2015 Subaru Wrx

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU WRX. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, A CREAKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE ENGINE BAY. ALSO, A GRINDING SOUND WAS PRESENT WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN GEARS AND THE VEHICLE WOULD JOLT WHILE ACCELERATING AND DECELERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER (MID HUDSON SUBARU LOCATED AT 1715 U.S. 9, WAPPINGERS FALLS, NY 12590) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PITCHER STOPPER MOUNT WAS FAULTY AND WAS SEPARATING FROM THE ENGINE FIRE WALL AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. *LN *DL

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~70 MPH AND SUDDENLY LOST ALL THROTTLE RESPONSE, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE ONLY LOOSE SPEED. ENGINE STARTED TO SHUTTER TO LOW RPMS, AND BECAUSE OF THIS DRASTICALLY LOST SPEED AND NEARLY GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHILE MOVING TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO PULL OVER. AFTER EVENTUALLY PULLING OVER, ENGINE CONTINUED TO SHUTTER TO LOW RPMS AND COULD NOT HOLD AN IDLE - WOULD JUST STALL AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO START IT UP. CAR WAS TOWED TO CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND AFTER WAITING 4 DAYS FINALLY HEARD IT WAS THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. RESEARCHING THE ISSUE I FOUND THAT SUBARU MADE A DESIGN CHANGE FOR THE WIRE HARNESS TO PREVENT WATER/MOISTURE FAILURE WHICH IS MOST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE. STUCK WITH A $1400 BILL DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW, I DECIDED TO PURCHASE A 2020 MODEL WHICH HOPEFULLY DOESN'T HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. AFTER CALLING SUBARU OF NORTH AMERICA AND EXPLAINING THE SITUATION, THEY OFFERED ME $1000 TOWARDS THE NEW PURCHASE. IT WAS A KIND GESTURE HOWEVER I QUESTION IF IT IS SOMEWHAT ADMISSION OF GUILT FOR THE DESIGN FLAW. 2015 WRX 138K MILES WAS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED WITH ALL NECESSARY MAINTENANCE COMPLETED AT PROPER INTERVALS AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3-4K MILES.

DECIDED TO GET MY SPARK PLUGS REPLACED, AND GOT A COMPRESSION TEST DONE WHILE THAT SERVICE WAS DONE FOR CONVENIENCE. COMPRESSION CAME OUT LOW ON ONE SIDE OF MY FA20DIT ENGINE. WITH MORE RESEARCH, BECAUSE THE ENGINE IS DIRECT INJECTED, THERE IS OBVIOUS BUILD UP ON THE INTAKE VALVES, CAUSING BAD AIR FLOW. THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE.

IN A 2015 SUBARU WRX WITH A 6-SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION PURCHASED 03/2015 AND DELIVERED TO PURCHASE DEALER 04/2015. REPORTED TO SUBARU DEALER 02/19/2016 A ROUGH IDLE WITH ENGINE RPMS RECORDED BETWEEN 400 AND 1K. ROUGH IDLE TRIPPED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AFTER FUELING AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING. DIAGNOSTIC CODE P0420 REPORTED A FAULT IN CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SOFTWARE UPDATE TO COMPUTER PERFORMED RESOLVED ISSUE TEMPORARILY. 04/10/2016 AT 9.7K MILES ROUGH IDLE ISSUE RETURNED RPMS OF 400 TO 1K AGAIN AFTER FUELING. IN NEUTRAL 30-60 SECONDS AFTER STARTING VEHICLE STALLED AT FUEL STATION. UPON RE-STARTING VEHICLE CHECK ENGINE, FLASHING CRUISE CONTROL, ABS, HILL-START ASSIST, AND TRACTION CONTROL FAULTS TRIPPED. VEHICLE BEHAVIOR SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL 16V-162 WHERE NHTSA NOTED 'DUE TO THE USE OF INCORRECT MATERIAL FOR A PORTION OF THE ENGINE TURBOCHARGER AIR INTACT DUCT CRACK, THE ENGINE MAY DEVELOP A ROUGH IDLE, REDUCED POWER, AND POSSIBLY STALL'. COMPLAINANT BELIEVES RECALL MAY NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE A WIDER RANGE OF VINS BEFORE LISTED PRODUCTION DATES IN RECALL ORDER.

2015 WRX 2.0L MANUAL TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN EVERYDAY SITUATIONS I HAVE HAD (3) DISTINCT PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENGINE/THROTTLE/IDLE. 1) GHOST BLIP: WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AROUND 5-15 MPH, PUT IT IN NEUTRAL COAST TO A STOP IDLE WILL INEXPLICABLY SPIKE FROM ~700RPM (IDLE) --> ~1.2-1.5K RPM (FOR A SECOND OR TWO...LIKE A GHOST BLIPPED THE THROTTLE). NO PRESSURE APPLIED TO ACCELERATOR. 2) ROUGH IDLE: WHILE SITTING AT A STOP, IN NEUTRAL, ~700RPM (IDLE) --> WILL DIP TO ~650-600RPM FOR A FRACTION OF SECOND & REOCCUR EVERY 2-4 SECONDS. FEELS LIKE SOMEONE LIGHTLY SHAKING YOUR SEAT FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. 3) NEAR STALL: WHILE SITTING AT A STOP, IN NEUTRAL, ~700RPM (IDLE) --> WILL DIP THE RPMS LOW ENOUGH THAT THE WHOLE CAR NOTICEABLY SHAKES...SIMILAR TO THE SHAKE YOU WOULD EXPERIENCE IF THE ENGINE WERE ACTUALLY ABOUT TO STALL. THE RPMS WILL FUMBLE AROUND A BIT AND THEN HICCUP BACK TO NORMAL IDLE AFTER 4-5 SECONDS. ALL THREE ITEMS HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER ON (2) OCCASIONS W/ THE REPLY UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM AND/OR IT IS NORMAL.