On Monday, I picked up tags for the WRX. When I got in the car, it stalled out on me three times. Then I got a lean condition engine code (which I was able to read and clear using the ScanGauge II
Well, the P0171 kept coming back. Then I started having problems with it stalling on my at stoplights, and when putting the car in neutral.
And then I noticed that I couldn’t get the turbo to go into boost.
Looking around the various forums, it appeared that it could have been one of several things, ranging from a dirty Mass Air Flow sensor to a blown up turbo.
When I was younger, and poorer, something like this would mean a weekend of troubleshooting and part-swapping. Fortunately I’m past that stage and instead I took it to a dealer. Within an hour, they’d discovered…
Vacuum leaks that they fixed for $15. There was a diagnostic fee of $115 which in a situation like this ends up being a minimum charge.
Runs like a champ.
Something like 70% of the WRXs I looked at when car shopping had either recently had, or needed, an engine or transmission swap.
This is definitely more a commentary on some of the idiots that own them* than on the quality of the cars, Subaru makes the most solid stuff out there.
*Not you. I want one too, but can’t really justify it.
On the other hand, my Defender might, possibly, maybe have its new transmission in this week.
After arriving on my doorstep… oh… two months ago.
Yeah, you got off light ;).