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Comments
Thanks for clearing that up. That makes it even more strange -- I couldn't imagine treadwear in 4 months being the culprit. Did you do any towing with the Forester? If the Subaru dealer is right about the size difference, then I would suspect a quality control problem with the the tires. I would explain to the Sears manager about the needs of AWD vehicles and see if they can verify the problem. Also, check to see if there is a treadwear guarantee for the tires. If they do agree, I would get a different brand.
My concern is that there might be something else wrong that's causing the "jerkyness" you described. First, however, you need to rule out the possbility of the tires.
Good luck,
Ken
Cristina
-mike
I'm back from SC with a couple of questions. First, how have you all dealt with the problem of having your Soob's window glass freeze to the weather-stripping? I left mine parked in an open-air long-term parking lot near the airport while I was gone. It snowed and thawed while I was gone and there was ice between the glass and the strip. I was afraid I would tear up the strip when I pulled the door open.
Second, have any of you dealt with Hadwin-White Subaru in Conway, SC? They're primarily a Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealership and, if I recall correctly, were taken to task on one of the national news magazine shows (20-20, Dateline, I don't know which) for among other things reselling lemons (the GMs, not the Subarus). Due to my parents' health I have a feeling I'll be spending more of my time down there in the near future. H-W is the closest dealer for many miles; the next closest are in Wilmington, NC (75 mi.), Charleston, SC (100 mi.) or Columbia, SC (120 mi.). If they are as horrific as their reputation I might be better off flying down and renting a car each trip.
As always, thanks in advance for your thoughts.
Ed
I've used aerosol silicone spray applied to a cloth, then wiped on the weatherstripping. Not a complete cure, but a big help.
I'm fortunate that I have a heated garage available at work, so I can leave all the doors open to dry out once in awhile. Not an option for most, but the silicone thing usually works.
Cheers!
Paul
My Soob is rarely garaged; although we have an unheated two-car garage at home, my wife's Accord gets one bay while my '63 Studebaker gets the other. I figure the Forester can handle the elements better than the Stude.
Thanks again,
Ed
I've also had good results with the silicone spray. I've read to not to spray it directly because the aerosol chemicals are bad for the seal (plus it makes a mess).
I'm originally from Myrtle Beach and had my '97 OBS serviced and H.W. a couple of years ago while visiting my parents. It was only for an oil change and I didn't have any problems (now I do my own). I liked the way the service area was set up because you drive into the service bay. With any dealer, it's a good idea to check their work thoroughly. Any problems just call SOA.
Dennis
As for keeping your windows from sticking, you might want to try a silicon lube on the rubber. Just make sure to wipe up the excess!
see the following if you're interested in more:
http://www.roadtestonline.com/MAINTENANCE/tomt/tt-winter-salt-02.shtml
Will be going in for service in January. Need some advice on how to discuss with dealer. Is this a problem for anyone else and is the cushion replaceable with no cost to me?
Michael D.
Happy New Year!
Patti
Cheer up - there are not many customer's that we can't help!!
Patti
Garry
www.subaruclub.com
In the NY area, try Staten Island Subaru/Isuzu, talk to Mark or Ira 718-979-9595 they can and will order anything you want, and do have some with factory alarms.
-mike
Also (but perhaps I should put this in "mods"): I looked for the fender flares that Juice mentioned ages ago, in the dealer's "Forester accessories", and did not see them. Where does one get them and how hard are they really to install?
Chris
James
Do you park your Forester outdoors? Or indoors?
Since you mentioned that you were driving in snow yesterday, you reminded me of an awful wheel imbalance or shimmy that I experienced about fifteen years ago. This was also a day after having driven in slushy snow. The stuff had frozen into a solid block on the lower inside of one of my wheels. When I drove the car it didn't break loose until I brought it into a shop for a wheel balace job. That was when they discovered the ice block, hit it with a hammer to break it free, and sent me on my way. No problems since.
-mike
Sounds like ice build up in your rims. Clear away the snow and make sure you don't have big chunks of ice on your wheels. Waxing your wheels helps prevent ice build up somewhat.
Ken
Dennis
You guys were right on target. I knocked a good sized chunk of ice off the right front wheel, problem solved! I absolutely would have been trucking into the local garage for an alignment had it not been for this forum:) Thanks again.
James
Jason
Thanks for the input on both topics.
I grew up between Aynor and Conway - graduated from Aynor HS - more detail than that and you'll really think I'm a redneck. I rented an Outback for a visit in July and drove my Forester down in September. Used both on a lot of dirt roads in the swamps of Horry and Marion Counties. I found the Forester superior in that regard (though I had to be careful as the OB had SC tags and the F has PA tags) so I've made the right choice for now.
Ed
Dennis
-Frank P.
I graduated from Aynor in '81 and my mom did in '57. We lived - my folks still do - between Cool Springs and Bayboro, which is pretty close to Loris - clser to Loris than Myrtle Beach, actually. They own a weekend house on the Little Pee Dee in Marion County; it was taking all those dirt roads through the swamps to get there where I gave my Forester its best workout.
I currently live in Bucks County, PA, about 40 minutes NNE of Philly. Any more of this small world talk and we'll have to take it offline - which I'd be plenty happy to do. (Apologies to the rest of the board - it's so rare to find Southerners who reverse migrated!)
Ed
Much, much better reviews than the XGT H4. The only good Michelin XGT is the PILOT XGT and you pay for it ($160 ea in 205/55-16).
-Colin
New Forester will get Dunlops (if available) when the time comes.
-Tony
I think my dad used to live in Cool Springs. My e-mail address is in my profile.
Dennis
'skid plate' to get at the drain plug and filter.
Any problems with leaving this skid plate off
permanently? It's a real pain having to remove
it every 5000 miles.
It's funny, since the steel skid plates on my Trooper aren't required to be removed for oil changes! (Then again I don't need a jack either )
-mike
I do not need a jack to do oil changes on the Forester. I just drive it up onto the thin/flat side of a pair of 2x6s, which gets it an extra 1.5 inches up off the concrete -- just enough room. (I had real ramps for the Acura, where the filter is behind the engine, but I lost them in a move long ago.)
Chris
FYI: I'd normally do a search of the entire topic but unless I'm missing something, that function doesn't exist with the new software. Hopefully Edmunds will restore this useful feature in the near future.
-Frank P.
Does anyone know if this reprogramming of security system is something I can do on my own, or does it require a visit to the dealer?
The dealer can reprogram for sure, but if it's ovoid then it's Alpine and I might be able to help if you want to DIY.
-Colin
-brian/subearu
Since no one in this chat room told me that they had a similar experience with their Foresters, I took the car to Fitzgerald Subaru yesterday (the noise is still there). The dealer told me that the noise came from the rear differential and they had to special order a new rear differential for me. When the new differential arrives (I don't know when), the dealer would put it in free of charge (still under warranty because my car had only 700 miles). So for all Forester owners out there, if you hear a low-volume noise that sounds like a jet engine, have your Forester checked it out.
Patti: I am really disappointed with Subaru's quality control. I bought my Forester from the dealer when it had only 9 miles on it (on a day immediately following the arrival of the car at the dealer's lot). The dealer test drove the car on the day before I bought it and yet the dealer did not notice the problem with the rear differential (or the dealer chose to ignore it). In my excitement of driving the new car home for about 15 miles, I did not notice the whining noise. But I could definitely hear the noise the second day after I bought the car. Because of this problem, I changed my recommendation to my friend who has been looking to buy a car with AWD. I originally told him to consider Subaru. But now I would tell him to NOT consider Subaru. U.S. customers deserve better quality control from an automobile manufacturer than this. U.S. customers also deserve better quality control from an automobile dealer than this. It really bothers me that a dealer would sell a new car to a customer with a mechanical problem that the customer detects the second day after taking delivery.
Jay
-mike
-mike
I'd leave the cover on because it keeps the engine bay clean. It may also help aerodynamics some.
Let's see what the fix is before we jump to conclusions on that rear diffy. It could just be low on gear oil.
-juice
Ken