I’m unbelievably frustrated and would really appreciate someone’s help with this problem. I’m not a mechanic but I’ve successfully replaced head gaskets and other relatively “non-beginner” jobs on these 4th gen OBs. I have two. One I drive and my daughter’s so I am able to swap parts looking for the problem. OK…
2011 2.5 CVT that my daughter drives started stalling at idle a few weeks ago. Hers has the torque converter issue but this is not it.
Sometimes the car will not start. It turns over but will not fire. Other times it starts and drives fine but then will die at idle (stoplight or such). When it does this, it will crank but not fire for some undetermined amount of time (3-15 minutes). But usually it will before the battery dies. And then it seems to idle fine and drive a while until it happens again. It may die at idle and the next morning it starts fine. When it is beginning to start after stall it seems as though it’s getting a small amount of fuel and firing during the starter cycle before finally starting up normally. If it won’t start and I immediately spray a little start juice in the air filter it will usually (ugly and reluctantly) fire up… as if I’ve forced it to fire just long enough to suck it’s own fuel in to run.
I’ve taken it to a small independent Subie shop and they acted oblivious to the cause and could not reproduce. They finally determined that it was a loose battery cable and sent me on my way only to have it die that night. That time it ran fine to a restaurant and then would not start after coming out a few hours later at night. There doesn’t seem to be an ambient temperature connection.
What I’ve done in no particular order and with no particular effects…
ECU relearn (like 4 times)
New fuel pump assembly (I was convinced his was it)
removed and cleaned the throttle body
switched batteries
switched MAF sensor
checked filters and fluid levels
removed and reattached ignition packs at spark plugs
2011 2.5 CVT that my daughter drives started stalling at idle a few weeks ago. Hers has the torque converter issue but this is not it.
Sometimes the car will not start. It turns over but will not fire. Other times it starts and drives fine but then will die at idle (stoplight or such). When it does this, it will crank but not fire for some undetermined amount of time (3-15 minutes). But usually it will before the battery dies. And then it seems to idle fine and drive a while until it happens again. It may die at idle and the next morning it starts fine. When it is beginning to start after stall it seems as though it’s getting a small amount of fuel and firing during the starter cycle before finally starting up normally. If it won’t start and I immediately spray a little start juice in the air filter it will usually (ugly and reluctantly) fire up… as if I’ve forced it to fire just long enough to suck it’s own fuel in to run.
I’ve taken it to a small independent Subie shop and they acted oblivious to the cause and could not reproduce. They finally determined that it was a loose battery cable and sent me on my way only to have it die that night. That time it ran fine to a restaurant and then would not start after coming out a few hours later at night. There doesn’t seem to be an ambient temperature connection.
What I’ve done in no particular order and with no particular effects…
ECU relearn (like 4 times)
New fuel pump assembly (I was convinced his was it)
removed and cleaned the throttle body
switched batteries
switched MAF sensor
checked filters and fluid levels
removed and reattached ignition packs at spark plugs
Please…help would be much appreciated.
