Stinky Clutch Solution!!! *READ*

Guys I have some news. Some of you know that I work at a Subaru dealership. Others know now. Well we had a GT in on Monday that they pulled the clutch out of. SOA told them to take it out and install a new one, then send in the old one for testing. They have not tested the old clutch yet, but the clutch isn't faulty at all! There is no premature wear, and everything looks fine. What does this mean? Simply that our clutches are just plain old stinky! There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. If your clutch stinks, simply don't burn it! If I launch hard the clutch stinks, or sometimes reversing up my driveway, but other than that it's fine!

There's 2 ways to solve this problem.

1. Convince yourself that you don't know how to drive stick and go get lessons so that you can take off without exceeding 1k rpms, and this way your not "slipping" your clutch.(I don't intend for this to sound offensive )

2. Go spend a couple hundred dollars and buy a brand new aftermarket clutch so you don't have to deal with the OEM subaru one.

Honestly though. There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. They just burn easier than others. It's unfortunate, but that is what we have to deal with...

Guys I have some news. Some of you know that I work at a Subaru dealership. Others know now. Well we had a GT in on Monday that they pulled the clutch out of. SOA told them to take it out and install a new one, then send in the old one for testing. They have not tested the old clutch yet, but the clutch isn't faulty at all! There is no premature wear, and everything looks fine. What does this mean? Simply that our clutches are just plain old stinky! There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. If your clutch stinks, simply don't burn it! If I launch hard the clutch stinks, or sometimes reversing up my driveway, but other than that it's fine!

 

There's 2 ways to solve this problem.

 

1. Convince yourself that you don't know how to drive stick and go get lessons so that you can take off without exceeding 1k rpms, and this way your not "slipping" your clutch.(I don't intend for this to sound offensive )

 

2. Go spend a couple hundred dollars and buy a brand new aftermarket clutch so you don't have to deal with the OEM subaru one.

 

Honestly though. There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. They just burn easier than others. It's unfortunate, but that is what we have to deal with...

Thanks for the update. This does not address my major concern about improper clutch engagement though, when my clutch pedal only comes out halfway and then locks in that position. The engine meanwhile, races merrily to redline with the clutch slipping like a mad dog and stinking like fetid sewer effluent.

I could live with the stink as putrid as it is, if I could be sure the car would launch when needed without slipping. This is dangerous to me.

SBT

Guys I have some news. Some of you know that I work at a Subaru dealership. Others know now. Well we had a GT in on Monday that they pulled the clutch out of. SOA told them to take it out and install a new one, then send in the old one for testing. They have not tested the old clutch yet, but the clutch isn't faulty at all! There is no premature wear, and everything looks fine. What does this mean? Simply that our clutches are just plain old stinky! There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. If your clutch stinks, simply don't burn it! If I launch hard the clutch stinks, or sometimes reversing up my driveway, but other than that it's fine!

 

There's 2 ways to solve this problem.

 

1. Convince yourself that you don't know how to drive stick and go get lessons so that you can take off without exceeding 1k rpms, and this way your not "slipping" your clutch.(I don't intend for this to sound offensive )

 

2. Go spend a couple hundred dollars and buy a brand new aftermarket clutch so you don't have to deal with the OEM subaru one.

 

Honestly though. There's NOTHING wrong with our clutches. They just burn easier than others. It's unfortunate, but that is what we have to deal with...

What sense would it make for SOA to take a clutch in for "testing"? They can take one out of the box on the assembly line if they want a clutch disc. And there are plenty of daily driven GTs by Company Execs they could use. The Execs all drive Subarus and they talk among themselves.

My bet is they all know the disc material was a bad choice when combined with the CDV, an overly sensitive electronic throttle, with a quick revving turbo engine. They are sending out internal memos to their dealers to not recognize it to avoid a mass recall and bad publicity as long as they can. Especially now with their new luxury B9 being introduced. Most GT drivers will adjust their driving technique to minimize the stink, unconsciously, over time.

It took a couple of years before SOA acknowledged the clutch shudder problem on '02/'03 WRXs and started replacing clutches, but only if a customer complained enough. They replaced mine even though I had never had the shudder. I had sent a letter to the service manager mentioning I had heard there was a clutch problem. And the new clutch felt much stronger.

Every clutch has to be slipped in order to drive the car. They are designed to slip. But there is no reason for that stink. And it's not just on the surface of the new car's disc and it wears off. It's the material all the way through. As drivers adjust the technique it just seems to go away.

Perhaps the fact that you work for a Subaru dealer might make you slightly biased toward the Company?

Get him guys!

This isn't my first manual car and the clucth works well, but it definitely stinks sometimes.

Thanks for the update. This does not address my major concern about improper clutch engagement though, when my clutch pedal only comes out halfway and then locks in that position. The engine meanwhile, races merrily to redline with the clutch slipping like a mad dog and stinking like fetid sewer effluent.

 

I could live with the stink as putrid as it is, if I could be sure the car would launch when needed without slipping. This is dangerous to me.

 

SBT

Hey, check your clutch fluid level. I had an issue with my clutch sticking AT THE FLOOR and it simply was low on fluid.

CJ

Guys...guys...guys...I'm not here to start a war, I'm just giving you an update of what has happened and the result that is being taken...

The women who brought the car in had complained a bazillion times...it was at the point where she was calling once a day to complain that she had the "stink". Once we recieve complaints escpecially on a faulty part, they step in. She came in with the specific thread from THIS FORUM where EVERYONE complains about the stinky clutch, and she gave it to us and we gave it to an SOA rep.

They told us to replace her clutch. Not because it was faulty, but because she had complained a numerous amount of times. The tech who took it apart and the other techs got around and all told the guy that there was NO problem with it. These guys are subaru certified and have been not only STRICTLY subaru techs, but with subaru and our dealership for over 20 YEARS!!! They've seen everything! I was talking to him and he said that the problem was when she takes off. She keeps it up at like 2-3k and lets out the clutch ever so slowly. This burns it and bam! THE STINK! She's been driving stick for 15 years and she shifts beautifully, she just can't take off...

Also, I was talking to the tech about our clutch specifically. Firstly, I will say SOA is a little funky...as in they thought that our cars had hill holder at first....go figure:rolleyes:

But our cars are even different from 2.5i's and another other legacy/outback clutch. Ours is a pull type and the other's are a push type. (or vice a versa if I have it mixed up.)

I'm just trying to say that our clutches aren't defective and you probably won't see a recall on them unless SOA thinks it's necessary.

ALSO, the exec's drive AUTOMATICS for the most part. and not only are they AUTO, but they drive outbacks! not gt's or xt's just basic auto not so frilly outbacks...no dual zone or 6cd changer....On top of that SOA doesn't have a garage or some place that can take trans's out and do clutches. Dealerships are their nationwide garages. Again guys no flame war or anything. I just want to state that our clutches are FINE. Just work on taking off without exceeding 2k and you'll be fine.

LASTLY! Look at it this way. If we go driving around really FAST and are always slamming on our brakes, we would smell our brakes because they would be burning up. It's the way we drive...there's ways to avoid this. Our cars aren't corvettes or vipers so they aren't made with the intent of launching all over. They're midsize family sedans for the most part with a little rally inspiration. They are luxurious in a sense.

Okay,

In my case it was simple. I told the dealer what was going on with my clutch and what I had experienced. They did exactly what I did and also identified that the clutch is now chattering, probably from slipping too much and wearing down. Parts are on in and the car will be repaired next week.

As I've mentioned before, I've driven Subaru AWDs forever and I know how they take up. Very rarely, if ever, do I launch funkily and certainly not the way you described your customer's launch. And never, ever, have I had a clutch slip while the clutch pedal is fully engaged.

WRT the fluid levels, I check all the fluids in all six every Saturday morning, along with the tire pressures. I had thought initially that there must be a fluid leak somewhere in the clutch system because that's exactly how the pedal feels when it won't come back up to fully engaged. Clutch fluid level is right where it's supposed to be.

Waiting to see if the clutch replacement resolves both issues, stink and pedal lock.

And for everyone, DO NOT flame ChruiSSer. He's providing feedback here that's valuable information.

SBT

Thanks subietonic...

I have no idea why, but for whatever reason that's how she launches. I will say that our cars are very sensitive and if your not carefull it will burn because it revs up quickly. Also the car is VERY quite...I've never driven clutch on such a quiet car.

I did notice however, that with the uppipe, downpipe, and cobb ap stage 2 that the driveability of the car improved. It's easy to take off at even lower rpms, and overall it made the car so much better!

how can someone who's been driving stick for any amount of time be constantly launching at 2-3K? i've been driving stick for 1.5 months TOTAL and i know how to launch at 1-2K. it just doesn't make sense. does she know what a clutch is?

Easy to answer here ... "Woman" haha just kidding, I remember a while back when I was visiting a friend and we went out to drink. Well I was in no shape to drive back, so his wife drove my Accord at the time. She drives stick and get this, she would push the clutch pedal going down hills and release it at the bottom. Hello!?

Chruisser, thanks for the info, I won't bite the messanger but SOA can bite me.

My wife told me I was crazy for getting another subie, especially after I had the problem every 2001 manual subie owner had with the clutch slippage. And from my experience, SOA handled that poorly. Please tell me the arguement wasn't the same there. I find it an insult for SOA to say we don't know how to drive.

There was no recall on the fly wheel and pressure plate, just a TSB. Subaru never even sent out notices to owners regarding that problem. What the hell? Do they plan on doing voluntarily doing something about this problem.?

Perhaps I will put an aftermarket clutch on, but it should be on SOA dime, not mine

That's no "Solution" thats a cop out!!!

I think this explains why, until I learned that I needed a LOT fewer rpms to start my GT than my WRX, I got the funk. Now, it never stinks, because I've gotten used to the car and its clutch takeup point, something I long suspected.

Kevin

The '05 MINI Cooper S in the driveway gets driven 3x harder than our LGT - no stink EVER, no matter if I burn the clutch, drive in traffic, back up a hill. NOTHING. Just backing into my driveway (a slight incline) after a Costco run in the LGT stinks up the neighborhood. By design? Maybe. Not a way to compete with the likes of Acura, Infiniti and Lexus, IMHO.

Same here, but I have the '03 Cooper. I drive the snot out of it and never a stink. I also have been driving manual transmissions since my first car almost 20 years ago. I also spend a good amount of time on the track and in spirited driving ventures....

ChruiSSer........Telling people to learn to drive is not too cool, IMHO. Many of us have had other cars in this class and have driven them hard WITHOUT these problems. I have driven the piss out of Passats, Audi Allroads, etc, NEVER had issues like this, and I do not burn out clutches or brakes. I am not a professional driver, but I DO know how to drive fast and NOT damage car parts....

As for the stink, I get it frequently, driving the same way I have driven all my cars, but this is the only one that smells like A$$. I will always complain when I go in, eventually Subaru will see that their car is so stinky that I am telling people to maybe consider another alternative....like a Chevy...haha, their clutches don't stink under NORMAL driving conditions.

.......It is not us, there are too many of us that have this issue, it is the material Subaru used, and they need to own up to the fact that they picked a poor product for such a great car. And this is making their customers very unhappy. In my profession, healthcare, if I told someone to just learn to live with it, you think that would be an appropriate comment to make? So, coming from a person that works for Subaru, I am disappointed in your response to say the least. You are not responsible for SoA making their decisions, but not supporting customers and telling them to "deal" is poor form in my book.

This doesn't explain why they always stink in reverse up an incline. If I got Michael Shumacher to park it for me, it would still stink.

haha, EXACTLY

This is getting rediculous....

1) NOTICE in the first post i made that i had a HUUUUUUGE smiley face after "telling people to learn how to drive stick" it looked like this ----> I said i'm not trying to offend anyone. The legacy takes less throttle imput to get going than any other car. PERIOD. So you might have to "relearn" to take off in the legacy. It's.....unique. In no way did I say that you DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DRIVE STICK.

2) I am posting this so EVERYONE can see that Subaru Of America has realized there might be a potential problem and so everyone can stop complaining about SOA doing NOTHING to address this issue! They are working on it.

3) When you drive alllll of those other cars hard, are you slipping the clutch the whole way? No, this is because in spirited driving it has NOTHING to do with the clutch. Your in ONE gear, then in the next. You not going around turns burning the clutch and shifting like a grandma are you?

Fella's this forum is GREAT! Let's not make this a warzone for us to all dilly dally in and rant off at EVERYTHING we don't like. The car is phenominal. The company itself is phenominal. For a first model year car if this is all we have to worry about then great consider ourselves lucky.

If you don't like the stinky clutch do EVERYONE a favor.

1) Sell the damn thing and go buy a audi, cooper, or other means of transportation. Or better yet, go buy a automatic.

2) DEAL WITH IT! If I can drive without making the clutch stink, then everyone can do it. Take your time and relearn THIS SPECIFIC CAR!

3) Replace the clutch. Spend some money, and save yourself the hassle of waiting till SOA does anything, if they even decide to do anything, and go get another clutch.

I'm not starting a flame war! I'm not offending anyone. I posted this topic so everyone see's that SOA has noticed the dilemma and is working on something. There very well may be a solution, there very well may not be.

I think this explains why, until I learned that I needed a LOT fewer rpms to start my GT than my WRX, I got the funk. Now, it never stinks, because I've gotten used to the car and its clutch takeup point, something I long suspected.

 

Kevin

I was thinking about this while on the road a minute ago. I used to always stall the WRX because a Jeep was my daily driver and I was used to the torque. The LGT needs very little throttle - 1500rpm vs. the 2500-3000 rpm of the WRX.

I was thinking about this while on the road a minute ago. I used to always stall the WRX because a Jeep was my daily driver and I was used to the torque. The LGT needs very little throttle - 1500rpm vs. the 2500-3000 rpm of the WRX.

You got it. The LGT is much smoother. When I first got the car, I'm sure people thought I was some kind of biohazard, in addition to taking off like a banshee all the time, the clutch was stinking up the place.

Every now and again, wearing hiking boots or something, I get a little heavy and there comes the Odiferous One, to remind me. It must me the material they're using for the clutch, because the WRX, launched hard, smelled pretty much the same.

I understand how people can think a car is defective when they have skill. And I don't think it's that people don't have skill. Like anything, sometimes it takes some getting used to. You should have seen me trying to drive a 2nd-gen RX-7 that had a Corvette driveline in it, while being used to my WRX. "Uh, you don't need to give it that many revs to launch, Kevin..." admonished the owner.

Kevin