Downbound

which cylinder? Mine was # 3 in 99 forester

Thanks...I will definately make sure to insist that they use sealer when reinstalling the tires..

99 forester ...Getting ready to change back to summer tires and when I went to check them I found they had all leaked down over the winter 2 had no pressure, 1 had 10lbs and 1 had 15lbs, I understand that this can be a problem with alloy wheels as I was topping them up about every 3-4 weeks during the summer but this is the first year that i ran snows on the car so they sat all winter. Should i look at having the tires taken off and rims cleaned up before reinstalling them and if i do that is there anything else i should have done...new valve stems??? thanks

just take your fob and hold the unlock button for about 5 sec that should reset the system...

had a similar problem with my 99 forester..After a long drive the overflow would be full and have tiny bubblesin it, turned out to be the head gasket..although I did try a new rad cap and burping the system first just because it makes sense to start with the easiest and cheapest fix and work from there... good luck..

Hi..99 Forester here...had a similar problem with my airbag warning light took it in and they read it as a code 11 in the system and replaced the roll conector..labour and parts 518.42 (canadian dolars)..

Update: Since this last post I have had the car back to Car Canada where I bought it ( not a subaru dealer). they burped the system and replaced the rad cap. It is about 50 kms to get back home and by the time I got home overflow was full again with bubbles. tookthe car back Car Canada and they investigated. They couldn't figure out what might be wrong so they took the car to a subaru dealer and it seems that when Car Canada reinstalled the heads they used the wrong bolts??? It appears the new head gasket is leaking. They ordered in a new HG and they just called to say it will be ready this afternoon. I also sent Car Canada a copy of the letter from soa concerning the head gasket issue and the advice to add the conditonner to the coolant. Car Canada said they did add the conditoner so i will pick up the car this afternoon and will update this thread with the results. Btw all work has been performed under an extended warranty that i purchased when I bought the car.

sounds like it could be something as simple as gas line freeze up...do you keep the tank topped up in the winter? do you have a block heater? do you add gas line antifreeze at all? We get very simialr weather here in eastern ontario It is -25 c right now with a wind chill of -37C and have learned through experience that if you let the tank run low and then sart up on a cold day run a short distnace then turn it off you can end up with a frozen gas line pretty quick..might seem too simple but sometimes we look for complicated solutions to simple problems..good luck

Update: I topped up the rad with the excess from the overflow...that brought the level down to the cold mark in the tank and the coolant was covering the fins in the rad...just before i went to put the cap back on the rad started gurgling and the level began to drop ( is this a sign that there was an air lock?). I put the cap back on and have monitored it for the past couple of days...haven't done any long trips but seems like it is back to normal parameters again..overflow is at the hot level after a drip and drops back to cold after a few hrs. Looks like it may have just been air in the system...i'll keep checking..thanks for the advice...

Thanks for the advice..i just went out to check it as it has been sitting for about 2 hrs and it is -15 c so it should have cooled down...the overflow tank is still right to the top about 1 inch from the cap. and I took off rad cap and can't see any coolant near the top and when i released the cap got some bubbles in the overflow tank ..started it up and let come up to warm but the coolent remains high in the overflow. should it remain that high even when the engine has cooled down..

99 Forester,154, 000 kms, had the heads done in dec. to correct a burnt exhaust valve.. Things have been running well but today after a long drive got home and noticed a hot smell. I have been following posts about HG's and bubbles in the coolant so i checked my overflow. Coolant was right at the top of the tank and bubbles about every 3-5 secs. colant looked good, no oil or globules in it and the temp light never moved past the half way point...what should my next step be...thanks

I had a check engine light problem on # 3 which turned out to be an exhaust valve and since they were doing one side got the other side done at the same time and it was suggested by my father-in-law who knows his way around an engine that i should go back and have the shop re-tourque the bolts as a precaution..comments??

Take a look at the new good year assurance..you can go with the comfort tread more of an all season or the triple tread which although is rated an all season has the snowflake designation for winter driving..probably a better choice for ontario...i run pirelli P3000 cinturato for summer and just put on GY icegrips with rims for the winter on my forester and am very satisfied. I am in Ontario also near ottawa. I have heard nothing but good things however about the new assurance tires...

99 forester here ..had a similar problem with the air bag light..turned out to be the air bag roll connecter..500.00 canadian..

Do you have a block heater???..my 99 forester will tick when cold but if i have plugged it in overnight.it starts like a summers day without any noise...I would think block heaters must be standard equipment in iceland...

If you press and hold the unlock button on the remote that should also work..it does for me...

I have an intermitent starter problem on my 99 forester s. It will start fine for weeks on end and then for wht ever reason sometimes you turn the key and you get a grinding noise exactly like you get when you try and start it when it is already running...once you get this noise you naturally turn the key off and when you try again all is fine...I bought the car used with 113, 000 km on it in sept 03 and had the starter replaced under an extended warranty shortly thereafter because of the same problem...any ideas...thanks..also how easy is it to replace the clock mounted in the overhead light and sunglass unit..the clock works only sporadically..

I have to agree with you..unfortunately studded tires have been illegal in ontario for ..seems like forever..(something about road damage),,however i remember my first car.... a 63 beetle...4 studded tires..that car would go anywhere..and i still remember one of the best ads for a car ever.."when it has just snowed 12 inches and you are waiting for the snow plow driver to clear your street..ever wonder how the snowplow driver gets to the snowplow??..then a scene of a bettle heading up a hill to garage where the plow was stored.. a classic..i know this is a subie site but just had to pass this on..

Just put 4 new Good Year ice grip's on my 99 forester..It had Pirelli cinturato p3000 M&S and found them to be less than desirable last winter...Not sure how many km's on them as they were on the car when i bought it and the car had 113, 000 km's.anyway decided to get rims and snows this year..went to a 215 65R 15 and gave them their first big test last week...freezing rain followed by 25cm's of snow...it was like driving a tank...no swing and sway..just straight ahead great pulling power... I now listen to the weather forecast with anticipation...not dread...so if anyone is looking for a snows..give the ice grips a look...

The main problem will be eventually you will need to replace the cat converter,,very very expensive...not sure why the valve would burn, have you had a compression test done yet? The thing is with mine the car still ran great even with the low compression on #3..just noticed the misfire because of poor idling and the damn blinking cel...

Hi..i just went through the same thing..only it was misfire on # 3.cyl...after new plugs (twice) new wires..new coil, injectors cleaned without any improvment i finally asked for a compression test..got 180 on 1,2 and 4 and 120 on 3..turned out to be a burnt exhaust valve...a quick check for the burnt exhaust valve is the dollar bill test( thanks to buddythedog)..start the car..hold a bill about an inch away from the exhaust it will flutter like a flag but as the engine heats up if the exhaust valve is bad the bill wil be sucked into the tailpipe then pushed out...exactly the result i got and when they tore down the engine to find out why the low compression bingo..burnt exhaust valve..btw since they were doing 1 and 3 i had them do 2 and 4 at the same time and also the clutch...good luck..

Update: Just heard from the mechanic..burnt exhaust valve in # 3 cyllander..looks like that bill test at the tailpipe actually works...they are doing that side under the extended warranty and since they have it torn town I will get them to do the other side although i will be picking up the tab for that.Would it be a good idea to get the clutch checked/done at the same time since they will have access to it???? thanks

I was using the search engine using P0303 and came across some interesting posts.. the one on misfire 1 +3, buddythedog suggested to check for a faulty exhaust valve using the dollar bill test (unfortunately here in canada bills start in the $5 amount)..anyway i tried it an lo and behold the bill was alternatly sucked in then blown out of the tailpipe...so when i take it in next thursday for the tear down i will tell the mechanic about the test and ask him to check for a defective exhaust valve..will keep everyone posted..

New update...haven't got the new engine yet...the dealer (not a subaru) is tearing the engine down next week (thurs) to determine exactly what is wrong in # 3 cyllander...any ideas out there....the dealer seems to think that a new engine is what might be needed but can they just do the one cyllander and if they do should i consider getting the others done at the same time although compression was good on 1,2,4 180 and only 120 on 3. I have all the service records of oil changes etc. so i don't think the warranty company can deny coverage but if they do any ideas of minumum to max cost?? Ps.. just goes to show what a great engine it is...except for hearing the engine missing when idling it has tremendous power and acceleration at all times...would doing nothing also be an option...already had the cat converter replaced last year (under warranty)..thanks

Update:....had the compression test done today..180 on # 1,2,4 120 on #3, thank god for extended warranties..they are replacing the engine...