nagelpage Posted March 4, 2004 Share Posted March 4, 2004 2002 27k My car was losing a little water in the overflow, and I could see an oily substance along the head gasket seam on the drivers side. The check engine light came on on vacation, so I took the opportunity to take it in. They flashed the computer and fixed what was apparently just a false code on a lean condition. The leaks resulted in new gaskets both sides. In yesterday afternoon, out this morning. Dealer never shuddered and gave me zero hassle. No charge for fluids, and new oil filter. Unfortunately, they offered me no reassurance that this would be the final fix for my gaskets. My car is a 2002 and was manufactured in March of 2002. So isn't this outside of the notified customers? Should my car not have whatever fix they added in 2002 to strengthen the gasket setup? Am I going to be ineligable for the 100k warranty extension? I am very worried about this. I shudder at the realization that I may own a lemon. I bought the car new in hopes of enjoying a relatively trouble free vehicle to around 200k. This won't be the case if new gaskets have to go in every 27k miles. Anyway, whatever this additive is, it better work. I am a formerly disatisfied Ford owner, and I have about zero tolerance for companies jacking me around. More specifically, I bought my Subaru based on perceived reliability and longevity, and I'll never buy a Ford again. Do I have to buy a godamn Honda? This sucks. nagel page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slegacy96 Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Are you kidding? Subarus are great. I felt the same way a few months ago when my dealer, who also happenes to be my neighbor, told me I needed to replace my cylliner head gaskets at 60000 miles. This was the first problem I had had with my Legacy and it was gonna cost $1400. I took it to another Subaru dealer and was told that my Gaskets would last another 20000 miles at least. Ive learned that I have to be careful where I take it to be serviced. Any place that wants $230 to replace the light in your dash probably isnt the best place to get your Subaru serviced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myles Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Originally posted by nagelpage 2002 27k My car was losing a little water in the overflow, and I could see an oily substance along the head gasket seam on the drivers side. The check engine light came on on vacation, so I took the opportunity to take it in. They flashed the computer and fixed what was apparently just a false code on a lean condition. The leaks resulted in new gaskets both sides. In yesterday afternoon, out this morning. Dealer never shuddered and gave me zero hassle. No charge for fluids, and new oil filter. Unfortunately, they offered me no reassurance that this would be the final fix for my gaskets. My car is a 2002 and was manufactured in March of 2002. So isn't this outside of the notified customers? Should my car not have whatever fix they added in 2002 to strengthen the gasket setup? Am I going to be ineligable for the 100k warranty extension? I am very worried about this. I shudder at the realization that I may own a lemon. I bought the car new in hopes of enjoying a relatively trouble free vehicle to around 200k. This won't be the case if new gaskets have to go in every 27k miles. Anyway, whatever this additive is, it better work. I am a formerly disatisfied Ford owner, and I have about zero tolerance for companies jacking me around. More specifically, I bought my Subaru based on perceived reliability and longevity, and I'll never buy a Ford again. Do I have to buy a godamn Honda? This sucks. nagel page Honda is the paragon of reliability and durability. Seriously. However, Honda's are completely devoid of character, seriously nose-heavy, and front-wheel drive (I know, the S2000's rear-drive). As far as your gaskets go, see if the part number on your invoice matches what the car was delivered with (you'll probably have to contact SOA for this). If they match up, you're probably due for another failure. If not, hopefully you're in possession of a redesigned gasket. Now for a bit of venting. How did either 2.5 (Phase I or Phase II) make it into production, with the leaking head gaskets, piston slap, etc.? Does the latest H-6 suffer from these problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adge_082 Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I imagine that the head gasket issue is one of those things that they just couldnt test for. When tested the results come back fine, so they go into production. 50,000miles down the track (sometimes sooner) head gaskets start leaking. Some do some dont, it will definately happen sooner or later, but the when part is pretty sketchy. You cant really test for that, you make 5 cars or 10 cars for testing and of those 10 or whatever after 20,000miles of real world driving nothing major is wrong, you would assume that they should be fine to at least 150,000. After all the engine isnt drastically different. In any case Subaru were wrong, and the Phase1 isnt a great engine. So they bring out the phase2 in a hope to rectify the problem, only this time the gasket leak is external instead of internal. Same deal, they probably tested it, but how much do you have to test something before releasing it, do we wait 5 years while manufacturers test their engines, and give up 5 years worth of technology to have an engine that may or may not make it through testing and may have to be re-designed any way? I dont know what they could do to solve the problem, it looks like they have tried, releasing the phase2 was an attempt. Maybe they should have re-called the phase1 and dropped new engines into all the outbacks and what not that came with that particular engine, but we would never be able to afford a Subaru in the future if they did. Same deal with the phase2, they could re-call, but do we really want them to? They are using a stop leak and giving you an extended warranty, and yes, your car may fail afterwards. So sell it, buy a new one, dont wait for the catastrophy if you suspect its on its way. Im not saying you dont have reason to be angry and upset over a poorly designed engine that will cost you money in the future, but these are still cars. Your still going to have to spend money even if you sell it and buy a honda. You trade one set of problems for another, at least you know whats wrong with your car now, and when to expect a failure. Thats my 20 cents anyhow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 on the original head gaskets. If I had not looked for a leak it was so slight I might not have found it. Odds are the stop leak would have fixed it. Now with the post 03 gaskets in mine I expect to be good for another 100,000 miles. Frankly I doubt that I'll have the car that long so this is the last of my worries. When they test a car they abuse it as much as they can in a short time. Desert testing is common and most companies take them up north and Freeze them to see if they start in the cold. A whole lot of engine testing happens on a dyno and unfortunately you don't get the real world conditions there. After they did the complete redesign to fix the phase one problems it was a slap in the face for Subaru engineers to have the coating failure on the phase twos. I hope nobody committed Hari Kari. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhaussler Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 SO what is the fate for the 04' ? Do they that one figured out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 are made of Kryptonite. I got em and I ain't worried and you shouldn't either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pillowsplat Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 Don't be so sure. I'm at 40k and going in for leaks. 03 OBW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie Posted March 5, 2004 Share Posted March 5, 2004 I wonder if you got magic gasket version four? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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