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Comments
By the way I live in Ottawa so I know what road salt is about, 3 and a half years later the calipers still look new, I also had the rotors cad. plated. Nothing looks worse to me than rusty rotors and calipers behind nice wheels.
Cheers Pat.
-Brian
As long as you kept up on your maintanance I can't imagine that Subaru would not honor the warranty in this case if in fact the prognosis is correct. Be prepared to show proof that the following 30K services were performed:
- replace front and rear differential fluid
- replace automatic transmission fluid
Although with your car only having 37K on it, I can't imagine 7K extra of use of that tranny fluid would cause a problem even if you didn't have it changed at the 30K interval.
Elissa
Note that my Forester's maintenance book lists the auto trans fluid and differential lubricants as "I" (inspect, correct or replace if necessary), not "R" (replace), unless severe driving conditions occurred (towing a trailer given as example). These items are included in my shop's oil change service and as such don't appear as separate line items on my receipt. In my favor, the receipt for my 30K checkup includes line items for all the items in my maintenance book listed as "R" or "P" (perform), along with the oil change. Makes sense, because I used the maintenance book to generate the work items I told the shop to perform. Seems to me that this should be sufficient evidence of keeping up and sticking with Subaru's list, along with receipts for other mileage intervals (and more recent oil services).
Do more recent Subaru models indicate replacement for these fluids at 30K?
Thanks.
Doug
-Frank
This one does not do the calipers justice but you can see that the rotors are still pristine.
Cheers Pat.
No need to answer. I've been in situations like that before.
Ken
Thanks for the info everyone. BTW, rec'd an e-mail from Duplicolor late Friday strongly suggesting that pads be removed before using their cleaner. Hmmmm...wonder if I could get a different brake cleaner from Cdn tire or elsewhere?
Pat: You think the caliper paint would stick to the rotor "hat" (obviously not where the pad contacts the surface)? I'm guessing by the fact that you had yours plated that perhaps a caliper paint may not cut it.
BTW, nice wheels...really sharp. Notice you chose red for calipers. I picked up the black but not sure if red is a better choice. I have the monotone Garnet Red 05 OB XT. Any opinions on whether red or black would be better choice?
Cheers.
Sounds like you are good to go with the documentation that you have. Elissa and I are both in a slightly more harsh climate and tend to follow a blend of Normal & Severe. Plus I do occasionally tow a small utility trailer, so I take that into account when I plan service intervals.
Again, please let the board know how this plays out.
Steve
I also tend to agree with Duplicolor's recommendation. Brake cleaner is a degreaser. The byproduct that drips off is still pretty oily. I would be concerned that it could poison the pads. You might get away with it most of the time, but I just don't think it falls under the 'best practices' catagory.
Steve
Don't be bullied by the fact that you didn't use the dealer for service. You are protected by the Magnussen-Moss warranty act.
-juice
If you are going to do anything with the rotors do it now before they get rusty, as for paint colour I think it is just a personal choice, I just happen to like red.
Most of the cars I have owned I have painted the calipers red. I had the rotors plated at the same time I had them off to have them cross drilled.
Cheers Pat.
just bought an 03 Outback Sedan. when trying it out noticed car was pulling slightly to right. dealer rotated tires for me, then seemed okay. But on my way home I noticed a noise coming from the front like a thumping noise, kinda of like you're running on a road that has continual raised lines across the road. Is this the tires? Thinking maybe they can be replaced under warranty..or??
Also these tires seem to be very noisy anyway. They are Bridgestones standard on a Outback Ltd Sedan. Has anyone else noticed this?
Thanks for your input!
Ponyrider2
Hope this helps,
Owen
-Dave
I would notify the dealer to see if they'll take care of it first - otherwise, you will need to see what the tire dealer can do for you if it is a tire defect.
Picked up two products from local parts store.
1. AGS sil-glyde lubricant. Says it stops pad squeal and lubricates slides and contact points.
2. Permatex brake quiet. Says it stops chatter and squeaking, but says nothing about lubrication.
Any thoughts on which is the better choice, or should I be looking for something else? OR, should I go to the dealer to pick up (presuming its available) some of the grease used by Subaru?
Thanks.
Jay.
If not, would anyone have them?
Cheers,
Jay.
The car has 25,000 miles on it. It sat for 3 months on the lot before I bought it. Although the dealer told me he drove it a few times.
The tires are original to the car Bridgestone Potenza's. Tread appears normal except for some minor wearing on outer edges of what were the front tires.
I mentioned the car pulling to the right before I bought the car that's why the tires got rotated. The car does still pull to the right but it's very slight. When I told the dealer it still pulled a little. He words were if I wanted to do an alignment and get new tires he'd give me a break on service. Nice guy..
I have already called the Subaru dealership where the car was purchased to check on any service that was done to the car. The result was that the car was never brought in for service of any kind at the dealer. hmmm. I'm wondering now if any maintenance at all was done to it.
I asked about the tires and possible causes of the noise while talking to the Subaru service. the guy did mention all the things you all have suggested here. He also said that they are not responsible for replacing the tires under warranty if they are bad, that I would have to go to the tire manufacture for that. Also said that I would have to have strong case to get any results (new tires)
So hope I haven't gotten a money pit starting here... since I've only had the car one day!
If anyone else has had trouble with these tires please add your comments,
Thanks, Ponyrider2
I had those RE92 replaced by KUMHO tires at 12K due to they were too slippery in a winter time.
If you are in MD you could pick them up from my garage. The tires have plenty of thread left.
Subaru makes perfect cars in my opinion -
except the stock tires are not very good.
~Colin
'03 XS 6 disc changer, prob same as yours.
John
Elissa
The first (and most persisent) problem looks to have been addressed way back in 2002 when this discussion first started. However, I didn't come across a final resolution of the problem and perhaps it was because I didn't read far enough: I call this one the car's "reliable unreliability." When the car is warm (i.e., engine has been off for <45 minutes), regardless of time of year (it can be +100F or -40), it occasionally does not like to start. If I am persistent, I can run the battery dead and it will not start. However, if after 6 cranks the car doesn't start I know exactly what to do. I wait. In five minute intervals I again try to start the car. If it doesn't start with 6 cranks, I wait another 5 minutes. Usually within 3 trys it will start but ONLY if I wait those 5 minutes. I've been told it is a result of every sensor under the hood, but none have had a dramatic effect on curing the problem. Best of all, while the "check engine" light does engage, it never records a code.
Next: the door locks. Not that I am lazy here, but nothing is more annoying than unlocking the driver's door and having the rest of the doors NOT unlock. This is a warm weather issue (anything above +40F) and I imagine that the switch has just become worn over the last 9 years / 172,000 miles. I hate to rag on Subaru, but come now.....
Has anyone else experienced either of these problems? The first problem has been ongoing since I purchased the car more than 4 years ago, the door lock problem started at about 120K miles... maybe two years ago?
Cheers Pat.
I'm not sure this is a tire thing now, on the way home tonight the noise from the front became so loud I could here it with windows up and radio on. It sounded like someone was knocking on a door. When I slowed the car down the noise got even louder.
When I got home I looked at the wheel and it had grease on the wheel. Not a huge amount but defineatly there. I know it was clean because I stopped on the way home and washed the car and dried it off.
Does this sound like anything major? still sound like a bad tire? do they make that much noise with a bad belt?
I will be drving my Mustang tomorrow for sure as I am afraid to drive this car in the shape it's in now. Looks like a trip to the dealer but maybe someone knows possible causes..
Thanks once again,, Ponyrider2
I was just reading up a little farther and there's only 25K on the car?! Well, it could still be CV, but that has to be a defect. I thought mine went out early and they lasted to 120K on the left and 140K on the right.
I really feel stupid, but very Fortunate! I ended up calling our mechanic to see if he had an idea of what the problem might be. I told him about the noise and that it started after they rotated my tires. He says right off, is it possible the lugs aren't tight? I said no way. So later just for the heck of it I go out and check the lugnuts. AND ALL of them are about ready to come off except for one which is tight! I know the angels have been watching me, I've been driving that car since Monday afternoon.
So thank you for all your suggestions, hopefully after getting those tighten up the noise will go away.
Have a good night, Feeling Blessed Ponyrider2
Ed
He also stressed that "only one shot" per cooling system flush, so no additive added to an engine that already has additive in it.
Hope to get a response from Patti on that one.
I'm going on another 300mi round trip this weekend - should be enough to lower the tank another inch or so.
Elissa's XT goes in the shop today I think. I hope she has some good news to post later today.
Larry
HTH
Larry
xwesx - My '96 Outback occasionally had problems not opening all the doors. I removed the driver's door panel and adjusted the actuator once. That fixed it for awhile but the problem returned intermittently.
DaveM
My car does not have remotes, but yes, the problem is the same whether using the key or unlocking from the driver's door. I will give the adjustment a try. Thank you for the suggestions!
-James
The good news is, if any of the pins get lost, they're the same as the mud flap pins. Also, the big pin it swivels on is available as a separate item for very little money.
Larry
1) change the fuel filter if not done recently - Subaru says its a 30K item, but if you let the tank dip down below a quarter fairly often, 30K might be too long.
2) check the air filter - make sure its clean. Subaru also recommends this at 30k, I changed the one in my wife's OBW at 14K, and it was so dirty I could hold it up to the sun and barely "see the light".
3) run two or three bottles of dry gas through the system, one after the other
4) buy a really good bottle of injector cleaner - some folks like Techron, I've had good luck with the STP stuff that comes in the black bottle
5) make sure you're buying a brand name gas, perhaps increase the octane to 89 for a couple of tankfuls.
6) at 30K your due for plugs
Also, as far as I know the OBDII system can store codes without flipping the CEL. Anyone know for sure?
If you're a DIY'r items 1 and 2, using Subaru parts should cost you less than $40 and take about a half hour or so. A little longer if you decide to give the plenum chamber and duct work a good cleaning. I've never seen a dealer clean the air intakes, no matter how much crud is in them.
HTH
Larry
I find however, that I have to use the injector cleaner IN ADDITION to regular maintenance on the fuel filter, air intake system, and spark plugs. Perhaps it has something to do with running 87 in it, but I cannot justify running 89 when it is $.20 more per gallon, I put on 600 miles/week or more, and the mileage differential is negligible.
By the way, Larry, what is "DIY?"
Larry, I wish I had some good news for you but as we probably expected... They pressure tested the cooling system and no leaks, they said the sediment that shows is normal, they suggested the coolant loss I've experienced (about 1/2 cup for 500 miles of driving?) could be normal due to evaporation during transfer from reservoir/engine during warmup and cool down. They said it showed no signs of leakage and the smell could just be hot antifreeze smell coming from the reservoir cap as it moves around the system.
I dunno, it stinks more and uses more antifreeze than any other car I've had that's for sure. But it all sounds plausible what they are saying too... *shrug* Maybe the turbo just is stinkier. I guess I'll have them look closer at it for my 15K service.
They enjoyed the bagels.
Elissa
1) rattle
2) grind
3) the "knocking and pinging" noise typically associated with low octane gas, poor air/fuel mixture or timing too advanced.
Typically the metallic rattling noise caused by a loose heat shield can be heard relative to the pressure of your foot on the accelerator, or all the time if it's bad... regardless of uphill/downhill. If it's your heat shield it can probably be adjusted/tightened for nearly nothing and isn't a mechanical problem just an annoyance.
Grinding noise while going up hill - got me.
Knocking and pinging might be what you're hearing although you don't call it this. It sounds like marbles in the gas tank and really does sound like knocking and pinging! Usually you'll only hear this under load (up hills). It can be caused by many things but I think it's the noise your spark plugs make when they are firing before the piston gets to the right place. That's called detonation and it's a general waste of energy (not to mention a good engine in the end) in my mind. Can be caused by your ignition timing being off or a bad fuel/air mixture. You should have the ignition timing checked, it may be too advanced. You should clean your fuel injectors with some additive. You should take a peak at your spark plugs for evidence of detonation. I see no reason to pay more for gas unless those other attempts fail and premium octane does it for you. Prolonged detonation causes damage to the spark plugs because they get way too hot, it will also cause engine damage and likely loss of power.
Good luck and let us know!
Elissa
For the first 12k mine had zero loss of coolant. So it uses it as it wears in? Don't think so.
As I was posting the other day, I'd about rather have a mediocre car with a great dealer as a great car with a mediocre dealer.... Oh well.
Just don't make any long trips without a spare mix of antifreeze and distilled water.
I'm hoping that when mine eventually does fail it will be somewhere safe.
Larry
If the timing gets that far off, it should be throwing a CEL as well as storing codes.