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2003 Outback is also a PIECE of JUNK!!!


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Hi Everyone, just wanted to spread the word about my experiences with junk Subaru's and why I don't plan on buying another. I had a 2002 Outback Wagon which I bought new. It had the garbage clutch of that time period and also had that wonderful burning smell. My dealer was good to me and got me into a new 2003 for a really good price.Well, the throwout bearing in the clutch went at 19,000 miles and today I found out I need two new pistons at 33,000 miles. I am SO happy with Subaru's!! I thought these things were reliable!

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Hi Everyone, just wanted to spread the word about my experiences with junk Subaru's and why I don't plan on buying another. I had a 2002 Outback Wagon which I bought new. It had the garbage clutch of that time period and also had that wonderful burning smell. My dealer was good to me and got me into a new 2003 for a really good price.Well, the throwout bearing in the clutch went at 19,000 miles and today I found out I need two new pistons at 33,000 miles. I am SO happy with Subaru's!! I thought these things were reliable!
Well it sounds more like a driver problem then a car problem, either that you have extremely bad luck. Maybe you should try an automatic.
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I drive conservatively! I do live a mile down a dirt road but don't follow other cars closely due to dust and I take care of my cars. I perform all maintenance religiously. My, dare I say, Fords have been MUCH more reliable. I am actually thinking about going back to them. This is definately not a driver issue. You have all read the posts about the bad clutches in the 2002 and earlier Outbacks, so this wasn't bad luck or a driving issue. Just junk parts!

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WOW! Going back to FORD?

 

:lol::banghead::lol::banghead::lol:

 

FoMoCo stock bonds are now one step above the classification of "JUNK BONDS". Why? JUNK CARS!!!

I suppose all of those recalls are "normal". (i.e. the record breaking 13 recalls on the Focus)

 

Ooops, was I typing out loud?

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Are you just coming to this sight to rile the natives?

 

I think the above posters aren't trying to impune your ability as much as defend something that they hold in high esteem.

 

My wife used to catch the weight of the car with the clutch when changing gears when we first got married. I didn't say anything for awhile and then it dawned on me that she learned to drive in a 72 Beetle.

In those low HP cars it's a good idea not to let the revs drop or you run out of power, Hence her driving style.

After pointing this out and a bit of coaching on rev matching she is much easier on parts.

Be paticularly observant of others and the way they drive next time your a passenger, you might learn something new. or better.

 

Jay

 

Ford would be my second choice in an vehicle too, although they don't have much to offer in the way of cars. Trucks, now that's a different story.

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Subaru's have built a good reputation, which is why I've come back after a marginal experience many years ago. In my research for a new used Subaru, I read and heard a lot of bad reports. The 2.5l seems prone to head gasket failures, a major fix seems to have improved the problem but not fixed it. That's a pretty major weakness! Clutch problems at low mileage seem common, that's also pretty major trouble. I just bought a low-mileage Subaru with a new clutch, I wonder why the PO dumped it. A customer of mine is thinking of selling his classic Camaro to buy an STI, despite several ominous problems with his wife's '03 OBW. I don't get that.

 

I'll be giving this Subaru to my son in a few years, and looking for a newer vehicle. If the head gasket and clutch problems are solved, I'll strongly consider a Subaru, they're good cars for the $ other than that. Subaru has got to fix these problems and stand behind the cars they've already produced.

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Hi Everyone, just wanted to spread the word about my experiences with junk Subaru's and why I don't plan on buying another. I had a 2002 Outback Wagon which I bought new. It had the garbage clutch of that time period and also had that wonderful burning smell. My dealer was good to me and got me into a new 2003 for a really good price.Well, the throwout bearing in the clutch went at 19,000 miles and today I found out I need two new pistons at 33,000 miles. I am SO happy with Subaru's!! I thought these things were reliable!
Ouch!

 

It is hard to hear about our beloved Subarus not living up to the high standards we hold them to based upon our positive experiences. Nobody wnats to hear that their kid is a problem in the classroom or their dog dug up the neighbors flowers but it does happen.

 

How did they come to the conclusion 2 pistons needed replacing? That is ODD! As for the throwout bearing, even if you did drive like crap (not saying you do, saying if) you couldn't kill one in 19,000 miles (33,000 total miles).

 

It sounds like "GMitous" is seeping into Fuji/Subaru. Unfortunately we, the auto buying public, buy horsepower but drive torque. All this crap in the cars to squeeze 3hp here and 2hp there add up to less reliability. Ask a gen 1 2.2 Legacy owner and they will have less problems on a 12 year old car than some owners do on a 12 month old car.

 

I know you are pissed, and rightfuly so, but let us know what they find out.

 

Like they said on Hew Haw, "If it wern't fer bad luck, Id have no luck at all"

 

Greg

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The two new pistons are due to the "normal" piston slap. It has been a very cold winter and the slap was really bad. I don't know what's up but you can still hear it now, though not nearly as loud as when cold, when the engine is warm.The dealer said that only two of the pistons are making noise when warm and should therefor be replaced, so today they are replacing them. I understand that the pistons have short skirts and therefore some slap is supposed to be "normal". I do find it odd that they don't make this noise when new if it is only a design issue.I almost forgot to add, I run it slow and let it warm up when cold, so no, I don't just run up the RPM's and beat the engine when it is cold.

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I guess the obvious question on your engine trouble is, what kind of oil are you running in it? And, have you had a different dealer look at it?

 

None of my 6 Subarus have ever let me down mechanically, the oldest is an '83 and the newest is an '04.

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I've been using Pennzoil 5W-30 and changed it every 3,000 miles. Really no sense having another dealer look at it because I could tell it was the throwout bearing before I took it in and I can hear the piston noise.

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I've been using Pennzoil 5W-30 and changed it every 3,000 miles. Really no sense having another dealer look at it because I could tell it was the throwout bearing before I took it in and I can hear the piston noise.

 

sorry to hear about your trouble.

personally I avoid the penz. like the plauge. I learned that when I got a degree in engine service (yeah stupid thing to get a degree in). I saw what penz does to motors over time.

although I dont like the oil you use it still may be a manufactures error. but it does soud like you have a dealer that is taking care of this for you. that is rare around here.

I also am a VW lover. but its no secret that VWs have a fair share of problems. still like em.

as for the ford idea. hmmm dont know about that. ford has some uhh interesting ways of building cars. most problems arise from the severe cost cutting methods they use. but hey, fords keep me employed as a mechanic so I cant complain. today I got a 90 ford truck with leaky VC gaskets. got 5.4 hours for that job due to stupid enginering. had to remove all the air injection crap and the plenum.

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Japanese cars are well known for their workmanship and longevity, if they are built by the Japanese.

 

We dont seem to have as many problems as you guys over there do (ours are built in Japan) but maybe thats related to volume also, the US sells more f trucks than total vehicle sales in OZ so we dont sell many subarus so we probably dont get the same number of problems and bad news travels fast on the board but you dont hear about all the ones that dont play up

 

camo

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sorry to hear this, our family swiched to subaru in 1997, we had a 1997 outback ,great car, then we had a 2000 outback , which did have the hg problem , no problem dealer fixed it [ free] we sold the 2000 outback to a family member , we both drive [ wife + myself] she drives a 88 turbo full time 4wd a/t wagon, [98,000mi] i drive a 88 dl 4wd 5sp d/r wagon [ 180,000mi ] , i also have a 84 brat ,which rund great [not rusted out] , my point is no car mfj is prefect , and our family will keep on buying subaru's :)

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There has to be a mitigating factor to cause the destruction of two pistons. Otherwise, it's a complete fluke. It just doesn't add up.

 

 

Every Subaru 2.5 with piston slap "needs" new pistons. (I never heard one that doesn't slap unless it spends it's whole life in Miami).

"Countermeasure" pistons are designed to reduce or eliminate the problem. This is a known issue.

By saying that his engine needs new pistons, he doesn't mean that it blew up.

 

Car companies have entered into a Holy War to see who can engineer the shortest skirted, noisiest pistons; all in the name of squeeking out .00023 more horsepower.

 

God forbid that we should want our engines quiet and to last a long time.

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I own a 2003 Subaru Outback Limited auto. Let me start by saying I will probably buy another Subaru. Is ita piece of junk, Nope. Was somebody asleep at the design table or is there an inherant weakness having so much pressure on the Head gasket that it fails. I think so.

 

Here is my story:

I drive 4 miles to the 1st stop sign on day below 40o F I get the sweet smell of coolant dripping onto something hot and external.

I have 75000 miles on it now. Recent Pressure test at dealer determined a HG leak. SOA is in the process of making a ruling. I 1st noted it at 32300 miles well with in the warrenty period. Dealer said no leak visable here is some free Stop leak. Alright Thanks! I loose about a pint every oil change. I smelled this at the 7500 mile Dealer service but they told me it was common for overspray on the undercarrage and it will burn off by 10000 miles. That got me into the summer and I don't get the smell usually on warm days.

Brake rotors have been replaced and cut 3 times on SOA dime. A door handle broke SOA's dime.

The good news is the Outback is such a balenced and predictable car with OK gas mileage and can carry a bunch of stuff, and they support about every sport I'm active in.

SOA has been good to me so far by standing behind their workmanship. I could have the problems and be told to Wizz up a rope.

This car is very easy to work on. Heck I swaped out the brake pads on the front in less than hour.

You would think somebody would have figured out a solution to the leaks by now. Maybe the Piston slap is related to the leaking head gasket. Weld the SOB together. When the motor blows up just put a new one in.

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