What warranty issues have you had with the car?
Was the dealer for the most part good about taking care of it for you?

Had mine for 13 months now :D

I had the infamous CEL error, took it to the dealer, they hooked it up to their reader, in about 4 minutes said, yep, you need a reflash. We've seen this problem before, in fact we will have the equipment onsite here in 2 days, just swing your car be then. I swung by that day, in 30 minutes, my computer was reflashed and fine :)

I had no problems ever with the dealer. But then again, that is the only thing my car went in for besides oil changes :)

/\rcanum

No issues at all never been to the dealer...dealers suck to many people have access to your car at the dealer that’s why I only take my car to an independent Subaru Repair shop...I was lucky enough to find SubySpecialties which is located about 30 minutes from my house and these guys are the best.

areg

from 0 to 37k

I've had 1st and 2nd rebuilt

the auto window motor replaced

that's it

the tranny rebuild happened within 5k

the window motor, 35.8:D

works like a charm

no problems with dealer and warranty

speed safely

Brian

i mostly went in for stupid things.

windows squeaking
driversides hook that holds the mat down broke (4x)
squeaky clutch pedel
reprogram alarm

its stupid things, but i got to take advantage of the warranty

never had a problem with the mods i have either.

Had mine since June 01, took it in for usual maintenance and a squeaky window. Also, had my subwoofer replaced when it went out. Good service at my dealership (Albany Subaru), very helpful and professional.

I'll let you know when all the work is done:):(

16 months, 36,200 miles

Blown power steering pump
Squeaky drivers window
Check engine light caused by EBC and another one caused by BOV
Squeaky rear brakes
Worn out tranny syncros
"Clutch Shudder"
Loose coolant hose leaking on the turbo
All of them were covered under warranty except for the check engine lights

April 2001

Warped rotors fixed by dealer.

P1443 twice. Never had the ecu reflashed.

Clutch shudder sometimes. I learned to live with it.

Jay

Originally posted by Slvrblt
from 0 to 37k

I've had 1st and 2nd rebuilt

the auto window motor replaced

that's it

the tranny rebuild happened within 5k

the window motor, 35.8:D

works like a charm

no problems with dealer and warranty

speed safely

Brian Brian, where did you go?

So far I haven't had any real problems since I got the car last June.
Had a CEL once that went away the same day (might have been caused by loose gas cap). The passenger side door speaker was rattling on 'bassy' songs, they replaced it without any trouble.

No problems since I got the car last August.

Rich

my car has been great for 18 months with not one issue.

this is also pointless

hope i'm not jinxing myself here... 15 mos. and 23,500 miles with no problems... had 2 flashing CELs at start-up but that's it...

for a new body car this car does very very well. many new cars have problems when they have a new body or new engine. take the new BMW 745. their engine has had countless problems. we are so lucky that our cars are almost perfect. ( excluding transmission though)

I've had a turbo problem fixed under warrenty.

what went wrong with the turbo.



boom. 200 post

inski- Tri-State subaru in Webster, MA

they're kind of dunderheads though, I do my own service and such

I didn't bother mentioning the CEL's I throw 2x a month or so, depending on my driving. I just let them self clear

speed safely

Brian

14mo ~ 43k mi.

at 35k, A/C compressor was replaced under warrenty. maybe it's me... i had same prob with '94 civic and '99 miata. :rolleyes:

still waiting for a fix for clutch prob's. (there may be tranny issues as well)

I have had mine for almost a year and a half and have made alot of modifications. At first I thought the dealer would give me alot of **** about how I am voiding my warrenty but actualy they are really cool about it.

Originally posted by 128d
I have had mine for almost a year and a half and have made alot of modifications. At first I thought the dealer would give me alot of **** about how I am voiding my warrenty but actualy they are really cool about it.


really cool about what, what did you go to the dealer for if you don't mind what dealer

CEL -- ECU re-flash
Airbag light came on and horn didn't work -- Replaced wire loom in steering wheel/column
It appears I have/had grease leaking from the left front shaft output of the transmission, but it's too late for warantee work on that one (40k now) I probably had that for a while, but only noticed recently.

20 months
23k or so
no mods

CEL came up a while back, at about 8-10k miles. This was in 2001, and the dealer said the ecu had to be shipped somewhere for the reflash, because the local techs can't do it (yet?). 3 days with free rental. Albany Subaru (north cali) was very nice about it.

Right now, the usual morning shudder and a bit of window squeaking.

No problems otherwise.

17.5K
1.5 years
CEL from Gas Cap pressure check. Had a loose hose and when the pressure test occured, it gave me a CEL. They 1st thought it was the ECU, so it was reflashed, turned out it didn't need to be, cause the CEL was still coming on, but it was done anyway.
Other than that, clutch shudder when not warmed up, and squeaky window. Thats all

I picked my car up in March of '01, currently has ~25K on the odo.
I have had the following warranty work done:
ECU re-flashed
driver's side power window repaired
clutch replaced for shudder
front driver's side half shaft replaced because it was leaking, just like Concillian's. I probably wouldn't have noticed it for a while, but when the car was in for the clutch work, the shop advised me of the problem(Thanks Bruce @ Santa Cruz!)

All of this work was done at Santa Cruz with the exception of the window. All was done hassle free.

Concillian,
Talk to Bruce, the leaking on the transmission side of the left front axle is a known defect with the early production models, and the axle has subsequently been redesigned.

Can anyone recommend a dealer to take my WRX to in either Cleveland or Akron?

I've been to Ellicott-Shaker, and don't want to go back (what a pigpen!).

Thanks. I have coolant leaking at the rad/upper hose. HELP!

Have a CEL for Cam-shaft sensor. Anyone else have this problem yet?

Originally posted by pgreenswim
Have a CEL for Cam-shaft sensor. Anyone else have this problem yet?

Uh-oh. Time to remove stage 2 and head to the dealer.

well I got my car mar 01 she now has 26k
my drivers door window motor worked loose causing a clunk the dealer fixed in in less than an hour from drive up to drive off.
the plastic piece of the console that has the cup holder in it kept popping loose I had the local dealer order it but they wouldn't just put it on they wanted to make me wait that day( me impaitient) so I left to come back another day but I must have pissed them off or something because they sent it back.
I was going to be around the purchaseing dealer so I called the parts department and had them order that piece (very nice) I then talked to the service dept. and was told that they DID NOT take appointments(?) that it was first come first serve. I made araingements to drop off the car first thing in the morning ( also complaing of a rattle in the dash and a rattle in the driver's door) the POS service manager told me that they did not have time to look at my car that day and that I should have made an APPOINTMENT&$@#^ thankfully the car salesmen was there so I had him talk to the service manager on my behalf, the service manager grunted and said that he would try to work it in. Come on it would take any normal person 3 minuets to replace that piece of plastic. I showed up at the dealer around 4 pm to get my car well i found the tech sitting in my car staring at the console (to much smoke?) I asked him wgat was going on and the replied that the part was incorrect, because the part that they recived had seat warmer switches in it and would not work! Trying not to kill him for being dumb I showed him how to pop the switches out and that it would fit. I then walked away to let him finish ( I had showed him how to do the "complicated" procedure). I went to ask the service manager what they thought of the rattes, he said that my " aftermarket" SOA gauge pod was to blame for the rattle in the opposite side of the dash. That the tech had driven the car and not heard anything. well I went to check on my car, being that it was a 2 sec job. The tech had vanished. Aggravated i waited in the lobby to see the same tech walking back and forth between the office and the shop??? Well I went to look and see if my car was done( I know that your not supposed to go in to the shop and get a vehicle out of the bay but the tech was not working on it. The plastic piece was bent down with one of the tabs on the out side of the console??? The key was in the car so I left then someone from the dealer started yelling something so I backed up to the service managers area and leaned out the window to talk to him. He repramanded me for taking my car out of the shop and for backing in to the (i don't know what to call it the drive through for the service writers) well I asked him why he could not fix my car, he reponded that the tech was incapable of taking plastic parts apart ( i think that they are smarter than the tech) because he has big fingers ??? He then accuse me of being racist for saying that the tech sucked ???


Well I did get the new piece of plastic, I also got to switches that fit in to the console and some knowledge of how inept some people are.

7,300 miles and exactly 1 year old today:
Mods: Kartboy Shortshifter and Aftermarket Alarm

1. Driver's side window squeaking.
2. AC Compressor replaced.
3. Timing Belt Tensioner.
4. Clutch Shudder
#1 and #2 were done by the same dealer. They were not very knowledgable of the wrx and would not even try to check into my problem #3.

#3 has been giving my problems since I've had about 800 miles on the car and is getting fixed today by a different dealership than the first.

#4- I just learned to live with it. I'm not going to bother with trying to get it fixed.

Matt

14 months. My WRX runs like a champ. Turboxs stage 4 , no issuses except need new brakes badly.
12.7@108.6

15 months/9200 miles. Clutch shudder & driver window squeak.
What does the dealer do for the squeaky window? I'm living with the clutch shudder until it goes completely.

I had my car 6 months a few grand in mods that I've done myself and no problems what so ever....

though one day while gettin my old changed at the dealer (I like to have the dealer do it until the warantee is through) I was reading my MRT WRX performance manual (BEST BOOK EVER!) and the parts manager caught it and we talked for a good half hour about WRX mods and he complimented me on some of the ones I had done and made some suggestions for future mods.

Turns out he worked at a different dealership that had started http://www.subaruwrxparts.com/ and that he was planning on opening a similar aftermarket parts store at my dealership.

I should also note that they sell cars off the lot already heavily modified. because of this they'll do mods for you and are a lot more liberal when it comes to mods you've done...

if you're in the area (Laconia or Exeter NH) and plan on moding your WRX I strongly recomend these guys...

it's been nothing but a pleasure ")

so what I'm getting from this thread is that most dealers aren't dicks about the aftermarket and the warranty?? or are these just isolated incidents? I'm planning on starting to mod my 03 wrx, but really don't wanna screw myself over.

had the car since jan 02 w/ 17k miles currently.
during up pipe installation found that the valve cover grommets on the passenger side were not secured properly and not sealed properly. also noticed some etched marks on them from the cams.
no oil leaks noticed on the ground but did notice some splattered on that side of the engine bay. took it in and was covered under warranty.
sometimes i get the clutch shudder but only notice it on cold days.
also noticed a bolt from front part of tranny somewhat sticking out. i will get that addressed also.

all in all im pretty happy w/ it being that its my first ever subaru.

i will complain about the thin paint and how easy it is to get scratched.

Only problems so far:

trunk lock mechanism needed adjusting

wheel balance problem (new, directly off dealer lot)

rattles in dash trim (defroster vents at base of windshield) and rattle from switch that activates glovebox light. I fixed both of these issues myself

clutch chatter when cold (infrequent)

minor hesitation as car accelerates under light throttle opening

otherwise car has been awesome, dealer service was no problem so far.

Do my own oil services.

planned mods are Samco intake hoses, MRT exhaust, Prodrive P1 17"

any suggestions?

My wrx has around 11000 km now. Bought it on june 2002.
The driver side window is squeaky but i didn't bother bringing it to the dealer. The area in front of the hoodscoop started turning yellow at about 5000km. Bought it to the dealer and that f**king
service manager chik said she is gonna email Subaru of Japan.
NO reply after 2 months, very pissed off right now!!!!!!!

The hood started turning yellow before the BOV and intake
were installed. I don't know why this is happening... damn

Originally posted by GDA-EJ20
The area in front of the hoodscoop started turning yellow at about 5000km.

ok first what color is your car...

mine is midnight black and I can't fathom the hood turning yellow.

I was deployed for six months and the battery was dead and wouldn't take a charge. Got a real battery (6 year) and the dealer paid for it. That's it. Gotta love the Japanese cars.

San

my wrx is white.....

so it is pretty noticeable under the sun....

when i brought the car to the dealer, i saw that this other white wrx was also turning yellow on the area just before the entrance of the hoodscoop....

Clutch shudder issue which is going to replaced by Subaru with no hassle from dealer! mileage 21,000 bought the car late september of 01

I year this month 26,500 miles.

Had the brakes replaces twice. Once at 9,000 miles and once at 18,000 miles. Both under warrenty. Warped rotors and bad pads.


Todd

Interesting.... this morning I had my first problem EVER... the rex juts wouldn't start... engine turned over just fine it just wouldn't fire up... tried giving it a little gas... that didn't help either if didn't know any better I'd say it was as if I was empty, but I had half a tank and after I'd try to start it and it wouldn't I'd get a check engine.

tried for like 5 minutes had my friend give me a ride...
came back later and tried again... after about 2 minutes it started but seemed to be running weaker than normal...

has this ever happened to anyone?

Originally posted by atomicapples
i mostly went in for stupid things.

windows squeaking
driversides hook that holds the mat down broke (4x)
squeaky clutch pedel
reprogram alarm

its stupid things, but i got to take advantage of the warranty

never had a problem with the mods i have either.

I also have the squeky window thing, I never thought of bringing it to the dealership for it, I thought it was just something I was going to have to get used to =). Just curious, do you know what they did to get your window to stop squeaking???

I test drove a '02 WRX today and noticed that it seemed like the synchros for first gear were worn out or non existent, it often made a slight grinding noise going into first gear while still rolling. This occurred with the clutch fully depressed and at even very low speeds.

Is this common?

I'm thinking very seriously about buying a used WRX and am wondering what if any common problems there are. So far it sounds like the drivers window squeak and the shuddering clutch are quite common (my current ford escort and my dads ford F350 also have shuddering cold clutches, i can live with it).

What kind of things should i be especially aware of when checking out a used wrx?

1. I think problems with 1st gear are probably common in a used WRX not so much because of wear and tear but because of the way 1st gear gets abused if you dont know how to used it
1st is rediculously tall (too tall in my opinion) and 2nd isn't anywhwere near as tall
if you try to shift into first and you dont have adiquate RPMs it will lock it out. because of this lots of people try to force it in, and I've heard of lots of bent 1st gear plates and stuff. (probably what messed up the syncros too)

wrx has nothing for power under 2000... if you're in 2nd going 20 you'll be just above 2000 but first at 20 is some where in the 4000 range. so if you're going below 20 it's painful how sluggish the car is in 2nd... but if you want to down shift you have rev the hell out of it to do so.

2. not so much a problem with the car but a problem with the people who drive it... I think the most important thing would be to find out what type of person the previous drivers was... see if the daytime running lights have been deactivated if so there's a good change it was modded else where too. Also if you live in a snowy/icy area find a spot of ice and check to make sure the AWD is working. Because the AWD system uses a silicon fluid, it never fully "locks" all four wheels in drive this makes the AWD system really smooth but if you say spin 1 of the wheels a lot on ice while the rest have traction you'll end up cooking the fluid and have no more AWD.

3. Make sure the clutch is astute and doesn't smell under normal conditions, this is more a buying a used 5 speed thing than just a WRX thing. if it feels overly squishy, or smells like burnt clutch under normal use... it probably needs a new one or will soon.

Though I'm sure the Used Suby dealer will have inspected these things I think it's some of the most important to be allert to while test driving a used wrx