sdfarmgirl Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Hi all, I've been looking for answers lurking for a while but I figure I'll just put it all here. I have a lovely (looks new) 1999 Subaru Legacy Wagon with just over 62,500 miles. Really just a teenager. But in the past 8 months she's been starting to have some minor challenges... I bought the car new in August 1998, carefully did my "break-in" driving by the book on my 500 mile drive home from the dealership. Even in the beginning, I had acceleration problems. It seemed to hesitate and then accelerate. I believe there was a recall that was supposed to fix that, but I've never been convinced. She just doesn't jump to attention when you ask her for a little more. Reminds me of an old horse I used to have... So, here are all the issues I've been saving up. Sorry to be so wordy. 1. I smell burning rubber when I get out of the car after driving it for a while. Seems to be coming from under the hood... 2. In March, the battery was leaking white battery corrosion all over the top of the battery... I think it actually froze in some -20 weather. And it wouldn't start occasionally... I even saw smoke coming from under the hood. I bought a new battery, but still saw smoke. 3. I took it to a local mechanic/body shop and they said it was the alternator and so I replaced it for just under $300. They said that would fix the burning rubber smell... it didn't. 4. The "check engine light" came on in April and I took it back to the same mechanic who put the meter on it and it said "O2 or other sensor" not a very definitive answer. Mechanic said it was likely "bad gas" reset the sensor and it has come on and gone off every week since then. It has some acceleration issues and actually has not had great gas mileage, though with two small boys, I haven't actually measured the gas mileage. I've been runing mid-grade fuel in it, which in SD means 10% locally produced ethanol... 5. I've been noticing oil drips on the floor of the garage... and at the last oil change they said it was a quart low. So, what should I do? Take it to the nearest dealer and turn it over to them? The check engine light was on today. Might be off tomorrow. I never know!:-\ Thanks for any advice you care to offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaltCar Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Hi, I'll give you some things to think about and try. Smell may be oil dripping on exhaust Battery will clean up with baking soda mixed with water, follow with water rinse. Repeat as needed. Put a copper penny ('82 or earlier) on top of your battery to help keep from recurring. Can't guess. My check engine light comes on if I put more gas in after the first time the pump clicks off. Resetting the light to see if it comes back is the right way to go. Common complaint, paper train your car. Get a drip pan or use cardboard, plywood, etc. Learn to check fluid levels. Look at your owner's manual for the maintenance schedule and follow it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Hi all,I've been looking for answers lurking for a while but I figure I'll just put it all here. I have a lovely (looks new) 1999 Subaru Legacy Wagon with just over 62,500 miles. Really just a teenager. But in the past 8 months she's been starting to have some minor challenges... I bought the car new in August 1998, carefully did my "break-in" driving by the book on my 500 mile drive home from the dealership. Even in the beginning, I had acceleration problems. It seemed to hesitate and then accelerate. I believe there was a recall that was supposed to fix that, but I've never been convinced. She just doesn't jump to attention when you ask her for a little more. Reminds me of an old horse I used to have... So, here are all the issues I've been saving up. Sorry to be so wordy. 1. I smell burning rubber when I get out of the car after driving it for a while. Seems to be coming from under the hood... 2. In March, the battery was leaking white battery corrosion all over the top of the battery... I think it actually froze in some -20 weather. And it wouldn't start occasionally... I even saw smoke coming from under the hood. I bought a new battery, but still saw smoke. 3. I took it to a local mechanic/body shop and they said it was the alternator and so I replaced it for just under $300. They said that would fix the burning rubber smell... it didn't. 4. The "check engine light" came on in April and I took it back to the same mechanic who put the meter on it and it said "O2 or other sensor" not a very definitive answer. Mechanic said it was likely "bad gas" reset the sensor and it has come on and gone off every week since then. It has some acceleration issues and actually has not had great gas mileage, though with two small boys, I haven't actually measured the gas mileage. I've been runing mid-grade fuel in it, which in SD means 10% locally produced ethanol... 5. I've been noticing oil drips on the floor of the garage... and at the last oil change they said it was a quart low. So, what should I do? Take it to the nearest dealer and turn it over to them? The check engine light was on today. Might be off tomorrow. I never know!:-\ Thanks for any advice you care to offer. 1-5 get a new mechnaic 1- power steering leak at the rack or look for a wet oil pan 2- baking soda 3- see #1 and never go to them again 5- see #1 When is the next timing belt change due? You need to find a better mechanic then you been going to, i hate to say go to a dealer, but you arent having any luck. Answer the belt question first Which engine transmission and how many miles on the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 i agree with nipper except that my guess for the burning rubber smell is either the oil just dripping on the exhaust. or it could be a broken CV boot that's splattering grease on the hot exhaust. look under the car or even with just the hood popped you'll see a rubber boot where the axle shaft connects to the transmission (one on each side). these boots are maintenance items on foreign cars (amercan cars don't last long enough....sorry, ha ha). the boot is not an immediate concern so i wouldn't worry about it...except the smell is annoying. need to find where the oil leak is coming from. valve cover gaskets are cheap and easy to fix. not really familiar with these newer models but i think it may have a cam cap and seal on the back of the engine as well...this needs to be looked at. after that there are a couple seals under the timing belts - crank, cam and oil pump. these should all be replaced at the next timing belt change. look under the car if you feel so inclined - oil in the center up front would be either oil pump or crank seal. oil up front and to either side would be cam seal. oil at the back of the motor would be valve covers (close to the outside) or cam caps (if it has them on the rear). or rear main seal (centered at the back of the motor but HIGHLY unlikely). if you can look under the car and tell where the oil is coming from let us know, that would be a big help. or post a couple pictures from underneath and we can narrow it down. start looking at the FRONT first...because as your driving dripping oil blows back and gets all over other things. if it's clean up front then the leak is in the back. if it's oily up front then it'll be semi-oily further back from blow-back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdfarmgirl Posted July 13, 2006 Author Share Posted July 13, 2006 Thanks all. Took it in to the dealer an hour away and replaced a "knock sensor" as that was what the code indicated on their equipment. I must admit I haven't been a very good friend to my car... they showed me my belts looked like they'd give up the ghost any day... so I had those replaced as well. Now she accelerates better than the day I drove her off the lot! They said the smell sounds like an oil leak as well... but I forgot to ask them if they looked for it! I think I'll park over some paper in the garage tonight and see what I can find! I read that one shouldn't put generic spark plugs in, just from the dealership... does that go for spark plug wires too? I figure I'll put in a new air filter myself and was thinking I'd just put in new plugs and wires while I was at it... Thanks for all your help! I learn a lot just by reading other's posts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ericem Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Gota love ur dealer, sometime those little shops dont know what a subaru is an they try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Boncyk Posted July 13, 2006 Share Posted July 13, 2006 Hey - the very best mechanical treatment that my '96 Outback ever had was from a South Dakota dealer - barring my own work on her, of course! We used to live in Colman and I bought my car new from the dealership in Sioux Falls, but I don't recommend them for service. There's a dealership in Rapid City where I had to have some service done when we were on vacation in the Hills -- I'd recommend them without hesitation (no pun intended in your case!!) I'm with the guys who think that a leaking oil seal is the source of your burning smell. It was my first clue that Subie seals don't last forever -- and I got that clue around 60000 miles -- of course in my case that was when the car was less than three years old! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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