Hey guys!
So I went to tahoe this past weekend during a storm. Went to sugarbowl and at the end of the day car was covered in snow and ice etc.
I warmed up my car while loading up and changing back to regular clothes and stuff.
About 10 mins or so later we were good to go engine all warm and everything all functional. I put the car in first gear and took her out of the snow. As i did that, we all heard a medium-loudish sounding thud from the front(bottom maybe) of the car. At first i thought it was just something iced up that broke loose and no lights or anything came on to signal any problems and the car drove fine.
Then today (back home in s.f for 2 days), i started my car to go to work. The car was not moved at all for 24+ hours since the night I got back. I began to back the car out of my driveway and it wouldnt move until i gave it more gas than usual and i would hear that "thud" sound again. There's no problem after the first thud and I can't make it happen again. So i think I need to have the car sit for awhile before it happens again (just speculation).

So right now my only guess is I should change my tranny fluid and rear diff (havn't changed it yet 12k miles).

Does anyone have another guess at what the problem is? I might bring the car in to dealer for a complimentary multipoint inspection but if someone has had this problem before and knows what it is, then i can just get straight to the problem rather than waste time at the stealership. Thanks

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quick question for you,, was you have the ebrake on when you were in tahoe? in snowing conditions and temptures under 30 its never smart to use the ebrake

 

yea i did. i was parked on a slight hill. strong winds etc this past weekend. so maybe the ebrake stuck due to the cold?
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Would something like this be covered by warranty?

 

tbh I don't know. i only have the 3yr or 30k mile powertrain warranty left. I'll have to look into it later. But i'm hoping if it is the ebrake, I won't have to do anything and maybe the sticking will stop. Not gonna use ebrake for awhile to check.

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I have 2011 5 door Sti hatch and that thud sounds happens with my car as well. Especially after a cold night and car has been sitting overnight is when I hear the sound. I believe it's your brakes that's causing the sound.

 

ok thanks! yea i just got a msg from a friend of mine and said he had this happen to his gc before too but never happened again. so i hope it isn't anything serious and i guess i can put off changing my tranny fluids till i put more miles on.

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Wow didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

 

Yep, happens all the time. Same thing when people running 10w30 goto start their older engines when temps have been like they have this week. 10w30 turns into almost caramel syrup.

OP, park the car, jack it up, block it and pull your rear wheels and see if you knocked the brakes out of alignment at all. Do it before it get's too many miles on it. If it's just knocked loose it's an easy fix versus waiting and possibly causing more damage and expense.

*Also, put your windshield wipers up, even if ya got a ride w/ All-Weather like I do, they'll accumulate less ice than while down sitting on a warmer windshield melting the snow and over-freezing.

 

yea i put my wipers up. just an old habit even with that heated windshield wiper strip.
why do i check only the rear wheels? The sound came from the front.

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