Do I just have terrible luck? (Valves)

[Draekan]

First off, if this is the wrong place for this post I'm sorry! Secondly, I'm not a mechanic... I'm a casual car guy so sorry if I dont have all the exact technical stuff accurate.

November I decided at the ripe age of 30 to finally buy a new car. Local dealership had a 2017 BRZ Sportech, beautiful black standard... you know... around 2300 km on it.. so used but barely... 3 weeks after buying it I got a CEL. Took it to local Subaru dealer and they scanned it. Initially they were confused and thought the previous owner put a tune on it. After a week of them having the car, they finally came to the conclusion it was the pesky valve issue, so they ordered some shims and got it all sorted for me.
About a week goes by and the CEL comes back. I take it in and get a loaner car while they figure it out again
exactly the same issue so they order more shims and fix it again. The service manager asked if he could take the car home as he lives quite a ways away to be able to ensure it doesnt come back. The next day I get the car back and it's just fine.
December, Jan, Feb, March, and most of April goes by just fine... middle of April CEL again. Car doesnt noticable run any different so I suspect its the same issue again.. and I have an appointment with them for this week.. however something has been bugging me.. in my 6 months of owning the car.. it's been in and out of Subaru's shop for around 30 days dealing with this issue...

The question here is... am I just unlucky or is there something I could be doing to make this happen?
Secondly... I'm a nice guy and I dont tend to get upset with people and demand any kind of compensation but should I make a fuss about this when I drop it off this week? Love the brz, and I dont regret buying it.. but it is rapidly becoming a source of stress and disappointment with this issue reappearing over and over...

[JD001]

Nice guys don't buy Black BRZs....

Sounds like bad luck, unless the car has been messed with by the last owner.. But the mileage was low when you got it, was there enough time to mess with tuning etc..

[tobin]

Can you elaborate on "the pesky valve issue"?

A 2017 model wouldn't be affected by this. The whole valve/shim thing was only early 2013s.

Since you bought it from a dealership you could see what they can do in terms of getting you into another car. Beyond that, get ready to lawyer up.

[Impureclient]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/lem...have-1.2951106

[Draekan]

Carfax was clean and it was only owned for a short time. The guys here at Subaru called the dealership where the original owner bought it (Vancouver, an hour away). The sales manager there said that he bought it, and brought it back very quickly because he decided he didnt want a car. The funny part... okay it's not funny... is that apparently he couldnt drive manual... because when they pulled the engine to do the shims and whatnot.. they looked at the clutch.. and.. "there is more wear on the clutch than I would expect to see on a car with 15,000 km... let alone 3000. " When the previous owner decided to give up the car... he only brought back one key fob. Anyway..

Elaborating on the pesky valve issue, apparently it's the same one that afflicts the older cars. The codes (sorry dont remember them off the top) said it was valves. The service manager here was confused and called the one in Vancouver and explained the situation, that's how he got the information about the previous owner... they had dealt with Vancouver. Since I dont know much about mechanical stuff I dont want to say something false but so far as I can tell with the research I've done.. it's the same issue that happened with the older cars.
I guess the silver lining for me is that each time the issue was covered under warranty... and I expect it will be again but I just dont want to have to keep bringing it to them to fix it.. even if it doesnt cost me nothing.

[humfrz]

Well, Draekan, welcome to - The Forum -

Sorry to hear about your problems with your car -

What is the code that triggered the CEL?

Although it's an pain, I'd suggest you just let the dealership give it another go at sorting it out and fixing it.


humfrz

[Draekan]

Thank you for the welcome.

My apology, i dont know the code. it was a few months ago... il update on wednesday when the car goes in the shop. What i do remember, is that when i had brought it to them before, they had scanned the code and told me that it was something to do with the valves and they would need the car for a few days to pull the engine and order put shims in. Since im not mechanical i cant say for certainty its the same issue, but... to me.. it sounded like it.

Should i be a **** about it when it goes in? In the 6 months ive owned the car... it has been in subaru's shop for a combined... almost 30 days. this will be the fourth time ive brought it to them for the same issue. this will be the third time theyve done the work to fix it.

Or should i just be like i am normally... understanding and generally nice?

[ka-t_240]

What is Canada/your provinces "lemon law" rules. If its been in the shop that many times on that new of a car, could be good to review

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Draekan

Thank you for the welcome.

My apology, i dont know the code. it was a few months ago... il update on wednesday when the car goes in the shop. What i do remember, is that when i had brought it to them before, they had scanned the code and told me that it was something to do with the valves and they would need the car for a few days to pull the engine and order put shims in. Since im not mechanical i cant say for certainty its the same issue, but... to me.. it sounded like it.

Should i be a **** about it when it goes in? In the 6 months ive owned the car... it has been in subaru's shop for a combined... almost 30 days. this will be the fourth time ive brought it to them for the same issue. this will be the third time theyve done the work to fix it.

Or should i just be like i am normally... understanding and generally nice?

What I suggest you do is invest in an inexpensive code reader. That way you will know what code is being thrown and will be able to look it up and understand what may be causing the problem. Also, posting the code to this forum may give us some leads on your problem. Code readers can be had for less that $100 and purchased at most automotive supply stores.

Caution: Although a code reader can erase codes, DON'T DO THAT before you take it into the dealership. Why not? Because it may limit their ability to diagnose the problem.

As far as the approach to the dealership, I suggest that you strongly express your concern. Keep in mind they really don't want to see you (unless you are there for a oil change or to buy a new car) any more than you want to be there.

I hope they get it sorted it out and fixed soon.


humfrz

[MuseChaser]

Originally Posted by Draekan

..
Should i be a **** about it when it goes in? In the 6 months ive owned the car... it has been in subaru's shop for a combined... almost 30 days. this will be the fourth time ive brought it to them for the same issue. this will be the third time theyve done the work to fix it.

Or should i just be like i am normally... understanding and generally nice?

The latter, definitely, rather than the former. There are plenty of ways to express frustration and disappointment with a situation while expressing appreciation for those that, at least as you describe it so far, are doing their best to help you through the situation. I've had a very difficult couple months with my '13 FRS myself, but the dealership and I are still on VERY good terms. If we weren't, the new engine that is in my car probably wouldn't be there, and the new direct injectors currently being installed might not have been covered under warranty, or at least not as easily.



ALWAYS remain nice, polite, and grateful. Hate the sin, love the sinner.. something like that. It's the situation that is awful. The folks at the dealership are doing their best, it sounds like.

[Draekan]

Fair points all around. Thanks guys! Ill update on wednesday with what they say!

[Cassanova]

Make sure the dealer reflashed the ecu, as well.

I have heard some CELs coming back after the valves are adjusted because some techs are forgetting to do this last step.

[Draekan]

Update as promised:

Took her in to the local Subaru dealership today, dropped it off at noon. I explained to the service guy that helped me, politely, that this issue while understandible to a point is starting to get tiresome.
Picked it up after work just a few minutes ago.

The code, was the same code as before. P119F A/F Ratio imbalance for direct injection. And, P129A Air Fuel Sensor Imbalance bank 1.

He explained that when they saw it they called Subaru Canada and spoke with a tech on their tech line, who told them that Subaru Canada has just rolled out an ECM update. Apparently its such a new update that my car is the first car that has needed it done at this specific dealership. So they performed the update and reflashed. He explained that apparently they have a three step process for addressing this issue, the first is a valve adjustment which theyve done for me twice, second is o2 sensors which they did on both previous visits, and this is the third. He explained it should be good to go now and that they even took it for a little bit of a drive to ensure that it was fine, and that it was. Also said he hopes not to see me again until i need an oil change. In a nice way, not a bad way.. Was pleasant the whole time

Upside: Warranty covered the issue again so still not costing me out of pocket.

So... heres to hoping that its good... for good.

[N1rve]

Originally Posted by Draekan

Update as promised:

Took her in to the local Subaru dealership today, dropped it off at noon. I explained to the service guy that helped me, politely, that this issue while understandible to a point is starting to get tiresome.
Picked it up after work just a few minutes ago.

The code, was the same code as before. P119F A/F Ratio imbalance for direct injection. And, P129A Air Fuel Sensor Imbalance bank 1.

He explained that when they saw it they called Subaru Canada and spoke with a tech on their tech line, who told them that Subaru Canada has just rolled out an ECM update. Apparently its such a new update that my car is the first car that has needed it done at this specific dealership. So they performed the update and reflashed. He explained that apparently they have a three step process for addressing this issue, the first is a valve adjustment which theyve done for me twice, second is o2 sensors which they did on both previous visits, and this is the third. He explained it should be good to go now and that they even took it for a little bit of a drive to ensure that it was fine, and that it was. Also said he hopes not to see me again until i need an oil change. In a nice way, not a bad way.. Was pleasant the whole time

Upside: Warranty covered the issue again so still not costing me out of pocket.

So... heres to hoping that its good... for good.

Doesn't hurt to ask for an extended warranty from Subaru of Canada since your luck with this car hasn't been good.