Jackrabbit starts.

[photo2001]

Both the '98 Forester I had and my current '00 Forester make a quick

'jump' when leaving a full stop most of the time. This happens unless you

touch the gas pedal like a feather, and sometimes even then, and my foot just isn't that light. It's more of an annoyance than a serious problem, but I'm wondering if this is common and why it happens.

[Manarius]

I would think that's a good thing. Tells me that the transmission and engine are reacting immediately to your pressing on the gas.

[photo2001]

You could look at it that way, but it could also mean the idle is too fast.

I should have described it as more of a lurching forward, and the shocks

feel like they hit their stops. In general, I think it wastes more gas, and is

not great for the mechanicals over a period of years. I have spent a lot on keeping my Forester maintained, but as I mentioned, it's more of an annoyance than a serious problem.

[The Dude]

My 1999 Forester acted the same way. I actually felt obligated to tell people driving my car for the first time to watch out for the "touchy" accelerator. That car definitely required a delicate foot on the gas pedal.

[photo2001]

Exactly! I've read similar things before. Once it's at speed it runs

fine, just that touchy pedal from take-off. Oh well, lived with it

this long.

Thanks for the reply!

[Suzam]

I think it has to do with the torque curve of the boxster engine and the gear ratio of the 1st gear and final drives.

 

mmmmmmmm.... torque

[porcupine73]

I feel a similar thing in my '96 and '00. I've just gotten used to it. Feather a touch from the stop, then punch it. Sometimes it seems if you press the gas a little while letting of the brake it doesn't do it. If I let off the brake and then just hit the gas it lurches/winds up like that.

[WoodsWagon]

I kinda like the lurch....

 

It's even better when you wait for the opposite light to turn yellow, hold the brake with your left foot, give it some gas with your right, and pop off on the brake and hammer the gas when it turns green. Don't do this too long, cause it warms up the tranny fluid in the torque converter pretty good.

[86BRATMAN]

I kinda like the lurch....

 

It's even better when you wait for the opposite light to turn yellow, hold the brake with your left foot, give it some gas with your right, and pop off on the brake and hammer the gas when it turns green. Don't do this too long, cause it warms up the tranny fluid in the torque converter pretty good.

 

My mom's 98 legacy does a really annoying thing similar to what is being descirbed here. But it lunges forward and falls on its face and tries to stall if you nail it from a stop.

[photo2001]

I kinda like the lurch....

 

It's even better when you wait for the opposite light to turn yellow, hold the brake with your left foot, give it some gas with your right, and pop off on the brake and hammer the gas when it turns green. Don't do this too long, cause it warms up the tranny fluid in the torque converter pretty good.

 

 

I would guess it wears the brakes down faster too. A friend who has driven my car says it's faster off the line than his Acura NSX. Heck of a lot cheaper too.