tkyler

Agreed...whats the point of posting an issue without final resolution for others learning. The most satisfying part was it all "added up"...and I just wasn't some unlucky customer after all the due diligene I did purchasing the thing. While its no fun to have to question others....a very personal thing...at the same time, I've made mistakes and was raised to "fess up when you mess up", with the understanding that we all do it and its part of the growing/learning process and its OK. The failure just didn't pass the "sniff test of randomness" given all the situational facts, my experience with the vehicle as well as my own experience with failure analysis early in my career....so I had to question the process....and knowing there was a young, newly minted apprentice involved...it wasn't unreasonable. I did my best to make sure that the dealer folks understood I can tolerate oopsies, but we needed to investigate openly and honestly...and they did so. So to have the Subaru guys "fess up" was just awesome on a human scale...not to rub it in their face....its a fair amount of pressure catering to the public... but to know that my local Subaru dealer, indeed fellow San Antonians, have some sincere and honest folks who want to do right by their fellow man (not just because they're a customer).....those are my kind of folks! -tkyler

Just got back from the dealer. Props to the dealer, they brought me back to the lift for the initial inspection...I even helped push it in from where the tow truck dropped it off and they brought over their two most senior techs to investigate. We checked ATF dipstick (not CVT model) before the lift and it showed fluid in it, but slightly low....for obvious reasons as we'll see next. Once on the lift, we drained the front diff and surprise..... out popped ATF.....along with a LOT of broken metal parts. We collected some fluid and It did not appear to any of us that there was any diff oil in the mixture. The hypothesis by the senior techs is that the assigned tech and his apprentice probably got crossed up along the way and forgot/overlooked refilling the front diff after draining it....(idosubaru called it!) and the front diff disentigrated in short order and the pieces punctured some wall (I'm not familiar with the arrangement of the sumps/paths etc).......punctured some wall that allowed ATF to flow into the diff, which of course we observed when we drained the front diff. Either/or, the service manager (after private consult with the senior techs) graciously shook my hand and said, "we got this...this is on us". I've made my share of mistakes and understand how things roll.....despite the inconvenience, but most importantly, I can't say enough about the transparency and integrity of this Subaru dealership and their service staff. -tkyler

We postponed till tomorrow, being a Monday, I'm not terribly surprised, but he did reach out to me as promised. To be continued.

The service manager said he'd contact me....so I'm slightly at the mercy of his schedule....though If I don't hear anything tomorrow by 1p local time (GMT - 6), I'll contact him...and hopefully this won't drag into Tuesday. -tkyler

The dealer towed it to service today, but can't get to it till Monday. The service manager called me personally (a nice touch) and we have agreed that myself, the service manager, service tech and his apprentice will all look at the fluids together on Monday and go from there. I'll report back after we get through Monday's diagnosis

My interface with Subaru service has been exemplary though. They are going tow it in and we'll go from there. The service manager was sympathetic and mentioned that the service tech had an apprentice...."things that make you go hrmmmm".... I'll report back for posterity and anybody else looking for similar info. Thanks again all for input.

new development....went to move it from one side of my driveway this morning (let it warm up 5 mins) to other side of driveway so I can back out with my good car and it backed up OK (reverse works) but nothing when I put it in drive. it just revs. D just doesn't work now.

Thank you very much for your inputs. I am aware of "issues owner getting away from", but don't think thats the case here. Its a lower mileage car and has been running great for 6 months and had wonderful maintenance records from the previous owner (one owner). This went from "zero to bad" overnight...right after the service. I'll discuss options with the dealer today and see how they want to handle given my oversight of diagnoses.

2008 Subaru Outback, 54490 miles. Owned 6 months, bought from one owner. No problems at all at the 54450 mark when taken to dealer. Runs fine. Average about 50 miles/day over past 6 months. I take it in to the Subaru dealer for their "Express Service" a few days back....not because of any particular issue, but simply as a matter of routine maintenance after 6 months of ownership. https://www.northparksubaru.net/subaru-express-service.htm 2 days later, I pick it up and drive it about 5-8 miles around the neighborhood running errands. No apparent issues. Later, on the highway however, at approx 25 miles after pickup from Subaru dealer, I then begin hearing some horrible sounds from the engine bay, moreso on the right side than the left as best as I can tell, but its vague. The following video link below shows the sounds/symptoms as I drive. In these videos, I am doing no more than 30 miles an hour and generally less than 2500 rpm though it sounds like its faster and higher RPM. The video contains 3 clips. I apologize they're not in chronological order of the drive. Clip 1 happens first, then clip 3, then clip 2. So this video shows one drive with 3 video clips taken along the drive. (27 MB *.mp4 format) https://www.dropbox.com/s/4a8p0xwp1e4cztd/outback_sounds.mp4?dl=0 It is my belief that the Subaru dealership either messed something up explicity during the service, or facilitated probable failure due to some kind of negligence during the express service. It was running just fine before the service but not after. I don't expect to cought up 1500.00 and have the vehicle run worse after the service. If I take the vehicle right back to them (which I am promptly), then I see it possible they might discover some error on their part, but could cover it up and say it was "normal failure" and bad timing; however, I didn't buy a 46000 mile Subaru and expect what you hear in the videos at 54000 miles. Note that the express service incluced "front and rear differential service"...and I think this problem might be differential related? but again, I would appreciate any 2nd opinions here by any experts on what these sounds might be. If its plausible Subaru facilitated the problem in some fashion, then I need to be prepared when the inevitable negotiation for repair begins. Again, this is a stock 2008 Outback...even though it sounds like some souped up V8 in the videos. The car does drive. I don't know how fast it will go or the shifting behavior, I'm afraid to take it over 30mph atm as it sounds so bad. Any expertise or "possibilities" are appreciated. tkyler