Legacy owners ... Put on your tin hats -

I have had my ecu re-flashed by Subaru. Stutter continues. I have read reports of "ILL.5" being randomly displayed on people's trip odometers. I have read reports of people's stereo/ACC not working or not displaying at times. I have had my volume jump on its own accord.

 

My latest question/theory: Could the Legacy be poorly grounded causing some of these issues? I searched a bit and didn't see a lot of discussion about it. I know Subaru had some issues in the past, but as of recent years it hadn't been much of an issue, but I'm wondering if this might be at least partially responsible for some of the issues people are seeing. How many have tried grounding mods if any?

 

Thoughts?

 

- Brady

Nah, that ain't it.

I agree that it seems far-fetched, but it would explain a few things. Any threads you can point to that discuss it further? I couldn't find much.

Its haunted maybe?

 

Yeah Im not much help, sorry.

I thought I was the only one with a possessed head unit. I was getting on the toll road over the weekend and I was lucky enough to feel the shuttering that I have heard so much about YIKES!!!!! WTF is it. It felt like the throttle was glitching. Maybe its a problem with one of the throttle servos or both? I dont know what it is for sure but I do know I never want to experience it again.

Who here has a grounding kit? Coulden't hurt to try it.

Yes, people have tried the grounding kit, and it has done nothing. Grounding is only a problem as the grounding points start to corrode, this is just not a problem on a brand new car.

Yeah, I've had my 05 LGT Wagon 5EAT for about a week and half and I read about the studdering issues. I hadn't experienced it that bad, a few times here and there.

 

So, while I was running my 12V power this weekend for my upcoming stereo install I figured I should hook up "The Big Three" while I was in there. While I got to the ground points I haven't gotten to the alternator yet, I need to get the appropriate ring terminals.

 

The first thing I noticed driving it post grounding mod was that the studder had increased especially in 2nd and 3rd gear with <50% throttle.

 

So, it isnt the ground...

 

I'll leave it the way it is and then take it in for the flash when I get my first service.

 

BTW: I am hoping to do a pictoral of my install this weekend. I will include the gounding mod and alternator connection. This is all pending the arrival of my parts.

 

Deer Killer:

Corrosion is an issue and you would think that having a new car that the grounds would be sufficient, unfortunately it isn't always the case.

On my 02 WRX there was a significant resistance loss (meaning the connection got better) after I completed the grounding mod. What this will allow is more accurate readings and adjustments by the ECU (theoretically). On the WRX there was little gain but it did in fact eliminate some of the hesitation it had prior to the mod.

 

In the pictoral walk through I will show the before and after grounds, the factory 12 Gauge wires are really pitiful.

 

Iggy

OK. I've also had the same problems as you, Brady. I have the studdering and the Illum 5 and 6 comes on my odo. I took into the dealership and they sent out my ECU for the new map from Subaru and they replaced my light switch.

 

Now the Illum issue has been resolved and the studdering is still there although not as bad. Well, hell the service manger even said that she doesn't think the ECU fix did anything, but what can they do about it.

 

So I took it upon myself to figure out why this studdering even takes place and this is what I found.

 

Maxium Boost by Corky Bell page 9

 

Small turbochargers frequently poduce an annoying response when the throttle is applied in small increments. This distinctly affects driveability, in that a small motion of the throttle will produce a quick and usually unwanted small surge of boost that upsets the smoothness of the car. To some extent, this casues a passenger to think the driver inept...

 

Kelly

I too have had the ill.5 come on by it self and my volume goes crazy by itself, seems to happen every month or 2.

The volume thing ... I think I've had this happen in almost every car with an indexed dial for the volume. Occasionally you're just going to get it between two settings. However, most cars I've owned I've been able to swap out the stock deck for an aftermarket unit ... so this car has been somewhat an anomaly on that respect. Oh well.

 

Still love my VDC HU.

Same here,

got "illum.5" once in a great while and the sound jumped couple of times before. But it happens so rearly, actualy havn't had these problems for more than a month that it doesn't really bother me that much. I thought I was the only one with this problem turns out I'm not. Should I be concerned , go to dealership get it checked out or just let it go?

Simon

My 05GT has this too I filled up last week and could not reset my Odometer because the ILL5 was on bouncing between ILL5 and ILL6 the lights on the radio and A/C was flickering. It turned out the reostat was in the highest setting but it did not seem to be all the way there. I reached over and pushed up on it a little harder it did not move but it stopped the ILL light maybe the switches are not adjusted correctly where they make complete contact when in the highest setting.

 

Jeff

I am looking to buy an 05 GT wagon this weekend in LA and im in SFO (big drive 7 hrs). Do all the manual GT's have this stutter issue? From other posts I have read it seems only a handful do. Does anyone know if there was a certain build date in particular where this problem is prevalent? Is there a way other than test driving the car to see if the stutter exists (e.g - vin range check......).

No vin range check. I think they all do it. It's by no means undriveable as some might suggest ... it's just a bit of a surging in the power. Until the dealers can do the reprogram on-site, I wouldn't recommend doing it at all. Too much hassle for the reward. I was also lucky enough to get a door ding courtesy of the dealer. They're fixing it though, so I can't complain too much.

I am looking to buy an 05 GT wagon this weekend in LA and im in SFO (big drive 7 hrs). Do all the manual GT's have this stutter issue? From other posts I have read it seems only a handful do. Does anyone know if there was a certain build date in particular where this problem is prevalent? Is there a way other than test driving the car to see if the stutter exists (e.g - vin range check......).

 

My car doesn't have this problem at all as far as I can tell, and it is an early build date (6/04). However, I bought it in April of '05 as a demo with 900 miles on it, and the sales manager had been driving it. Maybe he had already had it reflashed.

ill.5 is your knee hitting the dimmer knob "ill.1-5"

the volume issue is the knob is between 'clicks' for the volume. turn it to a click

 

and for studdering. some times i can feal it now that i flashed back to stock. but with ap its gone (if any one cares)

Two weeks after I got my LGT, my stereo/A.C. unit lights would flicker randomly, about a week after that my volume would randomly adjust itself (sometimes it would jump up 4 points.)

 

I called my dealer, and the service manager said the problem was a bad stereo/A.C. unit. He had the whole unit replaced,and I have no more problems.

He also said this was not a rare problem.

I have had my ecu re-flashed by Subaru. Stutter continues. I have read reports of "ILL.5" being randomly displayed on people's trip odometers. I have read reports of people's stereo/ACC not working or not displaying at times. I have had my volume jump on its own accord.

 

My latest question/theory: Could the Legacy be poorly grounded causing some of these issues? I searched a bit and didn't see a lot of discussion about it. I know Subaru had some issues in the past, but as of recent years it hadn't been much of an issue, but I'm wondering if this might be at least partially responsible for some of the issues people are seeing. How many have tried grounding mods if any?

 

Thoughts?

 

- Brady

 

I reflashed with Stage 1 Cobb but the stutter remained. I grounded two points. The driver side strut tower was grounded from the factory so I grounded the passenger side strut tower and the engine block (driver side). So far it has been a week with no stutter.

On a couple of occassions mine has flashed ILL.5 over big bumps and then went away when I flicked the dial up and down. No big deal, but if they decide to replace the switch, I'd get the part just for peace of mind and because I enjoy taking things apart.

I have notice the "ILL 5" thing too on our sedan. I have not noticed it on our wagon...However, the wagon has a new ECU complements of a cooling fan that would not shut off.

Every now and then I get the "ILL 5" I ignore it. No problems at all so far/