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Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    The bulb design influences the light pattern quite a bit as Dave mentioned. The H4(HB2) I have on my Forester are known for good lighting patterns. Here's a great website with more info:


    http://lighting.mbz.org/tech/info/bulbs/bulb_types/


    However, upgrading your bulbs even with HB5s can make a difference. Certain bulbs (ie. Hella Premiums, Philips Vision Plus) use designs that allow the filament to burn a little brighter than stock.


    Ken

  • shortlidshortlid Member Posts: 50
    Greg,
    The manual for your Toyota will have the torque specs for most things in a section in the owners manual. Almost every import does this.

    Joel
  • kiwikid01kiwikid01 Member Posts: 3
    I own a 1998 Subaru Outback, 33,000 Miles - the original Michelin tires are nearing the end of their useful life, I am looking for a good four season touring tire that can give me a longer life but not alot of road noise - any suggestions from others out there?
  • zwihundzwihund Member Posts: 2
    I have 2001 outback wagon manual with 12,000 miles and I just recently started getting the clutch chatter on cold mornings. It happens between 1st and 2nd mostly when driving slow. The clutch is having a hard time engaging and I am irritated since my car is relatively new. Does anyone else have this problem this early and what can I do about it to get it fixed by Subaru? I am not willing to accept that I have to start in 2nd gear or apply more gas. Thanks for any help.
    z
  • pattim3pattim3 Member Posts: 533
    is to bring it into a dealer and have them take a look at it. Once they know what is wrong, they can determine what can be done for you.

    After you do that, if you have a problem, call us at 1-800-SUBARU3 so we can look into it for you.

    Thanks!

    Patti
  • mrk610mrk610 Member Posts: 378
    Hello everyone Ive been so busy with work and school that I was finally able to take my car in for service. They road tested it and they found nothing wrong with it .The service rep even let me drive another car there and it did the same thing . So I guess its just me . He also said that I should wait untill 3000 miles b/4 changing the oil .Due to the fact that not ever engine breaks in the same way. I asked him about metal shavings from the milling process and he said that subi engine blocks are bathed after the process so there are no shavings left . Kinda confused about that statement .Ohh by the way my car lost its virginity last week in a parking lot .Some ##$$%%^^%%$$# hit the lower rear dr side door cladding and left a srape about 3 " long right down to the black plastic.Also left a deep scuff mark on the alum wheel . Omly had car little over a month and only has 1200 k on it boy was I pissed off .Thanks for letting me vent .

    mike k
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Thanks again for the headlight info. I'll have to make sure I can return them if I'm not happy.

    mike k. - You can't go wrong in following the owner's manual when it comes to oil change intervals. A lot of dealers have you in more than you need to be.

    Dennis
  • patdadpatdad Member Posts: 9
    Hi,

    Last year I ordered filters and accessories from Darlene at QSubaru in TN. Now that I'm need of additional supplies I find that the phone I had for Darlene is disconnected and the link I had for her website is also dead. Is Darlene's dealership still in business? Is there someplace else reputable to mail order parts at a good price?

    Thanks for your help.
    Jim
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    Thanks. I did not see the info in the owner's manual. Probably my old age, I'll check again. As for torque, went to Costco to have my tires installed and they had a chart on the wall indicating wheel torque specs for all cars. My OB was rated at 72 ft/lbs and the Sienna at 77 ft/lbs.

    BTW - rotated my OB tires this weekend and waxed the wheels to boot! I feel good now. :)

    Greg
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Darlene cannot order parts. The dealership owners is in a financial mess, has not paid the bills.

    I have been waiting for 15 days for subaruparts.com to process an order. Jeez, take my money, guys. Just sent a follow up message today, we'll see.

    I contacted another source, but prices were 10% higher, almost retail. Doesn't seem worth the bother if I can get similar prices from my dealer.

    -juice
  • axialaxial Member Posts: 1
    Hello, all. My first posting re: first Subaru, an '01 LLBean, 1200mi now, (btw, purchased after *many* hours of reading your comments here, thank you! Sister in Canada bought 99 Forrester right after me).

    Am I correct that the brake squeal problem you're mostly referring to goes away after the first few minutes/miles of driving? Mine continue to squeal, although more quietly, even after 1+ hr of around-city stop&go driving. Should I have this checked prior to the 3K service?

    Second question: rev. speed when car first starts in morning. Can this be adjusted to be lower? Mine goes up to approx. 1500 and slowly drops down to somewhere under 1000 as it warms. I'm usually wanting to get a move on so I sometimes tap the gas pedal to make it settle down faster before putting it in gear, but then the guilt gets me. Should I just learn cool my jets, not the car's? Feels like putting it in gear with the engine revving is not a Good Thing.

    Sheila
  • vincer2vincer2 Member Posts: 97
    For those of you that have been plagued with engine pinging in your 2000 or newer Legacy/OB good news is finally available.

    An engineer from Fuji was in the USA last week and drove my car. After the car was consistently pinging he swapped computers with one he had in his briefcase. (Identical computer but with a different program). The pinging stopped and has not reappeared. Under speeds and driving conditions that previously resulted in heavy pinging now result in a few brief pings and then it immediately stops. You really need to be listening to detect these few brief pings.

    The revised program is still undergoing final testing. Since the program mods do not impact vehicle emissions it does not need to be re-certified by the fed'l govt. The program should be available thru SoA in a few weeks for downloading onto ecm's of cars that are experiencing similar problems.

    It sure is nice to finally be able to drive my OB with a quiet engine.

    I'll also cross post this in the Legacy/Outback forum.

    Vince
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    I have a question for you, in reading the posts here it would appear that Mobil one has aquired a reverence that borders on mystical.

    My question is this,is Mobil one so good? I know a while back you said you were using Syntec because it was cheaper than Mobil one but that you would use Mobil one if the cost was the same.

    The reason for my question is this, I have always used Syntec or Quaker State since Mobil one was not available around here except at some Esso service stations at vastly inflated prices.

    However our Canadian tire stores are now carrying Mobil one at the same cost as syntec and since the Gt is soon in need of an oil change I thought I would ask what are the differences since I intend to change to synthetic at this oil change.

    Cheers Pat.
  • hondafriekhondafriek Member Posts: 2,984
    Anyone who doubts that synthetic is superior to dino should install an oil pressure gauge in their car and then compare the two.

    On very cold mornings oil pressure is attained much sooner on synthetic than it is on dino,synthetic runs at roughly the same pressure whether cold or at full running temperature while dino loses pressure the hotter it gets which means a lot less protection for the bearings and such.

    I know a lot of people believe that as long as there is oil pressure you are good to go, but I believe that a higher running pressure means a better film of oil between the bearings, if any pressure is good enough why do all the high performance engine builders insist on high pressure high volume oil pumps?

    Cheers Pat.
  • leeduncanleeduncan Member Posts: 12
    Juice,

    Check post #3020 on this board for a suggestion. I have ordered parts from Lisa but have not yet received them. When I do, I'll post the results.

    Greg in IN
  • fudd2befudd2be Member Posts: 50
    Hi,

    I found a good parts source so far!! I ordered the 6 disc changer for by '00 OB for $396. That was the best I could find. I don't know their piricing on maintenance parts as opposed to accessories. Premier Subaru is the dealer. I ordered at 4PM on a friday and had it the following Tuesday. www.premiersubaru.com and the guy's name is Robert Alvine (ralvine@premiersubaru.com).

    As for the clutch chatter, I also have had that since early on on my '00 OB, and reported it before the wear warranty expired, but it happens so inconsistantly that they can never duplicate it. Patti can you help? I already have 33K, but the paperwork should show this being reported at around 12K.

    Good luck,
    Howard
  • subaru_teamsubaru_team Member Posts: 1,676
    I do not see a case in our system for you. 1st - When was it last into the dealership with a complaint? If it's been awhile, schedule an appointment. Once it is in the dealership, call us and start a case file. Let the Rep. who takes your call know that you are from Edmunds and that I asked to see your case. Note: I probably won't be able to actually "handle" your case - my job is a bit different from that.

    We can work with the dealer to see what can be done to help you.

    I look forward to hearing from you and I'm sorry you are having a problem.

    Patti
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Lisa's quote came nearly immediately, but her price was 10% higher.

    In the interim, I learned that subaruparts.com finally did process my order, 15 days later and after I followed up. But they said my parts would arrive yesterday, and they didn't. :-(

    -juice
  • leeduncanleeduncan Member Posts: 12
    The quote I received from Lisa was about 10% higher, except that when I inquired, I found that her quote included shipping--ending up a bit lower than subauruparts.com

    Greg in IN
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    In my case I included shipping for both. Good to hear that in some cases her prices are better.

    -juice
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    The computer on my 2000 Outback was also just replaced with a reprogrammed one, with the same results as Vince. No more excessive pinging. I'm hoping this is a final solution to the pinging issue, and that the 30,000 + miles that I put on the car while the excessive pinging was occuring did not cause long-term damage to the engine.

    -Eric
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    if all the 2000 Legacy/Outbacks will get the reprogrammed ECU, even if the ping issue never occurred (at least for me, knock on wood!)

    -Brian
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    I know a few people here have asked about Redline gear oil. There's a current thread on the i-club about this and on the second page, I posted some results from a search. In short, people still have different results using the same oil. I believe the grinding came more from people in warmer climates.

    http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=99472&referrerid=767

    Anyhoo, I'm sticking with Amsoil and have never ground the gears.


    Dennis

    p.s. - How do I hide a link?

  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    I get very slight pinging once in a while on 89 octane. Wondering if I should ask for the upgrade.

    Greg
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    The problem many of us had was a sustained pinging noise between 2000 - 2500 rpm. It is normal to hear a slight ping that then quickly goes away when the ECU does it's job and retards the timing. Different octanes and gasoline brands had no effect on the pinging in my car. The dealer should be able to document it, if it is a problem on your car.
  • vincer2vincer2 Member Posts: 97
    Implementing the pinging fix does not require the computer to be changed. A revised program is downloaded to the existing unit. I don't know what is required to do that. If your car hasn't been pinging then why disturb it. (If it aint broke...)

    Eric,
    Glad to hear your car has also been fixed.
    Vince
  • leeduncanleeduncan Member Posts: 12
    Juice,

    When I ordered the parts I said, "No hurry, Two weeks would be good." After earlier posts today UPS delivered ordered parts. Exactly as ordered and two weeks to the day.

    Greg in IN
  • erics6erics6 Member Posts: 684
    I'd agree with Vince. If it isn't pinging, don't worry. Good to hear they'll have a revised program available. A lot cheaper then replacing the computer. My dealer service rep. said they couldn't reprogram them, but I guess he was wrong...
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    OK, to keep tabs - Pinging now seems to be addressed with a downloaded ECU patch, brake noise has been addressed with new shims, H6 hesitation has been addressed with ECU patch (?). Anything else? Subaru - your doing well, keep it up. Love customer service. :)

    Greg
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    sorry I haven't been replying, kept getting "no new messages" yet here we have at least 30-40 new posts. odd...

    anyway Ken, the reason I'd recommend the ACT Street clutch is because the only difference over stock is a modestly uprated pressure plate. it uses the same Exedy organic sprung-hub disc as stock.

    this is probably exactly what is needed to stop the chatter you and so many others experience.

    -Colin
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    Karen is looking into the undocumented feature we've discovered. Meet the Members has others with the same problem (me included).

    My workaround is to just goto the Subaru Crew page in the owners clubs (link is below). At least there you can see what topics have NEW on them. But, if you've got other topics not in the Subaru Crew you'll have to go to their respective folder.

    -Brian
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Finally, my parts arrived. Took 17 days after my request for the order. The price quote took a couple of weeks, too, so it was over a month to actually get the parts I needed.

    Good thing it wasn't urgent!

    Even the links from the Subaru Crew page don't work well for me. They don't even show up as "New" when there are many new messages.

    Oddly, now this very topic shows up in my Message Center, so maybe the fix is on the way?

    -juice
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I've gotten that to happen a few time to me too. I use IE more now, and it seems to happen more in IE than Netscape. But, I can force the NEW ones to appear by doing a refresh, but holding the CTRL key along with that click.

    But, that's a mute point if the message center and subscriptions are working properly again. they're appearing in my message center now too.

    -Brian
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Colin,

    Thanks for your input on the ACT Street clutch. It sounds similar to Clutchmasters Stage 1 -- stock disc but slighlty modified pressure plate.

    Ken
  • sube_in_mdsube_in_md Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 GT Limited Sedan and I have a rattle in my sunroof. It seems to be a little loose because when I push up on it the noise stops. I was wondering if anyone else has had this and if there is any way to adjust it?. Thanks
  • jregen7243jregen7243 Member Posts: 91
    Sunroof on my '00 OB Sedan does not rattle, however, sometimes it just does not do anything when I try to open it. This happens mostly on very hot days. It's hard to duplicate the problem consistently, like it has a mind of its own.

    Jon
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Spray some silicone spray on the rubber seal of your roof. It will allow the roof to un-bind with the rubber gasket. I have a similar problem is cold weather with my Trooper. After I spray some silicone on the gasket, it doesn't stick anymore.

    -mike
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Need a refreshment course - what is normal and what is not.
    I hear the piston slapping when the engine is cold, like muffled sound of sledge hammer pounding away on a concrete pavement, and goes away after the engine is warm. I take that as a norm, base on info purportedly from SoA via dealer (correct me if I'm wrong). However lately, I've been doing plenty of highway driving and I'm hearing the slaps when the engine is pushed (especially 80~90mph). Should I be concern about the later?

    -Dave
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Hey dave, just don't take it to a dealer in the NYC area and tell em it happens at 80-90mph, cause they'll claim they can't hear it cause they won't drive it that fast. :( Also a good friend of mine just recently became the mngr over at the Brooklyn Manfredi Subaru dealer!

    -mike
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    mike - that's why I figured I asked the Crew. Can't go 80-90mph in NYC.
    Hmm..., Manfredi Subaru, did he/she leave you a string to pull? I understand that franchise bought over the outfit that used to be "Safe Subaru" where I bought my '98 OB. Been taking my OB to Lichtenberg Mazda/Subaru after that first dealer's service kept beating around the bushes (for ~1 yr) and ignoring the fix (wheel seal) I'd conveyed was SoA's suggestion.

    Oh, and Patti came to the rescue.

    I suspect Lichtenberg would probably say "Can't hear it " - nowhere to go 80-90mph in Queens either.

    -Dave
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm not sure how good the service dept is over there in Brooklyn. Basically Manfredi owned Safe before they sold it. Then they just bought it back, and Ira was the manager over in SI, he used to be the manager over there, so now he went back there. My guess would be that their service is no better than that in SI, where I had tons of problems.

    -mike
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Ira Romano? The service he'd provided when I was buying my OB was GOOD, but the Tech Service just soured the experience. Then, their service seem to pamper Toyota and their owners better than Soobie and their owners.

    Lichtenberg, so far, has been pretty good; everyone gets pampered.

    -Dave
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yep, he's a good guy. Yep, service is toyota oriented in SI as well.

    I had words with the service dept on a few occasions, and they knew full well I was very good friends with Ira and Mark (my salesman) and they still treated me bad. I refuse to go back to them for any service. For subarus I go all the way down to Flemington, and for Isuzu over to Edison to Open Road.

    -mike
  • cin4cin4 Member Posts: 30
    Is it rattling when it's opened or closed? Mine rattled when it was opened, and they fixed it with shims.
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    If I'm advised that the 80-90mph slapping is other than normal, maybe I'll stray to Flemington if they could take it to 80-90mph.

    -Dave
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Good idea, silicone spray. Lithium grease is OK too, just do not use WD40, which is solvent-based and will harm the rubber.

    -juice
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I'm not positive they'll test it, but I'd bet you have a much better shot there than anywhere else in the area.

    -mike
  • theobtheob Member Posts: 148
    Juice,
    Was that 17 days from SubaruParts.com (aka Bruce Titus)? They're being slow with my order, and I remembered you mentioning them.

    I got to looking in the Sube-directory and saw Subaru-Parts.com (aka Liberty Subaru). Sent them an email asking about vouchers and prices. They were quicker to respond and their prices were slightly better SubaruParts.com (BT). Unfortunately, I had already ordered from BT.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yes, but that's just the beginning. It took about one week to get a price quote, then another two weeks for them to quote the shipping cost. Add two weeks for delivery, a pinch of salt, mix lightly, then bake for 45 minutes at 450 degrees.

    Sorry, I got mixed up and started on my recipe for rally bread!

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    IMHO, they were caught off-guard by the internet explosion. I was fortunate enough to deal with them when they first started popping up here and on the i-club.

    -Dennis
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