2005 Impreza ADW issue

[Cactus Music]

Hi every one looked at a few Subaru forums and this looks like the place to be and ask. 

 

So up until now our 2005 Impreza has been solid as a rock and never any issues. Just turning over 200,000 K

We have kept it serviced and only the original dealer and our currant mechanic have ever worked on it.My mechanic just happens to be my Nephew and has been top shelf as far as I can tell.

 

So short history of the issue

In May he serviced it and swapped out the winter tires. nothing found.

Week later wife found the rear wheel smoking so she drove it the 3 KM to our mechanic.

He had to totally replace the rear brakes to the tune of $800, a very first major breakdown for us. Note the brakes had been done only a year and a half prior to this. ? We at this point questioned his workmanship not excluding why had he not noticed the brakes when he pulled the rims?? But he is my nephew and I still trust him 100%,, OK make that 98%.. 

 

Pretty much right away my wife complained the car felt like it was trying to stall when you first started out, this was narrowed down to when you turned a sharply while manoeuvring in parking lots. 

So I tested it and yes , there was a noticeable rumble coming from the left rear when you turned sharp right and applied power. Didn't do it when coasting and didn't seem to do it in reverse. I also have felt her car was was kinda rumbling and loud compared to my Legacy. 

So my nephew looked at it today and he did the fuse bypass trick and the noise has gone away. 

I never heard of this and reading here about why the by pass exists makes me realise I'm glad I never had a flat tire.

 

Didn't get a chance to talk to him as he was gone when I picked the car up after work, but I noticed the issue was gone and the car actually seems pretty perky all of a sudden.I know he did the fuse trick because the AWD light is on.  

Wife is not happy that it is broken and does not wish to drive a Front wheel drive. 

 

We are hard pressed to spend a lot of money on an old car. What can I expect is wrong and can it be fixed? 

Thanks for reading my long post, sorry about that.. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Cactus Music

[1 Lucky Texan]

were any tires changed recently?

[Cactus Music]

Yes, as I said, we had it serviced and the winters changed over for the summers, We have all our tires on rims so the summers are on the original rims and this will be their second year. They are Michelin hi performance ( Rain X?) and the proper original size.  

[GeneralDisorder]

Try a couple transmission fluid drain/fills and a bottle of trans-x.

 

If that doesn't do it then you will probably have to replace the transfer clutch pack, and deburr the drums.

 

The fact that the fuse resolves the issue means the clutch is sticking.

 

GD

[Cactus Music]

Thanks GD. Yes I figured so much,

I wonder if driving the car with the frozen caliper overtaxed the clutch AWD system? seems this is the cause of this unforseen damage. Like it's not normal for this component to fail? correct? 

 

Another insight I forgot to mention was on Sunday when we came home, which is a 3 KM climb up a hill and then a gravel road when I got out of the car I smelled burning brake liners?? All 4 wheels were cool, so that smell must have been the clutch gizmo. 

 

So this goes back to me pondering why the caliper froze in the first place to cause this damage and why it was not noticed during a service that involved tire removal. 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Cactus Music

[1 Lucky Texan]

the smell could be grease from a torn CV boot.

 

being on a low traction service is the least likely to create torque bind. Of course, it doesn't mean the car didn't arrive to the gravel area with a problem.

[wtdash]

Hi,

Since you're just  a bit north of me in BC, I'm guessing that's 200K KMs, not Yankee miles, correct? 120K miles is NOT a lot, but I will tell (warn) you that the likelihood of Head Gasket repair is looming.

 

But remember, car payments are usually less than  car repairs  - over the course of a year....but being stranded is another cause for concern. - and it sounds like your wife is already looking for a new car......

 

I personally wouldn't blame a mech/Nephew for not seeing a frozen caliper. When those Tire Changers are swapping Winter>>Summer they likeliy do it in their sleep considering the dozens/hundreds/thousands (?) a season they do.*

 

What's the rust like on cars in GF? In N. Idaho it's not as big a deal as the midwest/new england states that salt to taste and then add another serving...just in case they missed a spot.  If you're in a rust-belt, then a frozen caliper is gonna happen.

 

Edit: I re-read this, "Note the brakes had been done only a year and a half prior to this" so What was done on the prior brake service? New pads? Rotors?

 

They can 'turn rotors' on the car, so they may not have had to touch the calipers (unless I don't know how that's done>>>GD?)

 

GL,

Td

 

 

* Tangent: I had a set of cheap chrome hub caps/wheel covers on an old '85 Subaru w/the black steel wheels. Once when I took it in for a tire change, they took the cover for the real thing and broke two 'chrome lug nuts' off  b4 they figured it out. They glued 'em back on and I was good to go.

Edited June 20, 2017 by wtdash

[Cactus Music]

Thanks GL,  Yes it's 200,000 Kilometers. We were planning on driving it for another 5 years as it's basically immaculate, There was a tiny rust spot on the door that we just had repaired at the body shop, Someone had backed into the car so they replaced the front fender and agreed to touch up the little spot free.    We bought it new and it's never thrown a fit.

We know all about the head gasket issue but what I have gleaned from the thousands of threads about this is ya, some cars are toast, but if you fully maintain your vehicle it's way unlikely it will happen to you. It goes for service every 3,000- 5,000 K depending on what was happening. We don't take it on long trips anymore preferring the much more comfortable Legacy. We need to put miles on the legacy. It only had 80,000 K when we bought it 3 years ago. We live up a mountain and we would not be caught dead without the Subaru's.

 

My nephew was on the ball and before I could even report what I was told here, he will drain the fluid , and replace with that Dodge X brand and run it on the hoist while pulling the bypass fuse on and off. So we will see what happens.

[wtdash]

CM,

"My nephew was on the ball and before I could even report what I was told here, he will drain the fluid , and replace...".

 

Just to clarify, and not be (too) picky, he'll need to either do a flush (assuming a shop has the tools), or do what some of us backyard mechs do and Drain>Refill>Drive x 3 times. to get the majority of the ATF out of there - half is in the pan and will drain out; half is in the TC / Torque Converter and will not. I think the 4EAT / Automatics hold about 10 quarts, per OM:

 

Transmission oil (AT) 10.0 US qt (9.5 liters, 8.4 Imp qt)

 

Also, and I may be in the minority - so 'grain of salt' -  but I'm not a fan of chemical or power ATF flushes on cars over 100K IF they've never had a trans service. It might cause grief w/the seals = walking home. If you'd had it done and yours is used to the every 30K mile ATF service it's likely not a problem.

[GeneralDisorder]

We just do drain and fills because we don't want to disturb any of the sediment in the pan. If it's really nasty we will pull the pan and clean it first.

 

GD

[Cactus Music]

Thanks once again. I will have to let him do what he feels is best. One thing I've learned is never try and tell a professional how to do their job He goes to web sites like this one  and asks questions, he also has a buddy working at a Subaru dealer who he e mails for help. .He is actually very good as far as I have dealt with him over 10 years. Generally I ask for and receive top quality service which is money well spent. I used to do all my own work but modern cars are now a mystery to me.I work on the old Explorer( our Snow Plow)  because it is not insured anymore.

 

If the car requires major work we will have to sell or trade in on a new or newer model, We did get 12 years of reliable service so I guess that's not bad.  And I still have my Legacy with 150,000K and in mint condition  Problem is that's been my car,,, the wife took it over already   Said she doen't like the idea of her Impreza being only 2wdrive

Edited June 21, 2017 by Cactus Music

[1 Lucky Texan]

We just do drain and fills because we don't want to disturb any of the sediment in the pan. If it's really nasty we will pull the pan and clean it first.

 

GD

I always wondered how much debris was in a trans pan - re they usually nasty?

 

(it's been decades since I pulled a trans pan, on US cars, and they didn't 'seem' bad.)

[GeneralDisorder]

There a usually some stuff, yeah. You can kinda judge by the color of the ATF. If it's brown and new stuff gets brown/black real quick then the pan probably has a lot of sediment and friction material on the magnets.

 

GD

Edited June 21, 2017 by GeneralDisorder