Bill_96OBW

I also had a scraping sound coming from the right rear but only on left turns. I took it in and they found the inner ring portion of the rotor rubbing on the backplate. The tech said it is usually hard to find but he had seen this before on Subarus so he knew right where to look. He machined the ring down a little and a half an hour later I was on the road and the scraping was gone. Brakes and wheel bearings were fine. Bill

The story continues, hopefully with a happy ending. On the fourth trip to the dealer the tech's theory was that a small piece of carbon was still loose in the system. He has 20 years experience in emissions and he was frustrated too. He cleaned everything again and asked if he could keep the car overnight and drive it home and on a long test drive. He drove it 172 miles and no returning light. I am now at 500 miles with no light. The dealer, Russel Subaru, has been great here. There was only the initial charge to replace the EGR and back pressure valves, plus they gave me a free loaner, a 2003 Baja, while they kept my car. Dealers get a bad rap many times but I highly recommend Russel to anyone in Maryland. These emissions codes can be tricky but they worked with me to get it fixed.

Thanks for your replies. The check engine light is back on after one day and 50 miles. I'm going back to the dealer in 2 days but they admit they are not sure what to do next. I will share the sensor info with them and we will try again. By the way my 96 OBW is an automatic but I haven't noticed any shift changes. Maybe all I need is some black electrical tape to cover the light since I don't know how to turn it off. I was told that disconnecting the battery will not work for 96 and newer. I'll update as I learn something new.

I know emissions problems can be very hard to diagnose but I would appreciate any suggestions here. I have a 96 OBW, well maintained. At about 95k miles the check engine light came on for the first time ever. Code was P0400. The dealer replaced the EGR valve and booster valve (back pressure) and cleared the codes. 10 days and 300 miles later the CEL came back on, same code. Dealer said passages were dirty and spray cleaned the exhaust gas regulations and cleared the engine control unit. 10 days and 330 miles later the CEL is back on, same code. The dealer checked with Subaru and cleaned the exhaust gas regulations again with a wire this time to clear any buildup. CEL is off but I am not sure for how long. The dealer has only charged me for the initial visit but I am tired of going back. So any ideas, or is this the correct fix? Is there any problem driving with the CEL on. We are planning a 700 mile trip to Chicago at Christmas. Thanks for any suggestions here.