2007 WOT problems, seems beyond stutter

[vader1]

Got a 2007 with about 2000 miles on it. I am about to take it in for WOT problems. Stutter mostly. But on some ocassions, usually a downshift and flooring to pass but other times under WOT, the car bogs. REALLY bogs. Beyond just stutter.

 

I have never had a subie, but have had several turbo cars and none ever ran like this unless they were broken. Its beyond normal turbo lag. Floor it, rpms will climb a little, hit a wall and almost seem to fall. Then pig rich, big cloud of brown grey crap out of the tail, before the acceleration rushes in.

 

If it is stutter it is really severe. On a these occasions it feels like someone has jammed their fist in the tail pipe and you need to have the gas down for a few seconds to blast it out.

 

Given the size of the cloud it seems as if the fuel injectors go wide open, before the throttle plate opens and almost stalls the engine. I had heard one posting in the old stutter thread claiming someone had a bad TB replaced and it cleared the problem.

 

Just wondering if anyone has experienced similar problems and what the solution was so I can go into the dealer with some info.

 

Thanks in advance.

[SiMaster2003]

I too am experiencing what you speak of. 1st gear works ok, but 2nd on is fair game to the ECU crapping all over my fun. Maybe we'll luck out and a fix will come along soon

[sirsimon]

Wow - that sounds seriously bad (and dangerous, should you be in the middle of a pass). Hope you guys get this figured out.

[melayout]

Do not make it worse, do not go over 3K rpms and goto to the dealer asap.

[vader1]

I am even more convinced it is the throttle body. Why ? I posted a thread a while back about a mystery problem where when I wind in out in a gear and push in the clutch and let of the gas, it will hold the revs for an unusually long time.

 

Seems to me like the throttle body is slow to open and slow to close.

[ERLoft]

I'll be interesting to see if this can be tuned out with an AccessPort dyno tune. I remember reading another thread recently with stock 07 Spec.B dyno charts that showed a drop in torque right in that range. I have the same deal, though not as severe as what you're reporting.

[jmn69]

I have this prob on my 07 lgt also. Dealer denied and says it is called "turbo lag" thanks a lot. Happened again yesterday at 4000 rpm. Going to dump for a mazdaspd.

[ERLoft]

I played around very briefly today with the Sport Sharp (S#) setting and although I only did a couple of 2k rpm pulls in 3rd, the stutter seemed far less pronounced than it did in Sport.

 

I'll try to get out and do some experimentation with the different Si Drive settings to see which, if any, produce the most and least.

 

Oh, this isn't turbo lag at all, that's for certain. It comes around 3500-4000rpm, which should be prime time for the turbo. I doubt it's the throttle body - I don't believe that changed from 06 to 07, so if it didn't change, that leaves two options that I can figure right off the top of my head. Either, 1) It's the ECU tune or 2) It's related to the new smog pump that replaced the uppipe cat. My money would be on #1 if I had to bet right now.

[melayout]

I have this prob on my 07 lgt also. Dealer denied and says it is called "turbo lag" thanks a lot. Happened again yesterday at 4000 rpm. Going to dump for a mazdaspd.

 

Did you ride with the dealer tech and reproduced it for him or left it and returned later?

[Fraggle]

Yea, I have the exact same problem.

It's definetly not turbo lag...

It comes on boost before the drop. Wish I had a data logger.

 

If you progressively open the throttle (as opposed to to the floor instantly) it seem to help mask the issue.

 

Does anyone know what this is?

[ERLoft]

Yea, I have the exact same problem.

It's definetly not turbo lag...

It comes on boost before the drop. Wish I had a data logger.

 

If you progressively open the throttle (as opposed to to the floor instantly) it seem to help mask the issue.

 

Does anyone know what this is?

 

We probably won't 'know' what it is until we can get in and look at the base tune with AP, ECUTek or similar software.

 

I'm curious though, do you have less of a problem on your Spec.B in S# mode as opposed to S mode?

[redpill66]

Bumping this back up top and subbing...

 

I am having this problem, too. Doesnt happen at all in intelligent. happens a lot at WOT in and [s#] in 2nd gear. gona try some 93 octane gas today (99% of stations up here are 91 octane due to the high altitude) Are there any other threads about this? Every time I search for stuttering/hesitation, I get back a ton of info on the 3000rpm partial throttle stutter.. not the WOT 3000-4500 RPM issue.

[Faster_nu]

It seems like everytime they change something major, smog pump and no cat, that the dealers SUCK at diagnosing the problem. The best bet would be to find someone with a 05,06 and go to the dealer togeather and then compare the cars.

 

I had to fight with my dealer with my WRX transmission for 5 repairs and a direct comparison to WRX the same year as mine. I finally dumped it for my legacy.

 

I tried a brick once, but they put me in jail for that.

[kccobra]

I have the same issue, really erks me off! I paid 34k and I want it to stop, dealers are clueless. I hope cobb can fix this, or I am just going to put on an 20g and well BANG!

[solbergfan]

I just purchased a used 07 LGT 5MT a few days ago and it has this same issue. In my opinion it is definitely an engine management issue. It feels like it is pulling timing, like if you put lower octane fuel in it. It seems more pronounced in S#, but it does it a little in the Sport setting also. The 07 STi's are having the same issue, but it is supposedly more pronounced than in the LGT's. Subaru did switch to different EM for 07, so maybe the bugs haven't been worked out yet. This is my fourth turbo Subaru (also had a EJ205 WRX and STi, and currently Forester 2.5XT) and none of the other 3 have had this issue.

[ERLoft]

Yep, I talked with a friend who has a bone stock 07 STi Limited, and she has the same exact stutter issues. She even had the ECU reflashed @ the dealer to the original stock map and said the stutter came back.

 

I installed the SPT intake on Saturday, and it sure seems to me that I've got less hesitation/stutter now.

[Pip]

Yep, I talked with a friend who has a bone stock 07 STi Limited, and she has the same exact stutter issues. She even had the ECU reflashed @ the dealer to the original stock map and said the stutter came back.

 

I installed the SPT intake on Saturday, and it sure seems to me that I've got less hesitation/stutter now.

I had my SPT cat installed before I picked up the vehicle. I've never experienced this stutter problem.

[02BlkRex]

I'm having this problem also sans the puff of brown smoke. I'm hoping the AP will tune it out...if they ever release it!

[redpill66]

The WOT hesitation seems to change from day to day.. I have yet to find a pattern. Anyone else with an 07 that does this notice a pattern? I thought it was gasoline quality.. ruled that one out fast. Also thought it was engine temp, but I got on it just as it reached operating temp tonight and it still ran like crap.

 

-also-

 

Anyone contact the dealer with this issue and have positive results, yet?

[02BlkRex]

The WOT hesitation seems to change from day to day.. I have yet to find a pattern. Anyone else with an 07 that does this notice a pattern? I thought it was gasoline quality.. ruled that one out fast. Also thought it was engine temp, but I got on it just as it reached operating temp tonight and it still ran like crap.

 

-also-

 

Anyone contact the dealer with this issue and have positive results, yet?

 

My dealer can't even replace a battery (for a radio losing it's presets) without dicking me over. I haven't taken it in for the WOT issue yet but will probably wait until the AP comes out and see if that helps. In other threads it seemed to fix it.

[han]

which dealer you going to in CO? i feel the same hesitation/stutter, in s and s# mode. Just drove again and feels like it only happens in 2nd gear??

[redpill66]

which dealer you going to in CO? i feel the same hesitation/stutter, in s and s# mode. Just drove again and feels like it only happens in 2nd gear??

 

Definitely more noticable in 2nd. I feel it in every gear, though.

 

We definitely need to bother our dealers with this.. hopefully word will spread between the dealerships that the '07s are having issues and we can get this resolved.

[Prime Power]

I have the stutter in WOT too. Here is some dyno plots of my car I did with some nice comp. software. Don't mind the end cutoff, that is where I dropped rpm, but the first two will show you what we have. One is with the SPT intake and one stock. Seems to make no difference.

[ERLoft]

Yep, I'm scheduled to go on the dyno Monday to get a baseline reading before I start with any real power mods. I'll try and get those posted as well - if we get enough of them, maybe (just maybe) someone at Subaru will do something to fix the problem, as not everyone is going to want to go the AP route to tune out the stutter...

[02BlkRex]

Yep, I'm scheduled to go on the dyno Monday to get a baseline reading before I start with any real power mods. I'll try and get those posted as well - if we get enough of them, maybe (just maybe) someone at Subaru will do something to fix the problem, as not everyone is going to want to go the AP route to tune out the stutter...

 

I agree. I don't think we should have to go the AP route to fix this but IMHO, I don't think Subaru is going to fix it. I am basing this on my '02 WRX that has had the same stuttering/hesitation problem from day one. I took it in several times but my dealer did nothing about it. I hope that isn't the case here, but I'm just getting prepared so the letdown doesn't hurt so bad.

 

Not sure if this has any relevance here, but on the WRX, I did the grounding mod and it made a big improvement, although still not perfect. Maybe this will work for some of our cars?