1 Lucky Texan

thanx for following up with us!

My wife and I have one. The only complaint I have is with the hard downshift the auto-tranny does at high speeds. maybe not affecting all cars - I dunno. The engine is more than strong enough for 2 people and a bunch of gear or 4 people and groceries,etc. , and enters/cruises the crazy D/FW freeways just fine. I think the climate control works fine too. Coupla plastic pieces refuse to stay on the hinges for the rear seat - I just leave them off.

I've heard that, on rare occasions, someone drains or puts the wrong fluid in a soob. Is it possible you had some service done before this began happening? I dunno

be careful - dewalt is some dangerous stuff; http://www.abrasha.com/misc/dewalt_tool_safety.htm ;^)

sometimes there are 'group buys' over at nasioc.com and ocasionally it include the katzkins (sp?) or get some leathers soob seats outta a wreck or maybe you coul;d find someone who wants to trade out their leather for cloth? (many folks in the west don't like leather, but want sunroofs(don't most sunroof equipped soobs come with leather?) and might be willing to trade seats +$$ - try the marketplace here or over at nasioc) fyi

If you're cautious, and have someone else triple check all the prep (like disabling the ignition!) I say go for the starter bump. It's not like you didn't try the more correct way first. And folks evidently have done the starter trick with no problems. It is just physics after all - and should be OK with the proper care. Don't skimp on safety!

If it were installed incorrectly at assembly - I could certainly understand it failing this soon. It may be something simple though I can't think what at the moment. Please let us know what you discover OK? thanx

Yeah, I would think a 'pallet' would be the minimum you'd want to order. maybe some kinda 'cost plus' deal with a set cap and refundable deposit? I dunno. how much is a new tranny right here in the States? How much is the STI's 6 speed?

THough I suspect there could be less interest than here, have you presented this on the nasioc forum? Might pick up a coupla more interested parties there. fyi

Unless something abnormal happened at the car wash it seems unlikely not to be a coincidence. I suppose it's POSSIBLE you picked up a screw or bolt or something in a rear tire - or ran over the 'bump-stop' in such a way to tear a rear boot. Maybe a fender liner was loose anyway, and if the wash had an undercarriage spray, it could knock the liner or other plastic piece loose that is vibrating now. I dunno. Probably only a close inspection back there on a lift will find the problem. make sure they inspect the wheel bearings and emergency brake too while they're under there.

I think scalloped wear is most commonly associated with out-of-balance wheels and/or weak strut issues. I'd try to confirm the wheel hasn't thrown a weight and is true and balanced. The car is old enough it seems to possibly have a bad strut as well, so see if that corner seems 'bouncy' or has other problems.

for all the specs plus the history of previous versions - dig around at http://www.cars101.com enjoy your ride!

I thought the CAS was a code that REALLY meant there is a disagreement between the crank and cam sensors. maybe the crank angle sensor or wiring is intermittent? I dunno

thanx for getting back to us. Sorry it was so expensive. i wonder if the low/leaking tire issue was at fault? anyway thanx

Tell him you'll outright buy a set now and if he will hold onto the rest for -say - 4 months, you'll sell 2 sets for him and keep the third as payment! On nasioc - folks are in a panic for wheels (I suspect though they want toput snow tires on them) right now. I dunno

Was any other service performed while it was in the shop? I dunno much about injector replacement - but if it required disconnecting/draining any coolant system parts - could be the dealer did not 'properly'(it is tricky with soobs) refill the system. It would be nice to know what the CEL code(s) were - but this could easily be unrelated issues. Unfortunately, the most recent coolant problem could also be a bad headgasket.

I shoulda' been more clear - this is in my '06 WRX wagon. Brand new. Seems unlikely to need a coolant flush. maybe the dealership can tell me what it is?

You'll probably find out with an inspection of the brakes and calipers. How many miles on this set of pads? (front and rear) Sometimes the 'signal squealer' is intermittent just as the pads wear down to minimum. I once had a horrible squeal on my old Datsun 2000 convertible - turned out to be a pebble stuck between the backing plate and the rotor.

How long does it take for the temp gauge to move up? Does it appear to indicate lower than before? maybe the cooling system's thermostat is stuck open. Any work done just prior to this problem? I'm guessing last winter all was well? Carl

Yeah, I've seen the chocolate mousse before - unfortunately too many times - on other vehicles I've owned. Honestly, if I could think of how/why its in the cooling system, I'd think it was that yellow 'QC' paint that they hit different areas with. I'm guessing it is part of the QC to inspect/mark certain bolts, etc. with paint. I dunno. It just kinda offends my sense of order to see anything not a liquid in my radiator.

I don't have any indications of a problem, but , when checking some fluid levels, I saw some mustard yellow substance deposited on the rad cap and on the inside surface of the filler neck. My GUESS is it may be the sealer that Subaru now includes in the cooling systems. Have any of you guys used the sealant stuff? Is it yellowish?

If the problem presented itself soon after the above service - definitely look for a poorly reattached hose or the intake filter box dealie not tabbed into its slots. I think I'll go look for some pain meds, thanx for the idea nipper!

I think you have reasonable explanations given the description(especially the change with throttle use). I'd throw in an ill fitting air filter or the box not being clipped in properly over the filter. I wonder if the use of the word 'vibration' is indicating strictly sound or also a feeling? Also, is the sound from the front, under the hood? At 75 you're likely doing over 3100 rpm, does 3100 rpm make the same sound at lower speeds?(in a lower gear of course). seems a clogged cat converter is a good guess. Any 'history' on the vehucle we should know about? like a rich-running condition or recent repair work?

Can you describe the sound better? Are you close to needing pads? usually the indicator makes a squealing noise. have you bounced the corner? possibly a strut bearing dealie (at the top). I dunno

Most likely the reservoir is low on fluid either because of a leak or more likely because you are nearing the end of brake pad life. Either take it in to have the brake system inspected or let us know if you are interested in pursuing this as a DIY project.