Just bought a 09 SE and noticed a couple of things

[htioki]

I bought a 09 SE 5mt 3 weeks ago and I notice a few things. Car only has around 530 miles. Here are some of the things that I notice:

1. Every morning when I start the car, the engine idles rough. But after I hit and release the gas pedal, the engine idles smoother. Is this normal? My old 01 OBW didn’t have this problem.

2. I commute about 25 miles to work and it takes me about 45 minutes because of traffic. I notice burnt smell from the engine compartment. Again, is this normal?

Car runs normal, just like a new car should. If the above issues are not normal, any advice on what could be causing these issues would be appreciated.

[blaze741]

1. I drive an 09 2.5i SE 4EAT and have the same idle. Only happens when engine is a bit colder. I think based on reading on this forum and elsewhere it idles higher to warm up a lil. Not exactly sure but others can chime in. But completely normal as we all experience it.

 

2. The burnt smell I actually just had as well. Did you just turn on the heat? No idea why, but when I turn on the heat after not using it for a long time, it smells a lil dry and burnt.

 

as for fixing these few things. no clue. Been driving with it for 13.5k. miles now. no major issues to speak of.

[naimouasta]

that noise is normal. its part of being a PZEV.

[tito_b0y]

Yep, noise is normal. Get used to it for cold starts.

[JayRez33]

i have and 09 as well with 18,500 mi noise is normal and smell wears off after some mileage but i noticed when i first got the car (with 10 mi) and dont smell it anymore or im just used to it lol

[htioki]

sounds like they're nothing to worry about. thanks for the input guys!

[apexi]

Yep, just to elaborate on the high idle..As someone has already mentioned, its a part of the PZEV. The car idles higher to heat up the catalytic converter faster, because they're most efficient at very high temperatures. I have 63k on my SE and I love it, just keep an eye out for oil consumption. I checked my oil for the first time at 3,000mi and almost had a heart attack when i was a few millimeters below the low mark on the dipstick. My car regularly consumes around 1qt of oil every 3,000 miles or so, through the PCV system I believe. Not happy about it, but oh well.

[naimouasta]

i usually add around half 1/4 to 3/8 of a quart at around 3k miles. i'm also at 64k miles. i treat my car nice but i do a lot of engine braking and rev up to 5k pretty daily. what kind of oil are you using? i'm using supertech synthetic.

[burnout8488]

Your car is brand new, it's still burning sh*t off in various places. Give it a month, and if it still smells like its on fire, head to the dealer, quick

[GEE-OTTO]

Well when it cranks that air pump is firing the cats and you run a little rich to get them up to temp faster so the rough idle is normal.

[NORULZleggy]

Yep, smell and start is fine.

[bmx045]

My cats tick while the car is running sometimes, is that ok? I wonder if it's related to the PZEV?

[naimouasta]

yea mine ticked since new. i thought the exhaust system ticks when it expands and contracts, but it does it constantly even when the car is up to temp and running.

[bmx045]

yeah I got mine at 12k miles and it's got 17k and still does it. no CEL's

[cseagle08]

Yep, just to elaborate on the high idle..As someone has already mentioned, its a part of the PZEV. The car idles higher to heat up the catalytic converter faster, because they're most efficient at very high temperatures. I have 63k on my SE and I love it, just keep an eye out for oil consumption. I checked my oil for the first time at 3,000mi and almost had a heart attack when i was a few millimeters below the low mark on the dipstick. My car regularly consumes around 1qt of oil every 3,000 miles or so, through the PCV system I believe. Not happy about it, but oh well.

 

I'm pretty sure the 5MT is not PZEV. I have an '09 2.5i SE 5MT also and it isn't. Although it's doing the same thing to get up to O.T.

 

At 42k miles on it now I don't nave to add more than 1/4 of a quart to it in 3,000 mi. I'll be on the lookout now, haha.

[GEE-OTTO]

My cats tick while the car is running sometimes, is that ok? I wonder if it's related to the PZEV?

 

The "tick" and ping you hear is the expansion joints contracting or expanding 100% normal. When i bought my 08 2.5i with 2 miles on it I stopped at the gas station to fill up and when i got out it was ticking the next to my said hey your car is ticking i said "Oh its the turbo downpipe cooling" NO joke

 

I am pretty sure that most of the Legacy 2.5i 08+ are PZEV as the difference is in the Tune not the hardware

[cseagle08]

I see now PZEV was a 200 dollar option.

 

http://www.drive.subaru.com/Fall08/Fall08_whatmakes.htm

-shows the difference in the 2, just cats and ecu tuning.

[blaze741]

PZEV is required in certain states. atleast in NJ i knew it was required for the 2.5i.

[apexi]

Yeah, wasn't $200 extra on my car. Maybe it was on other years or in certain states?

[GEE-OTTO]

Yeah, wasn't $200 extra on my car. Maybe it was on other years or in certain states?

 

Wow you mean my moon roof and 8 way seat is worth 2050?? Call me crazy but the base model has those options i know b/c they took a base and added all my options to it to make my "special" 2.5i but the price stayed very normal

[naimouasta]

for 08-09, the base model was the "special edition" which is a bargain imo. thats why i think its always best to buy the last years of a generation. there were real base models with nothing, but i believe they were only sold as fleet cars.

[cseagle08]

for 08-09, the base model was the "special edition" which is a bargain imo. thats why i think its always best to buy the last years of a generation. there were real base models with nothing, but i believe they were only sold as fleet cars.

 

That's the way I understood it as well.

[bmx045]

hmmm, http://www.drive.subaru.com/Sum08/Sum08_OB_Leg.htm

 

I'm also trying to find what the special edition included

[bmx045]

here's standard equip for the SE

http://consumerguideauto.howstuffworks.com/2009-subaru-legacy-4dr-h4-man-special-edition-equipment.htm

[htioki]

my car is a 5MT w/ PZEV. I guess the PZEV is the requirement here in CA w/ our smog problems. My car ticks too. It doesn't bother me since my Frontier also ticks. The frontier ticks because of the heat shield expanding and cooling. I just figure it's the same w/ the Suby.

 

When I saw the ad for my car, it didn't mention anything about it being an SE model. I thought it was just the base model w/ sunroof, which I didn't really care much for. The base model is perfectly fine for me. When I got to see it in person and seeing the premium audio and powered driver seats made me think that I was getting a better deal than I had thought.