Jump to content
LegacyGT.com

OK, when it is time to start making an issue out of this.... no car, 3 weeks


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 74
  • Created
  • Last Reply
going from an average of 30 mpg down to 21 is something to be concerned about.. even my old ass 2003 Subaru gives me 24 on the same route... you mean to tell me a 11 year newer car gets worse gas mileage despite only having 1/4 of the mileage... seriously...
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do not think so as this is the second year in a row where they bled the system and heat was fine for the rest of the winter... question is, where is this car sucking air into the cooling system from?

 

Possible blow head gasket? Ever overflow on coolant?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well this morning was fun... go out to car and it is dead with only security light blinking like mad... manually open door and I hear relays clicking under dash....

 

so I pull out my Rockford Pocket Power Jump Starter, slap it on the battery and hit the boost button.. Car gets a shot of juice into battery and comes to life...starts up... now I am going to have to order a battery as once the go dead, getting them back is not really long term solution. Dekka AGM battery here I come...

 

as for blown head gasket, I do not think so as the car would exhibit other symptoms like coolant in exhaust or crap on the plugs, or external leak and coolant level would not be low with no evidence of it all over the engine bay...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as for blown head gasket, I do not think so as the car would exhibit other symptoms like coolant in exhaust or crap on the plugs, or external leak and coolant level would not be low with no evidence of it all over the engine bay...

 

Not necessarily if the head gasket has a small leak from the combustion change to coolant. I have seen a few cars with no other obvious symptoms other than air in the coolant system and slowing losing coolant. Test the anti-freeze mixture and pressurize the coolant system. (I think some here mentioned sometimes Subaru coolant conditioner has false positives on the coolant test) The coolant has to be going somewhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually had that same issue with my old Grand Am- it would run fine under about 45 MPH, but anything above that was enough to push a little exhaust into the coolant, which collected at the coolant temp sensor and immediately buried the needle on the temperature gauge and dropped the car into limp mode. This was a 15-year-old car, and I was also starting to notice the transmission slipping on the 2-3 shift after it was warm, so I dumped a bottle of stop leak in there and traded it in. I didn't see any evidence of coolant in the exhaust, just the air pocket showing up under higher load. I think I had a little coolant dribble out of the overflow tube, but that may have been because the system was full when I added the stop leak and just ran out of space. Mine did test positive for hydrocarbons in the coolant, but from what I read, those tests can be a little unreliable.

 

Head gasket would suck, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

it is not a head gasket issue. a blown head gasket would have absolutely nothing to do with mass air flow over reporting air going into the engine.

 

just to recap

 

On the days the car is running good. MAF shows 2.3 to about 2.7 at idle... on the days it is running like crap MAF shows nearly double that. when car idles like crap MAF is upper 4s and fuel trim jumps to 35%....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

today it was warm outside and I saw mileage climb above 30....it was low 20's last week on same route...

 

This morning when it was cold again, car is not acting right so I am going to stick with assessment that MAF is broken when cold. Temp on the way to work was a nice 19F... yesterday it was a nice 50F

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well we can consider the issue resolved from the car is now running properly pov. I wrote SOA with my concerns and their overall lack of concern regarding my initial complaint. I also asked them to reimburse me for the second dealer diag fee and the cost of the replacement DENSO OEM SUBARU sensor. for a total of $244.

 

I personally talked to the Service Manager of the second dealer while I was in for an oil change on my 2003 Subaru and I e-mailed the first service manager detailing the issues, lack of understanding by the mechanic, and the general inconvenience of going there multiple times.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know it sounds like I am mad when I post in here but that is not the case. I never yelled at the Subaru Dealer nor Subaru of America. I took my time to explain it to both of them and stated that I was none to pleased that I had to fix my own car.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here I am feeling like a jerk by having them write me a 700$ check for paint damage.

 

You've been to hell and back with them.. glad to see this story has somewhat of a resolution.

 

I'm curious as to what SOA will say back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Final update: SOA got back to me and agreed to reimburse me for the diag fee paid to second dealer and the cost of the DENSO OEM sensor...

 

Thank you SOA for standing up and doing what is right.

 

Car is running about 25-26mpg now so it is a confirmed fix

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use