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DKB_SATX

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About DKB_SATX

  • Birthday October 9

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  • Location
    San Antonio, TX
  • Car
    '05 LGT Limited Wagon 5MT
  • Interests
    Cars (duh) computers (duh)
  • Occupation
    Geek

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  • Homepage
    http://ghgsatx.blogspot.com

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  1. Post-"fix" update: I must say that there's a definite improvement, but it's still not perfect. My ECU was sent to New Jersey on Monday 25 July and got back to North Park Subaru on Friday 29 July. While the normally-aspirated 4EAT Outback was way nicer than some Malibu or Neon rental, I did miss that 82 hp! They didn't call me until about 6 on Friday evening, and I had an obedience class with the bull terrier who made me buy a wagon instead of a sedan, so I didn't get to pick the car up until Saturday morning. So, I'm testing in the worst conditions... hot, humid, with AC. I can still feel some hesitation/surging at the usual worst points... 2500-3500 RPM in higher gears, which was particularly frustrating in the 60-75 range on the highway. Now it seems that the both the amplitude and frequence of the impulses seems to be significantly reduced. I haven't noticed any difference in total power, but I haven't done any focused testing, just spirited driving. So, for what I paid (nothing) I'm pleased with the improvement but it's still definitely not perfect, and not really what I expect from a $30k car. I'm probably going to be able to use this to talk myself into buying an AccessPort though... we'll see! DKB
  2. In a carbureted (or mechanically fuel-injected) engine this would be true, but the MAF should detect the extra air coming into the system and adjust the fuel delivery to achieve the mapped A/F ratio. DKB
  3. I noticed the problem early on, but was getting used to the very light throttle at the same time AND trying to keep within the recommended break-in parameters... I went looking for info online and found the threads about it (it took me a while, I never would have called it stuttering, much less "studdering.") I first asked the dealer about it at my scheduled service at 3000 miles, at which time they did the cliche' ECU reset and sent me on my (surging, hesitating) way. Dropped off my car this morning at North Park in San Antonio and will wait and see how much improvement I get. DKB
  4. I can speak only for myself and my particular car. With just under 8000 miles on my car, its ECU has been reset once, by the dealer, at 3k miles when I brought the car in for the 3k service and complained of the surging/hesitation/whateverYouWantToCallIt. I started off using mostly Diamond Shamrock 93 octane, which gave me over 80,000 miles of surging-free driving in my turbocharged GTI. Then the service manager gave me his snake-oil spiel about TopTier and I've been using Shell VPower 93 octane, with no discernible difference. Since it's a new, fully-warranted car and I'm the kind of schmuck who'll make the dealer fix what needs to be fixed, I haven't "monkeyed" with anything. So, I realize you followed your list of action items up by saying this would help those of us with an actual problem to get it fixed, but you must admit that your statements made it sound like most owners who have this problem have created it themselves, which I think is a total crock. When I demonstrated the surging problem for the shop foreman last week, he thought for a moment and said that he had noticed similar behavior in a number of other turbo Legacies, and seemed pleased when he got off the phone from finding out that the Techline has a fix. There is something wrong with my car that should NOT be wrong with a $30k car from a reputable manufacturer. I'm making no guesses about whether or not Subaru's reprogramming of the ECU will reduce or eliminate the problem I have with my car. It won't cost me anything but the 12-mile drive to the dealer and the awful torture of driving a cloth-seat, non-turbo Outback instead of my LGT Ltd for a few days... how will I survive? Yes, this is annoying... but I've gotten more and better service from my dealer and from SoA on this one issue than I got from VW in 3 cars and 15 years. I'm going to cut SoA some slack for a while longer. DKB
  5. At least for me it's MOSTLY in the 2500-3500 RPM range on part-throttle acceleration. Having driven manual transmission cars for 25 yrs I know what causes it when you're trying to accelerate in too high a gear from too low an RPM, which was the first thing the service writer asked me about when I initially brought up this problem... then he asked me if I burn Super in the car (after some 250k miles in turbocharged cars, I know about THAT too.) It sounds like you're just needing to downshift... 1k is low rpm for a modern, normal-to-small displacement 4cyl to make much power. DKB
  6. UPDATE: the shop foreman came to talk with me in the waiting room to say that the Subaru tech line knew immediately what he was talking about, asked me if I could drop the car off Monday morning (25 July) and pick up a loaner so they can send off the ECU, we agreed on the schedule and HE (the shop foreman) scheduled my appointment with the service writer... I double-checked while I was waiting for the porter to bring my newly-washed car back. Northpark Subaru, San Antonio, TX: Doesn't try to deny the problem (though they couldn't seem to duplicate it at first, without me in the car), worked to find out what to do with the Techline, and immediately scheduled me for the fix. Oh, and they have WiFi in the customer lounge. So far my two service visits with Northpark are better than any VW service experience I had in 15 years. DKB
  7. It seems to be more noticeable with the 5MT, but 5EAT owners have reported the problem as well. This makes sense, because the 5EAT has a little more "slack" to cushion the on/off/on/off power when it's surging. Some people report no problem at all, though... The shop foreman said he'd felt it in other cars, he didn't say anything about MT or AT distinctions...
  8. I'm at Northpark Subaru in San Antonio right now... I took the shop foreman for a ride this morning and he said he definitely felt the surging and is going to call the techline... I'll probably be bringing the car back on Monday or so for the ECU process, but that remains to be seen. At least when I demonstrated, he didn't try to say "Oh, it's just that way" or "I didn't feel anything" so I'm pleased so far. I have a chance to get it fixed. DKB
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