nello....best place to look will probably be www.crutchfield.com. I suspect that the 01 and 02 Forester speakers would be the same size. You could also call them and confirm the sizes....they provide a wealth of info .
Heh my ABS light went back off for my trip home from work yesterday but was back on again this morning. I don't why annoying little stuff like this is always worse than if something major is going on.
nello: not by heart, but you can pop the covers off in about 2 seconds. Just pull from the bottom and it pops right off. Then you can see the speaker and measure the opening (and depth if you want to).
Gina: have it checked out by a dealer. I'm sure it's nothing.
When I was shopping for the Forester I was willing to pay the premium for the premium features (better sound system, moon roof, and [best of all], the All-Weather package). But the unpainted black bumpers on the L convinced me to go the spartan route; and I've not regretted it. The plastic Subaru uses for the undercladding is like teflon! A hose, a soft brush, and five minutes is all it takes to get it squeeky clean; and as for parking lot scrapes...practically invisible. So (for Greg and everyone else who's in the market), don't overlook the L. That plain black cladding is a premium feature in disguise.
Who needs a brush? I have a pressure washer and don't even have to touch the stuff. It even feels like teflon - slippery but hard. You can skip waxing it or even scrubbing it. Plus it is both scratch resistant and chip-proof.
Okay, in defense of painted bumpers, they're quite low maintenance too. I've found that the softer base cladding makes the paint more chip resistant than on the metal panels. After four years, they're in better shape than the metal panels right above!
Cleaning them is very simple too. I just give them a quick swipe with some soapy water, hose it down and I'm done. Since the paint is a matte finish, I don't even bother wiping off little water beads with a towel.
Ken (sees the logic in upainted cladding but letting people know that painted aint that bad)
I just bought a forester in Taiwan. I have test-drived Mazda tribute 2.0 and 3.0, ford escape 3.0 and honda CR-V. The noise from those cars made me to choose forester as my best choice. The only problem is in Taiwan SUBARU is not a popular company. People in Taiwasn tend to buy card made by TOYOTA, NISSAN, MAZDA, HONDA, MITSUBISHI and FORD. I feel I am like an orphan. Anyway, glad to see a discussion board here.
I'm worried about my Forester, you see I believed the ads about it being good in the backcountry and took it up to McGee Creek trailhead, I ended up wrecking it. On the drive home I noticed that the hood was open so I got out to close it. It was already closed, the whole unibody had twisted and tweaked the hood.
Actually from looking at a few of your past posts in your profile, I think you are just trolling to get some people hot and bothered. If you don't have anything to add to the discussion, then don't :-) Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
Oh I don't think Sowr was really being all that malicious. He has a great post right now up over in Social Issues: The Automotive Perspective. But he did seem to be trying to get a rise out of you guys in here - must be that planetary alignment thing. Steve Host SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
I own a '99 Forester with 30,000 miles on it, bought it used with 19,000. The brakes make an annoying screeching sound, sometimes to the point of embarrasment. I have had the brakes checked by a Subaru dealer who told me they were fine and the noise is "normal". I really don't believe that. Has anyone else experienced this?
To date, the brakes on my 2001 Forester S (28k km, ~17.2k miles) have been totally silent, by far the quietest I've ever had. Rufus does spend the nights under cover however. The Golf he replaced would get very noisy under the same conditions. A good thorough spray at the local DIY car wash would remove the pad dust and quiet the brakes for a while. You may want to try that approach.
I was driving my forester on the highway and suddenly I found the check engine (yellow color) is on. This situation is still there whenever I drive. Any suggestions?
I just bought it for one week. I can't find any solution from the user's guide.
Chuanfang: Since I don't have a Forester yet, I'll let someone more knowledgeable tell you exactly what to do. A steady Check Engine light is rarely a sign of trouble. It probably means you didn't screw the gas cap on tightly enough. I think you just tighten the cap and drive a day or two until the light goes away. Someone will soon post here to confirm that or correct me. But don't worry: it's the flashing Check Engine light that is really worrisome.
Your English is quite good. And you shouldn't apologize for it when writing to all us Americans who barely speak one language, let alone two or three as so much of the world does!
Welcome to this discussion. We enjoy voices from outside our borders, and I'm glad none of those waggling buildings landed on you or your Forester.
Check out the DIU Forester turbo installation over on the Forester forum of www.i-club.com.
Quite an undertaking ang creating a lot of interest. Project is to be completed shortly and if its not excessively expensive or too complicated it would be a great mod for Forester owners.
As Steve said, you are very welcome here and you certainly should not worry about your command of English.
While I've never had the "check engine light" come on in the almost 2 years I've had my Forester, it usually is the result of not tightening the fuel cap tight enough. I always twist it until I've heard 6 or so clicks. It does no harm to twist too much so always give it a few extra. As Steve said, the light should go out in a couple of days. If not, see your dealer. I hope you stay around the boards - we have a lot of fun and share a great deal of (sometimes) useful knowledge.
After researching Tirerack.com for recommended tires for over a week, I've narrowed the choices down to Yokohama Avid T4, BF Goodrich Control T/A M65, Goodyear Aquatred 3, Michelin RainForce MX4,and Yokohama Aegis LS4. I need an all season tire that will get me through heavy snow, but I also need a long distance highway traveler the rest of the year.
I also read two reviews there by Forester owners and was interested in what they had to say about the Bridgestone Blizzack WS-50 and the Michelin ARctic Alpin. Will those two be okay year round, or are they winter only?
Any experience with any of these? Any other recommendations. The consensus on Tirerack seems to be (and I agree) that the Bridgestone Dueler H/T D684 need replacing too soon. Ours has less than 30,000 miles.
No way should winters be used year round. Period. 'Nuff said. I would be interested in hearing from Forester owners with experience with the BF Goodrich skins. They have my attention as eventual replacements for my 2001 Forester S. Thanks, Joe
I also own a 2002 L and do 30-35K year, mostly highway, but in the 7 New England States. After 16K, I replaced the Deulers with a 16" Fox Sport Wheels and Yoko Avid T4's from Tire Rack. These were on special $650 delivered to my door. Put them on, WHAT A DIFFERENCE. They are supposed to be All season, Well next winter will tell (approx 3K on them already and I am please so far. My 2 cents.
Thanks so much! Now I'm thinking about the Yokos. Why Avid Avid T4s over Avid Touring? Based on the surveys I read at tirerack, traction for the T4s was rated 8.2--dry; 7.6--wet; 6.3--snow; and 8.2 for noise, and 7.5 for tread wear. By comparison, the Avid Rouring tire was rated 8.4--dry; 8.1--wet; 6.8--snow; and 8.9 for noise, and 8.6 for tread wear.
I also like the sound of the Goodyear Regatta 2, rated 8.9--dry; 8.1--wet; 7.8--snow; and 8. for noise, and 8.3 for tread wear.
The BF Goodrich Control T/A M65 ratings look like this: rated 8.3--dry; 8.2--wet; 7.5--snow; and 7.5 for noise, and 8.5 for tread wear.
I'm also slightly leary about having tires sent from TireRack and then taking them to an unknown tire center. How did that work for you who've done it? Did you have an alignment done too? What about rotating and balancing and in the future? Last summer I told Sears about the price I'd found on TireRack for Dunlop Sport 5000s for my Miata and they matched it. But they don't seem to have the tires I'm interested in for the Forester.
If you need to drive in heavy snow on a yearly basis, you really should look into dedicated winter tires. All-season tires are designed for a wide range of climates so they are a comprimised design. The initial investment might be high, but if you get some winter tires mounted on some inexpensive steel wheels and use them just in the winter, you'll probably save money by being able to avoid costly fender benders in the long run. Use all-season tires all-year-round only if you live in an area with mild winters that bring occasional light snow.
One other heads up is regarding Tire Rack survey results. These are subjective results within each tire type so you really can't cross-compare numbers from one tire category to another. Also, keep in mind the total number of miles used in each survey -- the higher the number, the more reliable the results will tend to be. Finally, don't place too much weight on a 0.2 difference between tire ratings. Given that these are subjective scales, the difference is probably just noise.
Having said that, what kind of driving do you do outside of winter? If you do tend to drive long distances and are willing to give up some cornering performance for a quieter ride, choose touring tires.
I've ordered from Tire Rack before and had the tires sent to my house. I just loaded them up in the back of my Forester, drove to my local tire shop and had them mounted on my wheels. Shop around, however -- sometimes it's cheaper if you buy and install through one shop rather than mail ordering from Tire Rack. Some shops offer lifetime balancing and rotations if you buy through them.
It's always a good idea to get an alignment when when you do get new tires. I personally think it's best to get the alignment done while you still have your old tires on. A good shop will not only be able to correct your alignment, but they can look at the wear on your old tires and adjust your settings (within spec) based on the wear pattern to maximize tire life.
Last summer, I bought a set of Aqua Tred 3 from Tire Rack for my wife's 2000 Honda Oddyssey and immediately got vibration in the front end. I had them inspected and found three of four to be out-of-round. Tire Rack took them back for full credit, even all the shipping charges, and I switched to Michelins. Around the same time, someone else on these boards was having trouble with the same tires on their Forester. Interestingly enough, when I discussed my problem with Tire Rack, the salesman told me he'd gotten several complaints on the Aqua Tred 3, and was going to stop recommending them to his customers.
For anyone interested in an excellent high-mileage all-season tire for the Forester, we have had very satisfactory results with the BFG Precepts. They give very good traction in the snow and wet, and dry handling on a par with the Yoko Geolanders they replaced. 80,000 mi. warranty and give a very smooth and relatively quiet ride. These are a touring tire, so would be ideal if you do a lot of hwy miles. (I mentioned these in a previous post, but didn't really do them justice. BFG makes some very good tires. The Precepts are made exclusively for Discount Tire--ours were $83 apiece for 225/60R-16s.)
P.S. If you buy tires over the web, it's best to take them to an independant garage that doesn't have an interest in selling tires. That way you don't run the risk of an unscrupulous tire dealer that sells the same tire substituting one of their own out-of-rounds for a good one of yours.
Living in upstate NY, I run a separate set of winter tires for snow and ice (15" Cooper Weather Master XGTs; a good lower-cost alternative to Bridgestones or Michelins). Winter tires are soft and meant for cold temperatures. They will wear out in no time if you run them all year. Separate sets of wheels make sense if you plan to keep your car for a while. You might be able to get a good wheel & tire package from Tire Rack or Discount tire, and bypass the local mounting issue.
Like others on these boards, I recommend 16" size for "summer" use. I bought Dunlop SP Sport A2s in 225-60R16 size through my local tire & suspension shop, who is also a Tire Rack preferred installer. Only slightly more than buying directly from Tire Rack then taking the tires to a local shop for mounting and balancing. This way I got lifetime balancing & rotation - a better deal for about $10 more per wheel. The SP Sport A2s are terrific for the Forester. Very responsive, comfortable; great in both wet and dry. Passably good in snow & slush -for all-season tires.
I'm interested to hear experiences with BF Goodrich touring tires. Couldn't find out much about them in my research this winter. I have also seen several references to Goodyear Aquatred IIIs being out of round.
Checking alignment (at a first-class shop) is a very good idea. It may well save premature wear on those new tires!
I love doing car research, and I like being an informed buyer. There's nothing worse than going down to the Sears or Costco automotive shop and hearing them give you their sales price--good only until Wednesday-- that's $30 more per tire than the same tire online.
I do like having the security of lifetime balancing and rotation, though, so I'll be shopping around.
yes. we also have very noisy brakes on our '98. Been that way from the beginning. So I just had to keep an eye on them because its tough to tell when the brakes are going bad when they squeal ALL THE TIME. Once they did wear down, I had the whole job done by Mieneke (sp?) and got the lifetime warranty. Still squeals most of the time, but I'm just not worried about it anymore. Apparently, its always going to be that way.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The brakes on my 98 Forester have been quiet from day one. Not a squeek from them. Two of my other friends who drive Foresters have never complained of brake noise.
Hi folks, Yesterday I was going to change the oil on my other car, a 1971 VW bus. As it turns out my drainpan/wasteoil storage container was full. So I throw it in the back of our Forester and head for the recycling center to empty the old oil out of it. Along the way I stop at 7-11 for my mid-afternoon coffee and when I come out of the store I look in the back of the Forester. To my horror I see a large puddle of old, used, black, smelly motor oil. Luckily for me it was contained in the rubber tray that covers the cargo area of our 02 L model. Needless to say that the tray got a good scrubbing when I got home. You know, I never even thought about that tray when considering which make and model car to buy. THANKS SUBARU !
Has anyone added a bike rack to their Forester? I checked out www.1stsubaruparts.com and they offer 2 options - the attachment for the roof and the hitch for the back. Does anyone have either of these? What do people recommend?
Hi! I have a 98 Forester S and love it, but have had problems with the A/C for the past 3 years and have not been able to get help. The A/C works when it feels like it, and it usually doesn't on the hottest day when we are driving long distances! It also conks out on short distances too. When it works, it works great. Like an icebox. But when it doesn't, forget it. I have taken it to a couple dealers and no one can figure out the problem. Most of the times I try, it works great for them and they think I'm nuts. Help! What should I do???? -kathy
Scholli- I have the hitch bike rack on the back that we got from Subaru. I do like it because I don't want to haul bikes up to the top of the car...just asking for scratches and dropped bikes!
First off, you probably can get a better price on the bike rack by going to a sports store. The Subaru rack is just a rebranded Yakima. Chances are you're going to pay a little more just because it comes with the Subaru name. Check out www.yakmia.com for more choices.
As for the roof or hitch, each has it's advantages & disadvantages: Roof Mount: + Doesn't block rear visibility + Bikes don't stick out the sides + Safe for parallel parking - Need to lift the bike over your head - Got to remember to remove bikes before pulling into garage
Hitch Mount: + No lifting to mount/dismount your bikes - Total cost (including hitch installation) more expensive (not an issue if you already have a hitch)
When did you first bring in your Forester to have the AC looked at? Did you have the dealer document it (ie. create a repair order)? If yes, I'd take it back and have them try and replicate the problem the way you experience it. If they need to drive it around with the AC on for a while, then they should do it that way.
Also, keep in mind that the AC does cycle on and off even when it's on the coldest setting. You can tell just barely when the compressor shuts off, but it shouldn't be enough so that it feels like the AC has completely stopped.
If the dealer route fails, call 1-800-SUBARU3 and have them open a case # and pursue it from that end. Have patience and it'll be taken care of.
Ken summarized the pro's and con's of roof mount vs hitch mount nicely. Since we wanted a hitch anyway for towing purposes, cost was a wash for us.
If you do go with a hitch mounted rack, I'd look into the Access LT by SoftRide. They have a patented swing out design that holds the bikes parallel to the ground when you pull the rack back to get access to your rear hatch.
It holds 4 bikes, is easy to use, cost is comparable to the Yak's and Thules, but IMHO you get a better design: less sway, easier access to the hatch with the bikes on, very durable and more versatile, since you can replace the bike bars with a ski rack, or mount the whole thing on a wall bracket in your garage for bike storage purposes. We bought ours at REI.
Another wheel bearing question. What we really need is a "search" function so the same issues aren't discussed over and over and ooovvveeerr.
To answer your question 98forester.....this is a quite common problem in some of the Foresters. Attributed to various things but take it to your dealer..he should be well familiar with the problem. I suspect both a bad batch of bearings and more significant ..over torqueing by the installer. Hope this helps....we really do need a SEARCH function!
Yup, the bearings must be installed correctly. If not, they'll fail a 3rd time. Proper torque settings are critical, so I'd make sure the dealer gets it right this time.
Chuanfang Lee: orphan no more, we'll adopt you as our Chief Correspondent, Asia Region. Welcome! :-)
A CEL should not be a big concern as long as it does not blink. If it blinks, park it and call a tow truck. With a solid light, take it in when your next oil change is due, and they'll reset it and read the codes to tell you what it was. Usually its a vaccum leak in the fuel system, which could be a gas cap.
Go away, Troll! Know what's funny? Whenever someone comes here and basically says his Forester spontaneously combusted, we find out it's a troll. Remember the Hondabro debates got ugly, and suddenly a troll shows up and has major complaints? The pattern is always they same - they show up out of nowhere, come up with a creative story, and then vanish, never to be seen posting again. So the only two "lemon" Foresters here were ... bogus!
Paul: I love the cargo mat, too. I can hardly believe that's one of the things they cut costs by removing from the 2003.
I have the hitch and hitch mounted bike rack. Another advantage is that you can still use the roof for a cargo carrier, which I do.
luvacat: ask the dealer to scuff the pads to remove any glazing. And tell your spouse/significant other not to ride the brakes (kidding). Also, when you wash the car, make sure to spray the brakes, especially the rear drums (from the inside) if you have an L to get the dust out. Finally, when you rotate the tires, spray on some brake cleaner because they get filthy. While you're at it spray some lithium grease on the sway bar bushings to prevent suspension squeeks.
Bsvoller, Softride racks look like what I'm looking for. Was interested in a hitch mount, and followed your link for more info on that brand. Might have to wait a little while on the rack, since I just bought the Forester, and ordered some parts from REI to use my roof-mounted Yakima bike racks. But it's on my wish list now.
The "Car-B-Q" feature looks cool, too. (A barbecue grill built into a small table that mounts on the Softride rack when the bikes are off). One of the many things that I could almost certainly live without, but want to have anyway.
REI...love that store. It's dangerous for me to walk in one, I seldom walk out without having purchased something.
Hondabro, what a blast from the past! It's become easier to pick out trolls as we amass more information here. Sometimes checking the user profile gives it away too.
Hey, Forester fans, only about 2 weeks till the 03s hit the showrooms. This is gonna be cool! And then we start getting reports from real people who have driven real Foresters, not journalist hacks who are artfully rewriting Subaru press releases.
On that wheel bearing issue, is this maybe something to put in the Subie FAX sheet juice and Bob have been mulling over?
Yeah, Ken. Another thing trolls have in common - no info in their profile. Though some regulars also don't publish info.
The FAQ list ended up being a link to Subaru's site, which already had one. FWIW the new wheel bearings on the Impreza are of a different (more fault tolerant) design and no longer have such problems.
Comments
Hope this helps : )
Gina: have it checked out by a dealer. I'm sure it's nothing.
-juice
(wish it came on the Outback),
YetAnotherDave
-juice (a huge fan of unpainted cladding)
Cleaning them is very simple too. I just give them a quick swipe with some soapy water, hose it down and I'm done. Since the paint is a matte finish, I don't even bother wiping off little water beads with a towel.
Ken (sees the logic in upainted cladding but letting people know that painted aint that bad)
I just bought a forester in Taiwan. I have test-drived Mazda tribute 2.0 and 3.0, ford escape 3.0 and honda CR-V. The noise from those cars made me to choose forester as my best choice. The only problem is in Taiwan SUBARU is not a popular company. People in Taiwasn tend to buy card made by TOYOTA, NISSAN, MAZDA, HONDA, MITSUBISHI and FORD. I feel I am like an orphan. Anyway, glad to see a discussion board here.
Chuanfang Lee
Steve
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-Dave
The good news is that my CD player still works.
Actually from looking at a few of your past posts in your profile, I think you are just trolling to get some people hot and bothered. If you don't have anything to add to the discussion, then don't :-)
Steve
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Steve -- Nice catch.
Ken
Steve
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Ed
Ross
I just bought it for one week. I can't find any solution from the user's guide.
Thanks in advance.
Lee
I am living in Taipei where we just had an 6.3 earthquake. I was on the road then seeing the overhead bridge and buildings waggling.
Sorry, my English is quite poor.
Chuanfang Lee
Your English is quite good. And you shouldn't apologize for it when writing to all us Americans who barely speak one language, let alone two or three as so much of the world does!
Welcome to this discussion. We enjoy voices from outside our borders, and I'm glad none of those waggling buildings landed on you or your Forester.
Steve
Quite an undertaking ang creating a lot of interest. Project is to be completed shortly and if its not excessively expensive or too complicated it would be a great mod for Forester owners.
While I've never had the "check engine light" come on in the almost 2 years I've had my Forester, it usually is the result of not tightening the fuel cap tight enough. I always twist it until I've heard 6 or so clicks. It does no harm to twist too much so always give it a few extra. As Steve said, the light should go out in a couple of days. If not, see your dealer. I hope you stay around the boards - we have a lot of fun and share a great deal of (sometimes) useful knowledge.
Ross
troyy2k "Nissan Murano" Apr 21, 2002 8:31am
Steve
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I also read two reviews there by Forester owners and was interested in what they had to say about the Bridgestone Blizzack WS-50 and the Michelin ARctic Alpin. Will those two be okay year round, or are they winter only?
Any experience with any of these? Any other recommendations. The consensus on Tirerack seems to be (and I agree) that the Bridgestone Dueler H/T D684 need replacing too soon. Ours has less than 30,000 miles.
Thanks!
I would be interested in hearing from Forester owners with experience with the BF Goodrich skins.
They have my attention as eventual replacements for my 2001 Forester S.
Thanks,
Joe
I also like the sound of the Goodyear Regatta 2, rated 8.9--dry; 8.1--wet; 7.8--snow; and 8. for noise, and 8.3 for tread wear.
The BF Goodrich Control T/A M65 ratings look like this: rated 8.3--dry; 8.2--wet; 7.5--snow; and 7.5 for noise, and 8.5 for tread wear.
I'm also slightly leary about having tires sent from TireRack and then taking them to an unknown tire center. How did that work for you who've done it? Did you have an alignment done too? What about rotating and balancing and in the future? Last summer I told Sears about the price I'd found on TireRack for Dunlop Sport 5000s for my Miata and they matched it. But they don't seem to have the tires I'm interested in for the Forester.
Any more opinions? Advice? Thanks!
One other heads up is regarding Tire Rack survey results. These are subjective results within each tire type so you really can't cross-compare numbers from one tire category to another. Also, keep in mind the total number of miles used in each survey -- the higher the number, the more reliable the results will tend to be. Finally, don't place too much weight on a 0.2 difference between tire ratings. Given that these are subjective scales, the difference is probably just noise.
Having said that, what kind of driving do you do outside of winter? If you do tend to drive long distances and are willing to give up some cornering performance for a quieter ride, choose touring tires.
I've ordered from Tire Rack before and had the tires sent to my house. I just loaded them up in the back of my Forester, drove to my local tire shop and had them mounted on my wheels. Shop around, however -- sometimes it's cheaper if you buy and install through one shop rather than mail ordering from Tire Rack. Some shops offer lifetime balancing and rotations if you buy through them.
It's always a good idea to get an alignment when when you do get new tires. I personally think it's best to get the alignment done while you still have your old tires on. A good shop will not only be able to correct your alignment, but they can look at the wear on your old tires and adjust your settings (within spec) based on the wear pattern to maximize tire life.
Ken
I hope this helps,
Len
(I mentioned these in a previous post, but didn't really do them justice. BFG makes some very good tires. The Precepts are made exclusively for Discount Tire--ours were $83 apiece for 225/60R-16s.)
P.S. If you buy tires over the web, it's best to take them to an independant garage that doesn't have an interest in selling tires.
That way you don't run the risk of an unscrupulous tire dealer that sells the same tire substituting one of their own out-of-rounds for a good one of yours.
Like others on these boards, I recommend 16" size for "summer" use. I bought Dunlop SP Sport A2s in 225-60R16 size through my local tire & suspension shop, who is also a Tire Rack preferred installer. Only slightly more than buying directly from Tire Rack then taking the tires to a local shop for mounting and balancing. This way I got lifetime balancing & rotation - a better deal for about $10 more per wheel. The SP Sport A2s are terrific for the Forester. Very responsive, comfortable; great in both wet and dry. Passably good in snow & slush -for all-season tires.
I'm interested to hear experiences with BF Goodrich touring tires. Couldn't find out much about them in my research this winter. I have also seen several references to Goodyear Aquatred IIIs being out of round.
Checking alignment (at a first-class shop) is a very good idea. It may well save premature wear on those new tires!
Good luck.
John
I do like having the security of lifetime balancing and rotation, though, so I'll be shopping around.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Ken
Yesterday I was going to change the oil on my other car, a 1971 VW bus. As it turns out my drainpan/wasteoil storage container was full. So I throw it in the back of our Forester and head for the recycling center to empty the old oil out of it. Along the way I stop at 7-11 for my mid-afternoon coffee and when I come out of the store I look in the back of the Forester. To my horror I see a large puddle of old, used, black, smelly motor oil. Luckily for me it was contained in the rubber tray that covers the cargo area of our 02 L model. Needless to say that the tray got a good scrubbing when I got home. You know, I never even thought about that tray when considering which make and model car to buy. THANKS SUBARU !
Paul
thanks,
Scholli
The A/C works when it feels like it, and it usually doesn't on the hottest day when we are driving long distances! It also conks out on short distances too.
When it works, it works great. Like an icebox. But when it doesn't, forget it.
I have taken it to a couple dealers and no one can figure out the problem. Most of the times I try, it works great for them and they think I'm nuts.
Help! What should I do????
-kathy
I have the hitch bike rack on the back that we got from Subaru. I do like it because I don't want to haul bikes up to the top of the car...just asking for scratches and dropped bikes!
It works well, assembles quickly, no complaints.
my 2 cents.
-k
First off, you probably can get a better price on the bike rack by going to a sports store. The Subaru rack is just a rebranded Yakima. Chances are you're going to pay a little more just because it comes with the Subaru name. Check out www.yakmia.com for more choices.
As for the roof or hitch, each has it's advantages & disadvantages:
Roof Mount:
+ Doesn't block rear visibility
+ Bikes don't stick out the sides
+ Safe for parallel parking
- Need to lift the bike over your head
- Got to remember to remove bikes before pulling into garage
Hitch Mount:
+ No lifting to mount/dismount your bikes
- Total cost (including hitch installation) more expensive (not an issue if you already have a hitch)
I went with a Yakmia Steelhead roof mount system.
Ken
Also, keep in mind that the AC does cycle on and off even when it's on the coldest setting. You can tell just barely when the compressor shuts off, but it shouldn't be enough so that it feels like the AC has completely stopped.
If the dealer route fails, call 1-800-SUBARU3 and have them open a case # and pursue it from that end. Have patience and it'll be taken care of.
Ken
If you do go with a hitch mounted rack, I'd look into the Access LT by SoftRide. They have a patented swing out design that holds the bikes parallel to the ground when you pull the rack back to get access to your rear hatch.
It holds 4 bikes, is easy to use, cost is comparable to the Yak's and Thules, but IMHO you get a better design: less sway, easier access to the hatch with the bikes on, very durable and more versatile, since you can replace the bike bars with a ski rack, or mount the whole thing on a wall bracket in your garage for bike storage purposes. We bought ours at REI.
Check them out at www.softride.com.
hth
anyone can help is much appriciated.
To answer your question 98forester.....this is a quite common problem in some of the Foresters.
Attributed to various things but take it to your dealer..he should be well familiar with the problem. I suspect both a bad batch of bearings and more significant ..over torqueing by the installer.
Hope this helps....we really do need a SEARCH function!
Chuanfang Lee: orphan no more, we'll adopt you as our Chief Correspondent, Asia Region. Welcome! :-)
A CEL should not be a big concern as long as it does not blink. If it blinks, park it and call a tow truck. With a solid light, take it in when your next oil change is due, and they'll reset it and read the codes to tell you what it was. Usually its a vaccum leak in the fuel system, which could be a gas cap.
Go away, Troll! Know what's funny? Whenever someone comes here and basically says his Forester spontaneously combusted, we find out it's a troll. Remember the Hondabro debates got ugly, and suddenly a troll shows up and has major complaints? The pattern is always they same - they show up out of nowhere, come up with a creative story, and then vanish, never to be seen posting again. So the only two "lemon" Foresters here were ... bogus!
Paul: I love the cargo mat, too. I can hardly believe that's one of the things they cut costs by removing from the 2003.
I have the hitch and hitch mounted bike rack. Another advantage is that you can still use the roof for a cargo carrier, which I do.
luvacat: ask the dealer to scuff the pads to remove any glazing. And tell your spouse/significant other not to ride the brakes (kidding). Also, when you wash the car, make sure to spray the brakes, especially the rear drums (from the inside) if you have an L to get the dust out. Finally, when you rotate the tires, spray on some brake cleaner because they get filthy. While you're at it spray some lithium grease on the sway bar bushings to prevent suspension squeeks.
-juice
The "Car-B-Q" feature looks cool, too. (A barbecue grill built into a small table that mounts on the Softride rack when the bikes are off). One of the many things that I could almost certainly live without, but want to have anyway.
Hondabro, what a blast from the past! It's become easier to pick out trolls as we amass more information here. Sometimes checking the user profile gives it away too.
Ken
On that wheel bearing issue, is this maybe something to put in the Subie FAX sheet juice and Bob have been mulling over?
Yeah, Ken. Another thing trolls have in common - no info in their profile. Though some regulars also don't publish info.
The FAQ list ended up being a link to Subaru's site, which already had one. FWIW the new wheel bearings on the Impreza are of a different (more fault tolerant) design and no longer have such problems.
-juice