Cooling Fan Relay Issue now a recall campaign

The story continues...so this might help:

 

Took the car back to Pittsburgh and a real helpful dealer look at it. Shop foreman said there was nothing wrong with the car but was nice enough to take me in the garage and explain what he thought I was seeing. Turns out that my subfan was never the problem (ok no flaming please, I'm still a noob to the suby, or twin fans for that matter) the main fan (driver side) was the one coming on. Still something was wrong so I had the foreman drive the car with me inside and confirmed that the fan was staying on after an easy 10 minute drive and there was a problem.

 

So now, 4 weeks later they're going to replace the computer in the car

but we're not convinced that will solve the problem completely. Possible other causes:

1)The main fan relay heats up and gets stuck or;

2)There is a short in the main fan that caused the problem the whole time

 

So if your in Pittsburgh, Day Subaru with Dave the service manager was really really good.

 

Make sure they replace the realy too or the new ECM will go bad too...the recall requires replacement of both.

Well, Subaru refunded my $$ for the relay. Thanks, Subaru!

Well, Subaru refunded my $$ for the relay. Thanks, Subaru!

 

No compensation for the labor?

No compensation for the labor?

 

No receipt for the labor... I did it myself.

No receipt for the labor... I did it myself.

 

That's what I mean... they should pay whatever they pay dealers to do the recall. But that would be too good to be true.

Oh yeah.... I'm sure that they'll reimburse me for that 5.36 minutes it took from my life!

 

Oh yeah.... I'm sure that they'll reimburse me for that 5.36 minutes it took from my life!

 

 

My check is on the way as well. I did it not for the cash, but because I wanted the recall to be shown as completed.

Yeppers.

The story continues...so this might help:

 

Took the car back to Pittsburgh and a real helpful dealer look at it. Shop foreman said there was nothing wrong with the car but was nice enough to take me in the garage and explain what he thought I was seeing. Turns out that my subfan was never the problem (ok no flaming please, I'm still a noob to the suby, or twin fans for that matter) the main fan (driver side) was the one coming on. Still something was wrong so I had the foreman drive the car with me inside and confirmed that the fan was staying on after an easy 10 minute drive and there was a problem.

 

So now, 4 weeks later they're going to replace the computer in the car

but we're not convinced that will solve the problem completely. Possible other causes:

1)The main fan relay heats up and gets stuck or;

2)There is a short in the main fan that caused the problem the whole time

 

So if your in Pittsburgh, Day Subaru with Dave the service manager was really really good.

dude, this is exactly the same problem i'm having. driver side fan once on, it stuck on. I drove it onto high way and back, it still on.

Ok, got the letter today for the Relay Fan recall. BTW, I'm in Canada, so we are finally getting the fix up here!

Ok, got the letter today for the Relay Fan recall. BTW, I'm in Canada, so we are finally getting the fix up here!

 

Hello Malvic,

 

Could you post a link to your Relay Fan Recall letter? I have the American one [WVB-12] and wonder whether there is a difference.

 

Lou

Lou,

 

The Letter

WVB-12 Radiator Cooling Fan Relay 2.pdf

Correct, every car affected by the campaign will get a new relay, only the cars actually having a cooling fan issue will get a new ECM

 

FYI all, just got word it will be until the end of the month before I see my unit in.

This is in SoCal (SFV)... they did manage to reflash the exist. unit/kill the CEL. BTW, CEL = no cruise control:rolleyes:

Yup, just got mine in the mail today too (Canada).

Funny things is my car was in for the 24K service about a month ago. I asked them about the recall and I thought my VIN was in the range so please check. I asked when I picked up the car and was told my VIN did not register a fix for any recall! They had the car for a full day now I have to go back! Frustrating!

Hello Malvic,

 

Thanks for posting the Canadian Owner Notification/Fan Recall letter. It is surprising that the American one was published thre months earler, but reassuring that the fundamental terms are the same.

 

I confirmed that the SoA will cover the costs of my American-purchased warranty repair when I take it to a Canadian dealership. I'm not happy to hear that many have had a lot of inconvenience in the ECM replacement process. I'll call ahead to make certain this unit is available before I take my wagon to the shop.

 

Thanks again,

 

Lou

It could very well be that a longer cool season in Canada placed less stress and duty on the fan relay which led to fewer or at least later failures.

 

My car is in for the 30k service. ECM checked out fine. Relay being replaced.

My Father just got the OBXT serviced and they charged him for labor, wtf?

My car is at the dealer today, but the car is gonna be stuck there until Wednesday cause of a fried ECM which needs to be replaced

Update: My father's OBXT got the reflash for the recall, and a reflash for his TGV codes. They charged him for the tgv code reflash, so all is good. So far the car is back to functioning.

My car is at the dealer today, but the car is gonna be stuck there until Wednesday cause of a fried ECM which needs to be replaced

 

Kept the car at the dealer? Jeez, they just let me go on my way and drive the car from Ventura, CA, to Pittsburgh, to Jacksonville, FL, and its still in one piece (and this so far a 2 month ordeal or so, i lost count).

 

Car finally getting its computer replaced on thursday, lets hope that is the problem for real...

Well here is something interesting. I took my 2005 LGT into my dealer early this AM for its 30K mile service and some brake work. Was called later this afternoon at which point I am told my car was ready, the brakes resurfaced under warranty, and that a fan relay along with my ECM were replaced. I had no idea about the recall right up to that point. At this point I am like wtf, now my access port is jacked.

 

Called Cobb today before I picked up my car and was also told to send back my access port along a copy of the receipt. Now I'm thinking cool at least it can be fixed.

 

I pick up the car later that afternoon and out of curiosity I plug in my access port just to see what would happen. Sure enough, no error messages. I am able (or it seems) to change realtime maps, reset the ecu, read boost, etc. The only things I didnt try was changing base maps and reverting to stock.

 

What gives??? Shouldn't my access port not work at all??? I'm looking at my receipt and part number 22611AJ17E is whats listed for the ECM.

I think if you can still communicate, it's your old ECU. My dealer did try to reflash before changing out my ECU to fix the fan problem, it f****d up my RT, and I had to reflash just the RT that time.

I am beginning to think that the ECU was not replaced even though I was told multiple times it was as well as it being documented on my receipt.

 

The first clue is that the clock doesn't appear reset. It's 6 minutes faster than my cell phone's time and it has been this way for over a month. The radio stations I have programmed into the factory headunit are still there. The current trip mileage in the odometer hasn't been reset either. After all, if the ECU was replaced you would think this would be done with the battery disconnected.

I've heard of the shadier dealers doing this. Then they sell the ECU to someone out of warranty for full price.