Subaru replaced my shortblock due to class action oil consumption. They did a lousy job and it is leaking in many areas…stinks to high heaven. My mechanic said he would need to pull the shortblock out and put it back in and speak it correctly. This would cost me $1000! I bough myv2011 Forester beans new. None if this us my fault! It only has 73K on original engine. Should I sue Subaru? I am so angry. I live about 2 hrs away from the dealer who did the bad work. Any advise is appreciated.
Why are not dealing with Subaru on this issue? If the repair was done incorrectly, have they refused to resolve it? My condolences on your issue. I own a Forester myself.
How long ago was the work done? What did they say when you called to advise them of the situation?
I gave brought it back 2 times complaining about the smell. First time they said they fixed it…it was the timing belt cover. Second time they claimed it was the cover actuator on the driver’s side that was leaking and they replaced seals. Claimed it had nothing to do with the short block they replaced and charged me $302.00. I live in the Sierras and driving in bad weather is very dangerous and time consuming.
Talked to a Rep at Subaru of America. He said they can’t take my mechanics word for anything. I have to bring it back to the dealership. Well, I can’t take their word! Just so wrong,!
Kathryn , you are not satisfied with the repair , you don’t trust the dealer that is 2 hours away , and no they can’t just take the word of another shop so it seems your best move is to just find a vehicle dealer close to you and replace this vehicle.
I don’t consider that a good move at all. I am fine with my car. I only have 73K miles on the original engine. It is pd off.
I am retired and cannot afford a car payment right now. I just want me car fixed… it is all their fault! I bought a brand new car…they went cheap on a part hence the Class Action Suit. They were unable to put the new short block.in correctly! Who trains these mechanics? Why didn’t they seal it right?
Your story sounds so familiar. It makes me feel better about having written stories warning Subaru buyers about this issue. The issue is bad enough, but the treatment you received just adds insult to injury. I don’t trust the quality of my own Subaru, but I love so much else about it.
It would help to know exactly what is leaking., In regards to the timing cover I can only assume any leak in this area would be cam seals or something like that. That is part of the cylinder head and those seals are 10 years old.
When it comes to a short block replacement on Subaru’s dime you get the short block; nothing else and that includes cam seals. My feeling is that they should be replaced at the time of the short block swap but this expense would be on you no matter what. It would just be cheaper than normal due to labor overlap.
Something else to consider is this. Your car has very low miles for the age so that means it is driven sparingly. In cases like this the oil changes should be much more rigorous than normal as skimpy oil changes can contribute to oil useage.
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There’s definitely quite a few possibilities for problems to occur when replacing a short block. I presume you already know this, but an engine consists of two main parts, the top part which is the cylinder head and whose job is to control the engine’s valves, and the bottom part – the block – who’s job is to power the crankshaft. This power is transferred to the drive wheels to make it go when you step on the gas.
A “short” block is just an engine block without any of the extra gadgets that are usually attached. Subaru’s thinking I presume is that they can just transfer those gadgets from the first engine to the short block of the second engine. I’m guessing this is where the problem lies. One or more of those gadgets removed from the first engine has not been installed correctly on the new short block. This sort of job is quite complex and maybe the mechanics who were available to do it didn’t have the necessary experience. There’s no way to tell. Your only avenue is to contact Subaru directly, calmly explain the situation, and ask them to come up w/a plan to return your Subaru to the road without leaks. That’s an entirely reasonable goal, given the engine they installed originally at the time of manufacture was defective.
Suggest you show some flexibility to get this resolved sooner. Focus on what you need, rather than what you think Subaru should do to provide what you need. For example, rather than waiting for these problems to be resolved on your current vehicle, it might make more sense for you to exchange the vehicle for one they already have on their lot. Then you just drive away with a good car, and they can take their time to figure out how to fix your current vehicle proper-like , and resale it to another buyer. While you may have to compromise on color and options, that sort of solution can be a win-win for both sides.
In the meantime be sure to ask Subaru Corp (don’t bother asking at a dealership) for a car that they will lend you gratis so you’ll have something reliable and leak free to drive while you wait for the resolution.
I frequent subaruforester. org for forester specific issues and I have not heard of this issue on the board (may be because my focus is 14-18 vehicles). I think you should ask there for a specific answer, esp if anyone has had such issue and how did they resolve it.