49 replies to this topic

[1-3-2-4]

yesterday we had rainfall of 1 inch an hour.. Ok.. so I head out to work this morning and I noticed the car kind of stumble on start up.. it idled ok.. backed out of the parking space and went to pull out to leave and the car stalled.. and threw a code.. I went to scan the code and it would keep giving me no codes found.. So I managed to get the car to start again and I scanned while running and I got two codes:

P0505 and P0105 also I noticed if I have the car in ACC or On some relays are clicking like crazy someplace under the dash.. And as I pulled the scanner plug out and proceeded to exit the car I saw puddles of water behind the drivers seat! and out of curiosity I went to check the passenger side and the area was damp in that area as well!

did the ECU get damp?

*edit

I got two more codes that it spit out..

P0340
P0120


edit added youtube video

Edited by 1-3-2-4, 24 August 2009 - 08:09 AM.

[Cougar]

Do you know how the water got into the car? Do you have a sunroof?

You are going to have to remove the carpet and try to dry things out if you don't want mold to take over. You may want to rent a fan to help speed up the drying process. Check out the wiring under the dash and see if things got wet under there.

Edited by Cougar, 24 August 2009 - 04:52 AM.

[1-3-2-4]

Do you know how the water got into the car? Do you have a sunroof?

You are going to have to remove the carpet and try to dry things out if you don't want mold to take over. You may want to rent a fan to help speep up the drying process. Check out the wiring under the dash and see if things got wet under there.

About to post my pictures but the water got as high as the underside of the door.. the grass clippings on each side of the door gave the clue as well as the tires that how the car got wet inside.. I do have a sunroof and that's the first thing I checked before getting in the car and it was dry.

[Cougar]

Check to see if there is any control module under the front passenger seat. Wiring under the hood may be soaked also and needs to dry out.

[1-3-2-4]

Check to see if there is any control module under the front passenger seat. Wiring under the hood may be soaked also and needs to dry out.

would it be above or under the carpet?

also just took the kick plate off the ECU and you can see water droplets and moisture..

the foam stuff under the carpet is soaked :-/

How long do I have to let the wiring part of it dry?

[1-3-2-4]

Just pulled ECu had a little water inside and some moisture on the connector pins

hmm not good.. seems like the ECu shorted to the water in the housing.. like a spider nest and then the water shorted it?

I don't know if it can be saved..

Edited by 1-3-2-4, 24 August 2009 - 05:44 AM.

[Rooster2]

Sorry to read about your troubles. Looks like you parked in a low area for the water to get that deep.

If you have comprehensive insurance, you may be covered on the water damage. That much water in the car must have entered under the doors, prolly not from the sun roof. The ecu looks shorted out. Replace the ecu with one from a wrecking yard, then see what codes you have.

If you don't have comprehensive coverage, and have to wait for an insurance adjuster to view the damage, then suggest you pull out all the seats and the carpeting. Once out, then you can really get the carpeting dry and the floor pan dry as well. Otherwise, mold and mildew will ruin the carpet.

Another thought is to use a "rinse and vac" vacuum cleaner. The type that is designed to vacuum up water, then use a couple of large box fans to blow air on the damp carpeting to complete the drying process.

[1-3-2-4]

Sorry to read about your troubles. Looks like you parked in a low area for the water to get that deep.

If you have comprehensive insurance, you may be covered on the water damage. That much water in the car must have entered under the doors, prolly not from the sun roof. The ecu looks shorted out. Replace the ecu with one from a wrecking yard, then see what codes you have.

If you don't have comprehensive coverage, and have to wait for an insurance adjuster to view the damage, then suggest you pull out all the seats and the carpeting. Once out, then you can really get the carpeting dry and the floor pan dry as well. Otherwise, mold and mildew will ruin the carpet.

Another thought is to use a "rinse and vac" vacuum cleaner. The type that is designed to vacuum up water, then use a couple of large box fans to blow air on the damp carpeting to complete the drying process.

man comprehensive insurance was one of the things I don't have on the car..

getting up the carpet might be a pain because the wielded bolt under the car for the passenger seat broke so I could not remove the seat.. I never bothered to try the driver's seat.

So I should go ahead and buy another ECU?

[1-3-2-4]

Good news!! I blow dried the ECU and let it sit for two hours and plugged it back into the car and hooked the battery cable up.. at first it stumbled but it ran like normal no CEL's just the ABS light is still on (don't know where the control unit is in here)

I'm revealed now.. now I can go drive and get this wet vac to use.

I think it's just another test by the car to see if I will take care of it

[Cougar]

After looking at the picture of the ECU I can't believe it is working like it should. Something can't be fuctioning correctly with the damage shown in the picture. Does the CEL light turn on when you turn the key to ON?

[1-3-2-4]

After looking at the picture of the ECU I can't believe it is working like it should. Something can't be fuctioning correctly with the damage shown in the picture. Does the CEL light turn on when you turn the key to ON?

well I did not check that..

I did drive the car to the other side of town... I do have another issue..

Brakes! The ABS light is still on but the brakes lock up with just a feather touch.. it almost feels like a stiff brake petal and if you push more then half way I can cause one of the wheels to lock up.

I will get back to you on the CEL thing.

[Rooster2]

So I should go ahead and buy another ECU?[/QUOTE]


Yea, replacing the ECU would be money wisely spent. I wouldn't trust the broken one you have as far as I could throw it.

Subie ECUs don't break often, so easy to get a good one from a wrecking yard. Shouldn't cost much. Just find one from roughly the same year car you have. Match up part numbers, and you should be good to go.

[1-3-2-4]

I checked and the CEL does come on when the car is turned to ON

Where is the ABS computer? My ABS is kicking in when just pressing the brakes standing still. When I know it's going to happen the petal gets very stiff then the ABS pump starts going away.

I understand the ECU and the ABS are two different control units. However I can't locate the ABS unit on my Legacy other then the pump under the hood with the relays.

[avk]

You gotta pull the carpet, otherwise it will never dry. To fix it faster, you can remove the soaked jute padding and replace it with good quality 1/2" carpet pad. Should cost no more than $15.
The ABS box should be under the passenger seat, underneath the carpet.

Edited by avk, 24 August 2009 - 12:05 PM.

[1-3-2-4]

I understand where you are coming from it's just that the bolts that mount on the drive shaft tunnel they are rusted out due to old age (snapped one about 3 months ago)

I had to get creative with the drivers side by using the scissor jack and a wrench to hold the bolt so it would not spin around and remove it from inside the car.


I did get the driver's side out.. carpet in the rear is ready to be pulled just gotta figure out how to get the drivers seat out since I have all but that snapped bolt out.. If need to I can just cut it off.

I had planned to replace the seats anyways but not right away.

IS air drying in the house ok? Since I would have some free time I should be able to hand dry as well.

[1-3-2-4]

Carpet is out!

just as I expected the ABS Module got wet as well so that's the reasoning the ABS was going nuts and pumping the petal while just standing still.

I will see if it can still be saved.

[avk]

It should dry inside the house if you have room. Hopefully the carpet isn't moldy.
Lay it out with padding on the top and spray with Lysol, just in case.

[1-3-2-4]

about to head to the store which Lysol? The Disinfectant Spray?

[avk]

That's the one. Get "Professional Strength" if they have it.

[1-3-2-4]

That's the one. Get "Professional Strength" if they have it.

I did not see it but I sprayed it on it and i turned on my dehumidifier in which is in the same room the carpet is in.

Good thing I did pull up the carpet (first time) that jute padding padding was pretty much dripping like crazy pulling it up.

On the other side one of the past owner spilled off white pain in the car and got in under the jute padding..

Also I found about $3.00 worth in change in the car between the seats and all.

I have the ABS module open right now.. as was the ECU it's damp as well but looks like no harm was done.. but I will test it with the meter.

[frogstar7055]

Still working on my Forester after sinking it in a mud hole.
Striped the interior,changed ECU,changed ALL the fluids(you might want to do the same,I had water in both diffs)and am in the process of changing rear wheel bearings now.
The week or so I spent drying it out and getting it running the rear passenger side wheel bearing rusted itself to death.

[1-3-2-4]

I did not hear anything funny with the wheel bearings however the other car my mom drove I'm sure it's a wheel bearing it makes that low wroom, wroom, wroom sound depended on your speed.

I'm going to change the fluids tomorrow

[njdrsubaru]

wow it seems like brown wagons love to get flooded! lol


something similar happened to me


:lol::lol:

yes your abs computer is toasted u need a new one... its not a bad idea to have an extra ecu.. that one wont last long at all...

its been more than a yr since i flooded my car.. just now that i am going to the JY next month to get a new carpet

Edited by njdrsubaru, 25 August 2009 - 03:07 PM.

[1-3-2-4]

Haha I remember that picture in one of the other threads from here.

ECU is still fine.. it still knows where my rev limit is at.

one funny thing.. and I don't know if water mixed in or what.. but the day before the little flood on level ground I could move just using 1500 rpms but I took the car to work today 16 one way 24mi RT clutch engagement was so erratic it was driving me nuts.. so to be safe I changed my rear and front oil and it's nice and buttery smooth again..

Was it just me or perhaps the water?

The ABS module i took out and took apart and it's drying like the ECU it had moisture on the pins but none on the PCB. I tested a few things in circuit they seem to be ok but I won't know for sure until I plug it back in the car.


I think it fried my XM tuner I left it under the passenger seat so it would be easy to get to.

Edited by 1-3-2-4, 25 August 2009 - 03:21 PM.

[njdrsubaru]

i'm assuming its an auto right?


it will take you a few trans fluid changed to get the moisture out of the trans... i know some in here hates the lucas trans fix, but that was what saved my new tranny a couple of months back when i went through a deep puddle.. try that when u do change your trans fluid AGAIN

you have to get it all up and running soon.. i'm planning a barrens meet in october lol

Edited by njdrsubaru, 25 August 2009 - 03:26 PM.