charm

strange double post, sorry

Shop couldn't get the car to do it...they pulled it in warm. They did think the tranny fluid was bit on the nasty side so recomended a flush instead of a simple fluid change (the later would have been included inteh 120k mile service). Even after the flush, I still get the clunk, clunk, clunk sound. The shop is not at all concerned about torque bind and didn't have a good idea as to the cause. Smart Service comes awfully highly recomended and they've done great work on my car and friend's cars in the past so my gut tells me that if they don't know...they really don't know. With 120k on the struts, I've been wanting to replace them anyway. Been toying with the idea of swapping in Forester struts from a junk yard with new cartridges to give me a little a lift, but, that may be more trouble then it's worth. So for now, when it's cold, the clunk, clunk, clunk sound is still present. It's not getting any better, but, it's not getting any worse either. The shop says it's not the drivetrain and not wheel bearings, so, I'm not worried. Granted, and now I'm just brain storming, I did hear a loud 'boom' on the freeway today. All 4 tires are still in one piece and holding air. My car rides pretty normally and I don't think it's riding any rougher, but, if the struts were already in bad shape, I might not notice a big difference with a blown strut? I do know, because I've heard it before, that they do make a big boom when they blow!

I took a rock in the passenger side headlamp assembly on my 97 impreza. It's just a small hole, almost looks more like a bb shot it, but it should be replaced. The online catalogs all want +/- $130 and I don't want to spend that. Where are the boneyards that tend to have a few Subies around in the Seattle area?

Slow speeds, no bumps or driveways needed. Sound comes from the rear as well as the front. Almost seems like it comes from the rear when turning to the right and the front when turning to the left. It goes away once the car warms up. I gave the search function the old college try, but didn't manage to find what I was looking for.

Update... The FWD didn't help the noise. It seems to be coming from the rear as much as the front and seems to only happen when cold. Any ideas? Things to check?

I'll take the car over to Les Schwab this morning and have them rotate the tires, it's been almost 10k miles. While they've got it up on their rack, I'll measure tire circumfrence. Please define "right away." I am planning on taking the car into the shop for the 120k service, I just don't feel like doing the t-belt myself. That service includes flushing EVERY fluid in the car. Right now I'm looking at at least a week before I can get into the shop, mainly because they can't take it without a week's notice. It'll be in before the end of the year, is that soon enough to not cause damage or should I be more insistant with the shop that it needs to be in earlier?

It's only when turning and only when going at putting the car into a parking spot speeds (less then 5 mph). At speeds one might take a turn in traffic at, there is no noise. I have trouble calling this a click, but I can see how a clunk might be misleading. It's slower and lower then what I what describe as a click. It sorta sounds like that noise a blown tire makes on the freeway while you're trying to move over to the shoulder, but not anywhere near as loud. It sounds like the wheel isn't turning true which is why I was guessing bearing. I suppose without jacking up the car and wiggling things, I won't know for sure.

I noticed just yesterday while pulling into a parking spot that I get a clunking sound when turning at low speeds only. What could this be? 97 Impreza 118,000 miles. I'm planning to do the t-belt between X-mas and New Years in a buddies shop so I'll have the space and a warm place to work, but need to know what I'm dealing with on this one. Oh, and is there a decent shop manual or guide to help me out with the t-belt change?

Strange, this just happened to me about 3 weeks ago. Sounded and felt to me like I had developed a major exhaust leak and blown a tire all at the same time. Mine was the #4 plug and it took me a good long while to find. Any ideas on why this happens (yes I torqued my plugs to recomendation)?

Both my girlfriend and I drive 97 imprezas with the 2.2 (we bought them before we met). Our maintenace schedules are different and performed often by different mechanics. Oddly enough, we are both experiencing a burning rubber smell once the car has warmed up and is stopped. I recently replaced my drive belts so I've been concerned I snugged them up a bit too tight. She ahd her radiator serviced and new thermastat put in about 2 months ago. Any idea what the burning smell could be, it seems a little strange that we're both smelling it at the same time in 2 different cars.

The rotors were turned. I sorta assumed that either the dealership would do this or recomend that I do this. For this brake job I went against my better judgement and took the car to a dealership that has performed poorly for me in the past. At least this time their price was on par with my favorite independant garage. I've got well over a hundred miles on the brakes, I've tried seating the pads as best I can (in a similar fashion described in a link above) and the brakes still pulse, and they're still a bit mushy. I don't know if the mushyness is subsiding or if I'm just getting used to it.

So I just had my brakes done...I'm buying new rotors and doing it myself next time. How long before the pads on a Sunaru seat themselves? I'm finding that my brakes feel mushy (they didn't before the brake job) and they pulse rapidly (the foot message is lovely but can't be good for stopping). So, if it takes awhile for pads on the 97 impreza to seat themselves, I'll wait until Monday to take it in. If this seems like I got shoddy workmanship, it'll go in today!

Smart Service was crazy busy so, instead of bruning through a rotor, I asked them who they would take it to. They refered me to the dealership so back into Eastside Subaru I went. Their quoted price was identical to Smart Service. I've put about 60 miles on the car so far and the brakes feel mushy to me. The receipt says I ok'd up to $275, wrong, I ok'd up to $250. After tax the total was about $275. How long should I wait for the OEM pads to seat before I take the car back in and complain about my newly mushy brakes?

All right all right, I'll go to Smart Service. I can't think of the name of the dealership here in Kirkland, but I had an issue with them replacing the alt and AC belts (not sure how you screw that up, but they did), and I've had them screw up a wheel bearing replacement. Basically, 2 things I should have done myself that don't take all that long. Additionally, they charged double what Smart Service wanted for the same repair but, the dealership is walking distance from work. I replaced those belts this past weekend myself (with OEM belts of course) and Smart Service did the wheel bearing. I'd do the brake job myself but I don't have the tools to rebuild the calipers or resurface the rotors...the tools to do the job right, so I'll leave it to those that do. What's wrong with Les Schwab doing it? I have seldom experienced better customer service then I do at Les Schwab and the work they've done for me in the past, I've been very pleased with. One of the few places that rivals Les Schwab's customer service does happen to be Smart Service.

I have a choice, I can drop $195 at Les Schwab whom I'm sure would do a fine job on my brakes. Or, $250 at Smart Service whom I'm sure would do an even better job. Les Schwab is much more convenient (can walk to and from my office) then Smart Service, but they just aren't Smart Service. I didn't even call the dealer because every other dealing I've had with the dealership has either cost 2x as much (literally) or has required additional cash flow to finally just have Smart Service fix it right. Opinions? Is that $50- well spent? I will still be loyal to Smart Service and give them my business and my referals whether I have somebody else do my brakes or not.

I was hoping for much more creativity from this board. I'm happy the solution is as simple as walking to the dealer around the corner from my office and that the part is cheap...but I also enjoy hearing about the chicken wire and chewing gum solutions to issues such as these. Well, I'll get one from the dealer today or tomorrow since it's such an expensive and simple fix...thanks all.

So, I'm sure several have had this problem and I'm curious about what you've done to resolve it (or ignore it). I closed my door with the seat belt in the door and it broke the little button that keeps the metal latch piece in an easily accessible location, i.e. not on the floor. What have you folks used in its place when you've borken it?

The problem I see with most fog lights and driving lights is that while I can see you for an instant, I'm left blinded by this misaimed light. So great, I saw you, now I'm blind, have no idea where the road is, and cross into your lane and we have a head on collision. Why? Because you wanted me to see you so you turned on more lights. This is, obviously, a sore subject for me. I think that unless there is actually dense fog that requires you to slow WAYYYY down, fog lights and driving lights should be illegal. I think that the temporary blindness they cause, much like that of misaimed headlights, likely leads to more car accidents then we realize. Please use your lights with care, it may save your life.

I've been really happy with Smart Service since I took the board's recommendations and went their myself. I've never been treated as well as I have there by any other mechanic...ever. Last repair was a cooling system issue. Dealer wanted about $700- Smart Service quoted $450- Did the job for $250-. Speaking of which, I need to call them and see what they'll charge me to replace my steering rack.

Just a funny related story. My dad, in 1980, bought a brand new Datusn 280ZX. At 31,000 miles, just after the warranty ran out, he was told by the dealer that he had a cracked block. He decided to drive on it until it went. After another 250,000 miles of changing the oil every 15,000 miles, need it or not, he got rid of the car...never seeing a sign of the cracked block. Granted, the crack may have been clogged by the gunk resulting from his, um, regular oil change interval. My point is, somebody may just be blowing smoke, drive it until you KNOW there's a HG problem...it may be a few (hundred) thousand miles before it's realized.

Never had an open air sube, but in my old camry I too had a leaky moon roof. It only happened to me when I was washing the car. The first attempt should be to clear the drains. You can do this from where they come out underneath the car with anything that will fit in the drain line and bend with the drain line. With my camry, somehow one of the lines had been pinched and I ended up having to drop the headliner. Rather then replacing the entire tube, I spliced in a new piece. Your bigger issue is the mold. You might as well drop your headline and dismantle the interior and buy a gallon of bleach because you've got a lot of cleaning ahead of you to deal with the mold problem. Most molds are not harmful but me cause allergic reactions similar to hay fever. Hay fever while driving, however, can be dangerous since you end up taking your eyes of the road for a second when you sneeze. All molds are very persistent and it'll take a very thorough cleaning to resolve the problem. In fact, you might be better off taking the car to somebody and let them be liable for the cleaning...I have no clue who does automative mold clean ups.

I've been driving my girlfirend's 97 Impreza outback which is having some issues and she has my 97 Impreza L. I think her alignment is off considering the fact that I can't drive the thing straight down the road and the steering wheel is cocked a few degrees. Her steering is much looser then mine, is that just an alignement issue, or is there a difference in the Outback vs the standard model other then ride height?

So the fact that I've gone like 1000 miles is bad?

Basically, I think that anything that you, the other driver, does that is avoidable that prevents me from seeing you should be against the law. Hear in WA, I'm sure it would never be enforced, but it would do my heart some good to know it was in the books. If they're for daytime running, they aren't blinding me and putting both or our lives at risk.

Is there a clearance issue on the Tribeca? Is that why they suggest Subaru chains? If it's a clearance issue the best way to go is with a set of these... http://www.spike-spider.com/ I've seen these run on cars with REALLY low clearance, like BMW M3s.