2005 Legacy GT Turbo problems?

Hi all,

I just got a Liberty GT (US - Legacy GT I think) and I have a few questions.

1- I getting very very poor fuel consumption. about 14 L/100km is this normal (I 'm not driving it hard yet!)

2- The idle is fluctuating when I come to a stop.

3- I think the front brakes are warped. Shuttering on slight pressure (but not all the time)

All in all, I'm a bit disappointed. I have read, heard only good things about the quality of subarus. is anyone else out there experiencing any of this. I know it's a new model and these issues may only be teething problems, but...

Regards

Tuan

Reply to
td
Loading thread data ...

They suck the juice like there's no tomorrow!

I get 6.8 km / l in Gt

I just got a Liberty GT (US - Legacy GT I think) and I have a few questions.

1- I getting very very poor fuel consumption. about 14 L/100km is this normal (I 'm not driving it hard yet!) 2- The idle is fluctuating when I come to a stop. 3- I think the front brakes are warped. Shuttering on slight pressure (but not all the time)

All in all, I'm a bit disappointed. I have read, heard only good things about the quality of subarus. is anyone else out there experiencing any of this. I know it's a new model and these issues may only be teething problems, but...

Regards

Tuan

Reply to
Holly Wood

I get 6.8 km / l in Gt

I just got a Liberty GT (US - Legacy GT I think) and I have a few questions.

1- I getting very very poor fuel consumption. about 14 L/100km is this normal (I 'm not driving it hard yet!) 2- The idle is fluctuating when I come to a stop. 3- I think the front brakes are warped. Shuttering on slight pressure (but not all the time)

All in all, I'm a bit disappointed. I have read, heard only good things about the quality of subarus. is anyone else out there experiencing any of this. I know it's a new model and these issues may only be teething problems, but...

Regards

Tuan

Reply to
td

I just got a Liberty GT (US - Legacy GT I think) and I have a few questions.

1- I getting very very poor fuel consumption. about 14 L/100km is this normal (I 'm not driving it hard yet!)

2- The idle is fluctuating when I come to a stop.

3- I think the front brakes are warped. Shuttering on slight pressure (but not all the time)

All in all, I'm a bit disappointed. I have read, heard only good things about the quality of subarus. is anyone else out there experiencing any of this. I know it's a new model and these issues may only be teething problems, but...

Reply to
Hallraker

Reply to
Danny M

I don't think so.

Certainly the compresser and fans use extra energy, but I've tried to measure the difference in fuel consumption and failed. It's certainly much less than a liter per 100 km and I'd say less than 0.5 l/100 km at highway speeds.

In any modern car opening a window hits fuel consumption far harder than AC does.

-- Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Hoult

Only on the highway, the biggest hit is in city driving. It can take 5 mpg off your milage in stop and go.

Reply to
Chris Phillipo

A lot of people get really poor mileage until the engine breaks in some. If you go to nasioc.com and do a search, you will find its not uncommon. But be warned that you may never get the mpg that they advertise but it should be close.

The same with the idle jumping on the boxer engine. They aren't the smoothest idling engine. Can you tell how much it is varying by the tach? If it's a slight needle movement and/or it's sounds like the AC is kicking on and off, I wouldn't be too concern. Once you get off idle does it smooth out and run smooth at a constant mph?

Brakes: let the dealer take a look.

Reply to
Vince C

Thanks Vince

The idle drops by about 500rpm, but you can't see it on the taco. The dealer plugged in a diagnostic unit and told me its not right, but they don't know why yet. They tell me its not keeping its timing.

I hove you're right about the fuel thing. I never thought it would be as per the brochure, but might be out by 1L more...(by BMW 330ci is the first car that is exactly as in the brochure. In fact, me thinks its been hard coded!)

They tell me the brakes are warped and they have machined them - should I worry about how much rotor life I have lost! The car is 4 weeks old. Will they tell me that I have to replace my rotors at the first pad change...

I have a loaner 05 outback 2.5l. should get it back tomorrow.

Reply to
td

Hi TD,

I bought the Liberty GT 2 weeks ago - the last 2004 model in Sydney. I agree with you, this is one thirsty beast. Now that Optimax (98RON) stays at over 1AUD per litre, I'd have to re-morgage my house!

Sorry to hear you've a bit of a bad egg there. My GT runs like a dream. I don't care too much about the run-in. I rev it up like no tomorrow. I think the business of stuttering the car with trying to keep under 4000 rpm in the first 1500km is stuffing up the engine. It also makes you put on the brakes too often, I guess.

Hey, just realized it's you who also posted about removing the seatbelt alarm. You're either mad or very rich with lots of demerits points to spare! :-)

Kien

Reply to
Kien

Hi Kien,

I'm getting about 7.6 avg km/l now after 3500kms

The dealer is trying to make things right, but they don't have the parts yet. A bad O2 sensor is the cause of my bad idle (so they tell me). hope it will help with mileage? The are replacing my rotors, but don't have parts yet.

The sealt belt thing, I know it bad but I cant deal with belts in small city car parks...

How do you feel about the new 2005 model that the dealer explicitly told me was not due until at least Oct 04. I couldn't wait 3 months, but might have waited 1 month. I just being lied to by sales people. They fixed the trip comp. reading to show l/100km (who knew!!)

I am only getting things of my chest, it's a great drive.

Tuan

Reply to
td

Hi Tuan,

I didn't do much research before getting the 2004 Liberty GT. I could have waited for the 2005 but just like computers, if I wait I will wait forever as newer models come every so often. As far as I know (thru my trusted dealer of course) the 2005 is not that much better ...

Your dealer lied to you, good heavens, really ? :-) I didn't know car dealers can lie!

My dealer made me feels so sorry for him, his family fell apart, his dog died, his wife was rumoured to have slept with his boss, his boss will sack him if I did not buy the car, etc... Yep, I got sucked in pretty bad ...

But the car runs well and I love it! :-)

About the belts, I understand now. Thanks.

Kien

td wrote:

Reply to
Kien

Hi Tuan,

How's your Subaru Liberty GT these days? Mine started to go bad ... just like yours! The front brakes shudder like crazy at certain speed. I got them fixed. But I am not impressed at all. Now I think the gearbox also does funny things. There are odd noises in idle and sometimes when moved between manual back and automatic mode. Also, the computer refuses to let me accelerate the way I want. It somehow learns my sister's driving behaviour and only goes betwen the gears at odd times. I think I'll trade the lemon in and get a Audi A4 2.0T

Kien

td wrote:

Reply to
Kien

Hi Kien,

I am on my second set of rotors. They are OK a present(1000km), but I don't think it will be the end of it yet. This is my wife's car and she is not hard on the brakes. She has not ever warped any other brakes from any other manufacture....

My Auto started to not shift up when you leave the selector in D, but use the wheel buttons to shift down. it used to slurrrrrrrrr up at about

4.5-5.5. The Auto problems started at about 11200kms. It works as it did in all other respects though.

I can't afford to loose the money at trade-in so soon!!! It is the worse car I have ever had, bar none, in terms of performing as intended. It rattels and creeeeeks. I just can't believe all the fuss about how good Subarus are meant to be!

It does handle very very well in the wet though! These are not major problems in my view (may be the Auto is), it's just that the service people are useless. Their starting point is "that's normal for this model.....etc.

Tell me more about your Auto. is it doing the same as mine? From memory, I think your in Australia. maybe we can leverage off each other as they keep telling me I am the only one with these issues.

Regards Tuan.

Reply to
td

Hi Tuan,

Yep. I live in Sydney. I use Hornsby Subaru service. They are helpful but rather hush-hush about the things they found wrong with my Liberty GT. They did not give me the slip of things they fixed, they just gave me the service record. There are few similar faults in your GT and mine.

  1. The brakes
  2. The automatic mode gear shift:This problem is rather weird. Some day it's really bad some day it's not so bad. The shift is so sluggish at times. This is one slow-to-react car! (It has the responsiveness of a cow!)

Also, last few days the gas pedal start to sqeak!

Maybe it's a bad batch? and Subaru is not happy to admit this? Is there anyone else out there suffering a Liberty GT? Maybe we should form an action group ... :-)

Regards,

Kien

td wrote:

Reply to
Kien

Kien,

It looks like its an action group of two!

I too have not received any paperwork for all of the work on my car. I've asked, but they claimed they posted it... The replacement have not arrived yet.

Did you notice a change in your auto at a particular point in time. Mine was fine until about 2 months in. (always has been slow to react though - in any mode!)

Tuan

model.....etc.

Reply to
td

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.