Subaru - Legacy :: Takes Several Tries To Start / Hesitant To Engage Gears When Engine Turns Over
Feb 4, 2011
My 1994 Subaru Legacy has been running unbelievably smoothly for the 7 years that I have had it. It has just over 160,000 miles on it, and our mechanic suggested that we change the timing belt as preventative maintenance. Since that incredible investment (worth over 50% of the car's value), I have had one problem after another. Once running, the car runs very well, but getting it started is another story. It takes several tries to start, it shakes back and forth, it makes horrible noises, and once the engine finally turns over, it is hesitant to engage the gears. The mechanic thought it may be the cam sensors, so he replaced them. That made absolutely no difference. What could be wrong with this car that was perfectly find until the timing belt was changed?
View 4 Replies
Advertisement
160K miles. Sometimes starter doesn't seem to engage with the engine and the engine won't start unless i put it in neutral and floor the gas pedal. Then it shakes, rattles, sputters and smokes comes out but it starts like the car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (for the oldsters here). Happens about every third start. Once i had a 67 Plymouth where every once in a while i would have to hold the butterfly open (with a stick) on the carburetor. I have to take it and get it fixed. So odd that it is not every start. Happening with more frequency.
View 7 Replies
This past monday morning I got in my 05 Legacy GT w/ 82,000 miles. When I turned the key it acted as if the starter engaged for a second then disengaged and made the typical motor winding sound. I tried it several more times with the same result. So I reluctantly called my local repair shop and had it hauled over for what I thought was possibly a bad starter. The mechanic went out to check it to see what it was doing and when he did, it started right up…..!! He said that when it started it ran as if it had been flooded for a minute or two then cleared up. Throughout the day he drove it around and started it about 20 times and said it “appears” to be ok. It’s a small shop that I trust with my other cars but they don’t have the tech to pull codes on a subaru. So my question is, what was the cause of this issue? Neutral Switch? Cam Sensor? or a Fluke?
View 1 Replies
The car has 175,000 miles on it and is having issues starting but only sometimes. The starter turns over but the engine doesn't catch. Usually if I open the hood, pretend to know what I'm doing, and wait a bit, it will start within 10 minutes or less (sometimes it takes a few tries.) I hear a click when the starter is going and the engine isn't catching, very much like the click I hear if I'm driving with the AC on and the AC needs to draw power. I've recently had a tune-up including new fuel filter, spark plugs and wires. The mechanic can't figure out what's wrong (doesn't seem to be the battery or the battery terminals). The car even started up FINE at 40 below. I can't really see a pattern to it.
View 3 Replies
I have a 1995 Subaru legacy wagon, 176K miles. The reverse went out about 10 months ago; all the other gears shift fine and it runs great. Do I have a bad transmission or could it possibly be some kind of switch or solenoid? I have searched the net for hours and keep coming up empty.
View 1 Replies
All lights/radio etc. come on but my car won't start at all. There's a leak in the engine (see photo) and I'm wondering if this is the problem...or an additional problem and if it's something I could fix on my own.
View 6 Replies
Last week, the brake, traction control, cruise, and check engine lights all came on my dash. All but check engine were flashing. The car seemed to be driving fine but cruise would not engage. I drove it to a local mechanic who checked the battery and alternator and reset the computer. He said there was nothing wrong with the car. The next day the lights started flashing again so I made an appt to take it to another garage. This place said my gas cap needed to be replaced (hence the check engine light) and that my vehicle dynamic module was busted. My dilemma is that since picking the car up 4 days ago, and driving roughly 200 miles since, the lights haven't come back on. My current plan is to wait a bit and see if they do but I'm wondering if there's a chance that the VDM is ok.
View 19 Replies
My boyfriend has 95 subaru legacy L 2.2 that has issues. NEW: coil pack, fuel pump, spark plugs n wires, battery. (I forget the rest)
Background: While running the car almost out of gas (as usual) it starts to run rough, just thinking it was the gas, he gets gas and heads home but it does not fix the roughness. It stalls in driveway (lucky). A friend brings over obd scanner. Reads codes for cylinder 1&4 misfire. It starts and runs but sounds like crap. I tested the coil pack and the reading was bad, so got that and sparks n wires. Cleaned a bunch of fuel related parts (its been a while) and took out injector but apparently it was not back in all the way because fuel came spray/flooding out while another friend had a sparkplug out and was testing it for spark!! (luckily he was not harmed).
After this it has not started. We did get the injector back in all the way, and waited to work on it figuring it was flooded and that time would work. Next was the fuel pump, yay i can hear it now, boo still didn't work. Now car clicks. Ok, starter out, tested THREE times at advance auto, and once at napa. They both say it is good. (I have my doubts though, it sounded slow to start up to me). Battery is also tested, bad cell. Checked flywheel, Put starter back in and new battery with 625 cold cranking amps. Car cranks now, but no start. Clicking noise when crankshaft turns.
Q: Do the engine is still flooded?
Q: Did the flooding foul the new spark plugs?
Q: WHY is the crankshaft clicking?
Q: WHERE is the nearest cliff?
View 6 Replies
My 2015 Subaru Legacy will randomly downshift, when in Automatic, only on LEFT turns! The dealership says there is a sensor that is "overly sensitive" but now it is a safety concern when pulling out into traffic. I never know if it will occur. Most of the time it will shift back into automatic on its own but there have been times where i have had to use the shifter paddles to shift up then it will kick back into automatic. It only has 31,000 miles, bought it used with 18,000 miles. I have also noticed if I don't accelerate slowly, it seems slow to shift automatically and reduce RPM's. I don't want 36,000 mile warranty to bypass without this resolved.
View 19 Replies
I have a 2002 Subaru legacy wagon, 185k miles, 5 speed manual, thumping noise when making sharp turns at slow speed, happens only after I drive over about 10 miles, does not happen after the car sits for any length of time.
View 5 Replies
We have a 2003 Subaru Legacy named Penny. Lately she's been "thumping" when we make slow tight turns -- usually when pulling into or out of a parking spot. This is less of a noise, more of a sensation. Thumping and bumping as if the front tires are flat, but that's not the case. To complicate matters, it doesn't seem to happen first thing in the morning. Starts showing up after a drive of 30 - 40 minutes and continues to get worse the longer we drive throughout the day. Driving straight is fine, less sharp turns also fine. Mechanic guessed axle and replaced both front axles last week. But the problem persists. We are independent musicians, traveling often, and NEED this car to drive reliably!
View 9 Replies
My 1995 Toyota Camry will not start, the engine turns but does not engage. I have had the fuel pump, fuel filter, and a relay switch replaced. After each repair the car runs for twp weeks and then will not start. I have had it towed and the mechanics start the car with no problem and they are unable to diagnose the problem. In a month and a half, I have had the car towed 3 times.
View 4 Replies
My 2000 Subaru Outback (75,000 miles) runs well almost all of the time. Every so often, especially when the weather is cold and I have been making many short trips, the transmission will refuse to engage into any of the forward gears (Auto-Trans). It will do reverse, no trouble, but not the forward ones. It does not do this with any sort of regularity or consistency. I have had it checked by my mechanic and he said that although it did this it sounded fine and was not shifting roughly. Thinking it might be a fluid pressure problem, he put in fluid additive to soften the seals and this worked for about a week, then back to square one. I saw enough notes posted on other forums by other Subaru owners to know that this might be an issue with this year's model--maybe some sort of quirk that I hope can be fixed without a new trans.
View 5 Replies
I can drive below 40 mph and nothing, once I hit the freeway engine light turns on and gears start slipping. I erase the code and it runs fine at first this would happen once in a while but lately its every time I get on the freeway. I cant keep driving and erasing the code, Every shop says I need to replace the transmission?
View 4 Replies
92 Ford Ranger. She starts right away when I first start her up for the day, or after several hours of sitting. But when I start running errands, it takes 2 or 3 turns and sometimes goosing the gas to get her to start. She's not overheating, the fluids are good, and she doesn't act like she wants to die when idling. So I'm quite confused as to what is happening. I asked my dad what it could be and he's unsure as well. What could be wrong before I take her to a mechanic or start replacing stuff on it myself and spend more money than I need too.
View 1 Replies
We bought a 1996 Subaru Outback Legacy Wagon a year ago. It has a salvaged title with some back-end damage that doesn't seem to effect the overall ride of the car. The car really seems to run fine, but the main problem is it randomly won't start. We can drive it short or long distances. It will start just fine 5 to 10 times in a row and then - BAM - we go to leave somewhere and it won't start. It makes a sound like it is trying to turn over, but it just doesn't have that last spark to start...until you wait approximately 10 minutes, then it starts again like nothing happened. We changed the fuel filter thinking it might have a blockage, but to no avail. We live in Portland, Oregon, so we get all four seasons of weather. The temperature does not seem to be of any consequence.
View 16 Replies
My 2005 Legacy GT(151k) developed an AC issue. Sometimes it simply does not work when you start the car. Other times perfectly. I typically shut the climate control off(automatic) as I cannot stand hot air blowing on me. I have found it does kick on sometimes latter in drive. Or even just works fine.
I got lucky on my Acura MDX 07 with a similar issue but was able to google a known issue with AC clutch relay. It was fixed for $6 relay from Honda dealer. This part seems more expensive on the Subaru (OEM).
Any steps for electrical diagnosis or subie tips? I am convinced it is not refrigerant related (over my head) since the AC works the same as brand new when working.
View 2 Replies
In the couple of days since my last oil change, my 2003 Subaru Legacy (161K miles) won't start after sitting for some time. It turns over and runs for literally one second, then dies. It is standard transmission. If I have it out of gear and apply gas, it will start and stay started, but if I take my foot off the gas, it stops. I don't have to apply a lot of gas (not floor it). Once it is warmed up it runs fine. It seems to start fine if it sits a little while, but anything over an hour, and it doesn't start. One place I read said it could be the security system, with my key needing to be re-programmed. Other possibilities seem all over the map.
View 9 Replies
I recently bought a Subaru Legacy 2000. When I first got it it started fine, however when I leave it sit for overnight or up to a week it doesn't like to start. It will click, and eventually anywhere from 5 minutes to a half an hour it will eventually start right up.
I replaced the battery and the connections after talking to a mechanic... And after both of these fixes it started just fine for a few days. But I am suspecting the starter. The only issue is once I have had the car going after the initial trouble it will fire off just fine for the rest of the day. Other than the starter could it be moisture in something? Like I said it only will do this when it sits over night or longer?
View 7 Replies
Sometimes my 96 Subaru Legacy will not turnover unless the brake pedal is pressed. Other times starts without my foot on the pedal. It seems to need the brake pedal addition more often if it has sat a couple hours or more without being started.
View 5 Replies
1995 Subaru Legacy wagon.
If I drive up a steep hill for 5-10 minutes, the engine will smoke copiously.
It's fine when I drive 200 miles over lightly rolling terrain.
The temperature gauge doesn't get above medium.
It's been doing this for at least two years (since I bought it from a friend).
What's the story?
View 12 Replies
