Well, those of you who said I would have difficulty getting this intermittent problem fixed were spot on. It went to the dealer today and they found nothing. The checked out the ECU but it didn't show any codes. I believe they are honest but still that doesn't change the fact that I am now the unhappy owner of an 18 month old car that is unreliable--a lemon.
They have elevated the problem to Subaru Australia main office. We will see what they say in a day or two. But I have a very bad feeling. My concern is if it happens to just stop when my wife is driving on the busy freeway, she is likely to become another fatality on NSW roads.
Just an odd thought, does your wife have an excessively heavy keychain or other items hanging from the key when she drives? I've read of some cars having issues with that putting too much force on the ignition switch.
Perhaps they will have some type of piggyback monitor they could install that would record when the issue happens.
Don't despair, this is _not_ normal for Subarus, but it can happen in any vehicle. My neighbor got a killer deal on a newer Jeep Cherokee a few years ago, that had the same problem you describe. The original owner waltzed around with the dealership until the warranty expired, and then practically gave it away in frustration. It took Dave and I most of a 6-pack to find the intermittent (at the firewall connector), and then a pretty good struggle (had to pull the steering column) to get the connector out where we could see it and get the bad pin back into place.
But now his wife drives it every day.
I don't know how these things are handled Down Under, but here is what I'd do if in a similar situation in the US of A.
Drive it a lot close to home. When it stalls again, do not attempt to restart. Leave it sitting right in the middle of the road and call a tow truck; have it towed directly to the dealership. In this part of the world, Subaru is obliged to foot the bill for the tow, _and_ for providing a loaner until they resolve the problem. I'd imagine your warranty has similar provisions. You don't want it back until they have done _something_ to address the problem (and running an OBD scan isn't it). Be polite, but don't settle for less, and document everything. You might even want to send a certified letter to Subaru Australia outlining your problem, and efforts toward having it resolved. And, as much as it gags me to have to say this, consult an attorney; perhaps have him send the above letter.
Soobies seem to be very popular in AUS, and I can't imagine they'll appreciate the negative publicity. I'll bet that after a couple iterations of the above scenario, they develop a sense of urgency toward finding some resolution :-)
And please do keep us posted.
ByeBye! S.
Steve Jernigan KG0MB Laboratory Manager Microelectronics Research University of Colorado (719) 262-3101
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.