VinceW

Just a quick note to advise you to get your 2008 onwards STI checked with a dealer to see if it needs an ECU refash no matter when you bought it!

After reading the horror stories of blown engines affecting the 2008 car and ECU re-flash required to stop this happening I went into my local dealer today for a fog light surround to be changed under warranty. Whilst I was there I asked the dealer to check if my car needed the reflash. To my surprise it did. I bought the car new in Oct 2009.

I have asked the dealer to confirm when Subaru notified the dealers that a reflash was necessary. I am very concerned the car should have had this work done before I bought it. I'm also worried that if the engine lets go when the car is out of warranty who will be responsible. If Subaru know this is a problem then surely they should be recalling the vehicles? The service interval is 10000 miles or 1 year, there is no 1st service after 1500 miles now. How many cars have this problem and owners arn't aware? How much damage is being done due to the ECU that owners arn't aware of? If the engine does go and the vehicle is out of warranty are Subaru going to pick up the tab for ignoring a known serious engine problem when they could have prevented the damage? Would the garage have checked today if I hadn't asked? I doubt it some how!

I have read that the problem was the fuel being cut at the rev limt by the rev limiter, and before people had the reflash the car stopped abruptly at the rev limit. Mine didn't appear to, it was progressive in its performance drop off after 6500 rpm, which i thought strange as it red lines at 6700. It now seems to rev up to 6700 with no issue although I haven't had much chance to play!

Anyway my advice is better be safe than sorry and no matter when you bought the car get the dealer to check if it needs the ECU re-flashed. Who knows how long it sat at the docks before you bought it!

Vince

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

There is a long thread about hatch engine failures but its down to the dealers most of the time as some dont reflash when the car comes in (my garage does though )

Tony

Abx

iTrader: (15)

Don't think there was ever an 'offical recall' i.e. you get a letter telling you to return car to dealer for a fix and it should just be done at the next service.

So yes you are quite right, I'm sure there are loads of 08 and 09 cars driving around on the original map.

VinceW

Hi Tony,

I thought this only affected the 2008 cars from what I have read on this site. I bought mine late 2009. Should it have had the re-flash beofre I bought it and should the dealer have checked before they sold it to me? Do you know when Subaru advised the dealers a re-flash was required? I'm serioulsy p****d that a problem that could wreck my engine would have been left for 10000 miles if the dealer should have checked sooner or sorted it before it was sold.

Regards

Vince

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I would say that subaru probably have put something out to say check the car and reflash where necessary, but couldnt say 100%, you would have to ask someone at subaru
Most of the time I think it is down to the dealer.

Tony

VinceW

Perhaps a dealer or somebody from Subaru reading this post would like to clarify the situation?

mickp

iTrader: (1)

Why on earth did Subaru not make this a recall situation.

Surely they could have prevented a lot of bad press along with a lot of concerned owners.

The reflash situation has without doubt been handled poorly.

VinceW

Just had a call from the dealer, my car had the re-flash 14-jan-09, 0 miles so that's a weight off of my mind...seems strange that the rev limiter seems to be working differently so may be this is a newer update? I wonder where the car was stored before I bought it in October? Shows how small the number of vehicles being sold is compared to their expectations. A shame as it is a great car at a very good price. Where else can you get 300bhp and 4 wheel drive for the same money?

pslewis

Has anyone tested the BHP after this re-map?

Maybe they are now driving a 'safer' 255 BHP Impreza?

Just a thought?

rob84

iTrader: (5)

Its just a Re-flash to raise the rev limiter slightly & richen the top end mixture to prevent it running lean at higher Rpm's

Jaybird-UK

Im getting my new STI Type UK in 3 weeks, would that now come flashed?

rob84

iTrader: (5)

As part of a standard Subaru PDI at the dealer the car Should be programmed with the latest software and setup

scoobyboy

after a certain vin no. they have been done at factory in japan hence it is only a small no. of cars that were affected

VinceW

The dealer gave the impression that they hadn't checked mine as part of the PDI. When I asked them they checked on the Subaru system and it stated it needed a re-flash. It was only when I threw my toys out of the pram as I was worried that it would drop the engine when it was out of warranty, and I would be left with the bill, and insisted that I was told when Subaru issued the re-flash notice, as if it was before I bought it, I would be holding Subaru/the dealer reponsible for any future failure, that the dealer checked with IM. IM stated the re-flash had aleady been carried out. I think that either the car hadn't had the re-flash or there is a more recent update that has been installed as the rev limiter seems to be working differently. It now appears to come in at 6700.

I could not work out why I was hitting the limiter at 6700 when I had the change gear light set at 6500. I changed the setting to 6000 and did not have the problem. It was only later I discovered the power started to be cut at 6500 by the limiter. I normally drive the car in I mode and not hard so hopefully even if the re-flash had not been carried out I won't have damaged the engine!

My dealer said they have sold 20 STI's and only had 1 failure! 5% is not a good statistic as far as I'm concerned!!! I've only seen 1 other on thre road so I don't know where the other 18 are hiding!

scooby L

When Dunc "looked" at my map he pointed out what the "re-flash" consisted of.... basically they tail off the torque request way early (6250rpms onwards) so by the time you reach the redline the engine is just not pulling anymore..

Basically neutered it

53

iTrader: (41)

Yay for generic maps !