2008 Subaru Impreza Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY 20,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (GRAND PRIX SUBARU, 500 S BROADWAY, HICKSVILLE, NY 11801) AND THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT THEN REPLACED THE CLAMPS ON THE OIL RETURN LINE HOWEVER THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT THEN DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL FEED LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V460000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIRS, WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THERE WAS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000. UPDATED 7/1/15*CN

OIL LEAKING FROM PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE. OIL LEAKING ON A HOT ENGINE CAN CAUSE A FIRE. THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR, DUE TO INCORRECT SIZING OF THE GASKET. IT IS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY AND MAY RESULT IN A FIRE. *TR

THE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING. THIS WILL COST OVER $2000 TO FIX. THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE STOPPED PRODUCING POWER. AFTER PULLING IT OVER IT WOULDN'T START. DEALERSHIP SAYS THE ENGINE IS TOAST AND IT WILL COST 10K. I HAVE DONE ALL THE REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES. AN ENGINE SHOULD NOT NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 77K MILES. MY TOYOTAS HAVE LASTED FOREVER. *TR

THIS 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA HAS BEEN PLAGUED AS HAVE MANY OTHERS BY A MANUFACTURER CHASSIS DEFECT. THE FIREWALL/BULKHEAD BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND ENGINE HAS 5 SPOT WELDS BROKEN WHICH INITIALLY ARE MEANT TO SECURE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THESE WELD BREAKS ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ARE CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ENGAGING CLUTCH AND BRAKES, AS WELL AS A SQUEAK NOISE EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. AS THIS IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT WEAR ITEM BUT PART OF THE CHASSIS/FRAME WHICH IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AS COMPLETE FAILURE DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION ON THIS MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE NHTSA. THIS IS CERTAINLY A RECALL ISSUE. *TR

THIS 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA HAS BEEN PLAGUED AS HAVE MANY OTHERS BY A MANUFACTURER CHASSIS DEFECT. THE FIREWALL/BULKHEAD BETWEEN THE DRIVER AND ENGINE HAS 5 SPOT WELDS BROKEN WHICH INITIALLY ARE MEANT TO SECURE THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY. THESE WELD BREAKS ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ARE CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN ENGAGING CLUTCH AND BRAKES, AS WELL AS A SQUEAK NOISE EVERY TIME THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED. AS THIS IS NOT AN INSIGNIFICANT WEAR ITEM BUT PART OF THE CHASSIS/FRAME WHICH IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AS COMPLETE FAILURE DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ACCIDENTS, FURTHER INVESTIGATION AND ACTION ON THIS MATTER SHOULD BE TAKEN BY THE NHTSA. THIS IS CERTAINLY A RECALL ISSUE. *TR

2008 SUBARU IMPREZA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AFTER PRESSING DOWN ON ACCELERATOR. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HER HUSBAND ADJUSTED HIS PANT LEG, IT CAUSED HIM TO PRESS DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THE VEHICLE LET OUT A LOUD SHUDDERING AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. ALL THE LIGHTS STAYED ON AND THE VEHICLE STARTED RIGHT BACK UP. THE CONSUMER STATED THE INCIDENT HAPPENED TWICE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER, THEY DID FIND A VALVE WAS LEAKING OIL, WHICH WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

CAR BEGAN 'STUMBLING' AT 3K RPM UNDER VERY LIGHT LOAD/THROTTLE. HAD SUBSTANTIALLY LESS POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SMALL TRACE OF WHITE SMOKE DURING STARTUP, ONLY HAPPENED ONCE. COMPRESSION/LEAKDOWN RESULTS; CYL1 = 115 / 10%, CYL2 = 125 / 10%, CYL3 = 117 / 18%, CYL4 = 100 / 23%. DRIVING HABITS ARE MILD, I-MODE 90% OF THE TIME, SHIFTING AT 2800-3200 RPM... CAR IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER, THEY HAVE CONFIRMED AN ISSUE AND WE'RE AWAITING RESPONSE FROM SUBARU OF AMERICA ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS WILL BE WARRANTIED. *TR

VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING ON COLD START UP. COMPRESSION TEST WAS PERFORMED AND CYL 4 RESULTED IN ~50-70 PSI, WHICH IS LESS THAN HALF THE SUBARU SPECIFICATION. SHORTBOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT APPROX 20,000 MILES. NO ROOT CAUSE FOR THE FAILURE WAS DETERMINED. *TT

ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING. SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR THE NEXT DAY. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALER THE KNOCKING GOT WORSE AND THE ENGINE STARTED SQUEALING AND LOSING POWER. ENGINE SEIZED UP AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE. *TR

THE CAR WAS SMOKING ON COLD STARTS ONLY. PISTON # 4 RINGLAND CRACKED AT 33,000 MILES ON THE CAR. SHORTBLOCK HAD TO BE REPLACED. *KB

1. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A ROAD TRIP TO NC WHEN THE ISSUE AROSE. 2. THE FAILURE TO THE CAR WAS CRACKED RINGLANDS ON THE # 2 AND 4 PISTONS. THIS CAUSED THE CAR TO PRODUCE A WHITE SMOKE CLOUD ON START UP. BEFORE I PURCHASED THIS CAR SUBARU ISSUED A STOP SALE ON ALL 2008 WRX'S. THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AT A LOCAL DEALERSHIP UNDER A GOODWILL REPAIR. TO WHICH I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PART OF THE COST. THIS REPAIR WAS CONDUCTED IN MAR 2010. SINCE THEN THE CAR HAS BEEN OPERATING VERY WELL UNTIL RECENTLY TO WHICH THE ENGINE HAS DEVELOPED A KNOCK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DETERMINE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. THE DEALERSHIP CONTACTED ME THE NEXT DAY TO INFORM ME THAT THE ROD BEARING ON CYL #4 HAD FAILED. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE THAT PROMPTED SUBARU TO PLACE A STOP SALE ON THE VEHICLES. DURING THE INITIAL STOP SALE THEY HAD A RANGE OF VIN'S THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, MINE WAS NOT IN THAT LIST. I THINK SUBARU HAD MIS-CALCULATED THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT WERE AFFECTED ON THIS STOP SALE. 3. MY CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AWAITING A RE-MANUFACTURED ENGINE, TO WHICH I HAVE TO DISAGREE WITH. I PURCHASED THIS CAR NEW WITH NO RE-MANUFACTURED ON IT FROM THE FACTORY. SO WHY CAN A CAR MAKER PLACE RE-MANUFACTURED PARTS IN A CAR FOR A REPAIR? *TR

DRIVING THE CAR ON A WINDY ROAD, ACCELERATED OUT OF A CORNER IN 3RD GEAR. CAR STARTED SHAKING, CLICKING, AND RUNNING POORLY. FAILURE OF CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS ON THE CRANK SHAFT. ENGINE LONG BLOCK NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

WHILE PASSING A TRACTOR-TRAILER ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY IN FIFTH GEAR AT APPROX 70MPH, THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED DETONATION AND WENT INTO LIMP MODE. AFTER INCIDENT, CAR RUNS ROUGH, BURNS OIL, SMOKES ON STARTUP, BILLOWS SMOKE OUT OF THE OIL FILLER CAP, AND EXHIBITS POWER LOSS. ISSUE WAS FIRST DIAGNOSED BY COMPRESSION TEST. IF ENGINE FAILS WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY DURING NORMAL COMMUTE, MAY CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND/OR FIRE RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH. SUBARU OF AMERICA HAS NOT YET CORRECTED THE ISSUE, AS THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS RUNNING AS DESIGNED. *TR

IN FEBRUARY 2010, I PURCHASED A 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA STI FROM A SUBARU DEALERSHIP WITH FACTORY WARRANTY AND I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED FACTORY WARRANTY. ONCE I BEGAN GETTING USED TO THE CAR I NOTICED THERE WAS AN ISSUE. WHEN I WOULD ACCELERATE THERE WOULD BE CONSTANT "DEAD SPOTS" IN THE POWER BAND THROUGH OUT THE RPM RANGE. AFTER MULTIPLE TIMES OF BRING THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIGURE OUT THE PROBLEM. BUT I BEING VERY CAR SOCIAL ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT MANY AND I MEAN MANY PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE ACCELERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND SOME HAD COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE MOTORS PISTONS "RINGLANDS" WERE CRACKED AND THE CYLINDER WAS LOSING COMPRESSION. AFTER MULTIPLE SERVICES AS EXPLAINED BEFORE SUBARU FINALLY FOUND THAT MY MOTOR ALSO HAD A "RINGLAND" FAILURE! THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE BOTTOM END OF THE MOTOR AND I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK. IT RAN GREAT I KNEW THAT'S HOW IT SHOULD HAVE FELT IN THE FIRST PLACE.BUT NOW AROUND 3000 MILES LATER THE SAME ISSUE IS BACK AGAIN! IT IS MY WORRY THAT I GO TO PULL OUT OF A SIDE ROAD EXPECTING THE CAR TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT OUT, AND I GO, BUT THE CAR IS BOGGING DOWN AND IS STRUGGLING TO GET UP TO SPEED AND THE OTHER CAR HAS TO JAM ON THERE BREAKS OR THEY END OF REAR ENDING ME CAUSING AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM.THE SAME COULD BE SAID FOR EXIT ENTRANCES ONTO HIGHWAYS. AFTER RESEARCHING ON THE INTERNET I COME TO FIND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN PLAGUING SUBARU OWNERS FOR YEARS NOW AND SUBARU HAS DONE NOTHING TO FIX THIS ISSUE. AND THIS DOES NOT ONLY EFFECT SUBARU IMPREZA STI OWNERS ONLY BUT CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN THE MODELS SUCH AS THE WRX, OR OUTBACKS DE TO SIMILAR ENGINE DESIGNS. I BELIEVE SUBARU IS TURNING A BLIND EYE TO HOW MUCH OF AND ISSUE THIS IS AND HOW BIG AN ISSUE THIS COULD CAUSE. I READ THAT MOST CAR COMPANIES WHEN THEY HAVE A WIDESPREAD ISSUE AS EXPLAINED THEY COMPARE THE COST OF A RECALL TO COST OF PER CAR ISSUES AND THEY GO WITH THE CHEAPER BUT THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM NEEDS RESOLUTION. *TR

2008 SUBARU WRX MANUAL TRANS. 22,500 MILES. BETWEEN THE TIME THE ENGINE COMES OFF HIGH IDLE (AFTER BEING STARTED COLD) AND WHEN IT IS COMPLETELY WARMED UP, THE ENGINE WILL DROP ITS RPM TO 0 CAUSING AN ENGINE STALL WHEN THE CLUTCH IS DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO CHANGE GEARS. THIS RECENTLY HAPPENED WHEN ENTERING A ROUNDABOUT WHEN I WAS GOING TO SHIFT DOWN FROM 3RD TO 2ND GEAR. AT THIS POINT I ONLY HAVE MY LEFT HAND ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND RIGHT ON THE SHIFT LEVER. THE ENGINE STALLS AND I LOOSE POWER STEERING. POWER BRAKING ALSO SEEMS DECREASED AS I WAS UNABLE TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM RUNNING INTO THE CENTRAL ISLAND OF THE ROUNDABOUT. THIS HAPPENS CONSISTENTLY IN COLD WEATHER. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED REPAIRS, BUT IS UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG (3 SEPARATE ADMISSIONS FOR SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM OVER LAST 9 MONTHS). COMPUTER ERROR CODES RETURNED WERE 301,302,303,304. AS OF TODAY THE CAR IS AT THE LOCAL SUBARU DEALER FOR THE SECOND DAY THIS EPISODE. *JB

AT 15,500 MILES, MY 2008 SUBARU STI EXPERIENCED A RINGLAND FAILURE ON THE #4 PISTON. THIS WAS VERIFIED VIA A COMPRESSION/LEAKDOWN TEST. A LONGBLOCK REPLACEMENT WAS APPROVED BY SUBARU OF AMERICA. MY MAIN CONCERN, WITHOUT TAKING ENGINE COMPONENTS OFF, THIS MILD CRACKED RINGLAND WAS ALMOST UN-DETECTABLE. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DEGRADATION IN PERFORMANCE, FOR RUNNING ON 3.5 OF 4 CYLINDERS. IN ADDITION, MY MECHANIC ALSO FOUND FUEL IN THE OIL PAN. *TR

MY 2008 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX STI HAD A NUMBER FOUR PISTON FAILURE WITH ONLY 28,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP WHEN A PROBLEM WAS NOTICED. THE SHOP DID A COMPRESSION TEST AND FOUND THE NUMBER FOUR PISTON TO BE AT FAULT. DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGE TO THE CYLINDER WALLS THE BLOCK AND ALL ASSOCIATED INTERNALS WERE REPLACED. AFTER REMOVING THE HEADS THE SHOP OWNER SAID THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF DETONATION ON THE CYLINDER AND THAT THE FAILURE MOST LIKELY WAS DUE TO POOR BUILD QUALITY. *TR

PISTON #4 HAD RINGLAND FAILURE OF BOTH RINGLANDS ON SAID PISTON IN MY 2008 SUBARU WRX STI. *TR