Hi all,

Hopefully you can help with an issue i have on my MY03 WRX - no mods apart from a baileys d/v and H&S backbox which has been on the car since I brought it.

On Friday evening leaving work the CEL started flashing orange at me and the car started running like a kangaroo. It didnt stall and I managed to limp home. No other warning lights came on and the oil level was fine. The car drove perfect Friday morning as I went to work.

I had to drive it up on the trailer and the CEL was now solid but the car was still hard to keep the revs up and the engine stuttering. The car still fires up fine staright away and the idle seems to be OK.

I've looked at all 13 pages of the forum and I believe this could be a MAF issue but would like a second opinion from the experts! I'm waiting for the Subaru garage to call me with their diagnosis but would like to know beforehand if I can have a chance of having this covered under the warranty (12 months used Subaru warranty).

Apologies for the long post but hoping someone has had this on their wrx and can advise?

Thanks!

G

 

There are any number of potential causes for the behaviour you describe. With the best will in the world it's a bit pointless asking what it might be on here, as the likeliest result is ten different people telling you what was wrong with their cars (likely to be at least six or seven different explanations!), when all you care about is what's up with yours.

The only expert in this situation is the bloke looking at the Select Monitor that's connected to your car. Everyone here is guessing, or working from experience of their own cars which may or may not be relevant to yours. When the garage calls you back with an explanation, run it by us by all means, but until then, the best way forward is to wait for them to get in touch.

 

OK had the car back from the garage.

Turned out to be error code PO304, misfire in cylinder 4. The securing rab on the coil pack had broken off (??) and fouled the spark plug. Thankfully nothing else wrong, although the MAF was a suspect but this was fine.

Appalling service from the garage with rude and obstinate staff who refused to cover it under warranty. Phoned the warranty company myself and had the coil pack and half the labour covered. Only ended up paying for a new set of plugs and a bit of labour.

Now running sweet as a nut. A service is due soon - guess where I'm not taking it?!?!