Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

ndtommy · March 2005

Mr. Shiftright-
I've got a burnt out light in the instrument panel of my '00 Outback wagon, right behind the fuel gage. I took the bottom cowling off the dash under the steering wheel to try and get at the bulb....no luck.
Any suggestions on how to r/r this bulb?
ndtommy

xwesx · March 2005

Excellent post, Steve!

In my situation, even a $130 machine with a limited useful life is better than waiting. There are no local shops (of which I know) that offer free diagnostic services, so each time I take my car in for a readout, it is about $85. And, since my car's "MIL" is almost always on, I usually only have the readout done once per year. It's a good cost-saving measure on the diagnostic side, but assuming there really is a problem, it is probably not the best policy to run a car for 20K miles between readouts..... An OBDII reader will pay for itself with two uses (for me).

ateixeira · March 2005

Prolly worth it if you know you'll need to use it right away.

Look at it this way, it's just $45 more than going to a dealer one single time.

-juice

xwesx · March 2005

Yeah, I agree juice. And since I plan (hope?) to run the car another 2.5 years, the scanner will get plenty of use, even it the car's replacement cannot use it.

That is just my situation, though. I can completely understand Steve's thought process too. Considering that places like... Auto Zone was it?.... provide diagnostics free of additional charge, if such a business is nearby then it is probably a better idea to use the service.

ateixeira · March 2005

I read that too, but then someone here went to AutoZone and they wanted to charge him. So call in advance.

-juice

subearu · March 2005

I have the OBD-2.com scanner for my laptop. I purchased the ISO version a couple years back and it works on my MPV and Subaru. I just recently traded it in (the cable) for $40 for a USB cable and adapter.

-Brian

forestercurt · March 2005

Its fairly well know that the OEM Geolander G900 suck bad for tire wear traction and in general. You should check out The TireRack comments about these tires they are brutal. My next set well be Conti ExtremeContact probably this next winter. I won't even bother rotating them I am at 1k now so if I am around 9-10k by next winter these ChockAHoma's are going to the big tire dump in the sky

forestercurt · March 2005

How many of your Toyota's had an underrated 250HP engine under the hood? The clutch plates have to be beefy enough to handle all that power. Cold weather harder shifts without warmup seem to be common

forestercurt · March 2005

Try resetting the Computer by disconnecting the neg side of the battery lead and then driving it on the highway to retrain it. Also look into a bootle of 104 Octane Booster to see if this clears up the problem.

forestercurt · March 2005

Replace your tires, The Yoko's are TERRIBLE. 10k is not uncommon for these tires they are Terrible.
Read the reviews on TireRack for them, they rip them to shreads. Your delaer already knows this but doesnt want to tell you its the tires.

Get the Conti's ExtremeContact's they are OEM on Audi A4's/A6's

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/CompareMostPop.jsp?autoYear=2005&autoMake=Subaru&autoModel=F- orester%202.5%20X&autoModClar=&sortCode=45400&width=215/&ratio=60%20&diameter=16&minSpeedR- ating=S&minLoad=S&search=mostpop&vehicleSearch=true&speed_rating=SR&speed_rating=TR&speed_- rating=UR&speed_rating=HR&speed_rating=VR&speed_rating=WR&speed_rating=YR&speed_rating=ZR&-

c_hunter · March 2005

We had over 30K miles when we sold our 03 Forester XS, and the stock Yoko tires were doing great. They were wearing evenly, and had a lot of life left. I can't say I had any complaints about the tires -- they did fine in the four seasons driving we have around here, and even did OK in deep snow.

You have to take the Tirerack customer surveys with a big grain of salt. For one thing, they have no way to separate car/suspension factors from tire factors. Secondly, these are subjective ratings with zero objective information. I can think of several tires I have had that Tire Rack customers rated different than my experience by a long shot. Just because it's on the internet doesn't make it the truth!

So, I would encourage everyone to evaluate the tires for themselves and keep the hysterics to a minimum.

Craig

cmuniz · March 2005

I agree with your comments on internet info and lack of objective criteria on tire rack evaluations. However, my experience with the Geo GS900 was not good. Traction was ok, even in snow the first year, but treadwear was not. I replaced them at 17,000 mi the second year because they were already worn. Granted I do a lot of mountain driving which wears tires out faster than freeway driving but I was hoping to keep them a little longer. Bought BF Goodrich Traction T/A and so far so good. Traction and treadwear ratings are both higher than OEM tires and tire rack customer ratings are also good.

kens · March 2005

The other thing to keep in mind with the customer surveys is that people are often comparing their brand new tires to their recent memories of the outgoing old set.

The only data I pay attention to at Tire Rack are their own tests that they conduct in a controlled method.

Ken

kevin111 · March 2005

First, just wanted to congratulate Subaru for being the most reliable car per 100 cars for 2004-05 per Consumer Reports, showing only 8 problems per car. This beat out every other brand, and was a decrease from years past on Subaru.

Second, the rear passenger side seatbelt piece that is connected to the C-Frame in my '02 WRX is rattling. I know this is a common problem for Subarus, and was wondering if there is an easy fix, and if there is a TSB on this. If there is a TSB on this, can I still have my car fixed under it? The problem has been noticeable for quite some time, but I am approaching 60K miles on the car. Besides the seatbelt rattle and a couple of other rattles, the car has been very reliable. :-)

BTW, it is still a blast to drive (upgraded tires to 225x17"s.

jmtreetop · March 2005

I have a 05 OBXT and get vibrations through the car and steering wheel (steering wheel shakes quickly back and forth) at speeds above 70mph. The dealer as balanced the tires twice, rotated the tires, and adjusted the tire pressure with no difference. I noticed that upon braking at speeds above 70mph the car/brakes also seems to shudder in sequence with the vibrations. I'm wondering if the rotors are warped. Any other ideas?

rob_m · March 2005

How many miles on the car? My first guess would be tire balance. Warped rotors, which haven't seemed to plague the newer vehicles would not cause vibration at 70+ mph.

Because the dealer balanced them (twice) doesn't mean they are in balance. You might consider having them balanced at a tire shop. I know the last time the dealer balanced/rotated my tires, I was down at the local tire shop a week later because of a vibration on the highway that was never there before. Two tires were out of balance, and the car rides fine now. Rob M.

p0926 · March 2005

Following up on what Rob said, it doesn't take a tire to be out of balance by very much at all to cause vibrations at that high a speed.

-Frank

hypov · March 2005

p0926, "Subaru Crew: Problems & Solutions" #4892, 13 Mar 2005 9:10 am

Second that.

Correct me if I'm wrong. Tires are balanced at a simulated 40mph by most balancer.

-Dave

frog · March 2005

I put about 4K miles on my stock tires with the balance thrown off, and destroyed what was a nearly brand new set. 11K. Go to a good tire dealer or mechanic asap or you could be looking at new rubber. In my case that was 500$ for Cooper touring tires... pricey for sure.

hondafriek · March 2005

Go to a dedicated tire and wheel shop and have them balanced properly. Unfortunately at a dealership stuff like this is a very low priority especially under warranty.

Cheers Pat.

jmtreetop · March 2005

I have 10000 miles on my OB. I will have a tire shop balance them an hopefully that will solve the problem.

Thanks

trailsider1 · March 2005

Sorry to burst a bubble here, but this doesn't work (at least not on my '01 H-6 OBW) - in fact, it never has once...only hard and consistent cranking and feeding it gas for about a minute works for me. One other post recommended tightening the connections to the starter, which I plan on trying. Of course, my best suggestion would be to sell the OBW P.O.S. and get a reliable car, like a Honda :-) My wife's 97 Accord runs absolute rings around my Subaru, and handles pretty doggone well in snow too.

jmtreetop · March 2005

Update:

Had all 4 tires balanced at a tire shop and the car still vibrates over 70mph. The steering wheel consistently shakes back and forth. This seems like it started in the last 3000 miles or so.

rob_m · March 2005

I wonder if you have a bad tire. It's rare, but maybe a belt slipped. Rob M.

c_hunter · March 2005

I remember you from your last post in January -- the very fact that you are suggesting a 97 Accord can run rings around an Outback in the snow (again) puts your credibility at zero. Just sell the OB already, and make ALL of us happier!

Craig

zman3 · March 2005

I don't know where you had your tires balanced but I STRONGLY suggest you find some place that uses a Hunter roadforce balancing machine. This will bring your tires within spec or it will tell you that the tire cannot be balanced due to some type of issue. Go to Hunter.com and you can search for a shop in your area that uses them. It is much more effective than traditional spin balancing.

I don't know if I can post this or not but here goes:

http://128.242.141.111/pub/search/FindGSP9700.cfm

Good luck.

mnf · March 2005

I had a 2000 Accord that I sold in 2004 for a Subaru Forester. I loved my Accord but in winter I parked it and dove the wifes RX300 awd. The Subaru in the winter is far above the Honda by leaps and bounds and I also found out fun to drive year around. You may want to check a leak in your muffler sounds like your getting fumes....

samiam_68 · March 2005

In addition to the road force balancer, have the shop check alignment. I had almost the same exact problem on my Lexus GS400 (started around 65MPH), and after many different shops, only the shop with the force balancer and a 4-wheel alignment solved the problem.

Also, your tires may be flat-spotting - try increasing the tire pressure by about 3-4 PSI above spec - see if that helps.

blutorg · March 2005

Herb Gordon (Silver Spring) vs. Fitz Automall (Rockville)? I live exactly halfway between them.

Since the first oil change is now due on my used '02 Forester since I bought it, I'm inclined to have a dealer do it and take a looksee at a couple of other things as well. I was wondering if any of y'all had experience -- good or bad -- with either of the establishments above.

Advance thanks! And greetings to all (new member).

ateixeira · March 2005

Fitz is OK, I didn't like that they advertised $19.99 for an oil change and then tacked on a $2 "environmental fee", though.

But their service is good. Al Briggs is the manager there, and he's a friend of Patti's just in case something creeps up.

-juice

jtom · March 2005

I have a 1994 impreza wagon with 98,000 mi. Lately, there is powersteering fluid slowing leaking around where you add fluid. Anyone have/had this problem? I have to refill it every two weeks but I can smell the leaked fluid burning when I've been running it a while. Should I worry about this? Thanks, julie

jmtreetop · March 2005

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. Ironically, my Subaru dealer came up on the list for the Hunter roadforce balancing machine. I will try getting an alignment done next.

Thanks!

adlady · March 2005

I've only used my cruise control once, so I don't think that was the problem. I was turning into a driveway, so I had both my hands on the steering wheel (not on the gear shift). It happened so fast that I didn't have time to brake. I know $6500 is a lot of damage, but that thing crumpled like a piece of aluminum foil, (which is what the Subaru people say is supposed to happen so you are protected?) My friend was in her house and heard it rev really high before the crash (little did she know it was her brand new Tahoe I was crashing into). I went on the NHTSA site, and have found other people with similar acceleration problems. Thanks for the info, I'll have my friend check the throttle valve once it gets out of the shop. Thanks for all your feedback!!

-Sandy

zman3 · March 2005

You may want to inquire as to if they actually used it or not. They may actually use it only if requested. Just a thought.

ezshift5 · March 2005

..speaking of Patti....

..her presence here was worth so, so much!!

..ez

ateixeira · March 2005

We all miss her. :-(

-juice

crashton6 · March 2005

Just because your dealer has a Hunter machine doesn't mean they did a roadforce balance. I'd ask them if they did the roadforce or just a spin balance. There is a difference. If the roadforce balance doesn't smooth things out then my guess is that you have a bad tire.

Chuck

capriracer · March 2005

Not to be fussy, but if the tires have been road forced, doesn't that mean you can eliminate tires and wheels and start looking elsewhere?

zman3 · March 2005

Yes. If they indeed were road force balanced I believe you can eliminate the tires/wheels as the culprits. We weren't sure that the road force machine was actually used however.

heyjude · March 2005

Garrett,

I have the same problem with a 2004 Forester -- same conditions as you report, same dealer reply. Do you also get a strong odor of sulphur after this happens? Again, my dealer said "normal" and blamed it on the gas sold in the Pacific Northwest. My car is at about 11,000 miles. I'm going to contact Subaru directly if it persists, because so much ping is not "normal" for any car -- it leads to piston damage (no doubt AFTER the warranty expires!).

once_for_all · March 2005

Julie, if you keep it topped off it likely won't be an immediate problem. But, what is it dripping on? If it gets on hot exhaust or belts, it can create problems.

If it was me, I would get it fixed.

John

brasco · March 2005

Does anyone have experience with putting adjustable shocks on an Outback? I need some ride leveling assistance for my '98 Outback (towing a small tent trailer) and can't seem to find a product that will do the trick. Any suggestions anyone?

Brasco

fibber2 · March 2005

This time accompanied by some actual driveability problems, so I cannot just ignore it. I went up to my local AutoZone with the full intent of purchasing the Actron scanner I mentioned last week. I spent some time at the counter comparing it to the new mini unit Actron offers, and to CarChip. When I was just about to pull out my credit card, the asst manager & one of the counter clerks offered to read it out for free! And so we walked out to the car, retreived the code (front oxygen sensor undervoltage), and cleared it from memory (mistake...). From there I went to the dealer who said to come back when the light returned, for as far as they were concerned, there currently was no problem! Oh well, live and learn.... But is should be covered under the Gold Plan, so it is just a matter of time.

But my full thanks to AutoZone for outstanding customer service.

Steve

a_bum · March 2005

A quick question. I drove my wife's '05 Forester with ~5k miles on a road trip today. She has complained since it was new that it was out of alignment and pulling to the right. The mechanic at the dealership where we bought it, Mastro in Tampa, FL, told my wife all cars pull right because the roads were slanted to allow for water run off. Hmmm, I haven't noticed this on other cars. Anyway, after driving for a few hours today, I noticed that it does pull right AND if I set the steering wheel dead straight, the car really goes to the right. If I get an alignment, can I expect that the steering wheel will be able to sit straight without pushing the car to the right? An old Saturn of mine had an off center steering wheel that the GM folks swore was within spec and there was nothing that could be done. Any info. I can get before going to the dealer for an alignment is appreciated. Thx!

jmtreetop · March 2005

If your car is aligned then you should be able to drive straight without input to the steering wheel. A road that is banked or has tire ruts in the pavement can cause the car to veer one direction or the other. Best way to test it is to find a really smooth straight highway and try it a few different times in possibly different lanes.

francophile · March 2005

General comment: I *strongly* recommend that *everyone* get a full front and rear alignment done on *any* new car. This is something that should be covered 100% under warranty, at least by Subaru. It was covered when I had it done to my then-new '00 Legacy.

Subaru-specific comments: All Subies are sensitive to road surface, tilt/angle, and other road conditions, even when perfectly aligned. The factory recommended alignment is 0 degrees toe in and that setting, along with normal AWD tendencies and other factors, is going to cause that kind of sensitivity. You shouldn't be getting shoved around by every little road imperfection, but it is not unusual for the car to drift a bit to the right when the road leans to the right.

Get a full front and rear alignment done for peace of mind, and then drive the car so that you know what "normal" feels like for your Forester.

Cheers,
-wdb

jfl · March 2005

An alignment will not guarantee a centered steering wheel. After my last alignment, my (previously) centered steering wheel is tilted slightly to the right. But the car doesn't drift or pull at all.

I don't drive my wife's car very often, but the last time I did, it pulled so much, it was practically making a right turn. Took it straight (relative term) in for an alignment.

Jim

ryee · March 2005

i have an 04 fxt. it's great, but the am radio reception is awful on all channels 90% of the time. i know the stations should be coming in they're crystal clear when i drive the same stretches in my other cars.

the dealer said they drove it and weren't able to find a problem. I got back into my car and had the same problem as before.

any ideas?

dougb10 · March 2005

It may not be alignment at all. I have had problems in the past, just as you discuss.
Turned out it was a bad belt in one front tire.
This is easy to check by rotating the tires to see if it makes any difference.
Doug

knicki · March 2005

Hi, I'm new here with a new used car so bear with me while I explain the situation.

We recently bought a used 2001 Forester(65K on car) from a non Subaru car dealer. Everything appeared to work when we left the dealer. The next day I was driving around(30 miles later) and the service engine light came on and we also noticed that the indicator light on the fog light switch no longer illuminated when the button was pushed in. I went home and called the dealer we purchased from and also called the local subaru dealer. It turns out that the O2 sensor was shot and the switch for the fog light was blown and a fog light was burnt out. This was all fixed by the dealer. Less then a week later I noticed that the 4 way hazard switch and the rear defroster switch and the two seat heater switches no longer illuminate when the lights come are on(at night). They work just don't illuminate. So back to the dealer who said that all these are switches(as opposed to a bulb) that need to be replaced for a cost of $156 to make them illuminate. I'm not concerned about the seat heaters switch as much. I've also just noticed that the passenger seat no longer heats. The local subaru dealer says the never heard of a subaru with this problem and neither has the non subaru dealer that we bought the car from heard of anything of this type.

So my question is this. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it a coincidence or do has anyone else heard of this problem. Is it electrical?

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