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

[@Art_Mighty]

Originally Posted by Tanuki

So one of the articles talked about how Toyota wanted to replace ECU's while Subaru wanted to Reflash, but Toyota mentioned that the first 100 miles determine driver style and sets parameters correct? So how does break in change this impression on the ECU? If the car is driven lightly, what does this tell the ECU?

This is why this we're being told by Toyota is laughable, or this is a classic coperate case of the right hand not talking to the left, or i'm a complete idiot for missing something...

...check this out...

The American manuals for both the BRZ and the FR-S clearly states that we're not to exceed 4000 RPM except for "emergencies" for the first 1000 miles! If this engines "adaptive programming" is set for life at the 100 mile mark then EVERYONE who read and followed the break-in instructions documented in the manual will have generated problems for themselves when all of a sudden these computers that have adapted to gentle operation at or under 4k RPM are now forced to deal with 7500 RPM, full throttle operation at the 1000 mile mark, after the break-in period for the engine is over.

Did I miss anything? Please anybody!?

[Boost_Junkie]

I did not follow the break-in per the manual and drove it spiritedly from day one. CEL came on @ 1115 miles.

Subaru field rep attempted to perform the reflash. Reflash complete, engineers requested to see a 10 minute idle data recording. It was after that that they decided to put an ECU in it. It seems as though my vehicle "rejected" the reflash due to the 100 mile handshake parameter.

I'm confident that the ECU replacement will fix this problem.

[cyrus]

Originally Posted by AsianStyle

I'm about to take delivery of my FR-S next week. Care to give us a VIN#? Wondering if cars with recent build dates are still having this issue.

7091xx

How do I check the build date?

[Those Meddling Kids]

Look at the sticker inside the door

[jesperswe]

Originally Posted by @Art_Mighty

This is why this bullshit we're being told by Toyota is laughable, or this is a classic coperate case of the right hand not talking to the left, or i'm a complete idiot for missing something...

...check this out...

The American manuals for both the BRZ and the FR-S clearly states that we're not to exceed 4000 RPM except for "emergencies" for the first 1000 miles! If this engines "adaptive programming" is set for life at the 100 mile mark then EVERYONE who read and followed the break-in instructions documented in the manual will have generated problems for themselves when all of a sudden these computers that have adapted to gentle operation at or under 4k RPM are now forced to deal with 7500 RPM, full throttle operation at the 1000 mile mark, after the break-in period for the engine is over.

Did I miss anything? Please anybody!?

Yeah something is not right here. I just have a really hard time beliveing that the first 100miles set somekind of "frozen" condition into the ECU. Could they please elaborate this?

[Rich1]

Originally Posted by Marrk

1) It is my understanding that, when they supersede or revise a part, they institute the change on the assembly line in the factory before sending parts out to existing customers, but I have no expert knowledge in this area.

2) Who said they were doing in field testing? If you are angry, be angry, but don't muddy the waters with incendiary language.

My apologies...was kidding about the "in field" reference that's why I put it in quotes...

I just would have thought that Toyota/Subaru would have foreseen this issue after all the testing that was performed. It is indeed unfortunate that this is an issue that end users have to experience.

[Rich1]

Originally Posted by cyrus

7091xx

How do I check the build date?

This is also on the email that you may have been provided with too. I received the build date and status "at sea" of my order. No ETA though.

[Rich1]

Originally Posted by AsianStyle

I think you missed my point. I have looked at the list, but the list contains several members without any VIN. Toyota/Subaru are stating that the issue is just an ECU issue. If that is the case we should see a cut-off in the near future and the only new VINs that show up should be older cars. However, if future CEL issue members fail to post a VIN the value of the list is diminished and it just becomes a list to get total counts.



Yea, my car has a VIN of 7099xx build is 08/12. Dealer states that all cars with a build date in late July should have the fix and not have this issue.

I know people here who have gotten their ECU/hard parts fixed have gotten the issue again, but it is nice to hope that at least at the factory Toyota/Subaru have a fix that works.

Thanks for the reassurance. Will have to see if this holds true (I hope it does). I've seen some 709xxx on the list.

Not too many 600xxx (or any) on the list strangely. Was the factory really careful with the first 1000 or so?

[AsianStyle]

Originally Posted by Rich1

Thanks for the reassurance. Will have to see if this holds true (I hope it does). I've seen some 709xxx on the list.

Not too many 600xxx (or any) on the list strangely. Was the factory really careful with the first 1000 or so?

I believe the 600xxx numbers are for BRZs. The 700xxx numbers are for the FR-S.

You are right it seems like the very early build cars do not appear. The most troubled cars seem to be have VINs in the 706xxx - 707xxx. Much fewer counts on either side of the 706xxx - 707xxx.

[CMOS]

Originally Posted by AsianStyle

I believe the 600xxx numbers are for BRZs. The 700xxx numbers are for the FR-S.

You are right it seems like the very early build cars do not appear. The most troubled cars seem to be have VINs in the 706xxx - 707xxx. Much fewer counts on either side of the 706xxx - 707xxx.

Could be worn molds or under specified tolerances on the supply side. This engine seems to be a lot more precise than previous powerplants considering the output without a turbine.

[SmknGunz]

Hello to all, this is my first post on the forum. I don't know how widespread this issue is, but I'd like to share my experience with an automatic BRZ. I'm not about to go through 60+ pages of responses so I do apologize if anyone covered this before. I picked mine up this past Monday (10-01-12) from Coleman Automotive Group in Ewing, NJ. A buddy at work sent me this link and I really didn't think anything of it at the time, but it was noted: http://jalopnik.com/5947293/the-subaru-brz-not+s

First off, don't hate me for getting the auto, I do have a left knee problem. That aside, I have to say it's one helluva car! I'm loving it, and everyone that sees it does too.

So anyway, I don't really see a problem yet. I did notice a repetitive dip in RPMs though, while sitting in the car after a 125 mile trip and actually looking at the tach around 350 miles total. The car was sitting for a good hour and I started it back up to show a few friends. Idle at the time was around 1K RPM, which was kind of odd since it's usually around 1500+. During that time, I noticed repetitive dips to 500 from 1K. No shutter or anything alarming, just observation on the tach. AC was running, if that matters.

My BRZ VIN is 6020XX. Again, I wouldn't have known an issue existed unless my buddy pointed it out and I would have to say I don't have one yet. I do have an ODBLink that I bought for my previous car and never used. Time to dabble in that and see what's really going on. I'm curious to see what firmware my BRZ ECU is running on. Any links to help me figure that out would be awesome.

[@Art_Mighty]

Originally Posted by SmknGunz

Hello to all, this is my first post on the forum. I don't know how widespread this issue is, but I'd like to share my experience with an automatic BRZ. I'm not about to go through 60+ pages of responses so I do apologize if anyone covered this before. I picked mine up this past Monday (10-01-12) from Coleman Automotive Group in Ewing, NJ. A buddy at work sent me this link and I really didn't think anything of it at the time, but it was noted: http://jalopnik.com/5947293/the-subaru-brz-not+s

First off, don't hate me for getting the auto, I do have a left knee problem. That aside, I have to say it's one helluva car! I'm loving it, and everyone that sees it does too.

So anyway, I don't really see a problem yet. I did notice a repetitive dip in RPMs though, while sitting in the car after a 125 mile trip and actually looking at the tach around 350 miles total. The car was sitting for a good hour and I started it back up to show a few friends. Idle at the time was around 1K RPM, which was kind of odd since it's usually around 1500+. During that time, I noticed repetitive dips to 500 from 1K. No shutter or anything alarming, just observation on the tach. AC was running, if that matters.

My BRZ VIN is 6020XX. Again, I wouldn't have known an issue existed unless my buddy pointed it out and I would have to say I don't have one yet. I do have an ODBLink that I bought for my previous car and never used. Time to dabble in that and see what's really going on. I'm curious to see what firmware my BRZ ECU is running on. Any links to help me figure that out would be awesome.

The cliff notes version is you have nothing to worry about until your CEL comes on and it get diagnosed with as a P0016, P0017, P0018 or a P0019 DTC. At that point buy a six pack, relax and read 60+ very entertaing pages.

As for you second question, search first and then post your question in the engine section.

[Marrk]

Originally Posted by CMOS

Could be worn molds or under specified tolerances on the supply side. This engine seems to be a lot more precise than previous powerplants considering the output without a turbine.

Not sure I get your point. Honda, for instance, produces 197 hp in-line-4s with the same alacrity with which your mama bakes toll house cookies. In other words (if I have to spell it out), no big deal.

[ftc~brz]

Originally Posted by @Art_Mighty

This is why this we're being told by Toyota is laughable, or this is a classic coperate case of the right hand not talking to the left, or i'm a complete idiot for missing something...

...check this out...

The American manuals for both the BRZ and the FR-S clearly states that we're not to exceed 4000 RPM except for "emergencies" for the first 1000 miles! If this engines "adaptive programming" is set for life at the 100 mile mark then EVERYONE who read and followed the break-in instructions documented in the manual will have generated problems for themselves when all of a sudden these computers that have adapted to gentle operation at or under 4k RPM are now forced to deal with 7500 RPM, full throttle operation at the 1000 mile mark, after the break-in period for the engine is over.

Did I miss anything? Please anybody!?

Hey art, I hit 7200 rpm a few times today and here's what my car learned...now I have cel/idle/slp and a new one....

wait for it

Wait for it

Fucking cruse control light now stuck on! Baaaahaha
I didn't even know wtf that one was when I saw it lit up. Haven't driven it enough to even think about CC. Shit had to turn dome light on to find my cc button cuz they only let me drive my car like 10 whole days in a month.
My dash now looks like a Xmas tree! but hey, I haz shiny new cam sprockets and valves

Round 2 cel service tomorrow. Will keep y'all posted.