HELP: 2004 OB starting issues

[subeman90]

I got this in my inbox... I think we should all see this and see if we can help this person:

 

 

I've just joined this Message board and I don't seem to be able to post. Can you help me?

 

You can email me directly at bdmail@densmore.newshare.com

 

We live in rural Massachusetts.

 

We are having a problem with starting our 2004 Subaru Legacy wagon. Every time we leave it with the dealer they say they can't duplicate it so they can't fix it. The problem is that about 80% of the time it starts normally. But about 20% of the time it barely starts, running very roughly and spewing out a little grey smoke start and smelling very gassy. Of those 20% starts, about half the time after running at 1,000 RPM the engine quits; other times by applying a little accelerator it gradually smooths out and runs normally. We have told the dealer we think the problem is that the computer controlling mixture is commanding a way-too-rich mix at start. The last time they had the car, they said the learned from Subaru there was some kind of a software upgrade to the computer that had to do with rich running and they said they did the reprogramming. The problem promptly occured again a few days later. Now we've involved Subaru's email consumer support tech service and the dealer now says, oops, there is one more test they can try. But their general line is, "If we can't duplicate the problem, we can't fix it." The car is at 43,000 miles and the engine is warrantied to 50,000. We want to make sure the problem is fixed while we are still in warranty. The car is unfit for its intended use and defective in that we can't depend upon it starting. What do you suggest we do to make the dealer understand that this is their problem, not our prolbem, and they need to fix the car or replace it? We've told them to just change out the computer, but they say they can't do that without Subaru authorizing it. We've asked if their is a resource Subaru has for them, or for car owners, that tracks service difficulty reports of similar problems, and both the dealer and Subaru say no. That's hard to believe. Advice?

[Chef]

I swear, I am beginning to think this is a regular subaru issue. I have a 92 legacy that has the exact same problem. It may be in your case something as simple as the coolant temperature sensor, but I have yet to try this on mine. Most often when this sensor fails the problem is that the car runs rough when warm but fine when cold, not the way in which we have the problem.

 

When it happens, do you find the starter sounds different - slower, more drawn out? Then I find I need to give it a good dollop of gas, but it's already flooding (the problem in the first place I believe). Once it finally starts, it runs rough until it warms a bit, sometimes this lasts for only a minute, sometimes for several. It seems independant of temperature outside, happening when both warm and freezing.

 

It happens maybe once every 20 - 30 starts for me, usually more frequently for a few days then goes away for a while. Last time was the worst, it barely started, and idled VERY lopey for a spell like it would stall out. but giving it some more gas smoothed it a bit.

 

If you find the solutionj to your problem, please post it here!! I'd ask the dealer about the sensor, it's cheap anyways.

 

Good luck!