Please help, major problems with recently purchased 2005 LGT!!!

*Lots of text warning*

The back story:

We bought a 2005 Legacy GT Limited at the end of June, and it's been nothing but problems. It came from a Hyundai dealer (yeah, yeah, I already know what you're thinking) and it was bone stock with 89k miles on it, 5EAT.

The dealer said that they were replacing the timing belt on it when we came to look at it, so we had to wait to really get a good look at it. When it was ready and we did see it, we loved it, so we instantly decided it was the car we were looking for. So, we did the paperwork and took it home that day.

First problem area: stuttering and whatnot on acceleration, especially uphill, and felt like a loss of power sometimes.

Not too long after this, we hit Problem Area 2: I charged my phone in the car for 10ish minutes with the car off and the power on (stupid mistake) and killed the battery. I don't know if that was normal for the battery to die so quickly, but I used a jump starter to try to get it going again.

Upon starting it for the first time, the CEL came on, and the airbag light and sport mode were both flashing. I took it to autozone, and the codes read something I cant remember possibly about the battery or fuel, and the other was TCM and had no info.

The car was acting funny and not really shifting at the appropriate times, but I was able to put it in diagnostic mode and somehow clear the codes and the car acted fine again so we just let it be. We told the dealer, who was supposed to order the TCM and replace it, but before that could happen the CEL came on again, and was acting funny, but once the code was cleared it was normal again.

This time, the car completely died, was stuck in park at midnight with a dead battery. Had to get it towed to a firends house, got a battery the next morning and it started up. Upon driving the hour drive home, the car was whining and sounded like it was a pencil sharpener with something metal in it, and sounded like someone was slapping a paddle under the pedals. It miraculously made the drive to the dealer.

Here's the kicker: the dealer says the timing belt was wrong. We drove for almost 6000 miles in this car, and they replaced the belt again but the metal in the pencil sharpener noise is still there. They don't know what's wrong with it, and are sending it to Subaru on Monday.

How much damage could have happened to this car?

Should we try to return the car to the dealer?

What could be wrong? Turbo? Engine? Differential? Transmission?

Are we in over our heads with this car?

The dealer isn't going to give you a straight answer as to whats wrong with it. Take it to a SUBARU dealer, not a Hyundai dealer.

Op said it was going to subaru monday.

*Lots of text warning*

 

The back story:

 

We bought a 2005 Legacy GT Limited at the end of June, and it's been nothing but problems. It came from a Hyundai dealer (yeah, yeah, I already know what you're thinking) and it was bone stock with 89k miles on it, 5EAT.

 

The dealer said that they were replacing the timing belt on it when we came to look at it, so we had to wait to really get a good look at it. When it was ready and we did see it, we loved it, so we instantly decided it was the car we were looking for. So, we did the paperwork and took it home that day.

 

First problem area: stuttering and whatnot on acceleration, especially uphill, and felt like a loss of power sometimes.

 

Not too long after this, we hit Problem Area 2: I charged my phone in the car for 10ish minutes with the car off and the power on (stupid mistake) and killed the battery. I don't know if that was normal for the battery to die so quickly, but I used a jump starter to try to get it going again.

 

Upon starting it for the first time, the CEL came on, and the airbag light and sport mode were both flashing. I took it to autozone, and the codes read something I cant remember possibly about the battery or fuel, and the other was TCM and had no info.

 

The car was acting funny and not really shifting at the appropriate times, but I was able to put it in diagnostic mode and somehow clear the codes and the car acted fine again so we just let it be. We told the dealer, who was supposed to order the TCM and replace it, but before that could happen the CEL came on again, and was acting funny, but once the code was cleared it was normal again.

 

This time, the car completely died, was stuck in park at midnight with a dead battery. Had to get it towed to a firends house, got a battery the next morning and it started up. Upon driving the hour drive home, the car was whining and sounded like it was a pencil sharpener with something metal in it, and sounded like someone was slapping a paddle under the pedals. It miraculously made the drive to the dealer.

 

Here's the kicker: the dealer says the timing belt was wrong. We drove for almost 6000 miles in this car, and they replaced the belt again but the metal in the pencil sharpener noise is still there. They don't know what's wrong with it, and are sending it to Subaru on Monday.

 

How much damage could have happened to this car?

 

Should we try to return the car to the dealer?

 

What could be wrong? Turbo? Engine? Differential? Transmission?

 

Are we in over our heads with this car?

Sounds more like EAT issue than engine. Trans goes into limp mode.. possible front oil pump failure causing noise and lack of shifting.

I'd check the gas, when I got my subbie from texas it had a cel code, it drove me crazy figuring it out, and finally i realized let me try something simple. So I put in 93 octane, and the light went away. The dealership isnt going to put in premium gas ever, and I bought mine at a subaru dealership, and they used regular gas just the same. If its the code about being to lean then its ur octane level.

What sound does metal in a pencil sharpener make, serioiusly. I'm trying to picture it in my head but I am drawing blanks.

If the battery is bad , the ecu will keep resetting.

When my timing belt went bad, the car would not start, period. But driving with bad timing could damage valves i thought.

Being that you pulled a tranny control mod error........I'm praying for ya!

Either way, buying a new or used car shouldnt be this difficult. You didnt buy it as is or at a salvage yard, so you should expect a car in working condition. But the real world is far from ideal.

Lemon Law applys to NEW cars only, to my recollection. So unless you bought it with a warranty you might be SOL. Hopefully you didnt sign that "AS IS" piece of paper!!!

Lemon law is anything where a car has been back a minimum of FOUR times or has sat in excess of 30 days without being repaired by the shop.

I'd hope its your octane level. But you have a laundry list of problems.... I'd try to give it back, but the car sales industry is a vicious mofo.

Lemon law is really applying to manufacturer warranties, only some states have subsequent laws for used cars.

Check this article from edmunds, some good info! Its from 2009 so things probably changed.

http://www.edmunds.com/auto-warranty/my-used-cars-a-lemon-am-i-stuck-with-it.html

A New Twist: Used Car Lemon Laws

 

The frequency and severity of consumers' used car problems has led some state legislatures to pass new laws. Currently, though, only six states, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico and New York have lemon laws on the books. The laws provide a statutory used car warranty, often based upon the age or mileage of the vehicle. If the vehicle exhibits problems during the warranty period, the dealer is given a chance to repair them. If those fixes don't work after several tries, the dealer usually must either replace the car or refund the buyer's money.

 

At least seven states have some other form of used car buyers' rights, requiring used car warranties or setting minimum standards for the sale of used cars: They are Arizona, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Mexico and Pennsylvania. Still other states, including North Carolina, have an Unfair and Deceptive Practices statute that can be invoked. But only those states with true used car lemon laws require the dealer to provide a replacement or refund for your car.

Thanks for all the replies! I guess my instant notification isn't working, but the update is this: the Hyundai dealer was going to send it to Subaru, but after talking to the techs they said it'd be a transmission problem, and therefore are not sending it to Subaru and are just ordering a new transmission for it.

It sounds like a great thing to me, but the only other concerns I have are whether or not there was/will be an issue with the timing belt.. Apparently the code it was throwing when it went to the dealer was for the timing belt, and I'm still unsure exactly what code it was or what exactly was wrong with the timing belt to begin with since it did start up and drive after dying the last time.

I guess we'll just wait and see if this fixes the problem, but for now we've contacted the attorney general and opened a complaint that we left "pending" just in case something bad does happen

^This.

Subb'ed for updates.

Update: They ordered a junkyard rebuilt transmission for the LGT, and it comes with a 12 month/24k mile warranty. They said the timing belt was off a tooth (maybe more) because they only had "generic" information on how to line it up, so I asked them to compression test all 4 cylinders. The final request on my part is that they send it to North End Subaru to be checked out by their techs before we take delivery of the car, which they agreed to do although the guy didn't sound too pleased by that.

Fingers crossed that everything turns out for the better.

I'm sorry - don't know how much you paid for this, but I'd take it back and ask for your money back. Subaru techs repairing a Subaru, with genuine Subaru parts, or no deal.

The fact that they borked a simple timing belt install (which a qualified Subaru tech would not have done), because they didn't have "specifica", tells me all I need to know about this outfit. Run don't walk.

I agree with eveyone else, if they can't get a simple timing belt job done correctly, I'd be afraid of any thing else they did.

BTW I replace my timing belt in my driveway.

These are interference fit engines, I think one tooth off is not good.

Not good enough IMO. I'd insist that it be repaired by Subaru technicians, especially since a new transmission will carry the 12mo/12K mile Subaru warranty. Plus you want Subaru to figure out what else is going on. Give them the ultimatum, take it to a Subaru dealer and provide the Subaru analysis and repair vouchers, or you want you money back. Period and end of story.

Agreed.

They appear to be jokers because if they couldn't competently put in the correct Timing Belt, how do they expect to do a trans????

-Mike Paisan

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Update: They ordered a junkyard rebuilt transmission for the LGT, and it comes with a 12 month/24k mile warranty. They said the timing belt was off a tooth (maybe more) because they only had "generic" information on how to line it up, so I asked them to compression test all 4 cylinders. The final request on my part is that they send it to North End Subaru to be checked out by their techs before we take delivery of the car, which they agreed to do although the guy didn't sound too pleased by that.

 

 

Fingers crossed that everything turns out for the better.

Junkyards don't rebuild transes. My guess is that it is just a plain old junkyard one they found online at http://car-part.com

-Mike Paisan

http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/91072632.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/145749898/original.jpg http://www.pbase.com/paisan/image/133406601.jpg http://www.whiteline.com.au/images/logos/perf1.jpg

11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.

Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.

Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs

"Race Tested, Enthusiast Approved!"