Unofficial - CEL/SL/Idle Issue List for FR-S/BRZ Owners

[96z2]

Originally Posted by twinturba

Twinturba, FR-S, 1510 miles, 7059xx. Plan to take it in Tuesday when the shop opens. Northern California

Just happened today, first started idling really rough almost stalling then cel and slip light on. Shut car off and after restart the slip light went away but the cel remains. Limped home and now the cruise light is also on in the same color as the cell!

When the CEL is on the engine goes into some kind of diagnostic mode I believe and won't allow use of the cruise control.

[OmarGC]

OmarGC, '13 FR-S, 1st occurrence: 420mi, Vin: 7079XX, Car with me-Parts on order since 8/28/12, O'Fallon, IL, Additional comments: 2nd occurrence:530mi ECU only stored p0017(ecu cleared/reset); 3rd: 718 mi found active CEL p0017 w/slip light then contacted Toyota about the issue and ordered parts ETA on parts is supposedly 9/4/12.

Sorry, been meaning to post here for quite some time... just got around to activating my account.

[TurnOne]

Originally Posted by twinturba

Twinturba, FR-S, 1510 miles, 7059xx. Plan to take it in Tuesday when the shop opens. Northern California

Just happened today, first started idling really rough almost stalling then cel and slip light on. Shut car off and after restart the slip light went away but the cel remains. Limped home and now the cruise light is also on in the same color as the cell!

When you start up the car the CC light will be off. If you try to turn it on, it will stay on (amber) and it won't turn back off until you turn off the car.

TC and sport mode won't work either.

Chris

[wallace03]

Are only U.S. cars having issues? werent these cars released in japan months before they came over here? how come they didnt notice them over there?

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by wallace03

Are only U.S. cars having issues? werent these cars released in japan months before they came over here? how come they didnt notice them over there?

Who knows if they are, or the quality of our fuel (which is kaka) really is the root for this problem.

[jduffy]

When I bought my car the salesman said that I could run regular if I had to but that performance would suffer.

[Lonewolf]

Originally Posted by jduffy

When I bought my car the salesman said that I could run regular if I had to but that performance would suffer.

In an emergency situation, sure, but I wouldn't do it. The car is already knock prone, and running 87 over a prolonged period of time would be a bad idea with the high CR.

[01s0uljah]

01s0uljah, BRZ, 40KM and 750KM, First time in the shop at 40KM (Reset ECU, and bringing it back in at 750KM) Toronto, Canada

[Calidrifter]

40km = 24mi
750km= 466mi

[Vracer111]

Maybe note on my entry (#6) that @~1100miles is when CEL and rough idle occurred while in the middle of a track day. Cleared it, finished the track day and have not had any issues since (currently ~2,300 additional miles later).

[regal]

Waited since launch, finally found a new silver stick 100 miles away TODAY with 15 miles on it. Got it at the $25k price with a good interest rate.

Halfway home: CEL, just casually puttering around in traffic. vin 17074xx.

Runs fine to me, doubt I take it in to the dealer until they have the "fix" down to a science.

Been an engineer in the auto industry for 25 years. Until the root cause is definate and the local dealerships/mechanics have the procedure down pat it is too much risk leaving it at the dealership for a science experiement. I'd rather blow up the engine under warranty than have a Scion mechanic take apart this subaru engine without a clear process. End up with a problem that doesn't show up until after warranty.

Hopefully there will be a simple recall for an ECU flash. The thought of a Scion mechanic working on a boxer cam scares the living sh*t out of me. Now I truly understand why folks prefer the BRZ, simply the mechanics at the dealership have wrenched on boxer engines for years.

Maybe if we are lucky Scion will turn the warranty work over to Subaru dealerships.

[96z2]

Originally Posted by regal

Waited since launch, finally found a new silver stick 100 miles away TODAY with 15 miles on it. Got it at the $25k price with a good interest rate.

Halfway home: CEL, just casually puttering around in traffic. vin 17074xx.

Runs fine to me, doubt I take it in to the dealer until they have the "fix" down to a science.

Been an engineer in the auto industry for 25 years. Until the root cause is definate and the local dealerships/mechanics have the procedure down pat it is too much risk leaving it at the dealership for a science experiement. I'd rather blow up the engine under warranty than have a Scion mechanic take apart this subaru engine without a clear process. End up with a problem that doesn't show up until after warranty.

Hopefully there will be a simple recall for an ECU flash. The thought of a Scion mechanic working on a boxer cam scares the living sh*t out of me. Now I truly understand why folks prefer the BRZ, simply the mechanics at the dealership have wrenched on boxer engines for years.

Maybe if we are lucky Scion will turn the warranty work over to Subaru dealerships.

I'm waiting also for the same reasons you mention. I've had my FR-S since the beginning of June and the CEL (P0019) went on last week at just over 2,000 miles. I talked to some people in the service department of my two closest Toyota dealers. The first dealer has had an FR-S come in with the CEL. They reset the code and sent the guy on his way and told him to return if it came back. The other has not had any customers come in with the problem. I'm not going to let them experiment on my car. Subaru has already come out with a TSB for this issue (see attached), but like you said I'm waiting for something definitive from Toyota and for replacement parts to be readily available.

The car seems to run fine. It did have mild RPM fluctuations occasionally at idle with the AC on, but nothing to the point where the car would shake violently as others have had. My CEL actually went off by itself a couple days ago and is still off, although I'm certain it will come back.

I've driven and owned lots of other sports cars, all with two or three times the power of the FR-S, but I have just as much fun (probably more) with the FR-S as the others. I can't imagine how upset I'd be if it happened the day I got the car. Hang in there.

[eurospeed]

Originally Posted by regal

Been an engineer in the auto industry for 25 years. Until the root cause is definate and the local dealerships/mechanics have the procedure down pat it is too much risk leaving it at the dealership for a science experiement. I'd rather blow up the engine under warranty than have a Scion mechanic take apart this subaru engine without a clear process. End up with a problem that doesn't show up until after warranty.

This is one of the many pieces to this puzzle that greatly concerns me. The Scion/Toyota techs should be tearing into my engine this week and I am struggling at the thought. From the number of different components being replaced along with the lack of success still occurring, it appears Toyota/Subaru may well be uncertain of the root cause at this point.

[01s0uljah]

This is getting ridiculous, I understand that buying a new generation car is prone to problems.

Is it unreasonable to demand some sort of compensation for the inconvenience for taking work off and taking it in? I mean this is a brand new car that we paid MSRP for. I was thinking free extended warranty or some sort.

How are you guys handling this with your dealership/Subaru Corporate?