Engine Failure (#4 Rod Bearing + Short Block)

[kinda5150]

any update on this?

[regal]

Originally Posted by kinda5150

any update on this?

Why would there be a few Subaru engines blow up everyday, its common place

[redlne]

My BRZ has just done #4 big end also but Subaru is trying to get out of repairing it under warranty because the Subaru dealership that I took it to for a service has for some unknown reason decided to not do the service and not tell me. So it is 6000km overdue for its 30000km service with a fucked engine and possibly no warranty. Hopefully the dealership will step and get it sorted otherwise it will be another legal case. I am sick of having to take businesses to court get them to do their jobs.

[alan.chalkley]

Subaru Australia are supposed to keep an online service record for our cars , but my local Subaru dealer doesn't bother with this , so it it very important for them to write it into the owners service book at each service.

[choi0706]

Originally Posted by jdubz13frs

Always check your oil after the dealer changes it. Last time I got it back and noticed some grease on the front bumper. I thouhgt no big deal, I'll just clean it off. Popped the hood, the grease was everywhere! I thought, "who worked on this thing? Did they do as shitty of a job with the oil change?" Checked the oil and it was at the min mark and black. They never changed it.

a lot of the time the oil will "look dark" even after an oil change.. I'd check the drain plug/filter to be certain.. you could always mark them to be 100% certain..

[eriktherod]

Just to give everyone an update, I have traded the car in May for an S2000 (AP2) with 93K miles. I just couldn't deal with the paranoia of doubting my car and not being able to have fun with it any longer.

[poptart]

Originally Posted by regal

Why would there be a few Subaru engines blow up everyday, its common place

Depending on who you ask. I started thinking about buying one last month. Thinking it would be fun and still practical, good mpg, and reliable since it's Japanese. But I'm a little worried after seeing all these reports of engine failures and MT grinding and being replaced under warranty. Are these outlying sceneraios, a rare occurrence and the internet amplifies it ? Or does the first gen FRS/BRZ have some major potential problems, and waiting for a refreshed/reengineered car is a good idea ?

I test drove one and loved it. I'm looking for a sporty dd. But lurking in the forum has me questioning if the drivetrain will go at least 150k miles with proper maintenance. Too early to tell, I suppose. But I don't have a warm fuzzy. 25-30k is a lot of money to me.

[Tcoat]

Almost certainly internet amplification in my mind. The forums can even make it look worse as many (most???) of the people are not just DDs and have made mods that effect the stock parts.
There is a thread on here about breaking axles and although I am not going to pull it up to make actual quotes the common theme is: " Broke my axle on my 40th run at the drag strip today and don't understand why as I only turboed it to 500hp, dropped it 6 inches and was running 20 inch slicks" (made up quote mildly exaggerated for effect). One guy even goes so far as to slam Toyota/Subaru for not designing the car to be able to take each and every possible combination of mods without having to upgrade other parts.
When you consider that of the many thousands of these cars sold there are only a few hundred people that post on the internet the gap shows as huge.
You never see posts like "have drove for XXXXXXmiles and never had a problem" as what would be the point of saying that really?
Pretty sure that the failure rate is no higher or lower that any other cars out there in reality.

So whether you want a nice stock DD, a couple mild practical mods or want to go all balls out with a pure race machine you should get one and enjoy it how you wish! BUT... know and be prepared for the consequences on what you change and how you treat it.

P.S. You will not regret getting one but may regret NOT!

[Shady195]

The internet amplifies everything. Not just with cars but with everything. I see it all the time on other consumer product forms.

You get the people that have an issue and want support or an answer, so naturally they flock (if not already a part of) to a community to discuss, diagnose and look for advice.

Not every Twins owner in the world is on these forums. You're talking a handful of people that have had major issues with a stock vehicle out of thousands of vehicles sold, with tons of variables we don't know. Not to mention, there are a lot of cases where people just lie or slightly bend the truth because they made a fault somewhere. Not always the case, but it sometimes IMO.

Go on some sort of consumer electronic board for a popular device. You'll have thosands of people say great things.. 100 have some sort of issue, then peopl easking if its a terrible product becase a 100 out of tens of thousands had issues..

[jdubz13frs]

Originally Posted by choi0706

a lot of the time the oil will "look dark" even after an oil change.. I'd check the drain plug/filter to be certain.. you could always mark them to be 100% certain..

I am aware of this, I am a service writer at an independent shop. My car had 13,000 miles or so at the time and after an oil change the oil should have been clear/gold. After I took it back and they changed it, it was the color of fresh oil.

[viscositosis.rex]

Let's see. 4qts low motor oil. Dealership refills new short block with 6 qts 0W20 motor oil from the drum. Yeppers. Shudda been using Valvoline VR1 straight 50 wt. No other conclusion.

[marky]

Same thing with me #4 ... pretty sure same year with car..
I do all my oil changes and document it.. but they won't cover mine. 32999k miles.. I'm to the point I don't want my car anymore... I have extended warranty..
they won't give me the caused of what happened. ..
they said the
"caused was lack of lubrication and oil starvation "
My oil was good and no CEL all this time...

Idk anymore I'm just trying to get out of this... kind of getting over it now.. I lover the car..

[86Tony]

Originally Posted by marky

Same thing with me #4 ... pretty sure same year with car..
I do all my oil changes and document it.. but they won't cover mine. 32999k miles.. I'm to the point I don't want my car anymore... I have extended warranty..
they won't give me the caused of what happened. ..
they said the
"caused was lack of lubrication and oil starvation "
My oil was good and no CEL all this time...

Idk anymore I'm just trying to get out of this... kind of getting over it now.. I lover the car..

Man that's some bull shit still. Making me worried about my 15 brz I wish they had put a Toyota engine instead. Subi engine always have problem I had multiple friends that had Ring land problem on the sti.

[marky]

Originally Posted by 86Tony

Man that's some bull shit still. Making me worried about my 15 brz I wish they had put a Toyota engine instead. Subi engine always have problem I had multiple friends that had Ring land problem on the sti.

yeah sucks... my car been sitting at the service lot for like 2 weeks now all dirty maybe bird shit eating up the paint idk even know about it anymore not feeling it... looks like its time for me to move on to something else.. days passing by now.........................................