Are you having problems with your Subaru? Let our team of motoring experts keep you up to date with all of the latest Subaru issues & faults. We have gathered all of the most frequently asked questions and problems relating to the Subaru in one spot to help you decide if it's a smart buy.
BASICALLY, the H point is the spot where your hip is located when you are sitting in the driver's seat. It can be raised by lifting the base of the seat, the height of the floor or even the whole vehicle. So cars such as the Toyota Camry have a high seat position, but a Subaru Forester has a high H point because of gravel-road suspension settings. You really need to walk around a few showrooms to see the difference.
THERE is no functional reason your car must have the injection system, though it is much better for performance and general driveability. Systems for cars built after 2003 must pass an emissions test, which adds to the development cost of the system, and LPG system manufacturers haven't necessarily invested in the development of the older system. You might simply not be able to find an older system for your car.
WINDOW aerials aren't as effective as the old type and it seems the reception is always worse on the AM band. I'm not aware of any solution to the problem.
EVERY kilometre you drive is one closer to a major meltdown. That's the reality of owning any ageing car, not just an Astra. It's impossible to predict when that might happen. The reality is your car's best days are behind it. Should you sell? It's impossible to say. It doesn't matter what the badge is on the bonnet, your car is six years old, so you should expect a few problems. Your upgrade option is four years old, and though the Subaru is a good brand and the Impreza a good model, it is also getting on. I would press on with the Astra, or trade it in on a new car.
THE short answer is yes, but it might not be all that easy. There is no technical reason why it can't be done successfully, but you need to find an approved kit with emission compliance and an installer experienced in doing the conversion. I would talk to WRX specialists and get their opinion.
BIRD droppings are quite corrosive and can leave a permanent mark on your car's paint if you don't clean it off quickly. As we've advised previously, it's best not to park your car under a tree or power lines where birds are likely to perch. The birds in your area must leave particularly nasty deposits to eat the paint away to the metal. I've never seen anything like that. It could be that their diet in your area produces a very corrosive end product. Talk to paint experts such as Meguiars for the best course of action. Water-based paint is used by most carmakers today. It was introduced for environmental reasons.
IT'S best to phone the suppliers to find a system for your car, and then ask for their recommended installer, someone with experience with the system on the same model as yours. The Australian LPG Warehouse has a kit available for the 2002-2007 Forester.
I ASKED Subaru's technical people for help and they replied: ``The rotten-egg gas smell is from the sulphur content in the fuel, which varies depending on the brand and grade of fuel used. It occurs when either the content of sulphur is high or when there is insufficient temperature in the exhaust catalyst to completely burn off the sulphur. Typically it occurs most often after a long trip and a short break, then a short trip, when the catalyst does not come up to full operating temperature. ``This type of gas generation is solely dependant on the sulphur content of the fuel. It may also be caused by incorrect operation of the exhaust catalyst. If you have tried many different grades and brands of fuel without effect, replacement of the catalyst may be required.''
I ASSUME you are concerned about your car losing value when it hits the 100,000km mark. There does seem to be a perception that once a car has done 100,000km it is on the slippery slide in terms of reliability etc. But if you like your car and it is in good condition, then why sell it? The reality is that 100,000km is still a low mileage in today's terms when cars are better built and more reliable than ever before. If, on the other hand, you want to swap to a newer car to keep pace with the market, then sell it.
In extreme situations, owners have been warned their vehicles may catch fire.Mitsubishi was hit with the biggest safety recall for the three month period. It has written to owners of Pajeros built between 2000 and 2003 to warn them of a potential brake problem. As many as 13,400 vehicles may need to be checked.The company also recalled 4400 of its now-defunct 380 sedan, built between 2006 and 2007, which may have a faulty fuel tank retaining strap. In a severe collision the tank may be dislodged and spill fuel.Mitsubishi is also checking more than 8300 Colts built this year which may have a problem with door windows which may drop and unlock or open the door while the car is being driven.Honda has recalled 11,800 of its 2004-05 Jazz to check whether they have a faulty handbrake, while Mazda needs to look at 1770 of its B4000 utes built between 2005-2006 because the bonnet may open unexpectedly.Subaru has recalled 5380 of its Imprezas, built between 2001 and 2003 because of a faulty rear tailgate which may suddenly drop.Subaru Australia spokesman, Dave Rowley, said many of the recalls were to check for "minor or niggling" faults."We have had no incidents of anyone being injured in Australia and we found only six cars which had the faulty (tailgate strut) connection."Many recalls are done as a pre-emptive measure to avoid possible problems further down the track, " he said.Other potential faults include electrical short circuits, which in extreme circumstances, may start a cabin fire in Landrover Freelander diesels built since 2007. Landrover warns the fault may occur when the vehicle is parked and unattended.Other recalls were to check for short circuits in Fiat's Grande Punto; and a chance that the panoramic glass roof in a small number of Citroen's Picasso could be dislodged.Suzuki has warned of potential fire risk in its 3-door Suzuki Grand Vitara (2006-07) because of a possible cracked fuel pipe, while the 2005-08 Vitara diesel has a remote fire risk in a filter because of a problem with the intercooler outlet pipe insulator.Other problems include faulty rear seat belt D-loop attachments in the current Jaguar XF, and the potential for a loss of steering in Chrysler's 300C built last year because of a problem with rear axle hub nuts which could see the half shaft disengage from the wheel hub.Mercedes Benz wants to look at axles, springs and the park brake in its Sprinter or Vito vans.Jayco has recalled some of its motor homes to check and fix awning and exhaust pipe problems.Of the 1500 motorcycles recalled, safety issues to be fixed include a faulty fuel filler on Kawasaki models, a windshield which may come off Buell bikes if ridden at high speed and a rear view mirror which may fall off on certain Yamaha models.An ACCC spokeswoman said this year's figures were actually less than last year but the number has been steadily rising over the past 20 years.The ACCC says there have been 52 individual recalls this year compared to 171 last year.Full details of the recalls can be found at www.recalls.gov.au
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