flat-spot

Well I thought these Subaru’s were meant to be indestructible! I have had my beloved Scooby since new last January and as of last Friday had completed 31,000 wonderful miles, but then it suddenly all went wrong...

Ever since I purchased the car I have experienced this droning noise at 62-64mph like a lot of others, this has been reported to the Subaru garage on 1k, 10k, 20k and just last week the 30k service. I also recently noticed a knocking noise at the rear of the car and thus the Subaru garage suspected the rear shocks.

So it went in for the 30k service, booked to stay there for 2-3 days so they could do all the work, but was amazed when they rang me up on the first day to say its ready for collection!!! They only completed the 30k service, could not fir the shocks because they only had one the other was on back order, and decided it needed a new diff to sort out the droning noise, which obviously they did not have either.

Two days later driving home, start to hear another knocking noise, wound down the window and at 40mph when accelerating the noise sounded bad! Car then shut itself down, just managed to cruise onto my drive and await Subaru assistance. It came, a tow truck and now it's in the hospital with suspected big end failure.

Have I got a Friday afternoon build car? or just been unlucky?

Anybody else had such problems, I know a few people have had this noise at 62-64mph so be warned, worse things could be on the horizon.

I am deeply disappoint to loose my Scooby until further notice, now I am having to drive a Mondeo Estate!!!

*AL*

Don't feel so alone, i had my car for less than a week, MY03 WRX(PPP) with 34K FSH, and a big end is knocking. It's now in for a full rebuild and it's not under warranty It's quite a bill to stomach and has left me with little faith in Subarus..........might possibly even sell it as i felt that fed up!

*AL*

Just to add it will be nice if it can be determined why this happened.Det is a possibility as this preloads a big end.Oil starvation is another reason, although my oil level was ok.I suppose i have no idea how the car was treated for the 34K? My car is a blobeye shape but registered in NOV 2002 which is very very early as most were on an 03 plate, i've been told possibly a Subaru press or demo car as it was originally owned by Subaru.

ZEN Performance

If you are covered on warranty it shouldn't be too much of an issue, although of course it's a pain. I doubt they will check much of what comes out, but I would ask them to check the back plate on the oil pump if you can.

Paul

flat-spot

I hope it is all covered by warranty (3yrs, 60k) as it's got full Subaru service history, only just come out of the Subaru garage a couple days before hand for 30k service.

So I expect to be Mondeo man for a couple of weeks - nevermine I'm sure the dog will approve of the comfortable ride and extra space and as for the saving in fuel, I spent over £600 in Optimax last month.

matchmaker

£600

ScoobyNoob

Only done 12,000 in my 05 WRX and the front offside shock went on me last week. Replaced under warranty but still lost the car for nearly three days, very annoying.

Still got the 62mph whistle tho

Barney19

I'm certainly not technically minded but there was a thread on here a few months back with a couple of 05 PPP WRX's that had suffered a sudden oil loss and consequently the engine as well. Don't know if this is linked??

EVOLUTION

Hi there

I would very much like to hear from you and any other person who has suffered from any of the above problems.

The above post post may have been refering to me. MY05WRX PPP meltdown.


Im now in a long drawn out legal battle with IM, My local dealer and IM Finance.

Can you email me with the details of the problams please.





Whilst i know others peoples problams with the cars may be completly unrelated, i would like to make it well know to certain companies that my cars problems are not unheard of. like they keep telling me

thanks


John

EVOLUTION

I have had mine 10 months now, and its been off the road and in the main dealers totaling 8 weeks and 3 days. That doesnt include the 2 days it has spent at an independant garage having at report done




http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=467350

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=470008

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=476810



theres some backround info for you, sound familiar


john

jasonius

iTrader: (1)

You'd be surprised how many engines let go within a few hundred miles of an oil change. Particularly main dealer oil changes..!

Why..? could just be coincidence, however given that they don't even prefill filter (let alone any 'other' precautions) it makes you wonder.

Awaiting responses stating that Subaru wouldn't allow an inferior procedure to cost them money in warranty claims. Really..?

BTW I don't think the drone at 62mph is related to anything engine wise. Supposedly 'diff harmonics'..?

STIste

Yep, that's the one. My dealer takes 20 minutes tops to 'perform' the oil change including driving it round the back at the start & back round to the front afterwards.
I let mine idle for 20 more minutes in the car park afterwards to get the oil moving around the engine.
Odd how many threads go 'xxxxx failed & it's only just been serviced' or (& am I the only one tho'se noticed this type of quote) 'Been to scoobyxxetc specialist for a new xxx & xxxx, absolutely fookin brilliant service from them, unfortunately my xxx failed on the way home/a week later so it's going back for a brilliant £3k rebulid by them top lads' , totally unconnected of course.

ScoobyNoob

Well that kinda makes my problem look utterly insignificant! You've been pretty damned unlucky. To be fair to the dealer I took mine to it took a day to get a new shock in and they were busy, so 3 days isn't bad.

I got rid of my Civic because it started giving me jip (mostly electrical), hope the scoob doesn't do the same.

flat-spot

dealer has just advised me that they have ordered a new block and other bits, they should arrive at the end of the week but they have a lot of technicans on training next week so unlike to repair engine then. looks like at least 3 weeks without scooby for starters

360ste

iTrader: (1)

Been reading this thread with intrest as I have a bugeye with 50K on the clock. Uses no oil, runs great and gets a kicking regularly. The one thing I have noticed is that there seem to be a few other threads relating to similar problems and, if I am right, a number do start with MYXX (ppp). Mt thoughts are as the PPP ECU is a generic re-map, so not set for the individual vehicle could this be the problem. Two years ago I had a GEMS ECU fitted ok it's a bit of a swine to start in the cold. Working in Scotland not a great help. Apart from that no problems, does anyone else have the same opinion? Best of luck getting it sorted Steve

Red-ducati

Mines an 02 WRX just spent £1750 on new short engine... Superb!!

Now where' that M3!

*AL*

I was thinking along exactly the same line as regards to a PPP fitted.I believe the ECU fitted is a generic set one (a one size fits all!).Do any tuners on here have any knowledge or input into this 'concern'? Has a PPP(ECU) been known to be a cause of poor fueling or been 'detting'?
Maybe i'm being paranoid but after a £3K rebuild the last thing i want is a future failure if there is a possible mapping problem with the set up?? Just have it remapped you may say??.........well after the price of the car then a full rebuild, pennies are alittle short for a £600 remap.
Are there any other PPP dealer fitted owners that have had problems/failures?? Al.

*AL*

Just dragged this back to the top to see if i can get any info??

GE90

Being carefull, and touching wood, but 2003 WRX PPP, 25K no probs with engine.

However, 5K after Prodrive springs fitted, rear shocks need replacing. Possibly coincidental.....

Flat Spot - I have been told my shocks are also on back order, do you have a date for yours? My dealer is not sure when they will be in.

flat-spot

UPDATE - car now has a NEW engine after the dealer found more carnage so Subaru decided to replace the engine.

Now I have had to spend the last two days fighting with the two garages involved to take it from the garage that replaced the engine to the garage that is now going to fit new rear shocks and diff. Finally they agreed between them to do it, so hopefully by the end of this week I will have my car back with new engine, shocks and diff - but for how long??

Worse thing is I have to run the bloody thing in again for 1000 miles

Jolley

They gave me a Zafira GSi as a loan car that was actually worse on fuel than my WRX!!

Had similar experiences with my MY03 WRX. Apparently mine was caused by the Oil pump failing. The more depressing part of my story is that it was noisy again after the 1000 mile run-in and oil change (which they charge you for despite the fact the rebuild is under warranty!!). It was booked straight in for a second rebuild and another 1000 mile run-in! My personal opinion is that they tried to save money by replacing as few parts as they thought they could get away with.

blownbigendz

I also had big end problems shortly after a 40,000 mile service, so I had a new short block. A head also had to be replaced due to excessive cracking.

I don't know what caused the problem - either a poor oil change or the oil pump plate coming away.
If the oil pump then I'm surprised that this problem still exists in newage cars after the trouble it caused with classics.
It must be costing a fair few warranty claims?