2012 Subaru Impreza Engine Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started smoking from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as an oil consumption and cam carriers failure. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer where the diagnostic result was confirmed. The contact repaired the front timing seal gasket himself; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Subaru Impreza. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where the gas cap was replaced; however, the warning light returned. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer for a diagnostic test and the contact was informed that the timing belt cover, cam carrier, and O2 sensors needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and agreed to cover a partial cost of the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Took 2012 Subaru Impreza to dealer on 2/07/22 for oil change and PA state inspections (60,130 mi). Maintenance and inspections performed without issues. Started car and noticed slight change in sound and vibration from engine that I attributed to cold winter day start up. A block from leaving dealership, the check engine, oil warning and vehicle dynamic control lights all illuminated at once. In the 2-3 minutes to turn around to go back to the dealership, the engine noise/vibration/roughness increased until the engine stalled with a sound like an air compressor shutting down. I brought the service rep out for him to try restarting the car but it barely turned/wouldn't start (despite new battery and having started fine previously that day). A service tech was brought out with an ODBII scanner and found timing skip error codes and pushed the car in to a service stall to diagnose. I was then told that I need a new engine. The engine was replaced at no cost using Subaru part # SOA402F500R1 Remanufactured Short Block and associated internal component parts and returned to me on 2/19/22.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE TRACTION LIGHT AND OIL WARNING LIGHT CAME UP ON THE DASHBOARD. INITIALLY, THE DEALER RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE OIL VALVE. I DID BUT THE THE PROBLEM PERSIST. NOW THE ENGINE IS HUNTING. THE DEALER INFORMS ME THAT ENGINE IS NOT PUMPING ENOUGH OIL DESPITE THE FACT THAT SERVICE HAS BEEN DONE REGULARLY AT INTERVAL RECOMMENDED BY THE SUBARU DEALERSHIP. NOW I AM TOLD THAT I NEED A NEW ENGINE.

CODE P0021 POPPED UP SHORTLY AFTER ENGINE HAD RATTLING NOISE AND SHUT DOWN. SOUND OF CILYNDER AND HEAD RUBBING AS ENGINE IS RUNNING WITH VERY LOUD SCREECHING

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING A RATTLING NOISE ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF POWER AND A ROUGH IDLE AT LOW SPEEDS. I THOUGHT IT MUGHT BE THE IDLER PULLEY--REPLACED THAT ALONG WITH THE SERPENTINE BELT AND TENSIONER. DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEMS. YESTERDAY IT BEGAN TO STALL AT IDLE AND LOW SPEEDS. CAR WILL NOT START. SYMPTOMS MATCH THOSE RELATED TO THE WTY 84R BULLETIN AND THE 18V772-7070 RECALL FOR BROKEN VALVE SPRINGS BUT THE DEALERSHIP SAYS MY VEHICLE IS NOT IN THE VIN RANGE. THE CAR IS A 2012 IMPREZA--THE PROBLEM MATCHES THE PROBLEMS FOR THE 2012 IMPREZA.

BOUGHT THE CAR USED 90K MILES IN 2017. IT IS NOW AT 125,000 AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS COMPLETELY FAILED. THE CAR IS ACCELERATING AND REVING EVEN WHEN DECELERATING. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD I NEED A TOTAL REPLACEMENT. I DRIVE LESS THAN 20 MI/WK WITH THE OCCASIONAL ROADTRIP. THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE LASTED FOR MANY YEARS BUT, THIS PROBLEM IS KNOWN GIVEN THAT SUBARU HAS OFFERED EXTENDED WARRANTIES IN REGARDS TO THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE.

AT 150,000 MILES I NOTICED THAT IN THE MORNINGS ON COLD START UP I WILL GET A LARGE CLOUD OF BLUISH SMOKE THAT SMELLS LIKE IT'S BURNING, I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS INDICATIVE OF BURNING OIL. I ONLY KNEW TILL RECENTLY THERE WAS A CAMPAIGN TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND THAT IT IS NOW CLOSED BUT AT 150,000 MILES IT SEEMS LIKE IT MAY BE PRETTY EXCESSIVE.

CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE, WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON HIGHWAY

I RECEIVED A DECEMBER 2018 RECALL NOTICE FOR RECALL WTY-84, NHTSA ID 18V-772. WHEN I CALLED MY DEALER, NORTHTOWN SUBARU, AMHERST NY, THEY TOLD ME TO CALL BACK IN LATE FEBRUARY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE PARTS YET. NOW WHEN I CALLED (3/4/2019) THEY SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE THE TOOLS FOR THE REPAIR. THEY SAID TRY AGAIN IN APRIL. THE RECALL NOTICE SAID THE RECALL SERVICE SHOULD BE PERFORMED "IMMEDIATELY". IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY ARE STALLING SO THEY DO NOT HAVE TO MAKE THE REPAIRS. I EXPECT WHEN I CALL IN APRIL THEY WILL HAVE SOME OTHER EXCUSE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF OTHER SUBARU DEALERS ARE MAKING THE REPAIRS AND IF ANY ARE NEAR THE 14221 ZIP CODE. WHAT CAN A CAR OWNER DO IF THE DEALERS REFUSE TO MAKE RECALL REPAIRS?

SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. (SUBARU) IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2012-2014 SUBARU IMPREZA, 2012-2013 IMPREZA STATIONWAGON, 2013 SUBARU BRZ, XV CROSSTREK AND TOYOTA SCION FR-S VEHICLES. THE ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS IN THESE VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE CAUSING AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION OR A POSSIBLE ENGINE STALL. CONSEQUENCE AN ENGINE STALL CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH. REMEDY SUBARU WILL NOTIFY THEIR OWNERS. TOYOTA WILL NOTIFY THE FR-S OWNERS. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VALVE SPRINGS, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN DECEMBER 26, 2018. SUBARU OWNERS MAY CONTACT SUBARU CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-844-373-6614, TOYOTA OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AT 1-888-270-9371. SUBARU'S NUMBER FOR THIS RECALL IS WTY-84. DETAILS ISSUED 12/26/2018 RECALL ID 289102 NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 18V772000 VEHICLES AFFECTED 165,534 COMPONENT AFFECTED ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TOWED TO WEST HOUSTON SUBARU (17109 KATY FWY, HOUSTON, TX 77094). THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL CONSUMPTION WAS HIGH AND THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE, COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT CALLED METROWEST SUBARU AT (508) 651-2000 (LOCATED AT 948 WORCESTER ST, NATICK, MA 01760) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD ONLY PERFORM TWO REPAIRS PER WEEK. THE CONTACT HAD TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SEPTEMBER OF 2019. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

SUMMARY: OUR 'VALVE SPRINGS' RECALL ('SUBARU RECALL WTY-84. NHTSA ID 18V-722. DEC. 2018') TOOK FIVE WEEKS TO COMPLETE ARE DAMAGED OUR VEHICLE. A MANDATORY RECALL REPAIR SHOULD 'FIRST DO NO HARM', BUT OUR CAR WAS RETURNED TO US IN SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE CONDITION THAN WHEN WE LEFT IT WITH THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED THE WORK. THIS DEALER IS REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, AND WE ARE NOW IN A POSITION WHERE WE MUST SELL THE VEHICLE, SEVERAL YEARS SOONER THAN PLANNED. TIME LINE: 4 FEB. 2019: DROPPED THE VEHICLE AT STEVENS CREEK SUBARU IN SANTA CLARA, CA. AT THIS TIME, OUR VEHICLE HAD NO NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS ' NO OIL LEAKS ON OUR GARAGE FLOOR, NO BURNING SMELLS, AND NO FUNNY NOISES. 7 MARCH 2019: CALLED BY DEALER AND ASKED IF I WISHED TO SPEND 'SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS' TO REPAIR ENGINE LEAKS THEY CLAIM TO HAVE HAD FOUND. I POINTED OUT THAT THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO SIGNS OF OIL LEAKS WHEN I BROUGHT IN THE CAR, AND THAT I EXPECTED OUR CAR BACK IN AT LEAST AS GOOD CONDITION AS WHEN I DROPPED IT, BUT WITH THE RECALL ADDRESSED. CONCERNED THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TROUBLE, I EMAILED TO THE DEALER A PHOTO OF MY GARAGE FLOOR SHOWING NO EVIDENCE OF OIL DRIPPINGS (ATTACHED). 9 MARCH 2019: PICKED UP MY VEHICLE. IMMEDIATELY NOTICED STRONG BURNING SMELLS, AND OIL DRIPPINGS BEGAN TO APPEAR ON THE FLOOR. 16 MARCH 2019: CONTACTED DEALER AND ARRANGED FOR THEM TO INSPECT VEHICLE. OPENED CASE NUMBER 1-41918146136 WITH SUBURU. E-MAILED PHOTOS OF GARAGE FLOOR, NOW WITH OIL DRIPPINGS (ATTACHED.) 20-22 MARCH 2019: DEALER PERFORMED A COMPLEMENTARY REPAIR TO 'RESEAL THE PASSENGER SIDE VALVE COVER'. 22 MARCH 2019: SYMPTOMS NOT IMPROVED. WIFE REPORTED HEARING NEW SOUNDS. SINCE THEN: DEALER CLAIMS THE PROBLEMS WERE PREEXISTING, DESPITE THE FACT THAT THERE WERE NO SYMPTOMS BEFORE THE RECALL WORK, AND ARE REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.

SUBARU RECALL. I RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL ABOUT ISSUE WITH ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS ON MY CAR. I CALLED THE SUBARU DEALER AND ALSO WALK IN TO THE DEALER. THEY REFUSED TO SCHEDULE THE REPAIR FOR ME. THEIR REASON WAS THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PARTS YET. THEY WILL PUT MY CAR IN THE WAITING LIST. THAT WAS ALMOST 2 MONTHS AGO AND THEY NEVER CONTACTED ME BACK. WHATEVER THEY REASON THEY GAVE ME, THEY FAILED TO ADDRESS THEIR OBLIGATION. THE SUBARU DEALER I CONTACTED WAS MICHAEL'S SUBARU OF BELLEVUE. 888-418-0142

SUBARU RECALL FOR A FAULTY ENGINE PART IS PENDING REPAIR FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS. I CAN HEAR THE ENGINE SOUND CHANGE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IDLING WHICH I THINK IS DUE TO THE ISSUE CAUSING THE RECALL. I AM WORRIED FOR MY FAMILY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE.

SUBARU HAS SENT A RECALL FOR THE ABOVE VEHICLE. THE RECALL NUMBER IS WTY-84 / NHTSA ID 18V-772 (DECEMBER 2018). I WAS TOLD BY MY LOCAL DEALER THAT THE NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT IS IN SEPTEMBER, 2020. I THEN CALLED THEIR RECALL HOTLINE AND WAS TOLD THAT PARTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN SENT TO DEALERS, THAT A SECOND LETTER WILL BE SENT TO OWNERS AFTER DEALERS HAVE RECEIVED THEM, AND THAT I COULD THEN GET IN IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT SAY WHEN THAT WILL BE. THIS IS AN ENGINE PROBLEM THAT CAN CAUSE A STALL WHILE DRIVING. THE LETTER SENT BY SUBARU IS CLEAR ABOUT THIS BEING A POTENTIAL DANGER. THE DEALER ONLY TOLD ME THAT, IF THE ENGINE STALLED, THEY WOULD PICK ME UP AND GIVE ME A LOANER VEHICLE. THEY ADDED THAT THAT ANY STALL WOULD HAPPEN GRADUALLY AND I WOULD NOT BE INJURED. NEEDLESS TO SAY (PERHAPS), MY CONCERNS ABOUT DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ARE NOT ASSUAGED. I HAVE BEEN TOLD MANY DIFFERENT THINGS BY SUBARU, AND THEY DON'T FIT TOGETHER. EITHER SUBARU DOESN'T KNOW WHAT IT'S DOING, OR IT IS TELLING ITS EMPLOYEES TO DELIBERATELY LIE. SUBARU IS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS THE FAULT OF THE COMPANY. I WANT TO GET MY VEHICLE REPAIRED. I WANT TO KNOW THAT I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE TO DRIVE. AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO TRUST SUBARU. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE TRUE AT THIS TIME. SINCE SUBARU IS NOT DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR ITS CUSTOMERS, AN OUTSIDE ORGANIZATION MUST FORCE SUBARU TO DO SO. I HOPE THAT THE NHTSA WILL DO JUST THIS AND FORCE THE COMPANY TO TREAT THIS ISSUE WITH THE RESPECT AND CONCERN IT DESERVES.

EARLIEST THAT SUBARU SANTA FE RETAILER CAN ADDRESS RECALL WTY-84 "ENGINE VALVE SPRINGS" IS SEPTEMBER 2019.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. REDDING SUBARU (481 E CYPRESS AVE, REDDING, CA 96002) CONFIRMED THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER FAILED TO PROVIDE THE PART WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME FRAME FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V772000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). CLAY SUBARU (842 PROVIDENCE HWY RTE 1 NORTH-AUTOMILE, NORWOOD, MA 02062) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON A NATIONAL BACKORDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.