Check engine light just came on after 2k miles.

[soconfoozed]

Long call with SoA this morning. The best information currently says that 2-3 weeks for a new ECU is an actual number, and is what's needed to take the next step.

So, I'll be 4-5 weeks without my car before we even initiate the process of installing the new ECU and testing.

I'm pretty pissed off. The dealer said the car is "safe" to drive with the CEL lit, but I think that's irresponsible and stupid. For one, maybe I have a reputation as a cynic at this point, but when I look into the future, I see a problem in month 28 of my warranty, where the service writer comes back and says "weeeeeeeeell, remember that one time you were driving around with the CEL on?" and denies coverage. But much more importantly, safe to drive? Really? Can we really make this determination? Because when last I checked, we didn't even know what the issue was.

This is just dumb. My brand new car is getting further and further away from a production model assembled at the factory and closer and closer to a Toyobaru R&D project Frankensteined together in a service bay. I'm pretty sure I bought a car, I didn't receive an invoice for a charitable donation to Subaru's R&D department.

And I still have no confidence that they actually understand the issue and have a path toward a resolution. None. None at all. I've specifically told CSR after CSR that I have no confidence in Subaru, and what they need to be doing is restoring that confidence. Nothing.

Anyway, I should hear back tomorrow with an update on ECU leadtime. I really am suspicious that we're just installing ECUs with a higher fault tolerance to "solve" this problem. I love to beat up EEs and software guys as much as the next ME, but this is getting a bit silly.

[alrashwa]

Well Scion's first response was to try to cover up the CEL by resetting it and driving around making sure it didn't come back. So a new ECU that "masks" the problem doesn't sound too far out of line. I'm sure they'll do anything to make these cars look like they work great to keep the investors happy. You can bet there will never be a recall, just a TSB and some engineers with their hair on fire in Japan trying to keep this flaw low key.

[fistpoint]

Well, all the research I did showing Subaru as a below average car company seems to be coming forward at full speed in regards to this car. My faith is dwindling more with each day and each new case of the same issues. I think it's painfully obvious just how little of a role Toyota played in engineering this car, because if they had a larger role I doubt you'd be seeing half of these issues. Toyota is leaps and bounds above Subaru in every category of reliability according to surveys/reviews.

I feel really bad for you folks that have driven your car 1/30th as long as you've owned it. That is totally unacceptable for even a tiny car company, let alone one the size of Subaru and considering how long they've been making cars.

I'm months, possibly weeks away from requiring a new car and as it is now I think I would be a fool to play with fire after reading threads like this day after day with each new case and new poster popping up.

[jadewbj]

Originally Posted by alrashwa

They can keep mine, in fact I hope the parts are delayed as much as possible. I can't wait for the 30 day mark. Going straight to the State Lemon Law and getting my $26,000 down payment on a 370z.

How does the lemon law work there. I thought it just gets you out of the car, pays you the retail value of the car when you bought it, did you pay cash for your car? I mean how does the lemon law give you 26,000 to put down on a 370?

[alrashwa]

Originally Posted by jadewbj

How does the lemon law work there. I thought it just gets you out of the car, pays you the retail value of the car when you bought it, did you pay cash for your car? I mean how does the lemon law give you 26,000 to put down on a 370?

Car is around $26K after taxes, I didn't finance through Toyota, just handed them a cashiers check and my trade in, so they owe me $26,000 plus. I swear on all that is holy that I'll never buy a Subaru or Toyota again. These guys have their heads up their asses pushing this "Hachi Roku" legacy and forgot about quality assurance.

[soconfoozed]

Maybe I should ask for a moshiwake arimasen from Tada-san when this is all over.

[alrashwa]

I bet if the Japanese team was given proper visibility and we could actually work with them as owners instead of this wall of red tape and secrecy that Subaru/Scion has placed between us and Japan, then maybe you would get a moshiwake arimasen and an explanation that makes sense.

Of course that's not realistic with the language barriers etc, but that would have made me more confident just to see them acknowledge the issues.

[jadewbj]

Originally Posted by alrashwa

Car is around $26K after taxes, I didn't finance through Toyota, just handed them a cashiers check and my trade in, so they owe me $26,000 plus. I swear on all that is holy that I'll never buy a Subaru or Toyota again. These guys have their heads up their asses pushing this "Hachi Roku" legacy and forgot about quality assurance.

So you own it clean, no loan? That is awesome. Sorry for your problems.

[alrashwa]

Originally Posted by jadewbj

So you own it clean, no loan? That is awesome. Sorry for your problems.

I've prefered to own most of my cars clean, but in this case I supplemented my cash via my Credit union, which spanks Toyota in interest rate and pretty much everything. My interest would have been negligible. Either way I paid for the car outright.

Toyota collected and profited on day 1. I'll make sure this costs them more in bad press than it cost me in time and lost productivity in the end.

[jadewbj]

Originally Posted by alrashwa

I've prefered to own most of my cars clean, but in this case I supplemented my cash via my Credit union, which spanks Toyota in interest rate and pretty much everything. My interest would have been negligible. Either way I paid for the car outright.

Toyota collected and profited on day 1. I'll make sure this costs them more in bad press than it cost me in time and lost productivity in the end.

They will have to pay off your CU loan out of the lemon law settlement, you will get the difference.

[TurnOne]

Originally Posted by ninetysixzee

I'm curious why most of you guys are leaving your car at the dealership while parts are being ordered? Is it because the dealership won't let you take it back? Or is the problem so bad that your car is not driveable? Or are you trying to run up days at the dealer so that you can have a case for the lemon law? Or you're just disgusted with the car and don't want it back until it's fixed? Or something else?

My CEL came on yesterday with just over 2,000 miles on my FR-S (MT), VIN 7026XX. I've had mild RPM fluctuations at idle with the AC on, but nothing that I'd remotely call violent. It has never come close to stalling, although now that I've said that it'll probably do so on my next drive. With the AC off, the idle is just fine. I haven't felt anything abnormal with engine power or anything else in the two and a half months I've had the car.

All these horror stories of waiting for parts, then having them installed and not fixing the problem combined with my general distrust in dealer service departments make me want to just keep driving the car with the CEL until a definitive fix is found. Is anyone else keeping theirs away from the dealer? Is the problem so bad that your idle is fluctuating wildly every time you come to a stop?

Mine wouldn't allow the traction nannies to be turned off or the cruise control to work. Plus the stuff everyone else said.

Chris

[Yruyur]

It may be bad press but I think that press is only getting to this small group of forum members. Maybe we should get a magazine or two involved in this so they can get some official answers and let the rest of the world know if it is truly a big issue.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2

[cnk]

Originally Posted by Yruyur

It may be bad press but I think that press is only getting to this small group of forum members. Maybe we should get a magazine or two involved in this so they can get some official answers and let the rest of the world know if it is truly a big issue.

Sent from my PH44100 using Tapatalk 2

It's always worth a shot if you want to try to get media involved, but look at it this way. Based on the polling thread, there are 39 folks reporting CEL issues on a forum with 11636 members. Obviously not everyone owns a FRS/BRZ, but you're dealing with a small percentage of folks that actually have an issue. Could there be a much higher percentage. . of course. But at the rate that the cars are being introduced to market, the sample rate is still quite small to say whether or not there is a "major" issue or not.

The main point is that every first year release of a car is bound to have issues. My 02 WRX had 2 official recalls and a TSB within the first 2 years I owned it. If you want to have a relatively trouble free car, don't buy a first year release car.

[alrashwa]

That's a valid point but this car is being very closely followed, or at least that's what the hype will have you believe. Toyota went out on a limb to start this project with Subaru, and it totally goes against the Eco-friendly boring paradigm they've been stuck on for the last decade.

I think any problems, even with a small population of cars, would be bad news for Toyota and their investors. Hell, the recall for the FR-S/BRZ instruction manual got more press than the average murder case, so I think this could qualify to be newsworthy.