Subaru - Forester :: Rough Starting - Engine Is Misfiring
May 31, 2011
I've 2005 Subaru Forester automatic with 2.5L engine. It ran fine since I purchased it in 2005. However for the last 3 months it is behaving strangely. When it sits in the garage for 2 days or longer, it starts up very rough. It feels like the engine is misfiring. If I let it run for 10 to 15 minutes, it is back to normal!! The car has 80,000 miles. It was tuned up at 61,000 miles. I recently had a diagnostic check done. It showed no problems.
View 1 Replies
Advertisement
We're talking about a 2002 Subaru Forester with only 80,000 miles on it.
This winter, the cold seems to have taken its toll. The fuel economy is bouncing around between 16 and 24 MPG and the car runs a bit roughly. Especially when it's colder (<30 F) there is often a lack of power/RPM when depressing the gas pedal. The problem is worst in city driving, but exists on the highway also. It doesn't go away during my 15-20 minute commute. For a period of a couple weeks, it was even easy to induce misfires (I think that's what they were; quiet pffft pffft pffft sounds during severe lack of power) by fully depressing the gas. But even if you half-depress and hold the pedal steady, the car will accelerate weakly and then sometimes surge forward. Other times it seems to be idling strong and running rich. Now that it's warmer (>40 F) the problem has lessened, but I've also started feeding it 93 octane gas and the car feels rougher than normal.
A year or two ago, I replaced the front oxygen sensor and spark plugs (prior to problem). This winter, I took it to a mechanic who couldn't explain the problem and replaced the spark plug wires.
Based on my reading, it seems like the only other most likely culprit is the manifold air pressure (MAP) sensor that's mounted on the intake manifold. I haven't worked up the effort (and can't find my multimeter) to do an electrical test of the MAP sensor's output itself. I'm also not keen on just buying a $270 part without sound evidence, nor paying for ill-informed guessing by lesser mechanics (than yourselves, of course!). I also have a sneaking suspicion that the automatic transmission could be slipping -- when I drive with 2 adults and two kids in the car up a hill, it seems more underpowered than days of old.
View 7 Replies
I have 2006 Subaru Forester that is idling roughly. 90k – oil change every 3k miles. Per diagnostic codes I learned that the 2nd cylinder was misfiring. I replaced the coil, spark plugs, ignition wires, and an airflow sensor. Yet, my car still idles rough. The check engine light is solid and the cruise control is flashing. The idling problem only happens when stopped… after I get high rpms there is no shaking. I had someone disconnect the battery and reset the computer and the lights stayed off for about a week and idling was fine. Week later – the problem returned. I think this an electrical problem, but not sure if mechanical.
View 19 Replies
will it hurt my 98' forester to drive it when one cylinder has no compression? They tell me it needs a valve job for 2,500. They already put a mass air flow sensor in, and replaced plugs and wires. Still got the miss, but I need the vehicle.
View 2 Replies
I bought a 2015 Subaru Forester. Our test ride was on a smooth road. After buying the car, I noticed how bumpy the ride is on only slightly rough roads. Also the paint has some cracks near the door edges. Have a 2015 Subaru Forester and noticed the bumpy ride.
View 9 Replies
I purchased a 2012 Subaru Forester 2.5X Premium (automatic transmission) in November 2011 with 4 miles on it. Since the get-go it has had issues, but we thought that some of them might work themselves out as we broke the car in (which we were religious about). At the first oil change, we told the dealership about the issues we were experiencing and got the expected "the computer doesn't say anything is wrong" and "we couldn't replicate the problems" excuses. We were told to bring it back if the problems continued. Well, they've gotten worse. Here are what we are experiencing:
- Erratic shifting. I commute from the mountains to the city every day, so I need power from the car. Sometimes, when I'm heading down a hill and I tap the gas slightly to give myself a little boost, the car will suddenly downshift, even though it was sitting at 2500 RPM and didn't need to get any extra power beyond more fuel. Going up the hill is worse, as if you are not actively accelerating (including if you are trying to maintain a constant speed), it will upshift on you and you lose all power, so it will need to downshift to make up for this. It does this constantly for the entire drive home. Everyone who has driven this car in the mountains has experienced this.
- Jerky transmission. When the car shifts, it is super harsh and tends to throw you forward or back. Even when on flat ground it shifts roughly.
- Sluggish acceleration. If I give the car any more gas than I usually do, it hesitates before going anywhere. One day I needed to get over on the highway fast and floored it - it took the car about 2 seconds to respond. Then, yesterday, we were turning on to a highway from a side road and I tried to accelerate (gas about 1/2 way to the floor) and it didn't respond at all for about 5 seconds and the "Check Engine" and the traction control lights started flashing at me. We were on a paved road with no gravel, water, ice, etc and the traction control light began flashing on the straight, not while we were turning. There are also days when it feels like there is an anchor tied to the car and it just doesn't want to give me any umph at all.
- Rough starts. This is the really weird one as there is no rhyme or reason as to when it happens. Some times it takes the car several revolutions to turn over. Oddly, it's never on the really cold (under 20 degrees F) days, but it has happened when it is ~35 degrees and a couple of times when I have started it in the middle of the day to grab lunch and it is ~65 degrees out.
- Running rough. This usually happens after a rough start, but can also happen at other times. It just idles very rough and won't calm down. These are the days I have the worst time with the shifting issues.
I had a 2001 Forester that threw a rod, which forced me to get this car. Everyone who has driven both agrees that the 2001 was quicker, easier to drive, and had more gumption than the 2012. It also had less problems even though I purchased it used in 2005 (until the whole rod-throwing thing, of course). I really want to love my 2012 Forester, but I am so upset that, for the first time in my life I have a new car, and it runs terribly.
View 28 Replies
After having changed the oil in my 04 Forester multiple times, I must have lost my mind and drained the transmission fluid. I realized this when I started it back up and it wouldn't move. Clearly I put an oil filter on with engine oil around the seal. Should I do a tranny flush or can I just replace filter (with correct one) and fill with tranny fluid?
View 16 Replies
I have a 2006 Subaru Forester with a little over 119,000 miles.
For the past several weeks, maybe a month, it has been making a weird noise... it comes from the 'engine' area... my husband thinks it might be a belt or something. Sometimes there is a burning smell, especially if we're on a long trip, going uphill... but the smell isn't always.
The sound sounds like... a remote control car that you push with your hands, instead of using the remote control. So it's kind of like a winding/whining sound... the sound happens when it is in park, and drive, whether I'm driving or at a stop.
View 3 Replies
A significant amount of engine oil was added to my automatic transmission line. I drove the car (2010 subaru forester) for about 10,000 miles. I noticed the transmission slipping. I brought it to the dealer. They found the engine oil in the transmission, flushed and replaced the fluid. The question is How badly is my transmission damage. The warrenty is now voided and I am afraid that I will need a new transmission fairly soon.
View 4 Replies
Engine light came on two weeks ago. Had the code read at Advance Auto Parts. Code = P0420. The only performance issue was that it stalled when I started it the other day for the first time since I bought it last fall. Are there any other clues to tell what it could mean (catalytic converter vs. 02 sensor vs. anything else)? Is it really worth trying some kind of catalytic converter cleaner product?
View 1 Replies
I have a 2007 Subaru Forester, bought from a dealer with 7,000 miles on it in 2007. I religiously had the oil changed every 5,000 miles and had other recommended work done. At 90,000 miles I did not have the work done immediately, but waited until 92,000 miles. My car then ran out of oil, with no smoking, no oil in the driveway, no warning light, so I believe the dealers didn't fill the oil at 85,000 miles. But that's not why I'm writing. I had a remanufactured short block assembly installed and the other work done at the dealer to the tune of over $6000.
Now that I have my car back it hesitates at least once a day, sometimes several times, sometimes several times in a row. It hesitates at about 20 miles per hour, when the gears are changing. Of course, it didn't hesitate when they checked it and their computer says "nothing's wrong". In addition, there was a tapping sound in the engine. Again "nothing's wrong". When I had my car smogged, the smog tech said "OMG, you have a problem with your valves." I took it to the dealer and they then admitted I had a problem with my valves (or lifters) and they fixed it. The hesitation continues. What could be causing the hesitation? They're not smart enough nor do they care enough to figure out what it is.
View 12 Replies
With a cold engine in my 2010 Forester (29,000 miles), the coolant level has dropped from "full" to "low" in the overflow reservoir over the last 8 months or so. The level was down at that time (8 mos. back) and I topped it off. There is no obvious coolant puddle on the driveway. There is a gurgling sound at tailpipes and the exhaust is very wet. I'm worried there is a cooling system leak into the engine. Overall I have not been happy with the service dept. at my dealer (bought the car used from him) and wondering if this is the type of diagnosis and repair that an independent shop could handle.
View 17 Replies
After smelling a bit of a "hot oil smell" on and off for several weeks and culminating in a getting smoke from the engine at the end of a mountain road, we took our 2004 Subaru Forrester (147,500) to the trusted mechanic. We were told that it needs head gaskets in both banks.
View 7 Replies
My son has a 2001 Forester that's engine will from time to time suddenly rev up while driving on the highway as if the clutch was suddenly disengaged. The clutch only has about 20,000 miles on it and there is no burned clutch smell. What else could this be?
View 7 Replies
The check engine light on my 2006 Subaru Forester with 92,000 miles came on recently. A scan revealed the engine was running lean. After three more trips the mechanic determined the rear O2 sensor was bad and replaced it. This was the only part replaced. Now the computer is sending code P2097; Post Catalyst Fuel Trim System Too Rich Bank 1. I have read it could be anything from the catalytic converter needs replacing to "resetting the adaptation values."
View 2 Replies
I have a 2002 Forester I have take it to 4 shops and each shop tells me something different. First 2 say to take it to the dealer and have them flash the computer. The dealer says that it is a faulty drain valve and the fourth states he has never heard of a drain valve. Hook up to a scanner and can not clear light. Unhooked battery for 30 minutes light was off for a minute but came back on. Getting extremely frustrated!
View 11 Replies
I have a 2001 forester. it had a misfire which has been fixed but I can't get the "check engine" light to turn off.
View 3 Replies
Our beloved 2004 Subaru Forester has the check engine light on. We've been told that the 4th cylinder has either low or no compression. Is this fixable/worth fixing? Would you replace the engine? The car has 183K miles on it, and runs great! It is stuttering now, due to this issue, but otherwise - runs great and is in good condition!
View 11 Replies
For longer than I'd like to reveal, my Forester has shifted extremely hard. This happens only when the engine is cold and disappears entirely once it heats up. Also, the RPMs go high just before the shift. When it does shift, it feels as if the engine is going to self-destruct from the sound and rough feeling --as if the entire engine or at least some part of it were going to fall to the ground. After it shifts, it feels as if the car shoots forward like a rocket. The Subaru dealer changed the transmission fluid and reset the computer. The problem persists.
View 1 Replies
I have a 2013 Forester with 39k miles, and last week I was 200 miles from home, put it in Drive and it didn't engage. After car was left running for a few minutes, and shifting between P, R, N, & D, it finally engaged. I was able to get it home and took to dealer the next day. They looked at the car, checked the computer logs, and told me nothing was wrong. Since then, it's happened 3 more times, and now I'm noticing it's not shifting smoothly from 1st to 2nd gear (engine will rev and then it'll slip into gear).
To make matters worse, my wife couldn't get it out of Park two days ago. She had to use the shift lock release button, and could only start it when it was in Neutral. She then couldn't get it to back into Park and had to park it on a level surface with parking brake engaged. Heading back to dealer now, but would love to hear others' input.
View 8 Replies
I just bought a 2006 Subaru forester with 130K miles. Recently, the check engine light came and at the same time the cruise control started flashing. I brought it to the mechanic who said I had a bad catalytic converter. The car seems to be running just fine and now a day later the engine light is off.
View 3 Replies
