2010 Diesel Drivetrain shudder

MY11OBD · Post by **MY11OBD** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:40 am

I just want a car to work to the specs. if this is not possible then its not fit for purpose.

I know alot of you guys expected a low reving high torque car such as that specified on paper and also as per test drive... but this shudder and DPF clean is not making that 100% possible. pitty....

MY11OBD · Post by **MY11OBD** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 4:42 am

Wonder where FHI and OR Subaru is with the fix? Maybe i have had An ECU reflashed to a different version???... how do I find out about versions???

MY11OBD · Post by **MY11OBD** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:39 am

Since the EGR valve was cleaned and ECU relearned the shudder has not occured for 4 days... yesterday on the way home it happened. I find it happens when on the FWY when slow down occurs between roadworks, where speed changes and other drives are slow to react. at the magical 2000 rpm it shudders like mad.... what to now?

littlewhiteute · Post by **littlewhiteute** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:23 am

MY11OBD wrote:Wonder where FHI and OR Subaru is with the fix? Maybe i have had An ECU reflashed to a different version???... how do I find out about versions???

The dealer won't tell you version, they'll only tell you that you have the latest software available to them from Subaru.

MY11OBD wrote:Since the EGR valve was cleaned and ECU relearned the shudder has not occured for 4 days... yesterday on the way home it happened. I find it happens when on the FWY when slow down occurs between roadworks, where speed changes and other drives are slow to react. at the magical 2000 rpm it shudders like mad.... what to now?

Keep complaining, it is a software issue. Enough complaints might resolve it.

skipalami · Post by **skipalami** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:32 am

I got my OB serviced friday week ago and I suspect they reset the ECU. I have been shudder free for a week. I know it is coming though.

I must admit freeway type travel is where I get the shudder the most nowdays.

Mess · Post by **Mess** » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:26 pm

Oh the irony! We were tossing up between the Xtrail diesel and Forester diesel. The Xtrail was a better drive, bigger and better suited to our needs. But, we went with the Forester purely because of concerns about the Xtrail diesel's reliability.

We felt that the Subaru would be trouble free.

WRONG.

In the seven or so months and 20,000kms we've had the diesel Forester, we've had more annoying problems than I've ever had with any newish car in my life.

We've had the shudder and still get it regularly. I don't bother taking the car to the dealership when it happens as they are unable or unwilling to do anything about it and I'm waiting for this mysterious and long awaited 'fix' to a problem that, to my knowledge, Subaru Australia and FHI have yet to acknowledge even exists.

I just drive around the shudder and put up with it.

Today, I packed up the car to go out to a friend's farm. I got in the Forester, started it up and stared disbelievingly at the instruments and the dynamic stability warning light and engine malfunction warning light that stubbornly refused to go out.

Ok, unpack the car and park it. The car we paid a lot of money for now sits in the driveway, awaiting a trip to the dealer (which is very inconvenient for my work) on Monday for a fault.

What the hell happened to the famed Subaru quality and reliability? My heart said to buy the Skoda Octavia Scout, my head said to buy the Nissan Xtrail and everyone else said to buy the Forester because of Subaru's good record. Well, I've got to say that at this point, I cannot see myself EVER buying another Subaru.

A brand new car and I can't drive it how and when I want because it's too damn fragile. That is NOT fit for purpose.

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Sun Apr 03, 2011 2:08 pm

I'm sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing Mess. This is one reason why I don't buy the first series of a new model of car - let alone buy a NEW car from the dealer. Old school... Anyway, from what I've been reading and other diesel foz owner have been saying it seems that you need to keep the revs above 2000 rpm to avoid the shuddering, which will probably mean changing your driving habits - painful but I reckon this will be the end result for a "permanent" fix by subaru. I hope that they get to the root of this problem and sort it out sooner rather than later.

I find it a bit poor that there's not some sort of service for weekends and after hours if you're having trouble with you're spanking new vehicle. Ironically my subi's never been better since I dropped the EJ in

Maybe time to look into an EJ'd L series

Seriously though I hope you find a renewed confidence in your subaru - its a shame to hear that you've been turned away from ever buying another subaru...

Cheers

Bennie

suthol · Post by **suthol** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:59 pm

Jumped into the car for a bit of a drive for the first time in a week after being interstate.

Sitting at 120Kph indicated on the expressway south near Helensburgh, came to a slight hill and decided to accellerate through the dreaded 2000rpm but the car would have none of it.

Pulled nicely from 1500 up to 2000 and then pulled it's skirt over it's head, had to change back from 6th to 4th to get over the crest without shudder.

It doesn't seem to matter how the car is driven it won't go through 2000 without shudder unless it is in a low gear.

Might be time to talk to the dealer again.

BTW it is an 06/10 build and as has been the case for most on here was fine until around 12000 on the ODO.

skipalami · Post by **skipalami** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:53 pm

Just found an article about 2006 crdi x-trails in the uk and apparently they suffered the same kind of problem. Eventual fix was a software patch and a modified EGR valve. Will post more soon.

Mess · Post by **Mess** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 5:28 pm

I took the car in this morning for the engine and stability control warning lights and inoperative cruise control.

I also told them again about the shudder. As soon as I started talking, the guy reached for the recommended gear change print out and started on his spiel about revving the engine enough. I told him that was bollocks (politely) and also explained that, in 20,000km, the DPF light has come on once and only for five minutes.

I said it was a widespread problem and the guy just said that "Subaru haven't said anything to us".

Anyway, picked the car up this arvo and nothing was said about the shudder. The report from the dealership states:

"Carried out EGR clean and idle relearn as advised by Subaru. All ok on road test. Customer to monitor."

We'll see...

ForesterDiesel · Post by **ForesterDiesel** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:21 pm

suthol wrote:Jumped into the car for a bit of a drive for the first time in a week after being interstate.

Sitting at 120Kph indicated on the expressway south near Helensburgh, came to a slight hill and decided to accellerate through the dreaded 2000rpm but the car would have none of it.

Pulled nicely from 1500 up to 2000 and then pulled it's skirt over it's head, had to change back from 6th to 4th to get over the crest without shudder.

It doesn't seem to matter how the car is driven it won't go through 2000 without shudder unless it is in a low gear.

Might be time to talk to the dealer again.

BTW it is an 06/10 build and as has been the case for most on here was fine until around 12000 on the ODO.

Did the revs drop down before you accellerated? When I'm at 120 its almost around 2500 rpm. At 110 its still above 2000.

In the week I've had mine, I spend most of my time above 2000rpm. Just seems the way the gearing and engine like it. I thin kcruising at 80kph in 5th I'm only juuuust under 2000rpm.

MY11OBD · Post by **MY11OBD** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:35 pm

Mess I had exactly the same comments mde. five days after EGR clean and ECU learn shudder still occurs. I will advise Subaru dealer and get the car in again. The are quite cooperative apparently docklands is biggest dealer in AUS... We all need to start to send emails or letters to Subaru. I have done it and still on thier case. please all lets do the same.... this is the only way to get FHI to take note...

skipalami · Post by **skipalami** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:50 pm

Here is the Nissan link. Interesting reading.

http://www.nissanforums.com/x-trail/120 ... iesel.html

Mess · Post by **Mess** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 9:16 am

Now I'm really ***** off. I got in the Forester to drive to work this morning and that engine and stability control warning lights are back on. This time I'm going to ask them to keep the car until it's fixed and give me a courtesy car in the meantime.

Subyroo · Post by **Subyroo** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:32 pm

Mess wrote:Now I'm really ***** off. I got in the Forester to drive to work this morning and that engine and stability control warning lights are back on. This time I'm going to ask them to keep the car until it's fixed and give me a courtesy car in the meantime.

Mess, maybe you should get all the owners together who have the shudder/DPF problem and approach Slater & Gordon to see if they can indeed help you all out or at least get Subaru's attention.

Mess · Post by **Mess** » Tue Apr 05, 2011 5:56 pm

Latest...

The local dealership rang me to say that Subaru Australia is waiting for a fix from FHI for this problem with the warning lights and inoperative cruise. Apparently "a number" of vehicles are experiencing this problem.

So, the guy said not to waste my time taking the car in until they've rung to say they have a fix. When I asked whether it is okay to be driving the car with the engine warning and Stability control warning lights constantly on, he said "we're pretty sure it won't cause any problems".

That's sooooo comforting. If I could turn back time, I'd buy an Xtrail diesel or Skoda Octavia Scout.

pitrack_1 · Post by **pitrack_1** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:18 am

Mess wrote:The local dealership rang me to say that Subaru Australia is waiting for a fix from FHI for this problem with the warning lights and inoperative cruise. Apparently "a number" of vehicles are experiencing this problem.

My wife experienced something similar after tromping on the brakes during collision avoidance. I think it was the stability control/dsc/abs lights that came on. I believe the system was deactivated as the hill holder did not work (didn't test the rest). I found my own fix- I pulled the appropriate fuse and reset the system. No problems since.

Mess wrote:When I asked whether it is okay to be driving the car with the engine warning and Stability control warning lights constantly on, he said "we're pretty sure it won't cause any problems".

I wouldn't try lifting off the throttle in a corner on a dirt road if the DSC is deactivated. It's quite disconcerting enough with it active (see my post in the "diesel tuning" thread) that I didn't try it button-deactivated.

Mess wrote: That's sooooo comforting. If I could turn back time, I'd buy an Xtrail diesel or Skoda Octavia Scout.

Don't depress me- two cars I hadn't really considered! Like you, I plumped for the Subaru (and against VAG vehicles) on the basis of reputation, mechanic word-of-mouth and my better half

.

As for shudders- I've had one or two slight single shudders on the Canberra- Sydney run recently. You'd miss them if you weren't paying attention. Neither seemed to involve a regen going by the instantaneous fuel consumption readout and throttle response (nor should they under those conditions) and both were at approx 2100rpm at 110km/h (GPS, not speedo indicated

) under cruise control in 6th. Hope something isn't starting. I'm at ~17500kms. 05/10 build.

MY11OBD · Post by **MY11OBD** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:40 am

I got an email from my service centre revealing I had parts on back order??? To my surprise when I rang them to query this they said it was for EGR valve and items from Japan? I am wondering if they have found something from the last time I took the car in for the shudder and they cleaned and reset the ECU. Will update more when information is at hand.

nicko · Post by **nicko** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:52 am

pitrack_1 wrote: As for shudders- I've had one or two slight single shudders on the Canberra- Sydney run recently. You'd miss them if you weren't paying attention. Neither seemed to involve a regen going by the instantaneous fuel consumption readout and throttle response (nor should they under those conditions) and both were at approx 2100rpm at 110km/h (GPS, not speedo indicated ) under cruise control in 6th. Hope something isn't starting. I'm at ~17500kms. 05/10 build.

Pitrack_1

I get the same single shudders under similar driving conditions. It feels like the car has 2 'coughs'. Mine is an 06/10 and ~29,500km. Its been doing it from the start.

I got the warning lights (DPF, VDC, Parkbrake waring & Engine malfunction) on yesterday after a DPF regen so in it goes to the dealer.

nicko

Mess · Post by **Mess** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 5:30 pm

After the telephone advice yesterday that the dealership was "pretty sure" driving with this fault (engine and stability control lights on) would not cause damage, I was a little uneasy.

If it isn't in writing, it wasn't said. So, today I emailed the dealership, recapping the conversation and background and requesting a reply email to confirm their advice to drive as normal until a fix is found.

Not long after that, I got a call from the dealership saying that they had misunderstood me. They thought I'd been referring to the shudder issue yesterday when I rang (although I clearly said it was in for the warning lights, fixed and now the warning lights were back on) and that the advice that Subaru was waiting for a fix from FHI related to the shudder.

I again explained that my current issue that needs to be sorted in the short term was the warning lights. So, now it is booked in for that to be fixed...again. I only hope no damage or undue wear has been caused by driving it to and from work for two days with the lights on.

However, it's not all bad. I have also emailed Subaru Australia about the various faults we've had with the car, mostly about the shudder.

Today I got a response saying:

"We appreciate your concerns in regards to your Forester, the shuddering
in your vehicle is a concern that Subaru Australia are investigating. We
have been in contact with your dealership at XXXX and have asked them
to provide information so we can further understand what may be
happening to your vehicle. This information is the data recorded when
this shudder is occurring. We are now speaking to Fuji Heavy Industries,
the manufactures of Subaru vehicles, to further understand and
investigate this. "

This is the first time I've had direct indication that Subaru acknowledges the problem and confirmation that it is working on the fix.

That's something at least!