brand new CEL generator!

[Guest 1 Lucky Texan]

My brand new - less than 1000 miles, '03 OBW H6 3.0 AT just flicked on it's CEL today. Probably related to the miss at idle I've just recently noticed. My wife will probably take it to the dealer in a coupla' days. Operation seems fine otherwise.

 

I hope this isn't an omen.

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

[Guest scoobtech]

If you recently got gas & left the gas cap loose or caught the tether under the cap , it will turn the MIL on . Subaru will usually pay for the diagnosis the first time . After that its on you . I believe the fuel cap has a disclaimer on it for this . :cool:

[Guest 1 Lucky Texan]

I know another family member filled it up last time and I had read here that the system was sensitive to the cap being loose so that's the first thing I checked! (though it was actually low on gas)

 

And today I drove it - no abnormal behavior - and filled it with fuel so the cap got cycled again. CEL is still on.

 

Do you mean even with the new car warranty I'll be paying for CEL-type diagnostics? Or just paying for them if the gas cap or some other 'user fault' is detected?

 

I'll probably know tomorrow what it was. I'll try to post tomorrow evening if anyones interested.

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

[Guest scoobtech]

Subaru will not pay for a customer induced problem . They will only pay if it is the fault of the vehicle . Things like wreck related damage , customer modifications , racing , abuse , or anything else of the sort is the customers responsibility . They will pay 1 time for loose gas cap as a goodwill gesture , even though it was customer induced . :cool:

[Guest SubaruJunkie]

do not top off your fuel! I heard this is a very common reason for the CEL light to come on. It will not go off automaticly, it will take a few days for the fuel to get used, and for the sensors to sence everything is okay. I would probably wait a week before taking it to the dealer, might save some money and a headache.

 

-Brian

[Guest 1 Lucky Texan]

Do you guys feel - in general - that if there is no driveability issues that waiting for some time (a few starts?) to see if the CEL goes off is a good idea? The vehicle this OB is replacing (Windstar) would flick on its CEL with an altitude change of a few hundred feet - then it would go off after a few start cycles.

 

I think this one came on at around a quarter tank as far as that goes. Plus the cap seemed tight.

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan

[Guest SubaruJunkie]

I would monitor performance. If my fuel milage changed, or if the car became sluggish at starts or suddenly died on the freeway, then i would worry. I told my mom the same thing as well when her CEL came on in her 2001 OB... and my dad flipped out saying "If she waits a week, it could make the problem worse." That is the case, but I would hate to have my mother goto the Subaru dealership, and get charged $200 just to be told not to top off her fuel. Needless to say, she waited a week, the car ran great the whole time, and the light went off after a few days.

 

-Brian

[Guest hocrest]

There are free places to get the computer read.

I don't know what code it gives for things like caps and too much fuel. If the code explanation states it that matter of factly, or if it is un-clarified?

loose cap = FRD Inadequacy:lol:

[Guest 1 Lucky Texan]

CEL extinguished itself. Never got the codes read, went off the morning she was gonna take it in. I shoulda' tested the gas cap by turning it backwards before I clicked it tighter that tfirst time. Though I would think the CEL woulda come on immediately after she gassed up. HEY! I might even test it bu puposely leaving it loose and see how soon the light comes on.

As I mentioned we had a Ford Windstar that could detect the altitude change between D/FW area and San Antonio! I wonder if the OBW can detect a storm front induced barometric pressure change(it rained the day the CEL came on) - or TORNADOES!! very handy in Texas.

 

Carl

1 Lucky Texan