Deja Vu all over again!

[Fred Boer]

Hello:

When I last left you all, I had, once again, had problems with rough running
engine. On my way to work, it was so bad I drove car into dealership
instead. They looked at it, diagnosed a need for an "evap vent". OK...
$250.00. But installing this caused problems with the wiring harness in the
rear wheel well, so the car had to be in shop for the whole day.... grr...
Eventually, I was back on the road. No check engine light. Car seemed
occasionally to stumble, but, hey, I took what I could get.

Next day, boom!, check engine light again. Then it began flashing slowly
on/off. Uh oh. I know now that means misfiring cylinders. This was just too
much!!

I have been to the dealership about 9 times in 7 months and it still wasn't
working.

Today I took it in. One of the things recently fixed was a fuel injector,
which was cleaned and proclaimed good. Apparently, however, this process
caused it to become a little "loose", so they did something either to the
fuel injector or the wiring connecting it (or both).

I took the time to go next door and test drive a Honda..

No charge this time. No check engine light so far. I have a committment that
if this repair doesn't do it, they will keep the car for a week, and give me
a loaner for a week so that this madness can stop.

I'm looking into trade-in value of the Subie...

Legacy 2002, 160,000 kilometers (99,419 miles)
Repair/maintenance costs 2007 ($4700.00)
Repair/maintenance costs 2008 ($300.00 and counting....)

 

[Todd H.]

Hello:

When I last left you all, I had, once again, had problems with rough running
engine. On my way to work, it was so bad I drove car into dealership
instead. They looked at it, diagnosed a need for an "evap vent". OK...
$250.00. But installing this caused problems with the wiring harness in the
rear wheel well, so the car had to be in shop for the whole day.... grr...
Eventually, I was back on the road. No check engine light. Car seemed
occasionally to stumble, but, hey, I took what I could get.

Next day, boom!, check engine light again. Then it began flashing slowly
on/off. Uh oh. I know now that means misfiring cylinders. This was just too
much!!

I have been to the dealership about 9 times in 7 months and it still wasn't
working.

Today I took it in. One of the things recently fixed was a fuel injector,
which was cleaned and proclaimed good. Apparently, however, this process
caused it to become a little "loose", so they did something either to the
fuel injector or the wiring connecting it (or both).

I took the time to go next door and test drive a Honda..

No charge this time. No check engine light so far. I have a committment that
if this repair doesn't do it, they will keep the car for a week, and give me
a loaner for a week so that this madness can stop.

I'm looking into trade-in value of the Subie...

Legacy 2002, 160,000 kilometers (99,419 miles)
Repair/maintenance costs 2007 ($4700.00)
Repair/maintenance costs 2008 ($300.00 and counting....)

Ugh.

Sounds like my Jan-November of 2007 with my car.

 

[Fred Boer]

I hear you, Todd! I was hoping you'd notice the post....

 

[Todd H.]

I hear you, Todd! I was hoping you'd notice the post....

I can't recall the history on what all you've been through. I'm sure
I mentioned "slipped brand new timing belt and defective new
tensioner" as the ultimate root cause that made my world better, but I
can't remember all the history/symptoms you've been fighting.

 

[Fred Boer]

I can't recall the history on what all you've been through. I'm sure
I mentioned "slipped brand new timing belt and defective new
tensioner" as the ultimate root cause that made my world better, but I
can't remember all the history/symptoms you've been fighting.

Hi Todd:

Oh, I wouldn't expect anyone to remember my long, long list. Basically it
boils down to many, many visits (I've averaged more than a visit a month to
various dealerships and mechanics over the last 12+ months), with multiple
visits necessary for almost every repair (i.e. never completely
diagnosed/repaired with only one visit).

Wheel bearing
Power steering pump
Check engine light (Oxygen sensor, wiring harness, Evap Vent - 10-15
separate visits all told..)
Radiator
Water Pump
but mostly... 2 (!) complete head gasket repairs. On a 2002 Subie with only
90,000 miles that I believe was well maintained....

Your story is no less frustrating, I know.. I remember it well!

I'm not sure what they've actually done this time to fix the car (not clear
on the details - given that I know nothing about Fuel Injectors), but I have
learned not to expect anything good! I drove a Honda Fit today and it seemed
a nice little car. I don't know what I could get for the Subie... and I am
really torn: is it worth it to keep this car (assuming we've exorcised the
demons), or should I be dumping it as a total bad-luck lemon...

Cheers!
Fred

 

[Fred Boer]

.. and I am really torn: is it worth it to keep this car (assuming we've

exorcised the demons), or should I be dumping it as a total bad-luck
lemon...

Feel free to offer advice! I wonder what some of you might think would be
smartest?

Cheers!
Fred

 

[marc.wert.mail]

Feel free to offer advice! I wonder what some of you might think would be
smartest?

Cheers!
Fred

I would check or replace ignition wires, maybe coil pack assembly.

 

[Fred Boer]

Thanks for the suggestion! Ignition wires have been replaced recently. They
replaced the coil, but found it wasn't faulty, so they put the old coil back
on, so I think that isn't an area of concern at the moment.

When I had the head gaskets done, they also put in a new timing belt at my
request, and ignition wires, some computer thingy that had something to do
with ignition, and plugs...

 

[bigjimpack]

Time for new car dude!!! Before I'd pay 5k to fix a car w/that
mileage I'd put that money down on a NEW car with a 100k extended
warranty. Then I could drive worry free for at least 5 years. I
still have another 12 months 14k on my Gold warranty so I'm not real
worried. If I do have any major issues in that time I'll be selling
that car as soon as the warranty is up. I've been lucky so far with
my Subie. Did you have car since new?