My friend has a 2007 Subaru Outback- LL BEAN special edition
It’s been missing, even bucking for a couple of months now-
The mechanics say nothing is wrong, no codes on the fancy machine, nothing wrong with the fuel lines, etc AND SAY- you got bad gas… run premim for a while- what you think?
Forget that advice. It is BOGUS. I can’t say if you got bad gas, but putting premium will not fix anything. Premium is not better gas it is just higher octane and any octane over that required is a total waste of money.
I say you need a different mechanic. One that can find the problem.
Now to the real point. That 2007 is likely to be under warranty. If your mechanic was the dealer then it sounds like they are trying to put you off until the warranty runs out. Keep detailed records and copies of documentation for each time you have brought it to the dealer. Then read up on the Lemon Law. Try http://www.lemonlawamerica.com/
if your manual says you can run regular gas, as opposed to premium, the for this long, you have not gotten bad tank after bad tank of gas.
find a new mechanic.
is this under warranty?
I doubt that it’s either sediment or water. Please tell your friend to read the owner’s manual carefully regarding the required grade of fuel for this vehicle, and make sure he or she uses the correct fuel.
As others have stated, this vehicle should be under warranty, and the dealer should do whatever is necessary to fix it. If the engine misfires, it WILL set a code in the computer, and the check engine light will come on.
Are you sure the engine is the problem? Could it be the transmission instead?
Unless Subaru has changed their product line-up, the LL Bean Edition has the 3.0 H-6 engine, for which premium gas is recommended. So, a pertinent question is–Has the owner been using premium gas in this car? Yes, it will run on lower octane gas–but not very well over the long term.
However, if the car has been doing this for several months, in order for the mechanic’s statement to have any validity, it would mean that your friend consistently fills up with gas that is contaminated with water or…something…and that is just not believeable.
As was said, this vehicle should still be under warranty. Persist with the dealership for a cure, and if this is not successful, then it is necessary to involve Subaru of America at the corporate level. Contact information is in the Owner’s Manual–the same book that tells the owner to use premium gas.