Hey everyone!
Just bought a 2018 BRZ (FA20, 6MT) with around 87k miles on it.
This is a cold start video. I’m not very familiar with how these engines are supposed to sound, and something about the idle sounds a little unusual to me, especially in the second half of the video.
Does this sound like normal FA20 noises to you guys, or do you hear anything concerning?
Would really appreciate some opinions from people who own or work on these engines.
Thanks!

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Negative clamp on Forester battery terminal is not seating correctly. Have to jumpstart the car every time.

Can I replace the actual clamping component (circled in red) without replacing the entire negative terminal assembly (which includes the expensive sensor part?) The full assembly is about $150.

Did the standard green Long life Subaru coolant have silicates no one seems to have an answer and some websites say the engines require non and some mechanics around here say it doesn't matter so I'm baffled

Got these at autozone for free when I got my oil, anyone know if this is a good cleaner? If not what’s a good brand anyone can recommend
Car is a 2016 Subaru legacy

Subarus aren’t unreliable, people just don’t take good care of them. The previous owner bought it new and drove not only a lot of highway miles but a lot of city miles too (between upstate NY to NYC). Always changed the oil on time. Not sure what has been replaced on the car, but we do know it’s the original engine and transmission.

Previous owner replaced it with a new Outback!

I recently replaced my front wheel bearings with BCA brand assemblies. The passenger side bearing immediately started making noise. I replaced it again with another BCA, and now that one is howling too.

I have a new Subaru CV axle on that side, so I know that’s not to blame. I torqued the axle nut to 162 ft-lbs.

I’m at a loss, and obviously frustrated. What am I missing? It’s a 2012 Legacy with 220,000 miles.

Can somebody please explain WTF a huge puppy has to do with Subaru’s? (And I ask this as a Subaru owner.) Marketing people are so effing stupid.

I made this flyer and have been passing it around town.

I’m trying to organize a community event in Georgia. I know there’s a Subie Crew around GA / AL that has events in ATL but I’m not affiliated with them. I’d love to join or collaborate if possible though.

DM me if you can make it and I’ll send you the QR code! I’d love to have everyone there.

It was, however, not a comment on the way I drive.

Hi guys, so to cut to the chase, I know very little about cars and have been in desperate need for a car and am nervous about buying one without having some feedback from people who are more knowledgeable than I.

This is a Subaru Forrester 2012 2.5 sport 4d
It has 160,000 miles on it
Owners price is $3000

I’m desperate and yes make fun of me all you want in the comments, I’m just new to all this

Thank you guys! ⛵️

To preface this, I have a 26 Impreza RS I bought new back in April. About a month ago, I was driving to work on an open, EMPTY, country road. I was the one and only person on the entire road when my eyesight system activated stating "obstacle detected". Figured it was just a hiccup and went to work. Later that afternoon, while driving again it did it again. So I took it in to get checked out the next day, and the service team told me "There are no errors logged with your eyesight system, and it sometimes throws up that alert for poor visibility". Leaving that service appointment I called SoA to open a case about this. They notified me to take it back to the service center. I took it back, showed them how frequently the system activates while just maintaining a specific distance from the car in front of you, only to be told again "there are no errors with your cameras, and everything is working as it should".

This last time it activated, it brought me to an instant halt from 45mph, stopping me in the middle of the road. Called SoA, and they told me to bring it back to the service center. So I did, but this time, on top of being told "There's no errors and the eyesight is working as intended" they also tried telling me that "We don't even see the braking event logged at 12:45pm. We see 8:30am, 10:40am, and 2:30pm. Are you sure you provided us with the correct time?" So I called SoA back wondering how to proceed with this, since apparently all these false activations aren't considered an issue and now my car isn't even logging the eyesight activations, when the rep replied "What do you mean its not logging them? I see the service technicians notes here about your 12:45 eyesight activation. He notes that this is normal eyesight behavior".

I just don't know how to proceed or even get this resolved. SoA is going off what the service department gave them, but thats turning out to all be fabricated stories. I feel like the next thing to happen is the eyesight system is going to activate and cause a collision, and land me in the hospital and my car in the junkyard.

The service department is DEMANDING the loaner back tonight (10/27) since "There's absolutely no errors being produced and nothing wrong with your car"

I’ve seen a lot of comments about how terrible the wireless charger is and I’m noticing it for myself too. Anyone have any recs on a case that helped the situation? iPhone 16pro and I think the case I have with the extra coverage on the lenses might be causing some of the problem. It connects then disconnects constantly. If I’m going to buy a new one thought I would at least check in to see if there was a recommendation from someone?

2026 Impreza RS if that makes any difference

2023 impreza premium

Sometimes, when I brake, some humming noise comes. I even asked the mechanic while going for regular service. He said breakpads are ok and no obvious noise source.

Anyone else observed similar and found the root cause?

I am attaching audio clip in comment.

Pic attached is the part in photo the same for 5 speed and 6 speed
(2002 WRX)

I’m having a issue where my shifter is on the piss after a 6 speed swap
After further investigation and pulling off the shift linkage assembly again it look like I have fit everything correctly.
I did reuse the holder on the shaft from the 5 speed and am now wondering if that part is different for the 6 speed

After replacing the Torque Converter Pressure Control Solenoid a little over 18 months ago, I'm once again getting a P2763 code. At first it was just the code with the transmission seeming to perform normally, but now it seems the solenoid has completely failed and the TC is "slipping".

While I knew premature failure was always a possibility given Dorman's poor QC, I'm still planning to do the same repair again, given that even including a the cost of second repair it's 1/3 the cost of a new valve body.

Is there any reason you can think of why I shouldn't just go the same route again? Is Dorman still the best/only source for the TC pressure control solenoid? I've also come across suggestions to replace the other solenoids and the AWD solenoid at the same time. Given the Dorman HIGH failure rate, and the LOW failure rate of the other solenoids (not the TC Pressure Control), I'm not inclined to fix anything that isn't broken. If reliable AWD solenoids are obtainable though, I'd entertain doing that this time around, though.

Thanks!

I'm taking over a 2023 Subaru Forrester from a family member next month, and I'm starting to look at any improvements I can make.

One thing I've never liked about Subaru's is the keyfob. I feel like it's not intuitive, and you can't differentiate buttons by feel.

A quick look at key fob replacements on Amazon all duplicate the standard Subaru key fob style.

So I just wanted to see if anyone has been able to upgrade their fob to a different style

Hey everyone,

I have a 2018 Subaru Outback 2.5i Premier with push-button start and the factory key fob. I’m looking to add remote start and came across this plug-and-play module from Remote Start X:

https://remotestartx.com/2018-subaru-outback-push-to-start-remote-starter/

Before purchasing it, I wanted to see if anyone here has experience with this module or has installed something similar on their Outback.

My understanding is that the factory key fob might support remote start using a specific button combination, but I’m not entirely sure whether my trim already has the necessary hardware. I also couldn’t find any obvious indication of a factory remote start system near the front windshield.

Ideally, I’m looking for a plug-and-play module that I can install in the car and use with my existing factory key fob, without having to carry an additional remote or install a completely separate system.

A few questions:
- Has anyone used the Remote Start X module linked above?
- Will it work with a Canadian 2018 Outback 2.5i Premier with push-button start?
- Can I use my existing key fob to start the car remotely, or would I need a different fob?
- Are there any better plug-and-play alternatives you would recommend?

I’d appreciate any advice or firsthand experience before I spend money on a module that might not be compatible.

Thanks!

Bought a Legacy from 2013 this August and I am experiencing stalling issues when coming to a complete stop, not always but sometimes. Also I am noticing that when the engine is hot, it takes a really long crank for the car to run.

Does anyone experienced this or is familiar with the issues and know what it is and what it would cost to fix?

(I used to be a mechanic in The Netherlands before coming to the US this July so I can fix stuff whatever is possible on the street.)

2013 Legacy, 2.5i CVT 116500mi

Already replaced CVT oil, spark plugs and cleaned the throttle body

Ps: If you know any good Subaru specialists in the Boston area please let me know :)

Thanks in advance !

I'm in the market for a reliable, easy to work on, commuter car.

I live in the mountain west and my commute will definitely see some snow/ice on the roads as I drive through some canyons. So, Subaru's AWD system while still getting decent mpg is very appealing to me. I've been eyeballing an EJ251 or EJ253 engine paired with a manual transmission (anything 2006-2011?). I enjoy wrenching on my cars and like to think I'm a capable diy youtube mechanic. I've done all my own maintenance and repairs the last 10 years on my Toyota trucks, but they've never really been engine related. From the little research I've done, I've read that the EJ25 engines are pretty easy to pull? Would I be in over my head if I wanted to tackle an engine rebuild on one of these? Full or partial rebuild. I'm thinking I find a Subaru with a blown head gasket (otherwise in good condition), pull the engine, send the heads to a machine shop, upgrade the head gasket, and take care of any other peace of mind maintenance stuff while the engine is out.

The way I'm currently looking it, this would be a passion project that I spend a few weekends/evenings on and when it's finished I'll have a reliable commuter car that will last me another 200k miles.

Am I delusional?

The pinned post asks for year, model and DTC scan results, so plenty of you already keep an ELM327 OBD2 adapter in the glovebox. Before the first cold morning, the same adapter can tell you three more things, with any OBD2 app that shows voltage and coolant temperature.

1. Battery at rest. Let the car sit for a few hours, then key on with the engine off, lights and blower off. 12.6 V or more is a full battery, about 12.4 V is only partly charged, and below 12.0 V one cold morning can be enough to leave you stuck. The reading from the OBD port is a few tenths of a volt below what a multimeter shows on the battery posts, so compare readings taken the same way.

2. The dip while cranking. Log the voltage while the starter turns and look at the lowest number. Staying above about 9.6 V is healthy; under 8.5 V a no-start is likely. Write it down on a few cold mornings: if it keeps sliding at similar temperatures, the battery is on its way out before it actually strands you.

3. Warm-up and the thermostat. Many Subarus only have the blue cold light instead of a temperature gauge, and that light goes out before the engine is fully warm, so a thermostat stuck open is easy to miss. Watch coolant temperature instead: if it still isn't at normal operating temperature after ten minutes of steady driving, the thermostat is the usual suspect. A lukewarm heater and slightly worse mileage tend to come with it.

If you end up posting here about a slow start or a car that never warms up, put your year, model and engine with the readings and any codes, as the pinned post asks. It gets you useful answers much faster.

What's on your pre-winter checklist for your Subaru?

Shuts off atleast once a week in the same spot on the highway. This time it didnt turn back on and had to be pushed to the roadside. Waiting on tow truck right now. Any guesses as to what it could be? Alternator?

The dealership consistently tries to push repairs on my 2018 outback. The most recent case was yesterday. I went in for an oil change; they recommended I replace the rear brake pad, which was at 4mm.

That same afternoon, I went to a local Cassidy location to get my wheels aligned after getting new tyres at Costco. They said my rear brake pad was 8mm and was fine.

I don't know if my Subaru dealer is sloppy or just a bunch of frauds, but I learned that I'll always get a second opinion from somewhere else whenever they recommend anything during oil changes. Maybe I'm naive and equated my positive perception of the car's quality (which I love) with that of the Subaru dealership.

On August 25, 2026, my 2024 Subaru Impreza experienced an uncommanded sudden acceleration and total brake failure. The vehicle accelerated independently on Route 9 in Fishkill, approaching the village portion of the town where the speed limit drops to 40 mph.

Despite my foot being firmly pressed to the floor on the brake pedal, there was zero mechanical braking response. In a deliberate effort to stop the vehicle by any means possible, I physically forced the shifter into PARK, but the transmission did not respond. The vehicle was completely demolished.

I am a professional educator with a lifelong near-flawless driving record and absolute lifetime sobriety (never consumed alcohol or illicit substances in my life). I was completely alert and unimpaired.

Subaru of America sent a factory engineer to download the black box (EDR) data. Corporate headquarters subsequently issued a formal denial, concluding that the incident was caused by driver accelerator "pedal misapplication" based on logs showing 100% accelerator depression and 0% brake application.

The Omission That Proves Data Failure:
Subaru's engineering report completely omits the physical, mechanical state of the gear shift. I manually shifted the vehicle into PARK while moving. If the electronic infrastructure of the vehicle fails to record a massive physical, mechanical override like a manual shift to PARK, it proves the onboard digital logging system was compromised, corrupted, or entirely failing to register actual physical driver inputs during the catastrophic event.

I have fully documented this failure with the federal government. You can independently verify the public safety record under NHTSA Complaint ID: 11765003.

I am sharing this openly to warn other drivers: your electronic throttle control system can override your mechanical brakes, and the manufacturer may rely on incomplete electronic logs to shield themselves from product liability. Look at the photos of the wreckage and judge the trajectory for yourself.

It started fine, car was all warmed up but when I went to put it in drive the gear shift was locked somehow? I had to turn the car off and then turn it back on to actually drive. Is that normal? Why can't I just put it in drive while it's already running? (Yes, my foot was on the brake)