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

[becciejay]

Originally Posted by eurospeed

Folks, my goal is to document the number of owners, their mileage, status of their cars along with other pertinent info. I feel it will be a good snapshot to help understand the severity and broad reach of this problem.

BACKGROUND
While this idle issue may manifest itself as an initial dip, please only add your name if you have experienced a combination of the check engine light (CEL) and slip light (SL) in addition to the RPM hunting at idle (often severe shaking and stalling). The code your engine control unit (ECU) should have stored is P0019 (also optional P0017, P0018 or related cam codes).

Toyota and Subaru have developed various solutions for this issue which have not been consistent and may require multiple repairs or even vehicle replacement due to limited success. Repairs could include a combination of the following: replacing cam sprocket assemblies, replacing oil control valves, reflashing and/or replacing the ECU. To expedite service and express your concerns, be sure to contact the corporate customer service numbers below.

PHONE NUMBERS
Scion Customer Service: 866-707-2466
Subaru Customer Service: 800-782-2783

Automotive Magazines/Websites Reporting the Issue
Automobile Magazine (2012.October)
Automotive News (2012.October.03)
AUTOWEEK (2012.October.04) | AUTOWEEK Video (2012.October.05)
Motor Trend (2012.October.04)
autoblog (2012.October.05)
Jalopnik (2012.October.03)
Torque News (2012.October.04)
egmCarTech (2012.October.07)

Forums and Other Related Threads
Toyota UK Statement (states 4% of vehicles are affected)
BRZ CEL/Idle Video | FR-S CEL/Idle Video
Early FR-S Issue and Engine Failure | Another FR-S Engine Failure | FR-S on Fire
Idle Issues Thread | RPM Fluctuation Thread | Idle Issues in UK | AVO CEL Thread
CEL Thread #1 | CEL Thread #2 | CEL Thread #3 | CEL Thread #4 | CEL Thread #5

Please post the following if you are experiencing the CEL/idle issue:
username, model, mileage of occurrence, last six of VIN (use XX for last two), status of repair [3 weeks - repaired, in shop, etc.], location [state, country, etc.]

becciejay, subaru BRZ, 13000kms, 1 day - in shop, NSW Australia.

[downshift]

username: downshift,
model: BRZ
mileage of occurrence: ~2000
vin: 6089xx
status: 33 calendar days still in shop waiting for parts with no ETA.
location: MA

I've been lurking on this forum for many months researching the car and finally buying one. Sad to say this is my first post. Just called SoA customer service to discuss about Lemon Law and was told I already have a case opened for me and a "supervisor" will call me back in 24 hours.

[Yamajee]

I have a weird issue too, check engine light that comes on really high rpm's whenever I'm racing or revving hard (over 5k rpm) it shows up with the SL light. Turn off the car a few times while doing commutes and voila, gone. Anyone else?

[eurospeed]

Just a data point for everyone -- we're over a year into this issue and while the rate of failures appears to have gone down, the problem is clearly still ongoing. Toyota and Subaru are apparently satisfied with what seems like a band-aid fix to increase hard limits in the ECU in order to account for manufacturing tolerance deviations. Very disappointing for what could have been an amazing vehicle...

[SCharged]

SCharged, FR-S, 4XXX km, also threw P-0172 (but no 0017-18-19), 1 day in shop, awaiting dealership diagnostic, Ottawa, Canada.

[jduffy]

Originally Posted by eurospeed

Just a data point for everyone -- we're over a year into this issue and while the rate of failures appears to have gone down, the problem is clearly still ongoing. Toyota and Subaru are apparently satisfied with what seems like a band-aid fix to increase hard limits in the ECU in order to account for manufacturing tolerance deviations. Very disappointing for what could have been an amazing vehicle...

Hmm. Sorry but the failure rate has been a small fraction of the total, a tempest in a teacup.

It is an amazing car. I know, I drive mine everyday.

[GeekB]

I just got the CEL issue as well around the 10k mark. I have the AVO turbo kit installed so I don't know if the dealer will blame it on the turbo kit or not.

[Lord09]

Are the cars currently coming out of the factories still plagued by these first year issues? Looking to purchase, but the list of the first year issues is quite a determent.

[Marrk]

Originally Posted by Lord09

Are the cars currently coming out of the factories still plagued by these first year issues? Looking to purchase, but the list of the first year issues is quite a determent.

Indeed, do we have any clear sense of what's going on with regard to the most recent cars and this issue?

[downshift]

Originally Posted by downshift

username: downshift,
model: BRZ
mileage of occurrence: ~2000
vin: 6089xx
status: 33 calendar days still in shop waiting for parts with no ETA.
location: MA

I've been lurking on this forum for many months researching the car and finally buying one. Sad to say this is my first post. Just called SoA customer service to discuss about Lemon Law and was told I already have a case opened for me and a "supervisor" will call me back in 24 hours.

Just wanted to update this: Sold the car back to Subaru. When I got the car back, I got tail lights condensation, mirror rattles, and crickets. I love this car but I'm folding this hand.

[E_br4ke]

Originally Posted by E_br4ke

car was in shop for 2 days. They just reflashed the ECM, didn't see any codes in the documentation i got back.

So far it hasn't come back (100 miles since i picked it up). Will keep an eye on it.

Now at 13,000+ and haven't had a single CEL issue since ECU was reflashed.

[PGASUS]

PGASUS, GTS86 ,900, 5 days in shop, NSW Australia vin # 0147XX

[Nothing]

Originally Posted by Martin Donnon

The VVTi issue is with machine swarf in the VVTi actuators, they were not cleaned properly during manufacturing, they need replacing. Take that from someone who has had theirs pulled down after generating a P0016 to find the root cause of the problem. Good luck trying to fix this issue with a reflash

Originally Posted by @Art_Mighty

Your the only other person I've run into with a P0016 code. That would make sense as Toyota insisted on the parts replacement with mine after they analyzed the recordings from the ECU.

Well we can add me to the list of with P0016. So in both cases, you guys had the passenger intake actuator replaced and it resolved the issue?

I ask because I've been dragging my feet about this for 2-3 weeks since this issue showed up randomly during my trip to Tail of the Dragon. Really messed up my last day there.

As you can see in my sig, I'm probably gonna have to fix this myself. I hate boxer engines.

[regal]

Originally Posted by eurospeed

Just a data point for everyone -- we're over a year into this issue and while the rate of failures appears to have gone down, the problem is clearly still ongoing. Toyota and Subaru are apparently satisfied with what seems like a band-aid fix to increase hard limits in the ECU in order to account for manufacturing tolerance deviations. Very disappointing for what could have been an amazing vehicle...

Subaru actually issued a very complicated TSB to fix the hardware. But it is so intense I honestly don't think many local dealerships could perform the work without a field engineer on site. Its one of those TSB where you are better off blowing up the engine and trying again.