I Need Some Support!!!!

[SubieGuy]

Hey all,

This is more for owners of '99 to '04 Legacy models, but would welcome ANY help!!!

 

I own an '03 Special Edition Sedan and have already had my left head gasket replaced at around 30K. Of course, I called Subaru and they REFUSE to lump me in with the old recall of '99 to '02 Legacy models with the 2.5 because my car is an '03. I ADAMANTLY pointed out that my '03 has the same problem as those cars, but to no avail.

 

HERE'S MY ISSUE: I am smelling coolant again inside my car when I am sitting still and it is hot. Same as I did before, so I'm guessing it's the same problem. Car is going back in on the 17th of October to be diagnosed. The service manager told me that the resevoir/overflow tank for the coolant should fluctuate and I shouldn't put too much faith in that. My question is if it was full 6 months ago and is below the fill level now, WHERE IS IT GOING IF IT ISN'T LEAKING????

 

Let me know if you have similar issues, I'm looking to nail Subaru for this. I sold Subies for 2 years and absolutely LOVE them, but this is breaking my faith in them.

[rallispec]

you are still under warranty, right?

[SubieGuy]

I AM still under warranty, but the facts are:

 

1. Subaru obviously failed to identify ALL of the cars affected by the recall.

2. The dealership didn't fix my car adequately enough the first time.

 

This is a pain in the @$$ for me to have to do this. I have to take off work, etc. and drive to a dealership that is 35 mins from home. Closest one is 25 mins!

[BrownBoy]

Call SOA directly and explain your situation. It might help...

[Drakuun]

I smell coolant from my motor as well, however, I've never had a head gasket replaced....

 

Ask the shop to 'check their work' kindly.

[agctr]

Cant they give u a loaner till the job is fixed ?

Ada///M.

[SubieGuy]

I HAVE spoken with Subaru and they only pi$$ed me off more. The dealership does provide loaners...last time was an '05 L Wagon. Since this is my second head gasket repair in 6 months, maybe I'll ask for an STi? What do you think my chances are???? LMFAO!

[Drakuun]

Subieguy..

 

I was a little worried that SOA might give you some sort of run around.

Mainly because, it would be the responsibility of the installing dealership to check their work, and make sure the repair functions properly. I know SOA is the parent, and they can make things harder on non-complient or bad techs.. but there really isn't anything much they can do beyond that.

 

I had a very similar situation with a Dodge pickup I owned.

@ 28k my camshaft snapped clean in half. 1 complete rebuild.

@50k I had to have one of my heads replaced because when they assembled at 28k they messed it up.

@80k I had to have a complete rebuild because when they replaced the head at 50k they didn't do it right AGAIN, and ended up warping my block which also got replaced..

 

DMC paid for the motor and stuck me with labor for the tune of $1000.00.

Needless to say, I'm never driving another DMC product EVER.. and

 

I'd seriouly challenge SOA to maintain some record of your vehicle, and if it breaks again tell them they are buying it back.

 

I wish to this day I would've taken it stright to the top with my truck and got it replaced.. it was never ever right after 28k..and it never ran right after any of the repairs. Id hate ot think that you've had the life of your engine shortened by probably at least 50 or 60 thousand miles due to faulty workmanship.

 

I say stick it to them..

[SubieGuy]

I am not one to be taken advantage of...TRUST ME! My wife had a FINE Chrysler product (Dodge Grand Caravan). We had to have the same wheel bearing replaced within 30K, the belt tensioner had problems at about 40K, and the transmission went at 60K. When the transmission was being replaced, we found out that the lines to the rear heat and air had corroded and needed replaced. We had an extended warranty THANK GOD!!! My wife NEVER agrees to buy one, but I made her that time because I hate Chrysler/Dodge/Mitsu. It was her vehicle, so she chose that. WE WILL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER!

 

If Subaru doesn't take care of me, I hate to say it, but this will be my last too!

[bdisco]

labor for the tune of $1000.00.

 

For a complete rebuild?

 

Wife's MDX has had Tranny replaced @ 45k mi. Asked Acura for an extended warranty, no go. Dealer covers work for 1yr. If the rebuilt tranny goes @ 75k Acura would be happy to work with me thru thier "Goodwill Program". I would get another crappy rebuilt transmission and only have to pay labor. Good Deal!!!

[kiem]

For a complete rebuild?

 

Wife's MDX has had Tranny replaced @ 45k mi. Asked Acura for an extended warranty, no go. Dealer covers work for 1yr. If the rebuilt tranny goes @ 75k Acura would be happy to work with me thru thier "Goodwill Program". I would get another crappy rebuilt transmission and only have to pay labor. Good Deal!!!

 

 

My sister's MDX also had a tranny replaced at 75K - luckily she has the 100K extended warranty. This you dont expect from a luxury Honda - guess they arent that reliable anymore.

[agctr]

U WILL HAVE NO CHANCE OF GETTING A STi FOR A LOANER EVER........... lol but this sounds really weird. Any chance you can go to a different dealership and see if they can offer to help?

Also when speaking to SOA, try and go up the chain a bit more, if possible try and get to the MD, at the end of the day U are paying their wage by purchasing Subaru etc etc.

 

If all this fails, it might be time to look at offloading for a new one.

Ada///M.

[SubieGuy]

U WILL HAVE NO CHANCE OF GETTING A STi FOR A LOANER EVER........... lol but this sounds really weird. Any chance you can go to a different dealership and see if they can offer to help?

Also when speaking to SOA, try and go up the chain a bit more, if possible try and get to the MD, at the end of the day U are paying their wage by purchasing Subaru etc etc.

 

If all this fails, it might be time to look at offloading for a new one.

Ada///M.

 

The Sti comment was a joke (obviously!). I HAVE been to a different dealer. The first dealer put the SOA recommended conditioner in the coolant...that worked really well! I took it back after still smelling coolant and that same dealer told me it was probably still burning off the engine. So, after a few months of it "burning off" and not improving I went to another dealer (the one that ended up replacing the gasket). Even at THAT dealership the first time, they told me they couldn't find a leak after pressure testing it. So, I left, only to smell the same smell a couple months more! I was PISSED and called that dealership back, INSISTING that I had a leak because my coolant level was down. After arguing with the service manager, I brought it to that second dealership. I drove the car HARD on the way down so the engine was nice and hot. Guess what? The could see the leak without even pressure testing it when I got there.

[Drakuun]

All the TSB's I've read about the leak in our 2.5 all state that the leak is very hard to track down because it's more or less a seep and not a full on pouring out your gasket thing. If it weren't for the residue on my pipe guards and the occasional waft of coolant, I couldn't tell you I had a seep.

 

Beginning of summer, I put coolant in, and it's still at the exact same mark it was when I filled it 4 months ago.. Then again, Mine only really does it when it's cold out, although after a night at <40 degrees, I didn't smell it this morning at all.

[Cynder]

My sister's MDX also had a tranny replaced at 75K - luckily she has the 100K extended warranty. This you dont expect from a luxury Honda - guess they arent that reliable anymore.

 

Tons of threads at Honda enthusiast sites about the horrible auto tranny's that Honda makes. To read them you'd think 1 out of every 3 was defective.

 

Scary.

[mach_six]

Is this related to the recall or something? I think the fix of the radiator or whatever special additives they're putting into the cars radiator is a joke. If there's a problem with the cooling system fix it instead of hoping this additive will correct 90% of all people's problem. Seems like they're going for quick fix.

[Drakuun]

I read it as a recall notice.. the addative thing.. I saw it online only, but when I brought it up to my Dealer he seemed to know what I was talking about. So I took it as Legit. I myself haven't had it done though.

 

As for my Leak Subie Guy.. I took another poke around the engine bay yesterday and found more info.. Seems, I was mistaken on the location of my leak.

 

My Seep is on the driver side of the engine, towards the firewall, between the Block and Head right at the bottom corner and or undere the motor someplace.. I can't quite see that down there yet.. gotta get some lift on it..

 

Anyways, It seeps out onto the axle boot and then drips along some rubber line thats down there next to my exhaust pipes.. but not actually ON the exhaust. The reason it seems to me to take so long to burn off is because it's not on the pipes directly, but being burned off by the ambient heat generated by the pipes.

 

Again, It's not like a full on leak, but a seep.. I saw one tiny droplet on the lines down there yesterday.. agian, no spots on the ground, and it's relatively clean down there not like soaking w/ coolant.

 

Given my other engine noise, the fact that my car makes strange fluttering noises that I don't believe to be "natural"

to my engine, I'm taking it in to have it looked at before my 60k is up.

 

Now I have something to go on..

[mach_six]

I just did an oil change on my 02 Forester and it was down about 1qt. I am using Mobil 1 synthetic probably driven it more than 7.5k miles already but noticed the coolant goes down I filled it up a few months ago and now it's approaching low again and there residue on the plastic engine guard. I think I need to bring it in for service too and hopefully not the same problem you got. Just wondering does your car makes a vibrating metal sound also when you first start your car and shift it in reverse assuming you don't warm up your car.

[Drakuun]

Just wondering does your car makes a vibrating metal sound also when you first start your car and shift it in reverse assuming you don't warm up your car.

 

Nope.. all mine does is make sort of a fluttering noise, mostly when warm.

[SubieGuy]

The problem leak has almost ALWAYS been the driver side. According to Subaru, they have had problems with the left head gasket, externally. As for noises, my valves rattle at low RPMs, and I have been told by two or three service managers that it is a characteristic of the 2.5 engine. Makes me nervous...don't like all of the different noises, etc. I had a '95 sedan with the 2.2 and that thing was flawless!

[SubieGuy]

Guess what? My last head gasket (left side, of course) lasted only 9,000 miles. It is being replaced AGAIN.

 

Guess what else???? Subaru won't give me the extended warranty they gave to the recalled cars ('99 to '02) because my car is an '03. Same problem + different year = SCREWED. I will NOT let them get away with it.

 

As the Joker said in Batman..."Wait til they get a load of me..."

[adamthegreek]

My 03 gt goes in tomorow for an evaluation of the same problem. have only had it 4 months and noticed the smell a few weeks back. Got to looking at it this weekend and noticed the leak on the driver side. From everything i have read it says they will prbably put the stop leak in it to fix the problem. Has anyone had any luck with having soa replace the head gasket? I would rather that than the stop leak option. I would also like to see if i can the 2 pistons replaced to stop the slap noise. What are my odds?