Warranty questions, dealer concerns...

[blackfang]

If anyone has a warranty question or a dealership question, feel free to ask it here. I will do the best I can to get you the right answer or get you in the right direction.

Phil

[Dookie]

Have you had several LGT's come in with blown turbos, if so, what were the main causes?

[blackfang]

I have seen a few LGT's with bad turbo's. A few of the cases it is the shaft, some were poor oiling because a hose came apart. I don't think there has been one yet that we did that was not covered. We did replace one on an 04 Forester with over 100k, because of no oil but she admitted to not chaning the oil. She paid for that one.
Seen one where we replaced the turbo 3 times because the turbo's we got were junk out of the box.

[john]

If anyone has a warranty question or a dealership question, feel free to ask it here. I will do the best I can to get you the right answer or get you in the right direction.

Phil

You work at a dealership?

[john]

I have seen a few LGT's with bad turbo's. A few of the cases it is the shaft, some were poor oiling because a hose came apart. I don't think there has been one yet that we did that was not covered. We did replace one on an 04 Forester with over 100k, because of no oil but she admitted to not chaning the oil. She paid for that one.
Seen one where we replaced the turbo 3 times because the turbo's we got were junk out of the box.

Have you seen any failures due to the banjo bolt filter (passenger side) being clogged?

Uppipe catalytic converters coming apart and the turbo eating the cat material?

Have you seen any engine failures due to the oil pickup tube in the oil pan cracking/coming loose/etc?

[blackfang]

You work at a dealership? Yes. Service writer for a Subaru dealer. Been there going on my 4th year there. Worked for Toyota before that and a few independent shops before that.
Have you seen any failures due to the banjo bolt filter (passenger side) being clogged?

Uppipe catalytic converters coming apart and the turbo eating the cat material?

Have you seen any engine failures due to the oil pickup tube in the oil pan cracking/coming loose/etc? Yes

Yes

Yes- on both STI and a Spec B.

[john]

Is there a TSB for the oil pickup? Specifically for the MY 2005 LGT?

[blackfang]

No, but Killerbee Motorsports makes a nice setup. He lives not farm from me and have seen his work in person at the meets.

[john]

Yeah - I'm aware of that part, but don't really want to do the work myself anymore.

[TSi+WRX]

^ blackfang, if I remember correctly, KillerBee said that most dealership Service Departments charge something like two hours of labor, to install this part, correct?

[blackfang]

2 hours sounds right depending on the vehicle. I think we charge around 1.5

[kagenmateer]

How much do you charge for plugs? I'm about due.

[Dookie]

Kagen, do the plugs yourself it's not that hard to do, just a little time consuming.

If you wait about 3 - 4 weeks, I'll do a full walkthru and post it to the site, since I have to change my plugs again.

[blackfang]

How much do you charge for plugs? I'm about due.
Not as cheap as a DIY. We charge around $275

[kagenmateer]

Looking forward to Dookie's DIY! I just heard it was a PITA.

[Dookie]

Not really a PITA, just time consuming. It takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours to do because of the tight spaces.

[blackfang]

Just take your time.

[TSi+WRX]

^ +1 to the two above.

It's not a PITA, it's just tedious.

The .com Walk-Through is a quality piece, and if you take the time to also read through the entire thread, you can pick up additional valuable hints from many posters, too.

Gather all the tools you'll need, and just block-off an afternoon or an entire day (if you want to also play around, drink, eat, and generally jag-off with your buddys :lol:) to do it. Have a good time and get some experience and muscle-memory grooved-in so that it'll be easier for you next time.

:)

[blackfang]

Swivels are your friend too.

[havanisda]

Swivels are your friend too.These ladies concur.

http://www.blavish.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/ero-swivel-chair.jpg

[kagenmateer]

^^^ lol. You and your pictures hav.

And I LOVE swivels. The ratchet attachments I mean.

[blackfang]

ha ha ha.

[john]

Due to the nature of my intercooler plumbing I had to remove a few pieces of it to get to the plugs. I really didn't enjoy changing the plugs in this car.

[Dookie]

^^ Ouch, that just makes it a long day just to change the plugs, huh?

[.blackgt.]

Is there a tcu reflash specifically for the 08 lgt? If there was, would it fall under warranty? I have found a "part number" but the dealership insists there is no such thing if it relates to a software issue. And although on the phone, "it's covered under warranty," when I get there, "only drivetrain hardware falls under powertrain warranty."

[blackfang]

Is there a tcu reflash specifically for the 08 lgt? If there was, would it fall under warranty? I have found a "part number" but the dealership insists there is no such thing if it relates to a software issue. And although on the phone, "it's covered under warranty," when I get there, "only drivetrain hardware falls under powertrain warranty."
I am no longer a Subaru Service Advisor. What I can say is this, a re-flash is made available to address a particular problem or issue for a specific vehicle. Contrary to Subaru forums typical jargon "there is a reflash, just get it done", your vehicle has to have a particular problem that has been identified by Subaru and they have determined it to be an ECM/TCM programming issue and they have an update for it. Just because your vehicle has an issue doesn't mean the reflash will address it as multiple things or different things can cause similar problems.

Re-flashes are covered under emissions warranty being the ecm is being reflashed aka reprogrammed and is covered 8yr/80k. I "believe" the same applies for the TCM. You can call 1-800-782-2783 and talk with Subaru and they will verify for you if it is or isn't covered. If it is, they may call the dealer and inform them it is covered. However, the above paragraph has to apply first. You may very well get your car in the shop and find out there is no re-flash available for your vehicle. Also there is a possibility you may have to pay for the technicians time and the fact that dealership has to use their SSM 3 to see if there is a reflash available. Me personally, if you were my good customer, I would check for free. If you did no service work and was just a warranty hound, you would pay $45.


Usually what happens when a reflash is done under warranty, just like any warranty repair there is always a "failed part number" that reflects the part number for that specific part that has failed. When a reflash is done they use the ECM or TCM's part number for the failed part number being you did not replace it.

Hope this helps.

[.blackgt.]

Thank you very much for the informed answer. I got it reflashed, and it didn't help...which is pretty much what you said would happen if there was no failed part number. At first it was 87, then it was considered under warranty.

[blackfang]

Thank you very much for the informed answer. I got it reflashed, and it didn't help...which is pretty much what you said would happen if there was no failed part number. At first it was 87, then it was considered under warranty.

Sorry to hear. No I did not say that. The part number has nothing to do with the reflash fixing a problem. It is for administrative purposes when a dealership is coding out warranty.

The reason the reflash did not work is probably because the problem you are having, is not addressed by a reflash. Further diagnosis has to be done to find the problem that you are having and then making the correction.

[scooby05lgt]

ive got one for ya blackfang.. my car runs hot in traffic during the summer, i have noticed that both of my cooling fans stay on at a constant low speed all the time and NEVER kick up to a higher speed as my best friends LGT does. and ideas? relay possibly? ive also heard something about a recall on the ECM for this issue? thx in advance!

ps this issue has caused my engine to burn a valve and dropped it in the cylinder, resulting in a shattered piston, trashed head, and have had the car down for 2 months and still cant find affordable heads anywhere.

[blackfang]

Have you taken this in to the dealer or anyone to look at?

As for the damage, have you taken this to a dealership? if so, they should have checked for any open recalls on this.

Yes there is a Cooling fan relay recall out. I am pretty sure it is for the 05's.

[scooby05lgt]

i have not :( ive been in afghanistan all summer and my gf was driving it while i was gone and she mentioned it once to me, i told her to take it to the dealership and then i got stuck with no contact for a month and we both forgot. :(

after i get it back together i plan to take it in and get it fixed.. will it be expensive? considering i just had to pay $$$ for a new engine and heads

[blackfang]

Why did you pay for a new engine/heads?

It all depends if it is covered by warranty or not. Why did you replace the engine?

[scooby05lgt]

the warranty was only 12 months 12k miles ive put more than that on it since the last motor. and i bought the car used so i didnt have much of a warranty there either.

[scooby05lgt]

i bought the car and 2 months later, blown turbo, warranty covered it so it got fixed and went on. I didnt put thought into the metal particles that were still in the motor so 3 months later warranty expired and the motor blows. i believe it was a spun bearing so i replaced the short block because i was broke. well a year later this new motor dropped a valve and shattered the piston so now im buying a new short block and rebuilding the heads. the valves looked burned so i am guessing that my gf drove it in traffic with it running hot. when i came home i installed the stg 2 parts and accessport tune that i bought while i was gone and that put too much stress on a weakened valve stem and a week later boom...

[blackfang]

So Subaru did the initial repairs. Well the Turbo does have a 12/12 warranty or the remaining balance of the powertrain warranty whichever is longer. So if your dealer is telling you 12/12, they are wrong!

Who installed the new engine? Theses things just don't drop a valve.

Also when they did the turbo warranty replacement they should have printed off a DCS on the car and they should have seen an open recall if it was open. Then again, some dealers don't pull DCS's like they are supposed to. All cars regardless of what they come in for have to have one ran on them to see if there are open recalls.

[scooby05lgt]

well the thing about my local dealer is that they REFUSED to put the motor in my car and told me to take it somewhere else! so i took it to a local family mechanic bc i didnt have to tools (engine hoist, A/C recharg, etc.) to do it at home, nor did i have the time.

[TSi+WRX]

scooby05lgt, there was a recall on the Cooling Fan Relay, No. 2, on the '05 turbo BL/BP:

If your fans are *always* constantly on, this means that the relay has managed to cause damage to your ECU, and you'll need that to be replaced too - so if that's the case, you'll want to be sure that you unmarry your AccessPORT from your ECU, prior to taking the car in for service.

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/cooling-fan-relay-issue-now-recall-campaign-55332.html?t=55332&highlight=fan+relay

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fan-relay-recall-ecu-change-not-124038.html?t=124038&highlight=fan+relay

I caught mine in time...so I simply changed out the relay for a new one. My car thus still has one "open" recall. :lol:

[blackfang]

well the thing about my local dealer is that they REFUSED to put the motor in my car and told me to take it somewhere else! so i took it to a local family mechanic bc i didnt have to tools (engine hoist, A/C recharg, etc.) to do it at home, nor did i have the time.
Why is that?

Did you escalate the situation by calling SOA?

If they did the turbo replacement, they should have caught an open recall on your cooling fan relay. If that is the case and that caused your engine to go bad, you may have a case with Subaru.

[Dookie]

Blackfang, just finishing replacing my clutch and TOB. After reinstalling the clutch slave cylinder to the engine, I notice the pin that comes out of the slave cylinder to the clutch fork has constant pressure on it. Not a lot of pressure to disengage the clutch, but enough pressure to press the TOB up to the pressure plate. This could be why I keep wearing out TOBs every 40k miles.

From my past experiences with clutches, the TOB should retract back on to the snout and not contact the pressure plate until engaged.

The question: Is this normal, with our cars, for the clutch slave cylinder to have constant pressure on the clutch fork?

[blackfang]

To be honest, I do not know. I am not a technician but a Service advisor. I would expect it not to remain in contact as it could cause wear. Wish I could help.

[Dookie]

Been reading some threads on .com about this issue and a few members were able to attach a retension spring on to the fork, in order to releave pressure off the pressure plate. As soon as I gather more info about this, I'll post up my findings.