Audioi

After 5 years this is our only complaint with the Subie. We have had 5 other new cars since then and none can compete with the lousy system in this car.

Not Ford, Chevrolet, VW, Audi or Cadillac.

I hear ya. Most of the time, I just want ambient, outside air, but the thing roasts me until I turn on the AC. Such a shame, since it's been such a nice car otherwise. Coming here and seeing that it's not just mine (after two trips to the dealer and being told there's nothing wrong with it) has made it not bother me as much. (Thanks guys...*sniff*... ) Should I be comforted that it's just a bad design instead of something broken that they're apparently not going to fix?

 

I just found this:

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/oneyear/112_0511_lt_2005_subaru_legacy_gt/index.html

 

"We took our Legacy GT sedan into the dealer for its 15,000-mile service and had it re-inspect the automatic climate-control system, which was regulating the ventilation by blowing hot air, then cold, then hot again, never generating the proper temperatures. During a previous visit, it was checked and found normal. Reader Tom Vani wrote that he'd had a similar situation with his Subaru Outback H6, so we showed the dealer a copy of Tom's e-mail with the recommended fix."

 

Recommended fix? I can't find an email address on the site for the author. I want to know what he's referring to.

The manufacturer called me on this and I gave them a Blazing review. They say there working on a fix.. Yea sure.

Good lord the climate control sucks. WTF is wrong with good old manual controls? Now that it's getting cold I noticed that if I turn the thing down to 66 degrees, it's still blasting liquid hot magma heated air through the vents, yet if I turn it down 1 friggin' degree to 65, it's blasting me with cool air that makes me freeze ma ass off, so my entire way in to work I constantly juggle the stupid knob back and forth between the two trying to get comfortable, but never achieving it.... Acccckkkkkk.

Yay for overcomplicating simple controls !!!!

See!!!! Now you know what were talking about.

I even did the mod that forces air from the cabin into the intake sensor and it still functions in the sam crazy manner.

My biggest beef with the car.

I can tell you this, the system in my Audi works perfect!

I would first drive the car and see what happens. Also check to see if they put any dome lights for the front driver & pass.

Make sure you report back when you check it out.

I wrote to the company and enclosed some complaints. Never heard a word.

Maybe when Toyota takes over things will be different!

Like I've said, nice car but it would be a better ride if you could downgrade to the manual temp control or stuff anyone else's climate control in it.

My wife said its best to regulate it with the windows.

They REALLY need to correct this!

I have since given this car to my wife and purchased a new Audi and I was almost getting used to the quirky crappy climate control until now.

This is a issue they really need to correct.

Actually I did the Ram Air modification months ago. I used a 18 volt fan and its much quieter, then I relocated the sensor and located the fan just inside of the outer panel. The install went well and it does a nice job forcing the intake air into the sensor.

I have news for you, thats not the only problem with the system.

On a cold morning say 20 degrees outside with the settings both set to 70 degrees the system goes into heat mode and pumps the car to 76. Then the A/C turns on to bring the car back to the set level. It tapers down near 72 and will hold true within reason. If during this time you set the controls to 66 instead of 70 the car heats up to 72 then tapers back into a more comfortable setting. If at anytime you turn it down from 66 to 65 you automatically get A/C down to 63 degrees cabin and then gradually floats up to 65.

In essence this is still the WORST Heat - A/C system I have had in any of the over 30 new cars I have purchased.

Darn good thing this car works well in the snow or it would be in someone elses garage.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask. I have invested over 11 hours inside this dash and have the scars to prove it.

Mike S

I agree, the ATC in my wifes new Sonata is superior to any of the others I have had by a longshot. Maybe Subaru needs to start paying attention.

BTY I even went as far as tearing the dash apart and installing a micro fan to force air into the induction system with still the same lousy results.

There is a fix. Order a entire console panel including the radio and temp controls from the base car !

Or trade it in on a Hummer:lol: :lol:

Mine is a 07 Ltd.

Ther is very little room back there and even less to get your fingers in.

Basically you have the intake connected to a white pipe that leads into the HVAC.

I am working on a small device to plug in behind the sensor that will force air slowly into the tube. Primarily a fan induction.

Thats after I finish the audio system.