manhands

iTrader: (3)

I've been posting about this and talking to people in the community but I'm really distressed by what seems to be Subaru cutting corners, since I purchased my 2011 from Stevens creek it's been a nonstop bonanza of problems.

Everything from the dealer misrepresenting maintenance packages to me, to improperly installing my short shifter, my headlights fogging up ON THE INSIDE and I was generally given the run around over and over to the point of my utter frustration. Since then I've had the kickboard pop out while driving in the rain, the speaker in by the stereo doesn't seem to be working properly for bluetooth connection. Subaru's solution "Oh it's a problem with Iphones interfacing with the car and trying to send it video because the iphone is designed to send video and our car isn't designed to recieve it." Subaru.

Now I read the car and driver article pointing out the V6 mustang spanks the everliving hell out on the track due to the **** brake pads subaru uses on the cars stock. I've noticed the fade myself while driving, why in the world would they use inferior products right from the factory? I know I'm going to replace them with quality pads and tires to rectify the issue eventually but it really seems shady to do something like that.

Now after all that I come to the current issue that is driving me absolutely bat**** insane, it's unsafe and extremely annoying.

Here I recorded a sample of the noise using my iphone during my driving experience for your pleasure: http://krogoth.org/sound.m4a

This is a sound that I believe is caused by a grounding of some part of the electrical system, it presents itself while the stereo is on or off and plays at max volume, there is nuance and a lot of noises missing from the recording that you could hear in person admittedly.

This is obviously pretty scary when it happens, definitely unsafe so I took it into the dealer and they refused to deal with it. They said if I cannot recreate the noise in the presence of a Tech then they will not attempt to discover the source of the noise.

I called SoA, they backed up the dealer, basically said I'm **** out of luck, can bother taking it to a local shop if I want, paying them lots of money that I don't have and if I'm lucky I may get reimbursed from subaru but I might not.

It turns out talking to other owners though that I have found two other 2011 WRX owners who have experienced similar yet not at severe instances of the same thing happening. I'm hoping this post will bring forth people to be aware of the issue and allow people who may be having the same thing happen to them express their dissatisfaction since Subaru in general is not as concerned with issues in their cars as they are profits. The whole thing has really put a bad taste in my mouth.

Sure part of it was a little theraputic rant . I'm curious if there's more people with this same sort of issues and we just don't know it yet. Hopefully we're the minority and not the beginning of a disturbing trend.

Edit: TL;DR is: If you don't like Subaru's current practice of price point engineering and sacrificing the quality of their products you should tell them so!

AntiochCali

iTrader: (1)

I guess it's the quality of the recording, but it sounds like rubber on rubber to me. I suspect that if it is electrical, you won't hear it much longer.

Bouncer

iTrader: (1)

Soo.. You had a few problems with the dealership and their work - A couple of legitimate problems with the vehicle itself (head lights - and a "kickboard" pop out in the rain - Not sure what you are trying to identify as a kickboard there)

And then the iPhone pairing..

And a v6 mustang is faster than your car...

And that all gets lumped into Subaru quality?

Firstly - Car salesfolks / lots are the bottom feeders of society (for the most part - no offence to anyone here). They only care about one thing - moving cars.. Issues with a lot shouldn't be lumped into Subaru as a brand.. SOA will regulate when something bad is happening - but otherwise......

Secondly - I work in IT.. I have to support a lot of retarded upper management users with their phones and vehicles because somehow they feel entitled to my services.. That said - I've dealt with and owned every iPhone since the first.. And when it comes to bluetooth.. They are "special" - and by special I mean completely retarded.. When compared with almost any other device ever to be stamped with the bluetooth logo - they have to be close to the worst.. I've dealt with hundreds of phones in dozens of vehicles.. The iPhones suck.. Period.. I have one.. I love it.. Bluetooth sucks - get used to it.. They will unpair with a device on a random whim.. Maybe it has to do with sunspot activity - or apple's stock price - maybe a passing car with a more attractive unpaired device.. Haven't figured out a correlation yet.. Sometimes they will find a device they love to pair with and it will work just fine.. But most of the time they just suck massive donkey ***** and you will do lots of reconnecting / power cycling.. I wouldn't blame that on Subaru.. It's not like subaru actually even designed the stereo - they just outsourced it.. And for all that goes - Scoobs have always had ridiculously sub par sound systems.

Bouncer

iTrader: (1)

As for the audio sample - sounds like an incompatible or corrupted media file.. Or like the sound you get when you have an audio device paired over bluetooth and it suddenly loses connection.

Amandyke

Way to bring up a bunch of random **** that has nothing to do with anything aside from you work IT and users are retarded.

manhands

iTrader: (3)

Yep read it again if you missed the connection the first time.

The connection is that the V6 mustang is faster because of inferior brake pads, an issue that shouldn't exist as prices in different kinds of brake pads aren't going to break Subaru's budget. All the issues I outlined are from some sort of cost cutting or engineering the car to a specific price point.

Look man stop ****ting up the thread with a bunch of random **** that has nothing to do with it. I'm not going to let this thread turn into a ****pile, this is an earnest, honest discussion. As I stated in the OP:

THE STEREO WAS OFF during the recording. The ****ing bluetooth issue is for handsfree compliance and it doesn't work well why are you talking about it jesus christ.

The recording is going to sound bad because recording **** in my iphone while driving isn't going to produce an accurate audio representation of what's actually happening in the car. I stated this in my OP. Please read before you respond.

In general I really don't appreciate your tone Bouncer, you seem extremely defensive and arrogant about this issue. You seem like you're talking down to us from your place of superior Subaru knowledge. That may be true but you just look like an *** with the way you're going about it.

Bouncer

iTrader: (1)

Apparently I mis-read the initial post.. It sounded like the OP was complaining about iPhone connectivity issues with the stereo.. - I was stating that iPhones suck re: bluetooth / qualifying my statement.

Now that I have re-read that he is using the phone for bluetooth audio as well - that sound he is hearing my be the phone randomly disconnecting from the vehicle..

Edit - Lots of editing going on in this thread - Obviously I misinterpreted the original post somehow (and it was edited WHILE I was typing up a reply).....

My comment about the audio was - the SOUND that was recorded sounds a lot like when a corrupted media file is playing - or a bluetooth device loses its connection.. I wasn't commenting on whether or not the stereo was powered ON.. I'm just saying - that what it sounds like..

Like if you leave the stereo on - no tunes coming out of the iphone.. and it loses its pairing (which happens OFTEN).. That is the kinda sounds it makes..

Amandyke

If the phone was disconnected from the car what you'd hear is silence. Are you sure you work IT?

pho_shizzle

iTrader: (17)

I understand the points you are talking about and totally agree with you. I disagree with the price of the cars going up, and the quality of parts being used is going down. I've seen many brand new headlamps condensing right out of the lot at work. They are mostly the driver side that condenses, but why so quick already?

That about improperly installing the factory short shifter, yea its not the first time I've heard about that. I guess its the luck of the draw on which tech works on your car.

Using lower quality brake pads is concerning... I mean why, for a performance orientated vehicle. Something that provokes abrupt stopping at high speeds in order to save lives is not a aspect to cheap out on. Too bad a lot of things people do these days is care about pushing a product than building a quality product that is known for quality.

btw, who did you deal with at the dealership with the service?

hwob90

iTrader: (24)

The thing I hated the most was why did Subaru change from the 2 pot 4 pot from the 06 07 back to the previous years when they came out with 08 plus? Doesn't make any sense to me. "Lets make a better more horsepower engine,but lets take away the stopping power?"

As for your Stereo problem I agree with you and it does sound more like a ground problem. Id try another dealer to see if they would go in and take a look at it.

Unit 91

As far as the phone pairing goes... I have an iPhone and have zero problems with my phone being paired to my car. It plays audio fine and makes/receives calls fine as well.

I can't hear the sound file at work because I have no speakers, but... when I try to play a voice memo from the phone over Bluetooth it makes a horrid sound. Those files don't work for whatever reason. No big deal.

I have a couple rattles. That is fairly annoying. Deadpedal makes a weird noise when you step on it. No issues with the brakes and I don't exactly go easy on the brakes. Not every car is going to be perfect when they are building them by the thousands. Mass production and all that.

I'll have to look for fog inside my lights, but I don't think I have that issue either.

I actually think the quality of Subaru has gone up many times over since the late 90s. The cars keep getting better and better.

Sorry you're having so much trouble.

Bouncer

iTrader: (1)

Yep - but since you are obviously an expert on avctp/avdtp over l2cap I guess I should stop talking.. It is my experience that the sound, very similiar to what the OP recorded can come from an iPhone having issues - while the iphone still appears paired on the stereo - the iPhone is no longer sending useful data.. For troubleshooting - I'd suggest turning the bluetooth radio OFF on the iphone and see if it makes a difference - then leave it that way for some period and see if it recurs..

johndabrit

iTrader: (31)

i listened but didnt read the entire thread.. Does it only happen when engine is on? it kinda sounds like when you get your rca's too close to the power, or your ground isnt good enough.

newyorkreload

iTrader: (4)

I'm gonna guess few here had a Subaru from the 80s or early 90s, while they run forever, the plastic bits would turn brittle and corrode in sunlight. they only had two star safety ratings. The brakes were scary to use at best and the damn thing would start rusting while it was still at the dealership. So really today's cars are way better quality.

Unit 91

I remember!

It wasn't just sunlight. Harsh stares would also cause the plastics to fall apart. You like that digital dash? Too bad it's going to fail in a spectacular fasion. We're head and shoulders above where we were and sales seem to be proving that.