brus brother Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 I've owned the 2005 Outback LTD for a few weeks and have noticed a cold start situation that sounds raspy like the engine is running without oil. It goes away after about 20-25 seconds. The dealer reports numerous complaints but states this is normal and part of this year's zero emissions design?? They said that if I tap the gas once after the car styarts, the noise will stop right away (I'll try this tomorrow AM). I can't believe that a designer would have let this fly. Anyone else out there hearing this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest *Jedimaster* Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 Is this your first Subaru by any chance? It sounds to me like the normal sounds of the boxer engine- nothing out of the ordinary. BTW, it's not a zero emissions car, so I don't know what your dealer was trying to feed you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted August 22, 2004 Author Share Posted August 22, 2004 Nope. 84DL (sold), 90Loyale (sold), 2000GT and now 2005 for the wife. I know what the ole boxers sound like and in fact the 2000 doesn't make this noise. It seems odd that the engineers would noisy up a car for ANY reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanoswrx Posted August 22, 2004 Share Posted August 22, 2004 When I had my WRX it would allways sound kinda bad when it started in the cold winter weather. But everyones WRX sounded like that so I knew it was normal. I bet your sounds are normal too, if it goes away once it warms up you should be ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brus brother Posted August 22, 2004 Author Share Posted August 22, 2004 Well this morning cold start (it's 80 here today) I tried the trick of stepping on the gas immediately after starting the car and sure enough the raspy grating sound stopped immediately. Note that it would have automatically have stopped after about 30 seconds. It seems odd that the engineers would noisy up the car and not simply provide for an automatic "kick down" that would accomplish the same thing as me stepping on the gas. I don't hear other new cars that require special instructions for starting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beanboy Posted August 30, 2004 Share Posted August 30, 2004 Part of the PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle) might be the closed fuel vapor system. Wondering if it might be something to do with that...? -B -B http://www.standardshift.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TurboAddikt Posted August 31, 2004 Share Posted August 31, 2004 it's probably idling high to heat up the cats faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edvig Posted September 6, 2004 Share Posted September 6, 2004 My 2.5i sounds the same way when I first start it as well. My dealer confirmed that all the new Legacys sound like that at cold start. My WRX doesn't sound like this at all at cold start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millersp Posted September 25, 2004 Share Posted September 25, 2004 My 2.5i sounds and acts the same way. I will ask my dealer about it when I get a chance. We had a 1999 Outback and it had a constant wine when idling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsmile71 Posted September 25, 2004 Share Posted September 25, 2004 This is my first subaru. I'm glad I read this post before I started thinking something was wrong with the car. I've owned Hondas and Nissans up until now. Hondas have valve chatter when cold and when idling. Nissans are very quiet when idling and during cold startup...except when you mess with the intake and exhaust...then it makes all sorts of funny noises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbauman Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Yeah, glad to have found this too. Hopefully this applies to the 2008 base model outback I bought yesterday with 6500 miles! Kinda freakly...sounded like whirrling belts. Sounded CRAPPY. Then, like magic, it was gone in 30 seconds...sounded just like a 2007 Forester I used to have. I LOVE this car! kelly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diggs753 Posted May 22, 2008 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Sounds like the air pump.Mine does it as well, irritating in sound but totally harmless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbauman Posted May 23, 2008 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Yep, that was it. Or at least the expected behavior. Phew. A little tap on the gas, and voila! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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