Third time in the shop-no resolution

I need ideas. Dropped my 1999 Legacy L off again this morning because I am still having the same issue. Here is what is going on. All started with a flat tire from a pothole on my driver rear. I am getting a really bad vibration almost like a flat tire type feel when I am going over 50 mph. I can actually feel it building up and getting worse as I drive. Plus this is a horrible burning smell when this is happening. Smell seems to be centered around the front left wheel.

 

This is what the shop has done so far:

 

3/16- Tire replaced b/c I actually bought the road hazard. Same brand and they assure me there will be no issues with the AWD. They replaced a "front axle shaft" on the Front Right. Also had an oil change done at this time. Had alignment done also.

 

3/29- Car did the same thing driving in to work so I dropped it back off. They are now saying the smell is from an oil leak in the valve gasket. They think they have a bad part on the axle so they replace it again.

 

3/31-picked the car up, same thing, get around 50 and the noise/vibration is so bad I feel like a tire is about to fall off. Drive it right back to them.

 

 

Tires are all newer. Tread is fine on all of them. I should also mention that if I stop then the vibration goes away. It has to build up again. It also doesn't happen all of the time.

 

Anyone have any other suggestions as to what I should have them look at?

I'm no expert but...

 

1) Why did they replace the front right axle shaft when the damage occurred on the left?

2) What is a "valve gasket?"

So the vibration happens at all speeds, or just over 50mph? First thing I think is they didn't balance the tire. However, you said it was the driver rear that was replaced. Unless your tires aren't direction-specific, maybe they did a rotation too? Hell, maybe they rotated directional tires to the wrong side?

 

Same question as #1 above...

 

Valve cover gasket leak? Seems unlikely it would occur at the exact same time as the flat tire.

They are saying the smell is from an oil leak at the valve cover gasket. I don't buy that since I don't have the smell all the time. I let them fix that though since it was only like $130. Still had the smell this morningthough so that obviously wasn't the problem.

 

I can only assume that they noticed the axle issue when doing the alignment since it was a different tire.

 

Not really happy with this place. They also quoted me one price by phone for the gasket repair and then tried to charge me $40 more when I got there. I would never have come back because of previous issues with this place if I didn't have the road hazard on that one tire.

Check to make sure that your front brakes are not sticking and dragging. I just had the same experience with my 97 Legacy wagon. You would start to hear a rumble, the steering wheel would start to shake and the vibration could be felt in the entire car. Sounded like a wheel was about to come off. Really bad above 50 but would decrease and almost go away below 50. It was very intermittent too until recently.

 

Since my car was used mostly in town and short distance this winter I chased it until yesterday and I found that the RF caliper had a sticking caliper slide and the pads were stuck in the frames and would not slide back or release correctly. They were so stuck that the backing would flex and when they had worn enough they would pop forward and ride against the disc causing it to overheat hence the vibration and noise.

 

Cleaned and service the front brakes, lubed the pins, used a grinder to remove a slight amount of metal from the brake pad ears so they would slide freely, sanded the pad faces to break the glaze, (the pads were new 7000 miles ago) and lubed every slide point. My brake flex line was new so it wasn't a problem.

A bad wheel bearing possibly?

With the burning smell that is noticed along with the noise and vibration my money is on the brakes. I bet the wheel is hot too. Wheel bearings won't be intermittent and will make noise all of the time.

I was thinking brakes maybe as well. This may be a stupid question but could it have anything to do with the parking brake? Everytime it has happened, I have had the parking brake engaged earlier in the day.

Okay, just got a call. They rebalanced all of the tires. Say the smell is from oil built up between the heat shield and exhaust. Picking it up later today. Cross your fingers for me.

I was thinking brakes maybe as well. This may be a stupid question but could it have anything to do with the parking brake? Everytime it has happened, I have had the parking brake engaged earlier in the day.

 

BRUTAL. Thats sux:mad:

Sounds like ur gettin played my friend. If your only smelling oil after the first visit to the shop when they were supposed to fix something that had nothing to do with engine oil, then chances are they rubbed grease or oil on the headers to cause you concern. I've seen all kinds of shady things done to my car, they've even gone so far as to not tighten to lugs on my wheels, only BARELY finger tight (could have killed me). Low and behold you start smelling oil, you bring it in and, go figure, you need a new valve gasket. In terms of the vibrations, I was going to say wheel bearing but if it's intermitten and not all the time then its either an axle or a stuck caliper. Try taking your hands off the wheel and see if it veers in the direction of the suspecting wheel causing the issue. Also, do the vibrations get louder if you turn in the direction the puts more weight on the suspecting wheel? If so then its possibly an axle, and yes I had a guy replace my axle not once, not twice, but three times and he had his big ASE certification right on his shirt so that tells you a lot right there; the dude should know how to do it right the first time, so he probably just f'ed me... :/

When the boot went on my CV shaft it flung grease all over the wheel well, and onto the exhaust. The smell was terrible. It smelled for a few days after I replaced the CV shaft and cleaned up the area. Coincidences are always suspect when they cost you money, but I wouldn't totally discount the need to replace you CV shaft. From now on, ask to show you what's wrong if it's something as obvious as a CV boot.

I'm in Richmond, V a as well, Manda... What shop are you dealing with??

Same thing happened to my cv boot where it flung grease. It was a slow enough leak that I was able to catch it, seal it, and repack it, but it could've very well have caused a vibration. The first thing I was thinking was the tires were off balance. The shop may have forgotten to balance everything when they put on the new tire, leading to all these visits. Why there's the oil smell, I don't know. BUT, an unbalanced wheel/tire can cause plenty of problems (rubbing in the well, wearing out axles, etc), so it may have been causing the smell? Just my two cents...let us know how it goes!

Thursday morning update....Picked it up last night. Drove it around but couldn't get it to do anything. This morning on the way to work, it did it again. I can feel the vibration building up and getting worse. Stopped twice on the side of 64 and managed to get to work.

 

Driving me crazy that it only happens in the morning. The only thing that is different is that at night I park on a hill with the parking brake on. May try parking it level with no parking brake and see what happens tomorrow morning.

 

VAscoobiedude...dealing with a Firestone shop over near Virginia Center Commons. Got any recommendations for a good shop in the area. I don't think I am going to be taking it back there since they seem to be out of ideas.

When that happens and you have to pull over and stop, you should get out of the car and feel each wheel to see if one is hotter than the rest. Trust me that you will feel the difference if it is indeed a brake problem! Just make sure you are in a safe area when you do this!

 

It is truly hard for a shop to find something like this unless they drive your car for the time needed for it to show up, especially if it is intermittent. However they usually don't want to expend that amount of time at the type of shop you are using -- they just want to turn cars quickly.

If the steering wheel shakes and rumbles it the problem most likely is in the front, if you feel it in the seat of the pants primarily, the problem most likely is in the rear. You will also most likely detect a noticeable burning odor.

 

You have to be proactive and gather as much information yourself to help nail this down to get a successful repair.

Thursday morning update....Picked it up last night. Drove it around but couldn't get it to do anything. This morning on the way to work, it did it again. I can feel the vibration building up and getting worse. Stopped twice on the side of 64 and managed to get to work.

 

Driving me crazy that it only happens in the morning. The only thing that is different is that at night I park on a hill with the parking brake on. May try parking it level with no parking brake and see what happens tomorrow morning.

 

VAscoobiedude...dealing with a Firestone shop over near Virginia Center Commons. Got any recommendations for a good shop in the area. I don't think I am going to be taking it back there since they seem to be out of ideas.

 

 

Well, seeing as how you've already invested a bunch of time and money with them, I think I'd continue to go back until they made it right. You took it in with a problem, and they still have yet to fix it. I use either the Firestone on Ironbridge Rd. in Chester, or on Huguenot Rd. at Robious, or Clover Hill Tire on Hull St. at Bailey Bridge Rd. I know this is all on the other side of town, but I actually live in southside. Problem is, I do most all of my own work. That being said, there is a shop on Broad St. across from Willow Lawn Shopping Center, called Fletcher's Tire that does good work. I've known Mr. Fletcher for years, and trust him very much.

 

As for the car itself, my thoughts would lean more toward a suspension problem. I've seen/felt something very similar to what you describe in the front end of trucks when they have a bad ball joint, or steering linkage. Before I get flamed, I'm well aware of the fact that this has a rack and pinion steering setup... I'm thinking horribly bad tie rod, ball joint or something like that. As for the smell... It's hard to say, could be a ruber burning smell, not oil, if you DO have a bad suspension component like that, what happens is the front two wheels will be pointed in different directions, very very slightly. Not even enough to really see. But it causes one tire to "skip" across the pavement, wich gives you that sudden yet build-up type vibration. I would have to question one thing though, if the root cause of this was a REAR flat tire, why are they focusing so hard on the front of the car? If you want someone else to look at it, or whatnot, I work in the westend, just shoot me a PM, I'd be glad to stop by, and give ya my $.02.

When the boot went on my CV shaft it flung grease all over the wheel well, and onto the exhaust. The smell was terrible. It smelled for a few days after I replaced the CV shaft and cleaned up the area. Coincidences are always suspect when they cost you money, but I wouldn't totally discount the need to replace you CV shaft. From now on, ask to show you what's wrong if it's something as obvious as a CV boot.

 

 

Your totally right on this, I completely forgot about the grease flying out. You know at this point, if I feel knocking or vibrations and I cant figure out what it is, I usually take out a rubber mallet and start lightly hitting things such as springs, control arms, calipers, anything that can be causing it. Has worked pretty well for me so far, might want to give it a try and see if anything is loose.

+1 best method to find a vibration issue. if something's loose, it will rattle, and you'll have your aha! moment. good luck...it sounds like this shop has really screwed you over though sorry to hear :/

Your totally right on this, I completely forgot about the grease flying out. You know at this point, if I feel knocking or vibrations and I cant figure out what it is, I usually take out a rubber mallet and start lightly hitting things such as springs, control arms, calipers, anything that can be causing it. Has worked pretty well for me so far, might want to give it a try and see if anything is loose.

 

 

Another method I usually take the car to a big empty car lot and run it hard. Turning hard, braking hard, accelerating hard. Then the car drives soo much smoother and feels "tight". Just has to settle in, it could take weeks.

 

But the rubber mallet always saves the day.

Maybe your lower control arm is bent, rim bent? Make sure they check it out or drive with them.

Thursday morning update....Picked it up last night. Drove it around but couldn't get it to do anything. This morning on the way to work, it did it again. I can feel the vibration building up and getting worse. Stopped twice on the side of 64 and managed to get to work.

 

Driving me crazy that it only happens in the morning. The only thing that is different is that at night I park on a hill with the parking brake on. May try parking it level with no parking brake and see what happens tomorrow morning.

 

VAscoobiedude...dealing with a Firestone shop over near Virginia Center Commons. Got any recommendations for a good shop in the area. I don't think I am going to be taking it back there since they seem to be out of ideas.

 

 

What's interesting here...you said it only happens in the morning. confirm this again please? this is weird that it's an intermittent problem, but it sounds like something really serious but touchy. this is ridiculous dude haha I wish I could drive the car.

My money is still on the brakes hanging/dragging. I had the same thing happen and I thought the right front wheel was going to fall off. It was so bad that I exited the turnpike (we were on our way to in-laws) and was going to go back for our other car.

 

The problem disappeared and never reappeared for several months as the car was being used for mostly in town short trips. There is absolutely nothing wrong with any components on the car--except the pads and caliper were hanging up on the right front. A brake service cured the problem.

It didn't read the whole thread from the start,but one thing stood out real quick. You said it only does it in the morning"after parking on a hill and using the e-brake"

Just me,but I'd be checking the e-brake system. Cables,etc and make sure its not hanging up.

The older Subaru's had a lever on the caliper that clamped the brake pads against the rotor. Great idea,the car wouldn't move if the brake was set tight,unlike other systems that have small brake shoes in the center of the rotor.

I'm not sure if Subaru still uses this system,and if not,when it was discontinued.

I don't recall seeing it on my 96 Outback when I changed the pads,so it might be history.

Try not using the e-brake once,see what happens.You can always use the old standby, a rock with a rope.