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Subaru Crew Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Craig: maybe that's the secret to Rudolph's nose! ;)

    -juice
  • oregonooregono Member Posts: 3
    I have a 00 Outback with 20k miles and just recently started to get a low growl noise when the engine is put under load. (e.g. I step on the gas without shifting down.) This is a brand new noise, and know it wasn't happening until recently. Any ideas?
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    The likely culprit given the time of year is oxygenated gasoline. It sucks, but it reduces emissions so that's that.

    Does the problem occur only at low RPM? If so, the solution is either lighter throttle, a downshift or higher octane gas (assuming you are not already using the highest available in your area).

    If it can occur even if you're at... say 3800 RPM, then higher octane becomes the only answer.

    -Colin
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    I wouldn't stop driving based solely on a CE light. I recommended not driving in Mike's case because the car was not firing two cylinders. As others have noted, that puts raw gas into the catalyst. The catalyst's job is to burn that which has not yet burned, and with raw gas the catalyst has lots to burn and so gets pretty hot. I've seen cars catch fire and burn to the ground because the converter got hot enough to ignite something. That is reason #1 why I think Mike should not have driven his car.

    Non-firing cylinders also wash the oil from the cylinder walls with fuel. Some of that fuel also makes its way past the rings and into the oil. You should definitely pop the dipstick and sniff the oil. If you smell gasoline, change it immediately. Even if you don't you might want to change it just on principle. Cheap insurance.

    Regards,
    -wdb
  • oregonooregono Member Posts: 3
    Colin- Thanks. I'll give the higher octane a try. I'm using the recommended 97. I live in New Mexico and the weather isn't that extreme so I'm not sure what your reference to the time of year means. It does occur at high and low RPMS.
  • tlimatlima Member Posts: 124
    I don't want to start a debate about synthetic vs mineral (there's enough of that in other topics), but do any of you subie ownwers use synthetic oil? Does Subaru recommend against it? Is it worth it in Subies (i.e., better mileage, smoother running, easier cold starting, etc).

    Thanks,

    -TonyL
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Tony: if you race your car and rev it high often, it can't hurt.

    But in normal circumstances it seems like overkill for an engine with modest compression and a relatively low redline.

    Synthetics, to me, make more sense in very high revving (think S2000) or turbocharged vehicles (WRX).

    With that said, I swapped my Miata's transmission and differential oils to Mobil 1 synthetic. Gear oil is much thicker (75w90), but I can feel a slight improvement. When cold, gears engage noticeably easier, and when hot there is a small improvement too.

    Why? Gear oil is a whopping $9 per quart, but you only use 3 quarts that last for years. Oil changes are more often, so synthetics will cost you $20 several times per year.

    I wanted to try synthetic, but somewhere where I can feel the difference directly. Also, it won't bleed my pockets dry.

    -juice
  • hciaffahciaffa Member Posts: 454
    I have been using the Purolator Pure One filter and have hadno problems. If you look at the OEM filter you will notice that Purolator makes the filter for SOA. OEM filter at my dealer cost $5 and the Puro at Pep Boys cost $2.49. I also use Mobil 1 5W30 and have no pressure problems or leaks from the filter. Stay away from Fram, quality has gone down hill.
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Tony - I tried Mobil1 5W30 in my OBS and my wife's OB at 33,000 miles or so. Both cars had leaks around the filter and the OB had leaks around the oil pan. Switched back to the Castrol Syntec Blend and no problems. If I were to go back to full synthetic, I would probably try Castrol Syntec. Although some people are against it because it's not made from 100% synthetic base stocks.
    Thinking of changing the gear oil to Redline 75W90NS because cold shifts are a bear. It's only Fall but we have had a lot of January-like days.
    Dennis
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The only reason I didn't get Redline is that they're not sold at retail locations. So if I ever needed more, I'd have to wait several days for mail order.

    Mobil 1 gear oil has been fine, FWIW.

    5w30 is pretty thin oil, but I'm surprised you got a leak like that.

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    I have used Castrol Syntec 10w30 for the last two oil changes. I have observed less valvetrain noise at idle and ~2 MPG more since then. The MPG could be something besides the oil, bu the noise reduction is not. I formerly used Castrol GTX 10w30, until I installed the cams and saw some sludge forming. That was the point I decided to switch to synthetic!

    -Colin
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Where did you see the sludge? On the old cams?

    -juice
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Not really on the cams, no. Just around in the head, on the valve cover... It wasn't bad, but I could see some broken down oil.

    -Colin
  • miksmimiksmi Member Posts: 1,246
    Non-firing cylinders also wash the oil from the cylinder walls with fuel.

    Good info; I'll check the oil. I could probably convince the dealer to take responsibility [personal responsibility.. great concept] (though it would take less time/aggravation to change and recycle the oil myself than make two round trips to the dealer). Thanks WDB <161</A>> (and Colin <157</A>>).

    ..Mike

    ..Mike

  • carnut30carnut30 Member Posts: 51
    A dangerous and costly illusion is that oxygenated gasoline decreases emissions. In most cars built since about 1982 there are feedback systems that adjust the mixture ratio, so actual lab tests show no reduction in emissions. The oxygenate content of fuel is money out of your pocket and an inflated ego for someone in the EPA.
    Castrol Synthetic motor oil is more viscous than petroleum-based; for that reason alone I would not use it, but that is why it will leak less. Valvoline fully synthetic is less viscous than petroleum-based and gives easy starts as 10W-30 down to 0° F instead of 10°F for petroleum-based. Since it can be left in the engine longer than ordinary oil, the added cost is not so great. Once in a while I do expect my SVX to do 7000 rpm, so it qualifies for synthetic on that account.
  • tlimatlima Member Posts: 124
    I've read (independant stuff) that synthetics will improve mileage, so maybe the +2 you see Colin is due to the oil.

    The way I look at it, with potentially increased mileage, longer change intervals (I feel that I can go 7500mi safely with Synthetics and a good fiber filter), the cost difference is nil, plus, I only have to change oil twice a year.

    Thanks for the responses,

    -TonyL
  • logger2logger2 Member Posts: 31
    Two things. Does anybody know which way the wind fairing on the front rack of a forester is supposed to face. Theres a peice on the rack that makes it look like a wing. This piece points out and down toward the windshield. Also, is there any better aftermarket fairings to reduce the noise from the racks. I suppose I could take them off, but then it would look like a stationwagon!!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Haaa, that's cool. With my 7500 mile intervals, I can change my oil every 2.5 months! :)

    -mike
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    A dangerous and costly illusion is that
    oxygenated gasoline decreases emissions.

    Of course they don't reduce the stuff actually coming out of the tailpipe. They reduce carbon MONoxide by making more oxygen available in the hopes of producing carbon dioxide. The former being more dangerous for a variety of reasons...

    That is the whole trick, nothing more. It works too... but oxygenated gas doesn't burn as well, from a power standpoint. It is fairly common to see gas mileage drop and notice a difference in performance when using oxygenated gas.

    -Colin
  • ebethebeth Member Posts: 1
    i recently purchased a 98 forrester. after a week of very cold weather (5 - 25 deg f.) & snow, my car started vibrating badly at 40 mph. when i checked the tires, i saw that the shocks were encrusted with ice. since i don't have access to a heated garage, i went to a do-it-yourself car wash & sprayed the shocks/wheels until the ice was gone. i've never had this problem with other cars. the traction in the snow is excellent. is there anything i can do to avoid this problem? is the car wash harmful?
  • torektorek Member Posts: 92
    A few days ago my "check engine" light in my 2000 Forester S auto came on for the second time in its lifetime. Got a scheduled appointment w/ no problem, brought it in. Last time, by the time I got it in, the OBD-II had reset itself. They gave me the code ("P0107", mass air flow sensor) that was still stored in the thing, checked out the intake, found no problems, and I guess put it down to gremlins or whatever. :-)

    This time, they did not include the code on the service printout. Instead, it says:

    CAUSE: INTERNAL FAILURE
    A455151 REPLACE OXYGEN SENSOR
    478 WS 1.00
    1 22641AA011 SENSOR AY
    A/F RATIO
    FC: UFP-42 PART#: COUNT:
    CLAIM TYPE: WS
    AUTH CODE:

    REPLACED AIR FUEL SENSOR

    (why they insist on uppercase-only, I may never know :-) ).

    The "WS" stuff is obviously "warranty service" and the second big number is clearly the part number for the "SENSOR A[ssembl]Y". I wonder what the actual code was, though...

    I normally do my own oil changes, but the last one was at 11000 miles, and the last time I went to Pep Boys they were out of the 5W30 I normally buy there, so I had them do that too. Total cost $31.12 -- the diagnostic and sensor were covered under warranty.

    Interestingly, there was no wait for new sensors. I guess the backlog, from the bad batches that were out last year, has been filled.

    15k mile service is coming up -- is there anything I should do other than replace the air filter? (I skipped Diablo's 15k-service; they like to fiddle with all kinds of stuff, and charge an extra hundred or two.)

    Chris
  • al2al2 Member Posts: 73
    The rack actually has the thick edge toward the front. I know it looks logical to have the thin edge leading for aerodynamic purposes, but the manual and the rack instructions definitely show the thick edge forward on both front and rear crossbars. Mind you, the instructions also say there is an arrow on the crossbar to show direction--not on mine.

    Cheers, Al
  • frankatedmundsfrankatedmunds Member Posts: 6
    I have a 98 Legacy Brighton SE.
    The tiny lights on the heating/cooling fan switch, the fan speed 0-4 indicator and the temperature control lever no longer work.
    Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?
    The mileage is 63,000km / 39,000m

    Thanks...Frank, Ottawa
  • armac13armac13 Member Posts: 1,129
    Took Rufus in for a free tire rotation and winter inspection on Thursday and I am a very satisfied camper. I have now switched to 5w-30 from 10w-30 and I think he'll be happier, especially since most of my drives this time of the year are under 15km. Am in the process of switching over to synthetic ATF and I can already tell a difference. Shifts were never bad, but are downright silky now and seem more responsive to boot. They checked for codes again to try and solve the poor gas mileage problem - nothing. I mentioned in passing that I wondered if the alignment might be out. They checked it without my asking and made a slight adjustment to the rear, the front being spot on. The handbrake was adjusted, they cleaned the interior, washed the exterior (just to ensure snow - it worked) and got it back to me ahead of schedule and under budget. They were pleasant & polite too! An amazing experience, one that I hope will be repeated. Thank you Docksteader. Hopefully the mileage will start to improve.

    Ross
  • derekgwderekgw Member Posts: 5
    Hey all!

    Could anyone give me any information on getting a heat shield off of a '93 Subaru Impreza wagon?

    Thanks!!!
  • locke2clocke2c Member Posts: 5,038
    Beth,

    The problem is the offset of wheels subaru chooses to use. They have a lot of backspacing (positive offset), which allows a lot of snow to build up in the wheel which will affect balance. The same thing can happen in mud.

    There really isn't a solution other than cleaning the wheels out once it happens. I have noticed that my 15x6 steel wheels haven't had the problem yet, whereas my original equipment 16x7 alloys had it several times last winter. Of course I also have snow tires on the steels, so perhaps I'm not getting stuck down in the snow as much...

    -Colin
  • bdevbdev Member Posts: 13
    I had similar lights out problems in my 96 OB heater slide and heated seat buttons. I don't think that the seat buttons are made to be takend apart (probably just replaced), but if you are carefull about not snapping plastic clips and taking time taking the switch apart, you can get to the tiny bulb inside and replace it with one I got at the AutoZone.

    The Heater control slide light was equally difficult, requiring to take apart the dash panel, removing the heater control unit (disconnecting the ill concieved heater cable - held on with a 'C' clip). Then taking the control unit apart to finally get to the tiny bulb. This time, I couldn't get a replacement bulb, extra long 'prongs' required. But as it turned out, the bulb just had a loose connection and came back on after testing and reassembly.

    Bottom line, doable, but only if you are not afraid to take things apart, some risk in snapping off important plastic 'click clips' and taking your time.

    Personnaly, I dread the next brown out that invariably will come!

    Bruno
  • bdevbdev Member Posts: 13
    In chasing down a rattling problem that I thought was coming from the rear most interior plastic trim panel, I broke off some plastic tabs that hold that trim to the metal. I spent the better part of a day experimenting with glues, velcro, ... to either fix the broken part or find alternative ways of holding that trim on. For some reason, the plastic used did not allow any manner of tape, adhesive to stick.

    Regular expoy glue and super glue did not hold sufficiently.

    What I did find that worked best was a combination of a special super glue for plastic (two parts, one 'preparer' that appears to be acetone like and comes in a nail polish type vial. Second part appears similar to regular super glue. That held well, but I didn't think it would have the strength to endure!

    What I discovered and used was plastic epoxy. It is a sort of clay like product that you first knead with your hands to mix the center and exterior parts together. Then I squished that stuff around the base of the glued parts to give a lot more support and strength. Hardens up after 2-3 hours. Worked GREAT!
    I was sweating bullets not wanting to buy new trim pieces!

    Bruno
  • bluesubiebluesubie Member Posts: 3,497
    Thanks for the tips, Bruno. I have a loose light on the vent direction control on my 97 OBS. I removed the controls to take a peek and one of those clips popped off. I'll probably bite the bullet and let the dealer have a look at it. Any guesstimate on how long it would take a dealer? I'm wondering about labor charges.
    Dennis
  • bdevbdev Member Posts: 13
    Bluesubie - even with my fumbling with the lights on the panel, I spent a total of 2 hours tops. A decent mechanic would probably do that in half the time. A dealer might be more inclined to put in new components rather than fixing old ones, depending on time and trouble. At $50-70/hr or more for labor, that might be more economical, but then again, I'm always surprized by the cost of seemingly simple components. Probably best to give the dealer a call for a ROM.

    Bruno
  • logger2logger2 Member Posts: 31
    Any thoughts from anyone as to the benefits of higher octane gas with the Subaru engines. I have been putting in regular gas for the most part and have had decent gas mileage (25-30 Hwy) and also noticed a knocking sound from engine. I have switched to mid range gas to see if there is any difference in mileage, engine noise etc. I only started putting it in this week so i dont notice any difference right away. I also notice that when i turn the steering wheel to the right, theres a growling noise as the car rolls away. It must be something rubbing but it is not obvious. I really hope its not a wheel bearing or something like that. Any thoughts??

    Thanks

    Jason
  • jeffben1jeffben1 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 96 Legacy wagon. The last few years it idles very noisily. I often shift it into neutral at lights to quiet it some. Is this a common problem? Any fixes?
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Jason,

    Are you sure the sound is knocking due to fuel pre-ignition? Your Forester engine has been designed for 87 octane fuel. In some cases, you might hear some pinging under load, but knocking is probably extremely rare. Can you describe the noise a little more?

    Ken
  • belotbelot Member Posts: 1
    My '00 Forester ( AT ) has recently developed a strange
    problem : when I come to a stop and then accelerate
    again ( even very gradually ) I occasionally feel
    a jolt within several seconds. It feels like
    something was held and then is released , or like
    something suddenly engages. The car was driven very
    rarely in the past 6 month ( I was out of town
    most of the time ). The problem appeared a couple
    of weeks after I resumed regular driving. Does this
    sound like normal behavior for this
    particular vehicle ? I understand that when front wheels slip rear ones get more power. Is it a gradual increase or could is happen with a thump that I can feel ? How bad does traction need to be on the front wheels for the transfer to take place ? I am mostly experiencing the problem on slippery roads, but first time it happened under normal driving conditions.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Sounds like you might have a problem with the AT. Under very hard acceleration, you might feel something as the tranny upshifts, but certainly not a jolt.

    Have the dealer take a look at it so it gets documented.
  • logger2logger2 Member Posts: 31
    Ken,

    It almost sounds like a quiet diesel when it is idling. Not sure about wether it's pre-ignition or what but it sure does knock some.

    Any ideas??

    Jason
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Jason,

    Is the noise there at all times? I was thinking it could be bad spark plugs or even piston slap, but it's hard to say without actually seeing it. I would take it into the dealer since your 98 is probably still covered by the powertrain warranty. Same for the noise you described while steering.

    Ken
  • calessancalessan Member Posts: 18
    I just bought a 2001 Forester S last week. The next day, my windshield was chipped by a rock while driving on 95 (darn trucks!!!!)

    I found out today that the windshield, because it is heated (windshield wiper de-icer is standard in the S), cannot be repaired under any circumstances - it needs to be replaced. I was told that the windshield retails for $1,600!!! If I pay cash, rather than going through insurance, they would charge me $800. If I go through insurance, I have to pay a $500 deductible. (This is questionable, too - my insurance company is giving me trouble about even being covered in my new car, since my policy paperwork was not officially switched to my new car until a couple days later! This was NOT my fault - I called them right after buying the car, but they were slow in processing the paperwork. I did ask several times about whether or not I was covered during this interim, and they said YES.)

    This is a warning to anyone who has this car: lower your windshield deductible if you can. I didn't know I had that option. Now I'm stuck paying lots just because of a little rock. So much for the honeymoon period of having a new car...

    Do I have any other options? Is it only Maryland that won't repair a heated windshield? Could a warranty possibly cover this, since it happened the day after buying it? Any chance the dealer would help me out? (Fitzgerald's)

    This is really terrible.

    Cristina
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I have State Farm for my auto ins. They state that you are covered in any new (or new used) vehicle for up to 30 days, as long as you're in good standing (ie: policy is paid). I've never had a problem switching to new cars with them.

    As for the windshield, they too will repair a cracked windshield, if possible. Probably for more of those tiny hole type cracks, and not the cracks that go across the glass. If the glass can be repaired, they do it for no cost to you (no deductible). If it can't be repaired, you'd then have to use your deductible to get a new one.

    I had my windshield replaced last winter on my previous ride (Chevy Z71). It was cracked along the bottom half - so no repair! I paid my $50 deductible and had KD AutoGlass put in a new one. At least in my area, State Farm uses KD AutoGlass and Auto Glass Specialists (the guys in the little red trucks).

    Our Outback has the same heated windshield. I would suspect that a repair of that windshield wouldn't be advised since the heating elements put a bit more strain on the glass itself. So, that repaired portion of the window would be put under even more strain.

    But, alas, I'm no engineer! I'm probably wrong. And hey, my post made it!

    -brian/subearu
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Wow, all my car's that have had comprehensive insurance have had a zero $ glass deductible. I thought that was standard since most glass jobs would come in under the $500 deductible.

    -mike
  • oldjayhawkoldjayhawk Member Posts: 36
    I picked up my '01 Forester S Premium with automatic from a dealer about 2 weeks ago. So far, I have put 290 miles on it. It performed quite well in the first snow storm of Washington a couple of days ago. However, the day after I picked up the car from the dealer, I noticed a low-volume whining noise coming from the front whenever I accelerate from a low or medium speed, i.e. below 45 or 50 mph. I am a little concerned. Could it be noise from the transmission. Does anyone have a similar experience? I wonder whether I should take it into the dealer to have a look now? The prudent thing to do is probably let the dealer look at the car now, but my work schedule is very tight, so I would like to avoid it as much as possible. Any suggestions?

    Jay
  • c_hunterc_hunter Member Posts: 4,487
    Let's see if this post actually works . . .

    I don't see why you couldn't repair the Subaru windshields unless the chip/crack was right over the heating element (down near the wipers). If the damage is elsewhere, seems to me that the heater would be irrelevant. Even then it might be doable -- simple warm-air defrosters (which we all have) already put thermal expansion stresses on a cold windshield, and I can't see how the wiper heating elements would be any worse (they don't get hot-hot, just warm enough to prevent ice from forming). I can see not going the repair route if it's a more serious crack, but small chips/cracks?

    I might be tempted to buy a repair kit and fix it on my own if possible.

    Craig
  • ray_cray_c Member Posts: 36
    I also have the same problem with 2001 OutBack. Let me know what you find out from the dealer.

    Ray
  • hammersleyhammersley Member Posts: 684
    If the chip isn't right at driver's eye level, or otherwise in your direct field of view, I'd try repairing it first... using Novis or your local equivalent - insurance companies usually pay the entire cost of the repair, even if it's not successful.
    No harm, no foul!

    Cheers!
    Paul
  • nailitnailit Member Posts: 14
    I think every reputable insurance co. covers you for at least 30 days while your policy is switched over to the new car providing you inform them during that period and your previous policy is in force. It sounds like you informed them and that you're still within that 30 day period so I wouldn't let them bluster you into thinking that you're not covered. That's a bummer... I'm sorry you've got to deal with the extra cost "nonsense" to get it repaired. Is it a major crack or just a small impact "pit"? I have taken my car in and had the insurance repair the "pit" and frankly it was as good as new (it was up behind the rear-view mirror so not in the line of sight - your's might be different). FWIW - I made the decision to go with $0 deductible comprehensive on all my vehicles here in SoCal due to all the construction that's going on. For the small (less than $60 per year/per vehicle) premium increase I've replaced four windshields (2 at over $900 each and 2 at about $400 each) plus had my car repaired/repainted twice because someone "keyed" the driver's side ($650 and $800) and replaced a $200 Lexan headlight module that was taken out by a "rock" missile. All of this in the past two years and all at $0 out of pocket cost to me beyond the $240 premiums bump that I've spread out over that same period. It's really about how much risk you want to absorb and the damage "incidence" here is too high for me to justify the "out of pocket" costs. Just a thought. Good luck!
  • jaymoosejaymoose Member Posts: 14
    I finally found it, with the help of the local Subaru dealer. I didn't feel so bad when it took him 15 minutes and refernece to two shop manuals before *he* could find the thing. Here's what you do:

    Pull the wheel well cover up and on the passenger side remove the carpet section and soundproofing (you may need to remove the wheel well soundproofing/underfloor to do this easily). Now feel along up underneath the side panel and the harness plug should be there somewhere in the middle. You do need to reach up a little bit (small fingers help!). It's not too obvious.

    If you want, you can lead the wiring down through a plug in the bottom of the wheel well (need to remove the tire to see it). However, in my installation (a HiddenHitch), anywhere I can see to tie the harness up is pretty far forward and hard to get to for occasional use, so I'll probably keep my wiring in the wheel well and lead it under the tailgate when needed.

    (sorry I don't have a nifty digital camera to show you a picture of this...Santa, are you listening?)

    Hope this helps someone else.

    --Jay
  • danner3danner3 Member Posts: 2
    I bought new Kelly-Springfield tires for my 98 Forester four months ago; the tires have just 4,000 miles on them. Two months ago, we were gently rear-ended, and had the bumper replaced. Shortly after that, the car started jerking a little bit when we first stepped on the accelerator, and it started making ominous rumbling noises when we turned corners (the noise came from the back of the car). We took it back to the Subaru folks, who checked the car bumper to bumper and found nothing EXCEPT that the back two tires are 1/4-inch smaller in circumference than the front two. The diameter of the tires is the same. Subaru told me that the tire circumference must be within 1/8-inch all the way around because of the all-wheel drive. The difference in circumference is the reason I'm getting the noises and jerking motion. This makes innate sense to me, and I took the car back to Sears, where I bought the tires originally (they were, by the way, very expensive, which annoys me even more). They want me to bring it back today when the manager's in, but I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas on this in the meantime. Thanks! Lauren
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Lauren,

    When you bought your new tires four months ago, did you get 2 or 4 new tires? I'm trying to understand how the tire tread differed by 1/4 inch. I'm assuming you bought the same tire size so I'm going to guess that you replaced just two at that time.

    The dealer is right about needing your tire tread being within 1/8 of an inch. More accurately, it's your entire tire diameter needs to be within 1/8 of an inch. The reason is that our AWD systems detect rotational differences and engage accordingly. When your tires are slipping, chances are one is going to be spinning faster than another. The AWD system can't tell apart from slippery road conditions and having tires of different diameters. It all just looks like different rotational speeds.

    With AWD vehicles, you pretty much have to replace all 4 tires at a time.

    Having said that, the AWD systems in our Foresters should be relatively transparent. That is, you shouldn't feel any jerkyness under normal driving conditions even if AWD engages. After you get the other two tires replaced, pay close attention and see if the symptoms remain.

    Good luck,

    Ken
  • danner3danner3 Member Posts: 2
    Ken, I bought four new tires when I replaced the old ones--I know that I need to replace all four at once. My dilemma now is, what should I ask for from Sears? I'm tempted to ask for four new--not Kelly-Springfield--tires. What do you think?
  • torektorek Member Posts: 92
    I got a small (dime-sized) round "ding" in my windshield shortly after I bought my 2000 Forester S. Got it repaired using the pull-a-vacuum, inject-plastic, set-it-with-UV-light method. The repair is visible, but looks kind of like a bug smear, and is well out of "normal viewing angle", so it is not a problem.

    Chris
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