kenshin01

update: gonna head out soon. ttyl.

My link to ncal but scal has the story: https://www.i-club.com/forums/bay-area-15/my-car-dead-its-300-miles-away-la-patterson-193397/

Subaru WRX wagon 04
Car has around 110,000 miles.

I had an extended long weekend
Drove up to SF Thur, Run Marathon Sunday, and was driving back today from SF at 11:30am.

At 12PM something things got interested. I was going uphill probably on a 4th gear trying to pass some car because they were so damn slow. Lost engine power and the car was slowing down. Pull to the side of the freeway. Try to start it won't work. Got out of the car and try to see what's wrong. Nothing is leaking. The belts look fine. Try to start the car again. It has power. I was in a panic because I am in the middle of nowhere so I just collect myself and stay clam.

I know a few of my teammates are driving back down to LA as well so I called them and let them know that my car broke down. One of them is on the way but won't be here soon.

I called Mike and tell him what happen. He told me to check the raditator hose. I recheck andi they look ok. I asked him about resetting the ECU and see if things will go away but since I don't have tool in my car I don't want to loosen the bolt and not being able to tie it back on.

Again, I am doing things step by step. I looked around. I am 1 mile south of 'newman' (saw the sign from the northbond freeway) and I am like 4-5 mile from Sullvan Rd (140). I locked my car and start heading north to newman exit (because I saw restaurant sign at new man). walk back. no resturant there, no call box either. I look back up north even further. Didn't see any yellow call box. Calling my insurance company is useless. Wondering if I should call 911. Then a cop exit the freeway from the northbond and start radaing people. I think he can see me but he is just in his partol car. I was like wtf at least drive up to ask me what happen or arrest me. I walked to his car and told him my car broke down and ask him where is the cloest call box. He said there is none and I was like great. So he asked me if I need a tow truck he can call one for me. I asked him if he can call a flat bed because I have a 4wd. He called a truck and told me it will be around 30 minutes. He told me to stay put at the newman exit. and he keep on doing his thing. I just sit at the barrier and wait for the truck. 30 minutes by pass he got a target, he back up and say the truck will be here in a few minutes and he said he will be back, then he headed northband. a while after another patrol car exit from the southbond and stay at the corner to radar people (I assume it was him and he 'did' come back). Few minutes later a tow truck came in and took me to my car. I asked him to tow it to the nearest service station and he said he is not faimilar with the area. Well we end up towing the car to this place that he usually tow the car to. It's off the freeway in Patterson called Center Minute Lube (rather or not I made the right decision to tow it to a place that 'he knows' is questionable but you know... towing it to a gas station with repair service is kind of like the samething).

Tow Fee was $165. I was like whatever (I did ask the fee before I get into the truck).

P.S. Don't reply until I finish

kenshin01

P.S. When I turn on my car (engine light and battery was on)

So I was there. The guy look at my car. He can't start it. Then he spray something to the engine from the air filter. The car starts and stop. I don't know if the car die or he stop the car. I asked him what he is spraying and he said fuel something (sorry car noob). He said ignoration is good, probably fuel issues. He then stay on the computer for a while, I don't know what he is doing (maybe looking at what he is trying to do). I called my marathon teammate and she said she can drop by. The guy then take this thing out from the passenger side of my car (Fuel Pump Relay) and start messing around with it. He take out this tester thing and plug the connectors to this brown thing and start testing (I upload picture later), he then connect it to the white one and start testing). It said fail on the tester. He went to the computer and look for replacement. I looked at the tester and it blink 6 times. when I look at the code it said bad connect something. The guy told me the fuel pump relay is bad and of couse there is none in stock around the area. told me it will be tomorrow and it will costs 400 bucks because they will need to have someone to drive up and down for the delivery. I was like can we buy pass this thing because I want to get the car going and get home. The guy did more stuff. Hooking some wire from the battery to area where the fuel pump relay is. By this time my marathon teammate came over. I was so happy that she and her boyfriend came. The fact that I know someone there when my car is dead and I am in the middle of nowhere means a lot to me.

kenshin01

So I talk to my friends and her bf don't know anything about cars too. So the dude look at my car, look at computer, make phone calls (assuming trying to get the part or call someone that knows what's going on... or maybe like carsaleman of not doing anything). Then look at the fuels...etc.

While I was waiting I called my cousin and tell him to check for tow prices or car transportation service. He got a quote somewhere and it said it will costs me like $1500 to tow my car from Patterson back to LA so I was like great.

Then his boss(owner) came back from Sacramento (this I know they didn't bs... haha). They were talking.... and said that they try to bypass the fuel relay but the car is not responding, so they know the fuel pump is also bad. Told me the nearest fuel pump is actually from San Bernardino and it won't ship to over there til wed. morning.

I can't make the car magically start up so I told him to list out everything for me. Total is 1,014.21 Fuel pump is $428.28. Fuel Pump Relay is $41.28. Labor is $510. I told the owner to keep everything (and I wrote my chinese name on the fuel pump relay... although they can purposely **** up the 'good' fuel pump relay with my chinese name on it if they really want to do it).

I told them that don't work on my car until I call them. So I am going to call suby specialities (the place that I go to) and talk to the owner steve and see what he say. Not much I can do. I did everything I can. Some of my decision is very questionable but I did the best I can and stay cool.

I purposely leave out some question like how come you didn't use that computer thing to read the engine code...etc (are we suppose to anyway... I have no idea) so that if they BS I would know.

I took most of my stuff to my friend's car (luckly he has a truck so I can put my bike at the back) and got back home not long ago. I start writing this thread as soon as my computer is on.

Maybe I am a sucker for leaving my car there because now they can do whatever. But me being there only add to my frustation and there is nothing much I can do. I am going to find a solution to my problem and get my car back. Then we can do a review of what I should of done

Now welcome to comment

wrxisthebest

iTrader: (15)

damm.. long story!

kenshin01

Now that I do more research, things may not be adding up. I'll see what happen tomorrow.

Irish_car_B0mb

iTrader: (3)

if that was my car i would stay with it all night. then again i have lo-jack so if disappeared. i'd find it. maybe in a million pieces but id find it. either way. i would never leave my car just anywhere. i hope you find out what is wrong with your car. sounds like bad fuel pump.

but just out of curiosity, do you not have a cell phone?

02BLKWRX

iTrader: (1)

Have your car towed to Turlock Subaru. Probably the best thing you can do right now. Turlock is about 15-20 minutes away from Patterson.

kenshin01

That's what I am thinking actually. I think I may fly up tomorrow and just show up with a tow truck.... somehow. Thanks 02BLKWRX for quick respond.

laoba

iTrader: (4)

aw man louis, i would have it towed to the nearest subaru dealer or maybe a reputable shop somewhere in san jose area. try calling subaru roadside assistance and ask if they can help you out with towing?

kenshin01

I do have a cell phone but I do not have the info I have now (with internet). I should of call mike or someone else to see if there is a dealer around the area (my mistake and I am paying for it).

Staying with my dead car on the freeway (or anywhere near there) is the last thing I want to do after a marathon. My friend can bail me out back to LA and that's the decision I made (probably a bad one)

There are a lot of questionable move I made, but let's discuss it later. If is bad fuel pump, then it will costs me a lot like suggested.

kenshin01

Thanks. What happened happened. I did get some rest and is ready to roll. I am going to first talk to my mechanic, then decide what to do, probably go up and get my car tow to the dealer (I rather be there to happen even if I can do it over the phone... which I doubt). (sorry don't know how to fix car)

Like you said, when it comes down to it it's only a used car. At least I can pay (maybe a lot) to fix the problem.

I am invovled with Team In Training which fundraise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (That's why I was up in SF to do the Nike Women's Marathon). As much as I feel hopeless on the freeway, need to deal with uncertainty about my car, this is nothing like cancer. I know a women who passed away 3 months after I know her. I know a 5 years kid named Tyler who battle Non-Hodgkin disease and did the chemo and was ok, then few weeks ago his cancer came back. We thought he wasn't gonna make it (Tyler's parents still trying to see what is the best treatment... keep doing chemo... or do a bone marrow transplant). They see different doctors and have mix results. They are now just going thru chemo. For my car, I only need to pick Center Minute Lube or Turlock Subaru... both causes time and money. For my friend Tyler, it's time, money, stress, and his life we are talking about. This is what I came to conclusion yesterday when I was sitting on the freeway barrier waiting for the tow truck. Thank you all for reading. Posting what happen to me yesterday helps me get thru this 'small' crsis

soggynoodles

iTrader: (50)

Wow dude. I think i still have an extra WRX fuel pump somewhere I have to look for it. If you want me to head out and check on your car let me know.
I'm working in Livermore and If you need something just pm me your contact info. Sorry to get stuck in Newman.

c279a

iTrader: (9)

sorry to hear about your car louis

kenji815

iTrader: (5)

wow so you left your car in middle of no where in norcal?
that sux..
the price he quoted you seems like a rip off.

New Fuel pump is around $90
labor for putting fuel pump in $100.

Fuel pump relay is just a fuse.

$1000+ to fix fuel problem is definitely a rip off.

I hope you locked the car and did not leave your keys there.
Now the problem is even if you get the car towed truck there.
You need to be there when the tow truck arrives there.

Figure a way to tow your car back home first and we can help you replace any pump or fuses that maybe broken.


Call the insurance company to see what they can do.

LifePlaza

Something like this happened to me back when I used to live in SF, my car broke down in BFE and the quote the shop gave me at the time (back when I was a n00b about cars) was 1400 to repair a broken water pump. I paid it and went back to driving. I was roughly 100 miles outside of SF and the car breaks down again. Same problem. I paid for the tow to get home and dropped my car of at my local mechanic. Ended up being a $200 job and it was not the water pump.

What I learned from that experience:

#1 don't let the Hills have Eyes people work on your car. You are in the middle of no where and they have no real form of making money aside from praying on the broken down cars or their children.

#2 Always carry AAA plus especially if you drive all over the place that is more than 100 miles away.


But yea just like what everyone says, its the fuel pump. Kevin (Hey-juan) had this problem a couple of years ago with his bug eye.