Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

1…118119121123124…385

Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Waxing wheels makes them easier to clean too, because brake dust doesn't get caked on. I can just hose or wipe the dust off.

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Interesting, it's $14 rather than $23-26 for the Fumoto. But the left over oil is a concern that would keep me from using the Fumoto until they resolve that issue.

    You're all set if you have a 1972 or 1973 Subaru and want the FRAM one! The rest of us will have to wait and see...

    -juice
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    Mike,

    Thanks for doing the research and for sharing.

    I was seriously considering the Fram, too bad it doesn't come in the correct size.

    I guess I'll go with the Fumoto.

    I've had free dealer oil changes for the first 45k miles. The future ones are mine to do.

    Jim
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    When I went to Flemington at the end of July for the 30K service, they gave me the AAA discount. At that time they told me about needing to put it into the computer each time. When I went back for a follow up with the alignment problem in August, they said they no longer have the agreement with AAA. As a matter of fact, Don said that all of Subaru no longer has the agreement.

    Mark
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Wife's car gets 6 oil changes free, but I do the other 2 myself and will pick up where the dealer leaves off on her car.

    So I like the idea, but in my case I'd be investing close to $100 for the 3 Fumotos plus delivery, and I hate the idea of having to custom cut the drain to let all of the oil out.

    If Fram gets the size, then we're talking about half the price, so I might bite.

    -juice
  • cjmustangcjmustang Member Posts: 3
    Hi. I just found this forum and read through the old posts. There is a mention of improved wheel bearings on the 02 Impreza models. I have read about all the bearing problems on the older model Imprezas and Foresters but haven't seen any complaints on the 02 models. I suppose the new bearing is the reason? The old bearings were supposedly a ball bearing type. The Legacy bearings which some people recommeded as a fix use roller bearings. Does anyone know if this is what the 02 and newer model Impreza and Foresters use? The picture I see of the wheel bearing in the 02 Impreza service manual is of the roller bearing type-I wonder if the picture is accurate? I have an 02 OBS and have been really happy with it. Been reliable so far with reasonable gas mileage. 25-30 mpg on the highway so far. I think the average is about 27 mpg.
    Thanks in advance.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    2 things make me believe that:

    1) I heard the same thing, and even read the bearings were redesigned

    2) I haven't heard of any failures on the newer models

    So yes, it's reasonable to assume the new ones will have a much lower failure rate. Enjoy your OBS. I test drove one and really was impressed at how refined and quiet it was.

    -juice
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    The guys at Scoobymods rock! They even modified the Fumoto. I would probably go for a Fumoto just because it's not a Fram. :-)

    Mark - thanks for the update.

    -Dennis
  • lark6lark6 Member Posts: 2,565
    Mark, thanks also! I am going to Flemington tomorrow for 45K service and was planning to show my AAA card as well as use my MBNA coupons.

    Ed
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Mike,

    Nice find with the SureDrain. However, looking at the website, I think the Fram SureDrain will also leave a small amount of oil in the pan. Since our drain plugs stick out horizontally, there's going to be some oil that won't make it to the center of the SureDrain. Maybe less than the Fumoto, but still some will be left.

    Ken
  • uffdaoleuffdaole Member Posts: 37
    Info please--Is the power antenna on 98 OB fused? Manual does not show one. Test light shows no power to motor.
  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    I posted a question (#5728) regarding oil pan temperatures a while back, but it might have gotten lost in the chatter...

    Anyone out there with a service manual that could tell me if a peak oil temp of 230 degrees Fahrenheit in the pan sounds high ?

    I'm running Pennzoil 10w-30 (SL, GL-3 rated). Flash point is 430 degrees according to their web site, but a) I don't know what that means and b) the peak temp isn't in the oil pan where I'm measuring it anyway.

    Thanks in advance and sorry for the duplicate post,

    -brianV (the other brian... )
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    bsvoller:

    I don't think that automobile manufacturers have any need or interest in publishing peak oil-pan temperatures. You probably won't find such information in Subaru service manuals.

    Flash point is the lowest temperature at which a liquid fuel (such as oil) can form an ignitable vapor near the surface of the liquid. The lower the flash point, the easier it is to ignite the material. If you reach Pennzoil's 430° peak temperature in the presence of air you'll have an explosion.

    Don't worry... be happy.
  • hammersleyhammersley Member Posts: 684
    Perhaps the higher the flash point, the less likely the oil is to "burn off", which is another moniker for "oil consumption". Seems I read something about relative FP values somewhere, suggesting that in a particular car that seems to be using a lot of oil, a chnage to a brand with a higher flash point may make a difference.

    Case in point: (and I'd have to look up the values to make this potentially valid), but I was using a Sunoco oil when my dealer was performing my LOF's, and losing about a quart between changes (q3K miles), sometimes much as a quart every 1k miles. Since doing them myself, I switched to Castrol GTX, and my oil consumption is down to about .5 quart per 3K miles at most.
    FWIW.

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Gosh, it's gotta be. I have a fixed one on my Forester, so I can't check.

    I can't believe the manual doesn't even show one?

    Try this - call 800-SUBARU3 and ask customer service to find out for you, I bet they will.

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Kaboom. We were trying to make him feel better, right?

    Toyota's sludge problem brought up interest in the topic of oil temps, and one of the articles in Automotive News was fairly specific about it, if you want to visit their site and do a search.

    But the temps where sludge became a problem were much higher than what you mention, IIRC.

    -juice
  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    No panic here guys. Just curious.

    I can monitor oil temp in real time, but I can't interpret the results.

    It would be helpful if Subaru would mark the gauge in yellow or something, so you knew if you were flirting with trouble.

    I'm assuming of course that there's a reasonably consistent point for a given grade where there's cause for concern (10w-30, SL; 5w-30, SL; etc), but it would be a hassle for the factory, wouldn't it ?
  • jbisselljbissell Member Posts: 1
    Is it typical for my 2002 Forester with 15,000 miles to have worn out the right rear tire and the other 3 tires almost completely worn outside edge? The dealer is saying that the tires weren't rotated at 7,500 mile so thats what happens if you don't rotate.
    He also seemed to blame the all wheel drive system as being hard on particularly one wheel (right rear?)
    Does anyone else have this problem? Do you agree w/dealer?
  • leo2633leo2633 Member Posts: 589
    I found Paul's post (#5747) interesting regarding the differences he found between brands of oil. I know a lot of you guys (and gals) use synthetics, but I'm curious as to what brands the rest of you use. I've used Castrol GTX for about 15 years now, and I swear by it. My '92 Nissan Sentra, which my son inherited, now has over 220,000 trouble-free miles. This car has had nothing but Castrol GTX, and either Nissan or Purolator filters during its lifetime (approximately 75 oil changes since 1992!). Needless to say, my Forester and Outback get nothing but Castrol. Anyone else have any loyalty to a specific brand of oil?

    Len
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    sounds like a bad case of poor alignment which at 15K could be due to poor factory setting or you unfortunately hit a pothole or two early on!

    Wife had a civic once which got recalled specifically because of that, well it wasn't an actual recall, more like they told the dealers to watch for any of the 20,000 cars which left the factory without getting the camber set! barely noticed the wear on my tires but got a nice new set at 15K from them!
  • idahodougidahodoug Member Posts: 537
    I agree with cptplt - alignment issue and unless you or another driver in your family hit something (and didn't tell since no visible damage) then it would be a factory issue. How many times during the vehicle's 15k did you check the air pressures?

    I can't explain the single tire being inordinately worn, but you'd have to provide a tread depth measurement for any of us to comment. "Worn out" could mean something entirely different to you, so looking for a measurement vs the others. But the dealer's not being forthcoming by mentioning the AWD system as a cause. It has been my experience through hundreds of thousands of miles with AWD vehicles that they are much EASIER on tires than any 2WD - by far.

    If you drive aggressively on tires that have not been kept at or above the factory pressure, then the outside edges will wear much faster than the rest. Can you feel any slack or movement in the RR tire by trying to rock the vehicle using the tire's top to shake firmly?

    IdahoDoug
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Jim: no, your alignment must be off, or at least that tire was off balance.

    More wear on the outside edges could mean you corner aggressively, or that the tires were slightly underinflated, or the alignment, once again.

    But 15k? And the rear tire? Fronts do most of the work (50% power, 100% steering). Just one? Something is awry.

    Get 4 new tires balanced properly, make sure they check the torque specs (75 lb-ft will do), and get a full 4 wheel alignment to go with it. Then do rotate the tires every 7500 miles, that is important too. Check the air pressure every time you fill up the gas, or at least every time the season changes. You lose 1psi for every 10 degree drop in temps.

    Doug: nice call - do have the rear wheel bearings checked. Do you hear any noise from that wheel, any whining or grinding?

    Len: I use any name-brand oil with SAE's "SH" rating, I think that's the latest. It comes from the factory with Havoline, I heard.

    -juice
  • 2sube2sube Member Posts: 3
    I'm not sure if this is the right area to post, but
    I'm shopping for used Foresters, and found a
    nice, clean 2000 Forester L, the carfax says it
    was a local lease vehicle, bought locally, never
    sold at auction, so it looks like highway miles,
    I'd guess, but it has 105,500 mi.
    I noticed one problem, the lights that light
    up the automatic gear shifter were out, and then
    after driving it on the highway for a few minutes,
    the lights came back on.

    The price is attractive, the car looks good,
    but I worry about a car with such high miles.
    What is the maintenance like on lease vehicles?

    I can buy it subject to mechanic's approval,
    but I'm wondering if this something worth taking a chance on.

    .
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Whoever leased that must've paid a HUGE fee for the extra miles. Try to negotiate a low purchase price. It should also have a fresh timing belt (at 105k to be exact).

    But I bet it's reliable, if not it couldn't possibly have so many miles in so little time.

    -juice
  • jimbob17jimbob17 Member Posts: 77
    Somewhere in these Subaru posts I asked for suggestions on how to get Pine Sap off a car. I tried kerosene and so far it works the best. A little on a rag and some thumb nail scratching gets the job done. You can do this for an hour or two then you have to lay off a week or so till the thumb nail grows out some more (just kidding). But you get the picture.
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    2sube:

    Since the 105K mile Forester is a "local" vehicle, see if you can find out the name and phone number of the owner/driver. Your state DMV may be able to help (for a fee). Ask about service history , reliability, etc.

    At that mileage the price should be very low to intice you to buy.
  • cyberpiratecyberpirate Member Posts: 28
    A mechanic at a jiffy lube suggested that I use Fuel Injector Cleaner (FIC) for my Forester.
    I don't have any problems with my Forester. However, the mechanic said using FIC will improve engine response. Has anyone here had experiences FIC?
    The last thing I want to do is put in something and invite trouble:)

    Thanks in advance!
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    I ran into a similar problem, but at 30K miles. I must have hit a pothole or two (imagine that:-))here in NYC. I had the Right Rear tire that was really worn, as well as the right front. This made me have to replace all 4.

    The only thing that has happened since is 3 weeks into the new tires, I picked up a nail in one,so I had to get it plugged. Once agin, those lovely NY streets!

    Mark
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Most enthusiasts recommend using a bottle of Techron every year or so. You can buy this yourself, put it in an empty tank just before you fill up.

    -juice
  • crashton6crashton6 Member Posts: 245
    If it was a lease vehicle there should be service history for it. People that lease have to show proof to the lease company that they had the required service performed. Also 105,000 is when Subaru says to change the timing belt. Not a cheap service.
  • idahodougidahodoug Member Posts: 537
    Here's a strange one. A couple months ago, I flushed and refilled a '96 Legacy Wagon 2.2 with Dex. After I'd finished filling it, installing a new Subaru thermostat and gasket, and burping a bit of air I took it for a drive. 3 miles from home I happened to look at the temp guage and it was approaching the hot peg! I immediately stopped and left the engine at a fast idle with heat on full blast, but it did not come down after a couple minutes so I shut it down and popped the hood for max cooling.

    Called my wife to bring the truck and tow strap and sat there wondering what had happened. After about 5 minutes, I restarted it and the guage quickly returned to normal. Cancelled the rescue and drove home. The next morning I burped a bit of air out of the cooling system vent - not much.

    Fast forward to today. Flushed my '97 in the same manner, installed a new thermostat and gasket, then backed it into the garage for a level surface to burp air with the cooling system vent. A little came out, but I sat with it idling and some revving and watched the needle climb up almost to the peg just like the other car did. Jumped out and reached under to feel the lower hose as it leaves the bottom of the block/thermostat housing and the hose was barely warm where the upper hose was really hot. Hopped in and drove it around the block and the needle immediately dropped to normal. Parked it in the garage and mentally filed this under "Huh?"

    A couple hours later, I went to the garage to check for seeping fittings and the like, and noted that the cooling system had sucked in at least a pint from the overflow tank (I'd cleaned and refilled it, too). So I topped it off again.

    Anyone got a theory on this mystery? Did BOTH new Subaru thermostats simply stick for a while when opened the first time? Or is there a known propensity to get an air bubble around the thermostat so it won't get hot enough to open despite the block coolant getting too hot?

    IdahoDoug
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    idahodoug:

    Were your two Subaru thermostats the correct part number and temperature range for your vehicles? Or could your dealer have dealt the wrong ones?
  • lakepoplakepop Member Posts: 221
    Sure sounds like the thermostats did not perform correctly. If it happens again....change them out for the CORRECT ones.
  • dudedude Member Posts: 123
    Hey everybody. I wrote about a month ago about my sunroof problem on a 98 Legacy GT. Well, still no resolve. Called the Added Security again and they insist that even though I need to buy the whole assembly with the motor, they are not go'na reimburse me for the motor. I got a name of a guy, who is some kind of Subaru Team Leader, Chad Seifert, and I'm sending him a letter about this problem. I hope he's the right person. Juice, if you can tell me who'd be a better person to address this letter, I'd appreciate it.

    Also, I got a Subaru repair manual, where it describes how to replace a sunroof, doesn't look like it's too complicated but I'm hesitant to do it myself. I could buy the whole assembly for $100 on the junk yard so, it ain't too bad. So, I'm wondering what I should do. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
  • idahodougidahodoug Member Posts: 537
    Yep - all 4 were correct, said '78C' stamped right on the housing in all cases.
  • bsvollerbsvoller Member Posts: 528
    Speaking of thermostats, does anyone know if the AT has a different thermostat than the MT ?
  • conan5conan5 Member Posts: 3
    Has anyone come across having a noise from the timing belt housing area near the water pump? 66k miles, is this usual happening and when do you change the timing belt on these cars? Also, has anyone replaced their emergency brake handle? Mine just broke. When it rains ..it pours. Thanks
  • jay_24jay_24 Member Posts: 536
    How can I remove the review mirror and re-mount it up a little higher? Probably(hopefully) something simple, but I have no clue...

    Why? being tall (6'5") the mirror is too low even when pushed up as high as it will go. When I say too low, I mean, it block my view of other cars at intersections and on-ramps. If I could move it up another inch or so it would help me peek under it...

    --Jay
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Jay, I feel your pain at 5'9" and a long torso. Sorry, I'm not sure how I'd go about such a mod.

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Fuel injector cleaners are fine, just don't do it at places like Jiffy Lube where they overprice the cleaners to fatten their profit margins.

    Ken
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    dude: stick with your plan, see how it goes. Personally, I would not try to replace a glass moonroof myself. Kind of like I don't do any plumbing at home, either. One mistake and you're flooded.

    conan5: got your e-mail, too. Lots of folks replace the water pump at 60k as a preventative, go ahead and do that and the belts, which are probably worn. At a minimum, have them inspected and re-tensioned.

    Jay: make sure you're trying every adjustment possible. There are two "elbows", at the glass and at the back of the mirror, so you should be able to get it way up there near the headliner.

    If it's glued on, like some cars, it might be hard to get out. We pulled one off a Lumina in a junk yard for my Miata, since it had lights on the bottom, and the glass cracked.

    -juice
  • soonersubaru1soonersubaru1 Member Posts: 9
    I was debating the synthetic vs traditional oil question at lunch and one of my friends asked if there would be any environmental benefits to using synthetic. I don't know enough about it to even venture a guess.

    Any thoughts?
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    When you mean environmental do you mean in the manufacturing of the two types of oils or the end emissions?

    Synthetic oil does slighlty improve gas milage so there is probably some advantage there. However, I have no clue as to their relative impact for manufacturing.

    Ken
  • buckingtransbuckingtrans Member Posts: 3
    Hope some one out there can provide a clue.

    When my 2002 Forester hit about 6K (bought it in January, this was June), it started bucking really hard when I backed out of the driveway and put it into 1st gear. Smooth and slow, racing the engine, didn't make a difference. After the first few miles, the problem goes away. It doesn't always happen, but about 90% of the time.

    In July I was driving home when I started to hear a metallic screech from under the car - which went away when I pushed in the clutch pedal at a stop sign and did not return.

    I took it straight to my dealer, left it overnight, and of course it did not perform for them in the morning.

    This is continuing still - when I start the car in the morning, when I start it to come home at night. It did fade to almost nothing when the weather turned cooler yesterday, but it is still there.

    What in the transmission or clutch could be doing this?
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    in theory you should be able to go with a longer drain interval too so you use less oil through the life of the vehicle.

    in fact I am convinced that the reason car manufacturers advocate longer mileage intervals between oil changes everywhere else on earth except N America is because they will be crucified by environmentalists for being so wasteful of oil.Given car running costs are much higher in the rest of the world as a general rule compared to N America, I can't see them going for 7-10K changes elsewhere as a way to save money as things should definitely be more likely to go wrong mechanically and not be caught in time with longer intervals and that should outweigh any savings from more frequent lower costs oil changes.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Sounds like you could have some clutch chatter going on there. It's not completely uncommon. Did you have the dealer log your concern even if they didn't find anything? I'd keep trying the dealer -- if it's that common, it's bound to be something they can replicate.

    Ken
  • joe249joe249 Member Posts: 95
    I can't believe all the Subbie problems I'm reading.I think the WRX is just as bullet proof as a Types S Acura.
    So what's as good as a Forester , Legacy,or Impezda station wagon(TS)?
    My wife has an 02 GT Limited Subbie with great gas milage . The only problem she had was it skipped sometimes and the dealer said to run a tank of premium thru it.
    So should I buy a Forrester for a winter car in Maine or not? Thanks
  • joseph50joseph50 Member Posts: 235
    I do the 3K interval. I have kept my cars an average of seven years, and they were humming at trade-in time. So I have no reason to change.
    Does anyone here do the 7.5K change and keep running well over a similar period? (Your testimony would give me a reason to consider changing my schedule.)
  • buckingtransbuckingtrans Member Posts: 3
    I've really good at saving service forms, ever since I bought a Ford.

    What is mystifying about the clutch problem is that it only happens when the car has been sitting for several hours. Once warmed up, no problem...
  • hammersleyhammersley Member Posts: 684
    Doug: I'm guessing air at the temp gauge sensor. You cured it when the rest of the air purged itself. I've let my cars idle in the driveway with the radiator cap off for a few minutes after a coolant change - invariably, I have to top off the radiator a bit.

    Jay: Try a heat gun & some dental floss, using the floss to separate the mirror mount from the glass. Works for decals on exterior paint, but those mirrors are really stuck on there! (sure as I've said this, wife's mirror just fell off the windshield yesterday... Safelite re-glued it no charge, but the timing's a bit humorous)

    Cheers!
    Paul
Sign In or Register to comment.

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles