stock fluid.
blane, does your wife brake late? Is it an automatic?
After a hard stop (which for some drivers is every stop) the best thing to do is to get off the brake pedal if you are sitting at a light. The rotor doesn't cool evenly if you stay on the brakes, which eventually causes warping.
This necessitates shifting to park with an automatic, which I don't think is worth it. Consequentially automatics warp rotors on the whole a little more often than manuals.
Were the brake pads replaced when the rotors were turned? They should have been.
A few posts ago you asked if my windshield was Carlex. Well, it turns out it's an aftermarket windshield by the brand FYG (made in China). It's made to DOT specs and everything, but the one thing that bothered me about it was that the tint band at the top of the window was a whole 2" lower than on the OE glass. The tint was kind of getting in the way of my field of vision.
Well, I went back to the Safelite and complained that I wanted the OE glass to be put in. I also pointed out the huge difference in tint band widths. The manager told me they would find an OE glass first, invite me to check it out and then install it.
My original windshield (which I assume was also Carlex) held up fairly well desipte all the complaints I've read from other owners. Which would you choose between the two?
Yesterday I took gas cap off and put it back on and the check engine light still was on. Did it again this morning and the light went out. Drove down to the mailbox (a mile down the mountain) and on the way back up had to stop to let a contractor's truck pass since this is mainly a single lane gravel road and when I started moving again the vehicle acted normal. Go figure!
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions offered. All the people who post problems and those that offer advice are a big help and I enjoy reading it all and get down right tickled at some of the humorous remarks.
Since I'm still in the babying stage with my Forester'01, the hard commute chore is done by good ol' Loyale. That means, after 3 months, I'll have max 1.5K miles on Forester, not 3K miles. As I understand, the Forester is using a special break-in oil for first 3K.
What would you recommend:
a) wait until it has 3K miles (approx. at 4-5 mo) then change the oil (wouldn't it void the warranty?)
b) change the oil at 1.5K and 3 months (wouldn't the standard non-break-in oil be worse for a new engine?)
c) use the Forrester for commute, and make it so that it hits 3K at 3 months, then change the oil.
I also have a 2001 Forester and don't drive it a long way to work. I first changed the oil and filter at about 150 miles (and it was visually quite dirty, then again at about 1,200 miles (visually very clean). Counter to other folk's suggestions on waiting longer, the last oil change was to a synthetic oil. I changed the transmission and differential oil to a synthetic at about 350 miles.
My rationale for the frequent initial oil changes is pretty simple: oil is cheap, and it certainly can't hurt.
The factory oil in the engine has a break-in additive, which may explain the slightly "dirty look" you noticed at 150 miles. I'm not exactly sure what Subaru uses or how it works, but I have heard of other break-in additives that contain everything from lubricants to detergents to even microscopic honing beads. I think you should at least leave it in for the usual 1000 mile break-in period.
This subject gets lots of debate. Craig, where did you get your info on the Subaru and break-in oil? My dealer doesn't say there is such an oil... just recommends sticking to the factory spec for a 3000 mile first change.
Me too, this weekend or next I'll do the 30k service. As usual, photos will follow.
Perhaps the additives go in the WRX or turbo models in other markets?
The Forester and Impreza are built in Japan, not at SIA (Lafayette, IN), so perhaps they use a different oil, but likely not with additives if the same engine in the Legacy doesn't get them.
I was told by the subaru salesrep when i bought my forester (the 2001) that i should follow the rules in the owners manual about not driving on highway, not for so long periods, etc...and to have the oil changed at 1,000 miles...and he also gave me that first oil change for free. so...go figure.
According to the manual, you can shift the auto trans into a 3 or 2 if you're driving downhill (engine break?), I did that in a Dodge Caravan while coasting downhill (just a little incline) and after 5 mins, there was a burnt clutch smell and after stopping there was smoke coming out the front. What did I do wrong? Thanks.
sonny: From a technical perspective, any automatic transmission can be fooled into thinking it's a standard. You can use the gear selector with "D" as the combination 4th/5th gear, and the other ones as well. My Plymouth Acclaim only had 1 and 2, while the Forester has 2,3 or 1,2,3 (I forget).
Ideally, the lower the number = the lower the speed. First gear should not be used at speeds over 25 mph, and 2nd should not be used over 35 mph (give or take a few mph). Also, when going uphill, it can be used within those speed ranges and when going downhill be sure you're not speeding.
But that's 1st and 2nd. For 3rd, you're allowed higher speeds. So when traveling on a 2-lane highway with red lights where some people travel slow in the right lane, if you want to pass them with higer revs, goto 3rd, then back to D.
Like you said, I'd avoid 2nd at high speeds like that.
Why was there a burning smell? Perhaps it was the automatic transmission fluid, which has to absorb the difference in engine and road speeds when you shift down.
Hi All! Per our Technical group, we haven't used any break in oil or break in additives in the past few decades.
Darlene was on the money with her information. The standard oil used is Texaco/Havoline. 1st oil change recommended (according to the minimum recommendations) is at 3 months/3K miles.
Another thing to keep in mind is that, depending on the year and model, Caravans had major transmission problems. It could just be one of the crappy transmissions. Later models of Chrysler's auto transmission actually have a small clutch that engages/disengages during shifts (to smooth things out), and it's possible you overloaded the clutch, causing it to slip and bake a little. We usually think of clutch slippage during acceleration, but it can happen under decelleration too. Given the fact that it's part of an auto transmission, this is probably the more likely way to induce a slip (the torque converter should take up the slack on acceleration).
Has anyone removed the inside door panel? I believe I will be buying the right exterior mirror from Darlene @ QSubaru to replace the one hit by a cowardly hit & run putz (nah, I don't feel strongly about at all). She mentioned that isn't difficult to install myself but that it's kind of tricky w/the door panel, being careful not to bust the clips. I don't know if I'm brave enough to install myself but wanted some feedback from anyone who has at least removed the panel from its clips. I may just have the dealer install the mirror. That way if anything goes wrong I can hold them responsible instead of myself (I have enough things to stress out about) :-)
The door panels aren't too tough. I had to take off the rear door driver's side (00 OB) to fix a speaker. The speaker actually came unglued from the metal rim! So much for "premium speakers". I'm not even going to have the dealer replace, I'm just going to put in new speakers all around. One thing about having the "premium speakers" as a port-installed option, I got the instructions for replacing them with the stock ones which is why the panel wasn't too tough to remove. I will try and remember to post when I get home (no cracks about wasting time at work, this is work related).
Thanks. That would be great to have some guideline. I'm still a little bit nervous about popping the door panel.
Juice: I talked to Darlene@QSubaru this AM and ordered the mirror assembly from her. It should be here in about 5 days (coming from TN to WA). She said that if I go slow with the panel it should be fine. She mentioned that even she had done this w/no problems, and she's clumsy. I thanked her for the honest testimonial. :-). I took my car in for the estimate that I had previously scheduled the day the mirror was hit. They will only install the parts they order, which of course is at full retail (about $140) plus they are charging me for paint even though the mirror comes prepainted and even says so on their estimate. The labor time is about 30 mins. Their total w/tax is $239. Darlene is selling me the mirror at wholesale which is a little over $100. I figured if I got too nervous about installing myself, I could get the dealer to do it and still come out ahead. BTW, my deductible is $300 so whatever I spend comes out of my pocket.
Hi guys, I recently brought my wife's '93 Impreza for the 60,000 mile check up that cost around $800. On the way home the AC's compressor started to become very noisy especially when attempting to accelerate. The Subaru dealership says it was just a coincidence that it happened as the same time as there AC check up. Now they want $900 to fix it (says it needs a new compressor) . What do you guys think, coincidence? or... Thanx in advance.
Is checking the AC part of the 60k mile service? If so I'd give 'em hell. How could they not notice the problem if you did driving it immediately afterwards???
As part of the 60K service, the A/C belt is replaced. They might have tightened the belt too much. I'd check the tension on the belt. Check your invoice to see if they charged you for a belt.
My 2000 Outback Limited (automatic with 14,500 miles), has recently developed a pinging noise under moderate load. The noise happens right at 2000 rpm when accelerating normally or going up a hill at low speed. It only seems to occur when the car is in 1st and 2nd. Once the transmission shifts up to the higher gears the noise seems to disappear. (Or I can't hear it anymore.) It's especially noticeable with the A/C on. 92 octane didn't help.
I posted the problem earlier, and one person indicated they had the same problem on their 00 Outback. He said the dealer changed the knock sensor, which didn't help. I haven't heard of any other similar problems on the Edmunds site.
I'm going to be taking it to the dealer next week. I'm wondering if in your experience you've come across this problem and more importantly, found a solution. My dealer (Wentworth Subaru in Portland, OR) is pretty good about recognizing a problem, but they don't always have a good solution for something that doesn't occur on regular basis. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
FYI-my problem with the pre-purchase paint chips has been solved. The dealership had already air brushed them with touch up paint but I was not real satisfied. Just so happens the customer service manager called me mid week and asked how "everything" was. I told her pretty good except for that. We struck a deal. I would leave the paint chips to keep the integrity of the factory finish somewhat undisturbed and they would install a bug deflector and give me an LSD protector which I have to install my self. I thought it was a pretty good deal. Juice, I will be using your visual tutorial for that. Greg
Good to go, Greg! Glad to hear they worked with you on that.
A little good will goes a long way.
Remember a jack to hold up the exhaust. You have to remove 3 hooks from their rubber mounts, though it's easier than it sounds. Get them wet if they won't slip out.
Make sure you have a torque wrench for leverage and for the install. Good luck.
The wheel bearings in my 99 Forester just gave out at near 50k miles. Wheel bearings on back right wore out prematurely. I was surprised and disappointed as I've been otherwise satisfied. Has anyone else suffered wheel bearing problems?
Comments
1) Altitude -- 4000 ft is not high by western US standards, but you still lose about 2 psi of ambient pressure at that altitude (about 12.7 psia versus 14.7 psia), which is significant. Whatever's wrong with your car could be aggravated by low ambient pressure, or perhaps the engine is not properly adjusting for low pressure. It could be the intake or fuel systems, a bad ambient pressure sensor, or even something with the engine control computer. The computer should be using the ambient pressure measurement to adjust the engine and compensate for the effects of altitude. If it can't do this, the engine will feel very doggy at high altitude.
2) grade -- if the problem only occurs on steep inclines, then it might be something that gets affected by that -- fuel tank/fuel pump/fuel lines. I base this on a similar problem I heard about on Car Talk a few weeks ago, except it was a problem going down hills in that case.
What happens when you drive the car on flat roads at high altitude? Does it seem OK there, or just as bad? Conversely, what about hills at low altitude? This ought to help you narrow down the problems a little.
BTW, the dealer service dept might have a portable diagnostic computer which they can plug in while you're driving around. It reports all sorts of things, including the ambient pressure and temperature measured by the engine control system. Maybe you could talk the service guy into taking a ride with you into the mountains with the computer hooked up.
Craig
steering wheel. After posting that, I realized
the question wasn't phrased very well. I was
just wondering if this was a common problem and
if so, did it have a name (or, what parts would
be involved in the fix; eg. steering column,
etc). It's just weird that doing a full
alignment would fix the steering wheel but
only half the time. By the way, it was rather
tricky to track down what was actually going on
since the tilted wheel seemed rather random at
first.
Dave B, thanks for your message regarding tire
pressure. My understanding is that there's
about a 4psi difference from hot to cold. But
when I tested the tires just before I bought
the vehicle on the dealer's lot (but after a
thorough test drive), all the wheels were at
40 but after leaving it overnight in the garage,
they were only down to 38. I lowered all the
tires to 35psi (cold) using a top quality tire
gauge. I had a Miata previously and ran it at
40 psi (hot) all the time - never had problems
but I only had it for 3 years.
By the way, I measured the MPG last week and I'm
getting about 22 (almost all highway). I hope
it improves over time as others have mentioned
because I'm already doing as much as I can
(driving-wise) to maximize the fuel economy.
I also got my new plates a little while ago.
They start with "4MBS..." so I figure that
it's either "for mountain biking and skiing"
or "for my big Subaru".
Ken, sorry about your windshield! And apologies
for the late posts - I usually can only check in
once or twice a week.
Take care, all.
Is there a question I can put to the dealer to make sure I do not get this faulty sensor?? It seems the dealer's " wait until it fails " attitude is not a good one if they know the defective part is in your vehicle.
Craig - this vehicle has no problem except up here on the gravel road to my home. We have about six miles of gravel road up here that I ride on checking out wildlife etc. Hill around Asheville and Waynesville do not seem to be a problem, but it is not often that I have to stop on a hill anywhere except up this way.I use mostly Ammoco gas and almost never let the tank get below half full. Thanks to all for the advice.
There have been at least 3 revisions of the clutch pressure plate (cover) since your car rolled off the assembly line. The latest one is VERY strong, you will notice a firmer pedal and it clamps a LOT harder than previous versions.
Ask your service rep if the replacement clutch cover shows a different part # on your 2.2L car then it does on the 2.5 (say, an Impreza 2.5RS).
You have the older 4 bolt transmission but the clutches are no different... get the 2.5L clutch if they are different. Sad to say, but if they won't warranty your clutch (it's a wear item but IMHO the early clutches were defective-- didn't clamp enough) then I guess you try another dealer or bite the bullet and buy one. It WILL fix the problem of the clutch slipping.
I would email QSubaru for a quote on all the parts, then call a local clutch / transmission specialist for a labor quote. Most likely it will be significantly cheaper than the dealer's quote. Or if you're a DIYer, you can have the flywheel turned at local shop and do the rest yourself in one weekend. Get the Haynes Legacy manual, the tranny is the same and well-described. (Factory service manual = $$$)
Good luck and keep us updated,
-Colin
Glenn, I wish I had suggestions about the lack of power when climbing the steep incline to your house. Perhaps OBDII codes will reveal the cause when you next visit the dealer. I encourage you call and ask the service advisor to schedule time for an extended test ride with you. Ask him to locate a nearby steep incline that approximates the conditions (steep incline) at your house. If that fails, I'd drive him back to your house to demonstrate the problem.
After all, this has been going on since June and you'd like it resolved. Once you demonstrate the problem, the dealer's techs won't be wasting time on unbillable work (which has been the case so far).
Shane, in your tire pressure discussion with Dave B, you mentioned using a top quality tire gauge. What brand do you have? I ask because the most recent Consumer Reports is Feb 93 and I imagine most of the model numbers have been discontinued since then.
What does everyone prefer, pencil or dial gauge? The dials have larger, easier-to-read digits. Some dials have a bleed valve that allows you to let out air while you monitor the presure, a handy feature. Pencils, OTOH, fit my bulging glovebox more easily.
..Mike (finally caught up on the missed posts)
..Mike
In my experience, every 24K miles is too frequent for such work to be needed for any vehicle. I checked the NHTSA and Alldata websites and found no TSBs on the subject.
I would appreciate knowing of anyone else's experiences with premature warping of Subaru rotors.
I wrote in about this problem back in early July when I first got my OB wagon -- basically, the steering wheel shakes when the brakes are applied. It doesn't always seem to happen, more like 70% of the time (perhaps related to the steering wheel angle during braking). The shaking seems most intense around 40-45 mph, and diminishes as I come to a stop.
I re-torqued the wheels, adjusted the tire pressure, and had the local dealer re-balance the wheels (which did cure a general vibration at 65 mph). But, the shake'n'brake steering wheel problem continues on. I have about 1600 miles on the car. Anybody have any other ideas or simple fixes I can try before I head to the dealer?
By the way, there is no pulsation in the brake pedal when the shaking happens, and I don't hear any slap,slap noises one would generally associate with warped rotors.
thanks,
Craig
Mike: welcome back. I've broken my share of pencil guages, so I finally gave up and bought a nice, sturdy dial guage. I'll have to check what brand it is and get back to you.
One suggestion for all: take long test drives, and in the specific vehicle you will purchase. You may not notice any minor quibbles in just a mile or two.
Firestone update: they say most of the defective tires were manufactured in a plant where there was a strike, and non-union, untrained workers were filling in. Can you say quality glitch?
They were the 70 series truck tires, though, not the Outback's.
-juice
I live in Tampa Florida. This is pertinent.
The past two summers I have experienced clutch petal
collapse. Last summer,(Summer of 99), the clutch petal would
gradually soften and end up on the floor boards without
returning to top petal position. The pressue loss was gradual
but persistent. ONLY happened in HOT weather and ONLY when
the AC engaged. Car was under warranty
Subaru Fix: First Subaru dealer bled the clutch lines.
Problem returned. Next, Subaru dealer replaced both master
and slave clutch cylinders. No problems after these cylinder
replacements (warranty) until this summer season.
Summer of 2000 (car now out of warranty)
The Clutch petal softens, loses top engagement, increasing
the "play" in the petal before effecting the clutch
engagement. Mynormal clutch petal has little to no play,
then softens to two to three inches of play. Clutch gets
softer and engages with petal much closer to floor board.
Petal has not failed completely as it did last summer, but
gets disturbingly low.
Problem is again ONLY when very hot sun and AC is running.
Summer in Florida is always sunny and hot.
Suggestions? Please help. You may respond directly to
--
Tropicalaurs@hotmail.com
The valvoline stuff boils at a considerably higher temperature than the stock fluid.
-Colin
After a hard stop (which for some drivers is every stop) the best thing to do is to get off the brake pedal if you are sitting at a light. The rotor doesn't cool evenly if you stay on the brakes, which eventually causes warping.
This necessitates shifting to park with an automatic, which I don't think is worth it. Consequentially automatics warp rotors on the whole a little more often than manuals.
Were the brake pads replaced when the rotors were turned? They should have been.
-Colin
A few posts ago you asked if my windshield was Carlex. Well, it turns out it's an aftermarket windshield by the brand FYG (made in China). It's made to DOT specs and everything, but the one thing that bothered me about it was that the tint band at the top of the window was a whole 2" lower than on the OE glass. The tint was kind of getting in the way of my field of vision.
Well, I went back to the Safelite and complained that I wanted the OE glass to be put in. I also pointed out the huge difference in tint band widths. The manager told me they would find an OE glass first, invite me to check it out and then install it.
My original windshield (which I assume was also Carlex) held up fairly well desipte all the complaints I've read from other owners. Which would you choose between the two?
Ken
My wife's 626 had a Carlex that also chipped, but we swapped it for an aftermarket brand (not sure which) and it's also chipped.
That reminds me - I have to tell her to stop tailgating so much!
I guess I was asking because perhaps the FYG is better (at least more chip resistant?).
-juice
Thanks for all the advice and suggestions offered. All the people who post problems and those that offer advice are a big help and I enjoy reading it all and get down right tickled at some of the humorous remarks.
Glenn in the mountains
My guess is the system went through enough cycles to adjust to the altitude.
-juice
What would you recommend:
a) wait until it has 3K miles (approx. at 4-5 mo) then change the oil (wouldn't it void the warranty?)
b) change the oil at 1.5K and 3 months (wouldn't the standard non-break-in oil be worse for a new engine?)
c) use the Forrester for commute, and make it so that it hits 3K at 3 months, then change the oil.
Thanks!
--kate
I also have a 2001 Forester and don't drive it a long way to work. I first changed the oil and filter at about 150 miles (and it was visually quite dirty, then again at about 1,200 miles (visually very clean). Counter to other folk's suggestions on waiting longer, the last oil change was to a synthetic oil. I changed the transmission and differential oil to a synthetic at about 350 miles.
My rationale for the frequent initial oil changes is pretty simple: oil is cheap, and it certainly can't hurt.
Norman
Since then I've done it in 7.5k mile intervals, and the engine is running like a champ and returning 26mpg consistenly.
I think 1.5k miles should be fine.
-juice
Craig
Bit
-juice
S>I>A> is Havoline Formula 3 SAE 5W30
No additives are added to the oil..
Darlene
Craig
Craig
Bitman
Perhaps the additives go in the WRX or turbo models in other markets?
The Forester and Impreza are built in Japan, not at SIA (Lafayette, IN), so perhaps they use a different oil, but likely not with additives if the same engine in the Legacy doesn't get them.
-juice
Ideally, the lower the number = the lower the speed. First gear should not be used at speeds over 25 mph, and 2nd should not be used over 35 mph (give or take a few mph). Also, when going uphill, it can be used within those speed ranges and when going downhill be sure you're not speeding.
But that's 1st and 2nd. For 3rd, you're allowed higher speeds. So when traveling on a 2-lane highway with red lights where some people travel slow in the right lane, if you want to pass them with higer revs, goto 3rd, then back to D.
Make sense?
Like you said, I'd avoid 2nd at high speeds like that.
Why was there a burning smell? Perhaps it was the automatic transmission fluid, which has to absorb the difference in engine and road speeds when you shift down.
-juice
Darlene was on the money with her information. The standard oil used is Texaco/Havoline. 1st oil change recommended (according to the minimum recommendations) is at 3 months/3K miles.
-Colin
You just had to one-up me with a nice technical explanation, eh Colin?
-juice
Craig
Stephen
Thanks,
Stephen
I'd at least consider buying new clips to replace the ones that will inevitably break.
-juice
I will try and remember to post when I get home (no cracks about wasting time at work, this is work related).
Brett
Juice: I talked to Darlene@QSubaru this AM and ordered the mirror assembly from her. It should be here in about 5 days (coming from TN to WA). She said that if I go slow with the panel it should be fine. She mentioned that even she had done this w/no problems, and she's clumsy. I thanked her for the honest testimonial. :-). I took my car in for the estimate that I had previously scheduled the day the mirror was hit. They will only install the parts they order, which of course is at full retail (about $140) plus they are charging me for paint even though the mirror comes prepainted and even says so on their estimate. The labor time is about 30 mins. Their total w/tax is $239. Darlene is selling me the mirror at wholesale which is a little over $100. I figured if I got too nervous about installing myself, I could get the dealer to do it and still come out ahead. BTW, my deductible is $300 so whatever I spend comes out of my pocket.
Stephen
Good idea to go on your own. You're below the deductable, plus even if you weren't your rates could go up.
-juice
I recently brought my wife's '93 Impreza for the 60,000 mile check up that cost around $800. On the way home the AC's compressor started to become
very noisy especially when attempting to accelerate. The Subaru dealership says it was just a coincidence that it happened as the same time as there AC check up. Now they want $900 to fix it (says it needs a new compressor) . What do you guys think, coincidence? or...
Thanx in advance.
-Colin
They might have tightened the belt too much.
I'd check the tension on the belt. Check your invoice to see if they charged you for a belt.
Darlene
My 2000 Outback Limited (automatic with 14,500
miles), has recently developed a pinging noise
under moderate load. The noise happens right at
2000 rpm when accelerating normally or going up a
hill at low speed. It only seems to occur when the
car is in 1st and 2nd. Once the transmission shifts up to the higher gears the noise seems to
disappear. (Or I can't hear it anymore.) It's especially noticeable with the A/C on. 92 octane didn't help.
I posted the problem earlier, and one person indicated they had the same problem on their 00 Outback. He said the dealer changed the knock sensor, which didn't help. I haven't heard of any other similar problems on the Edmunds site.
I'm going to be taking it to the dealer next week. I'm wondering if in your experience you've come across this problem and more importantly, found a solution. My dealer (Wentworth Subaru in Portland, OR) is pretty good about recognizing a problem, but they don't always have a good solution for something that doesn't occur on regular basis. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thanks.
Eric
-juice
Greg
A little good will goes a long way.
Remember a jack to hold up the exhaust. You have to remove 3 hooks from their rubber mounts, though it's easier than it sounds. Get them wet if they won't slip out.
Make sure you have a torque wrench for leverage and for the install. Good luck.
-juice