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

[ridered777]

ridered777, 2013 BRZ 36,000 miles, XXXXXX.

Code is P0365 and sometimes P0366. CEL and slip light along with idle hunt and, sometimes, way down on power. Comes and goes. Had 3 appointments with the dealer, it's cleared itself all 3 times before I even got it there.

Didn't see this thread, wish I did. I've already ordered the camshaft position sensor (Bank 1, sensor B aka Exhaust) because I've got sick of trying over the past 3 months to get it to the dealer to to avail.

[SLVRSRFR]

SLVRSRFR, 2013 BRZ manual transmission, 110,000km, Toronto area.

Car is a July 2012 build, and I've had it since August 2014. It had 987km on it when I picked it up. Car has been almost completely problem-free since day one. I have had to replace the battery, had the throw-out bearing issue, but otherwise it's been probably the most reliable car I've ever owned over-all.

Well, up until last week anyways. And just my luck that it would happen just out of warranty.

Check engine light and slip light came on randomly last week while I was driving to work. There was no indication; in cars I've had in the past, you can tell when the CEL has come on because the car will start acting weird and/or driving differently. Car had been running perfectly fine, and was still running fine after the light came on. I didn't even notice the light was on until I looked down to check my speed.

Got to work and got one of the mechanics to scan the code (the advantages of working at a car dealership). Came up as P0018, Bank 2 Sensor A. Got him to reset the light. It came back on about 5 minutes after I left work that night.

On the advice of my local Subaru dealer's Service Manager, I switched the 2 sensors on bank A top-to-bottom. Took them out, flipped them, and reinstalled. The logic there was that hopefully, if the light came back on, it would say "Sensor B" this time, so I would know which one was the bad sensor, and could then replace it, and hopefully problem solved. I topped up my oil, and got the light reset again. This time it stayed off for about 4 hours, and I got hopeful, but it came back on again.

Scanned it again...and unfortunately it STILL says P0018 Bank 2 Sensor A even after switching the sensors. So that didn't work out the way I was hoping. Cleared the code AGAIN, and once again it came back on about 3-4 hours later.

When the light is NOT on, and the car is not in limp mode, the car runs absolutely perfectly 100% normal. No rough idle, no RPM hunting, no stalling, normal power levels, no funny noises or smells at all. Then the light will come back on, and it goes back into limp mode again.

I am stumped, folks. I don't know what to do next. I am out of warranty now and REALLY can not afford to give my car to the dealer to dig around for a week and charge me CRAZY amounts of labour.

What should I do next? Replace the sensor, and if so, which one? Sensors are easy to replace myself and I can do it in my driveway, and the parts are about $100 CDN each. I was thinking that should be my next step, but the fact that I swapped the sensors and it still says Sensor A leads me to believe it may be a bigger issue and may not have to do with the sensors at all.

I am fucking so mad that this issue exists in the first place, with almost zero acknowledgment or help from Subaru, and even more pissed off that I had the luck of having it come on only 10k after my warranty expired.

Thanks for any help or advice.

[22R]

I would think since you swapped the sensors and the code reads the same bank it is whatever the sensor is plugged into that is generating the code. I don't think a new sensor will help. Have you tried disconnecting the battery and waiting a bit before you hook it back up ? Other than that I wonder if it is software related as the car runs fine when the code is clear. Hope you get it figured out.


22R

[steve99]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

SLVRSRFR, 2013 BRZ, 110,000km, Toronto area.

Car is a July 2012 build, and I've had it since August 2014. It had 987km on it when I picked it up. Car has been almost completely problem-free since day one. I have had to replace the battery, had the throw-out bearing issue, but otherwise it's been probably the most reliable car I've ever owned over-all.

Well, up until last week anyways. And just my luck that it would happen just out of warranty.

Check engine light and slip light came on randomly last week while I was driving to work. There was no indication; in cars I've had in the past, you can tell when the CEL has come on because the car will start acting weird and/or driving differently. Car had been running perfectly fine, and was still running fine after the light came on. I didn't even notice the light was on until I looked down to check my speed.

Got to work and got one of the mechanics to scan the code (the advantages of working at a car dealership). Came up as P0018, Bank 2 Sensor A. Got him to reset the light. It came back on about 5 minutes after I left work that night.

On the advice of my local Subaru dealer's Service Manager, I switched the 2 sensors on bank A top-to-bottom. Took them out, flipped them, and reinstalled. The logic there was that hopefully, if the light came back on, it would say "Sensor B" this time, so I would know which one was the bad sensor, and could then replace it, and hopefully problem solved. I topped up my oil, and got the light reset again. This time it stayed off for about 4 hours, and I got hopeful, but it came back on again.

Scanned it again...and unfortunately it STILL says P0018 Bank 2 Sensor A even after switching the sensors. So that didn't work out the way I was hoping. Cleared the code AGAIN, and once again it came back on about 3-4 hours later.

When the light is NOT on, and the car is not in limp mode, the car runs absolutely perfectly 100% normal. No rough idle, no RPM hunting, no stalling, normal power levels, no funny noises or smells at all. Then the light will come back on, and it goes back into limp mode again.

I am stumped, folks. I don't know what to do next. I am out of warranty now and REALLY can not afford to give my car to the dealer to dig around for a week and charge me CRAZY amounts of labour.

What should I do next? Replace the sensor, and if so, which one? Sensors are easy to replace myself and I can do it in my driveway, and the parts are about $100 CDN each. I was thinking that should be my next step, but the fact that I swapped the sensors and it still says Sensor A leads me to believe it may be a bigger issue and may not have to do with the sensors at all.

I am fucking so mad that this issue exists in the first place, with almost zero acknowledgment or help from Subaru, and even more pissed off that I had the luck of having it come on only 10k after my warranty expired.

Thanks for any help or advice.

make sure ECU calibration is updated to ZA1JB01C man or ZA1JB01D auto for that model as per TSB below, their was a heap of ecu calibration updates in early cars trying to fix cam issues and rough idle. 400C 700C A00C A01C B00C


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1386706237


than I would check sensor clearances as per this TSB, even though it not the DTC code your getting its related and an easy and cheap check/repair




http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1378232133






If still no go then it gets ugly as per TSB below
Cam sprockets actuators oil control valves and even ECU, and difficult diagnosis


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...0&d=1352490977

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by 22R

I would think since you swapped the sensors and the code reads the same bank it is whatever the sensor is plugged into that is generating the code. I don't think a new sensor will help. Have you tried disconnecting the battery and waiting a bit before you hook it back up ? Other than that I wonder if it is software related as the car runs fine when the code is clear. Hope you get it figured out.


22R

That was my thought too. If it had said Sensor B after swapping them, I would be pretty confident about just replacing the sensors, but now I'm not so sure, and agree more with what you said above.

I have not tried disconnecting the battery yet. What will this accomplish? Just a hard reset of the settings or...?

Thanks for your post.

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by steve99

make sure ECU calibration is updated to ZA1JB01C man or ZA1JB01D auto for that model as per TSB below


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1386706237


than I would check sensor clearances as per this TSB, even though it not the DTC code your getting its related and an easy and cheap check/repair




http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1378232133






If still no go then it gets ugly as per TSB below
Cam sprockets actuators oil control valves and even ECU, and difficult diagnosis


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...0&d=1352490977

Just the man I was hoping would chime in, as I've seen your name pop up a lot in these threads and you seem to be one of the most knowledgeable members on here in regards to this issue. Thank you for your post.

Is that first TSB US-only or Canada as well? and that appears to be a Scion TSB whereas I'm in a Subaru.

Also, reading through it, it seems to be addressing an "RPM drop" issue, which I have not experienced, even after the CEL and slip light came on. The car idles normally. The only time I get RPM dip when idling is when the A/C is on, and that happens even when the CEL is not on, so I would call that normal operating procedure.

I'm extremely worried that I am going to fall into the abyss of that last TSB, and that sounds expensive.

I swear I'm fucking cursed.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

Just the man I was hoping would chime in, as I've seen your name pop up a lot in these threads and you seem to be one of the most knowledgeable members on here in regards to this issue. Thank you for your post.

Is that first TSB US-only or Canada as well? and that appears to be a Scion TSB whereas I'm in a Subaru.

Also, reading through it, it seems to be addressing an "RPM drop" issue, which I have not experienced, even after the CEL and slip light came on. The car idles normally. The only time I get RPM dip when idling is when the A/C is on, and that happens even when the CEL is not on, so I would call that normal operating procedure.

I'm extremely worried that I am going to fall into the abyss of that last TSB, and that sounds expensive.

I swear I'm fucking cursed.

Subaru Canada should have a similar TSB.

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Subaru Canada should have a similar TSB.

I took a closer look at the last TSB he posted, and it is indeed a Subaru TSB.

I will print off a copy and take it with me to Subaru tomorrow. It's my day off and I figure I should just go in and sit down with the service manager to discuss my options and see what his advice is.

P0018 happens on STi's and some WRX's as well so he seemed pretty familiar with it and I'm hoping he can guide me in the right direction, or maybe help me out a little since I'm out of warranty.

Thank you guys so much, especially Steve for linking me to the TSB's.

Fingers and toes are crossed.

[steve99]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

I took a closer look at the last TSB he posted, and it is indeed a Subaru TSB.

I will print off a copy and take it with me to Subaru of Brampton tomorrow. It's my day off and I figure I should just go in and sit down with the service manager to discuss my options and see what his advice is.

P0018 happens on STi's and some WRX's as well so he seemed pretty familiar with it and I'm hoping he can guide me in the right direction, or maybe help me out a little since I'm out of warranty.

Thank you guys so much, especially Steve for linking me to the TSB's.

Fingers and toes are crossed.

Subaru TSB, the engine ecu calibrations are same Subaru/Toyota
any Subaru tsb should have equlivant Toyota tsb


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1375302652




http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1395947828

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by steve99

Subaru TSB, the engine ecu calibrations are same Subaru/Toyota
any Subaru tsb should have equlivant Toyota tsb


http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1375302652




http://www.ft86club.com/forums/attac...1&d=1395947828

Great; thank you again so much.

Service manager at my local Subaru dealer is pretty on point so he'll probably know all about it. Planning to sit down with him tomorrow to go over the TSB's and see what his thoughts are moving forward.

[SLVRSRFR]

Update.

Subaru dealer plugged me into a diag today.

Learning values on intake side are 14 apart. Apparently if the difference is greater than 10, the cam sprocket is toast, and the learning values apparently cannot be reset. Service manager is recommending "the works", including ECU, meaning I'll be at least $2k out of pocket and without my car for an extended period of time.

I didn't leave the car with them yet until I decide what to do next.

Fuck my life.

[TheStig85]

Originally Posted by SLVRSRFR

Update.

Subaru dealer plugged me into a diag today.

Learning values on intake side are 14 apart. Apparently if the difference is greater than 10, the cam sprocket is toast, and the learning values apparently cannot be reset. Service manager is recommending "the works", including ECU, meaning I'll be at least $2k out of pocket and without my car for an extended period of time.

I didn't leave the car with them yet until I decide what to do next.

Fuck my life.

Brand new ECU is about $500-600 depending where you go. And super easy replacement job. As per the rest, I don't know but that can save you a pretty penny.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[strat61caster]

idk but it seems ridiculous to me that you have to junk an ECU, per the TSB several ECU's, isn't there a way to wipe them and start from a clean slate?

[SLVRSRFR]

Originally Posted by TheStig85

Brand new ECU is about $500-600 depending where you go. And super easy replacement job. As per the rest, I don't know but that can save you a pretty penny.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

I live in Canada.