2005 Subaru Baja Engine Problems

MY CAR BEGAN OVERHEATING, SO I HAD MY NEPHEW (A MECHANIC) REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT - TWICE. MY NEXT STEP WAS TO TAKE IT INTO THE DEALER, AND HAVE THEM CHECK IT OVER. THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW WATER PUMP, AND HAD DROPLETS AROUND MY HEAD GASKET, BUT IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT (THAT WAS AT 98,000 MILES). I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS TAKING MY 91 YEAR OLD MOM, AND 17 YEAR OLD DOG TO L.A. FROM SACRAMENTO, AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS SAFE. THEY SENT ME ON MY WAY WITH THE ASSURANCE THE CAR WOULD BE FINE. I OVERHEATED GOING OVER THE GRAPEVINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, I'VE HAD THE WATER PUMP, RADIATOR, TIMING BELT REPLACED, AND IT'S STILL OVERHEATING. IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO, IT STARTED LEAKING SO I LOOKED UP ONLINE ANY COMPLAINTS AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING HEAD-GASKETS, AND THAT SUBARU HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES OR 8 YEARS. TOO BAD FOR ME, HUH? WHEN I TOOK IT BACK INTO THE DEALER (AT 104,000 MILES) THEY TOLD ME THE EXTENSION DIDN'T APPLY TO MY CAR. NOT ONLY DO I RESENT THE FACT THAT I FEEL RIPPED OFF, I RESENT THEM SENDING ME OUT THE DOOR WHEN IT WASN'T SAFE TO BE STUCK ON THE FREEWAY WITH AN ELDERLY PARENT, AND ELDERLY DOG.

TIMING BELT AND ASSOCIATED PARTS WERE CHANGED BY LICENSED SUBARU MECHANIC. IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING WARMED UP, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GAS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND CRUISE LIGHT WAS FLASHING.DROVE CAR TO PAINT SHOP IN SAN DIEGO AND LEFT FOR FIVE DAYS FOR PAINTING. DROVE THE CAR UP TO LONG BEACH TO SHIP TO HAWAII. BAJA BURNED 3/4 TANK OF GAS AND DIED OFF AND ON.WITH STRONG SMELL OF GAS.FILLED COSTCO GAS PREMIUM IN HAWAII AND DROVE HOME WITH CAR DYING OFF AND ONN WITH STRONG SMELL OF GAS. IN THE MORNING, STARTED CAT TO WARM CAR UP AND GAS SMELL WAS EXTREMELY STRONG AND WHITE SMOKE ALSO APPEARED OFF AND ON. IN TWO DAYS AND DRIVING ONLY 54 MILES THE GAS GAUGE WAS BELOW 1/2 TANK. IN THE PROCESS NOW WITH ANOTHER MECHANIC TO REPAIR. FINAL STEP WILL BE SUBARU DEALER. NOTE: BEEN GOOGLING THE WEB AND HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 2005 SUBARU ENGINE WHERE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES. I THINK THIS MUST BE A DESIGN DEFICIENCY ON THE SUBARU ENGINE. I AM NOT THE FIRST OWNER. *TR

MY VEHICLE 2005 SUBARU BAJA AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IS LEAKING SO BAD THAT I CAN'T KEEP FREON IN IT. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A HUGE ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. I NOTICED ON THE ALL 2004 MODEL A FACTORY RECALL HAS BEEN INITIATED BUT I DO NOT SEE ANYTHING FOR THE 2005 ON THE RECALL WEB SITE. I PURCHASED IN 2004 BUT VEHICLE IDENTIFIED AS 2005. *TR

VEHILDE ENGINE HAS KNOCKING SOUND WHEN STARTED FROM COLD AND FOR THE FIRST 15 MINUTES OF OPERATION. IT SOUNDS LIKE BAD VALVE GEAR AND WE HAVE HAD A "TENSIONER" BRACKET REPLACED BY THE DEALER, BUT I AM NOW HEARING ABOUT A "PISTON SLAP" ISSUE ON THIS MOTOR THAT I CANNOT FIND A REPORT ABOUT. IT WILL BE INTO CLASSIC SUBARU IN ATLANTA TOMOROW TO ATTEMPT A REPRODUCTION OFTHE NOISE AFTER LEAVING VEHICLE OVERNIGHT TO PROPERLY SIMULATE THE COLD-START CONDITIONS.