Problem for Subaru is that most of their customers will either go here, or know someone who does. There is no way my scoobie is going to be replaced for one of the new ones till they get their act sorted out.

Looks like its over to the dark side for me....

 

I thought that someone had gone to VOSA?

 

Wonder... which SI drive mode was used ( I guess for sudden failures ) or most of the time in the failed engines that went over a time?

Is there any problem mode that needs more attention?

 

used mine in mostly intelligent or sport didnt use sport sharp very often. the only common denominator between all the failures is the 2.5 block and crap IM customer service.

 

Have any of the JDM models had any trouble? Or is it just UK/Euro model?

Lee

 

I almost exclusively use sport# for the response / performance, although not thrashed it too much yet - only 5000 miles on it.

 

JDM are fine AFAIK as have different piston, different map and are 2lt, 2.5lt are fine its just the combination of week pistons and a shoddy map.

 

I read somewhere that it was the 2.5 only - due to using the hypereutectic pistons on wider bore without a complete re-design of the 2.0 piston - just a wider diameter.

Dave P reports that Subaru JP have re-designed the 2.5 piston - however I've not heard of anyone confirming this (now that would be useful info). So perhaps if you get a re-build you get better pistons?

 

My Dealer told me that the pistons (in particular the piston skirts) within my replacement short engine had been updated/re-designed by Subaru Japan to make them stronger. That could be a white lie to try to keep me happy but I doubt the service manager would do that, he seems like a decent bloke

 

I had agreed with Subaru UK that I wouldnt go public with these issues should they have seen the light and upheld the warranty, which they have done, therefore I hold my side of the 'agreement'

but that doesnt mean some1 else shouldnt get in touch with

VOSA
Watchdog
Trading Standards

to make it public and hopefully start something to get S(UK) to wake up to their responsibilities


I have emailed the MD of S(UK) 3 times asking what he/they are intending to do with this recurrence of engine failures but not one reply back.

 

Recorded letters are the way forward - preferably from a solicitor

 

[quote=rb5 286;9384923]I had agreed with Subaru UK that I wouldnt go public with these issues should they have seen the light and upheld the warranty, which they have done, therefore I hold my side of the 'agreement'
quote]

Made up you are getting it fixed Mark.

Seems like it was "shush and we'll fix ur car" Just wrong.

You still thinking about selling?

Lee

 

Mark

I have e-mailed Subaru twice and written to the M.D on Wednesday to voice my concerns. No reply to either of my e-mails, lets see if this recent letter gets a responce.

I have no current issues with my car but you only need to check out the likes of NASIOC & IWSTI to realise this is an inherent global Subaru issue.

When you consider the scale of the problem it is quite astounding that Subaru are still not being proactive

 

Guys the problem with this being a recall is its not a safety issue, well i suppose it could be but its not like the toyota breaks affair etc.

example the new E Class Mercs are crap every single one had Injector and major engine issues, My m8s was back in to them for 5 weeks getting done, In the back yard there was 24 waiting to be done, its cost em mega money but not a recall they just wait for it to happen then do it under warrenty.

Sickner for us though, i just hope my wrx-s dont go pop

But unless its a safety issue you wont hear nada

 

another one for the list.............

Date bought: march 2008
Mileage: 320 (ex dealer demo car)
Date of failure: June 2010
Mileage: 6654
Outcome: short motor ordered

car was PPP'd at its 1st service with 4691 miles on it.......

ran fine till approx 6100 miles & then i noticed it just wasnt right.....

doubt it looks like even those cars that have been PPP'd will fail as well...

car was properly warmed up & cooled down each time it was taken out - i could count the number of times i hit the limiter on one hand.......

 

Yikes I've just ordered a new STI hatch.

Sorry that you are in need of the new short motor.

D

 

they cant all be bad........i really enjoyed mine & didnt want to do anything to it so i wouldnt invalidate my waranty......good job it was left as standard...........

i just hope you get a good one - when do you get it ??

 

When I read how you warmed up & cooled down the engine, didn't thrash it to the rev limiter, my heart sank, though I treat cars carefully. Having driven a couple of demonstrator one std 300 & one PPPd to 330 I didn't think I would need to thrash my new car. Sounds like careful treatment isn't the answer

Hopefully yours will be sorted with the new short motor and you can enjoy it again. I'm dreading this happening to me out of warranty as I am a low mileage driver.

Waiting for Subaru to deliver it to the dealer, should get it within the next 7-10 days.

Does seem bad that Subaru are having these problems. Some years ago BMW had a problem with 6 cyl engines, friend had to have his short motor replaced, so it can happen to volume manufacturers. BMW blamed it on poor UK fuel.

D

 

Funnily enough, Jagauar also had a massive problem with their engines a few years back. Their V8's were loosing the coating on the inside of the cylinders causing a loss of compression. The first thing the customer would know about it would be a failure of the engine to start from cold, resulting in a new short motor to be fitted.

The same engine also suffered badly from timing chain tensioners that would break.

Nothing was ever publicly announced and no recall issued due to it not being a saftey related issue.

With regard to the Subaru Pistons, I received the latest parts program disc last week & the part numbers for the 2.5 ltr pistons have not changed, which would suggest that no mods have been caried out to the part as of yet.

Infact they are still using the same piston as first fitted to the 2.5 ltr cars introduced in 2005

 

Date bought: march 2008
Mileage: 30,201
Date of failure: July 2010
Outcome: Piston on cylinder 2 Cracked damaging Bores, also Headgasket Failure on cylinder 1-3

No warrenty on engine So Built my own Forged 2.5

 

The mileage aint that bad, compared to some of the early mile failures. Had you decided to rebuild it before you knew about the failure?

I am at 14000 now, and 7 months on the warranty,
new exhaust and filter getting fitted regardless and its getting remapped.
if it goes pop its getting forged

I think I saw a cosworth tweeked short block for 3500 somewhere, can also get a complete Jun short block for about 4000

 

I knew it was on its way out so I built another short engine ready to drop in, tell tale signs really skipping when starting excessive smoke on start up and using allot of oil.

bad batch of fuel could have caused it as i later found out the garage i was using had been filling the v-power tanks with regular unleaded :-/

for the price of the parts I'd just pull the engine now while its healthy and forge it lol far cheaper than the prices you've listed there to be honest

 

Not usisng any oil or anything yet, get a slight hesisation in power every now and again, but have been puttin that down to fuel.

how much did it cost for a home rebuild.
Would have to start collecting the bits now.

 

If you speak to a member on here user name Motors gt aka Paul Finch from Finch motorsport he will sort prices and stuff out, Ive added a few bits and pieces to mine other than pistons/rods/race bearings/stud kits/headgaskets. and was just under 2k for the parts.

I built the Block at Home but did the rest of the job at work

 

What other bits rob - oil / water pumps, head work / cams?


Any good places in the North West who could pull the notor, rebuild to good forged spec and rework heads, and refit?

Most seem to be midlands or south!

 

Heads where ok luckilly cams were fine too.

Oil Pump/waterpump & themrostat/subaru gasket kit/Timing belt/subaru threebond sealant/ sump baffle plate/cam pulley bolts

I'm Northwest mate, Would do it without any problems at all

 

How'd you find out?
Was it a genuine mistake by the refuelling guy? or something a bit more deceitful by the garage???

 

That, I doubt anyone will ever know, they could be liable.........

Good reason to fit a Knocklink or KS3 then?

 

was on piston heads for starters someone had been filling up and tryed mapping there car and it wasnt having much luck so took a sample from mine to be tested no-one will accept responsibility for it

 

Bit worried now, are the engine failures just on the sti's or are the wrx's at risk too?