2006 Subaru WRX Engine Problems

THE SECONDARY AIR INJECTION PUMP FAILED TO TURN OFF AND NEARLY CAUGHT FIRE. SUBARU HAS RECALLED THIS PART AND THE RELATED RELAY SWITCH FOR 2008-14 IMPREZAS, BUT THIS PROBLEM ALSO EXISTS WITH 2006 IMPREZAS. MY MECHANIC SAYS THIS IS VERY COMMON FAILURE POINT FOR MY MODEL.

VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A PUBLIC ROAD AT 30 MPH. ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON SO VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A BUSINESS PARKING LOT TO CHECK OIL LEVEL. OIL LEVEL WAS FULL. OWNER CHECKED ON INTERNET FOR POSSIBLE CAUSES OF THIS SYMPTOM AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS REFERENCES TO A BROKEN OIL PICK UP TUBE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP FOR EVALUATION. SHOP INFORMED OWNER UPON REMOVAL OF OIL PAN THAT ALUMINUM SHAVINGS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE OIL AND THAT INDEED THE OIL PICK UP TUBE WAS BROKEN. SHOP INFORMED OWNER THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM SEEN ON CERTAIN MODEL YEARS OF SUBARU VEHICLES. FAILURE OF THIS PART CAUSES OIL STARVATION AND CATASTROPHIC MOTOR DAMAGE REQUIRING REBUILD OR REPLACEMENT OF SHORT BLOCK AND OTHER RELATED INSPECTIONS AND CLEANINGS OF PARTS THROUGH WHICH OIL FLOWS. PART IN QUESTION IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PART. AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURERS SUCH AS KILLERBEE HAVE ENGINEERED A BETTER PRODUCT AND CONDUCTED INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF ISSUE WITH OEM PART AND EXPLAIN THAT THE BRAZING PROCESS USED TO JOIN THE BRACKET AND THE TUBE IN FACT WEAKEN THE TUBE. IN ADDITION, THE FLUX USED DURING BRAZING IS NOT PROPERLY CLEANED ON SOME PARTS WHICH LEADS THE MANUFACTURER TO BELIEVE THIS IS A QUALITY ISSUE THAT SUBARU HAS OVERLOOKED. OWNER CONTACT SUBARU REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR COSTS AND WAS DENIED WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. COST TO REPLACE SHORT BLOCK WITH LABOR IS $6500. OWNER HAS EXPERIENCE AS AN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNICIAN AND UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAILURE DUE TO OWNER NEGLIGENCE AND FAILURE DUE TO A NON WEAR AND TEAR PART THAT IS NOT IN SUBARU REGULAR SERVICE PROCEDURES. FAILURE OF PART AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED CAN CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE AND A POSSIBLE UNSAFE CONDITION IN WHICH THE MOTOR CAN LOCK UP AND CAUSE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. NUMEROUS OWNERS HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR ISSUES.

CODE P1410 SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM SWITCHING VALVE STUCK OPEN. THIS IS A COMMON ERROR MANY 2006 AND UP SUBARU IMPREZA WRX OWNERS ARE HAVING. THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM IS PRONE TO FAIL DUE TO CARBON BUILDUP OR MOISTURE AND RUST CONTAMINATING VALVES, LEADING TO REPAIRS COSTING $700 TO $1500. THIS FAILURE IS COMMON EVEN WITH LOW MILEAGE. NOTE THESE CODES ARE ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH THIS FAILURE: 06/07 WRX: P0410 P0411 P0413 P0414 P0416 P0417 P0418 P2431 P2432 P2433 P2440 P2441 P2442 P2443 P2444 07 STI: P0410 P0411 P0413 P0414 P0418 P2431 P2432 P2433 P2441 P2444 *TR

1. OIL LIGHT FLICKERS ON AND THEN STAYS ON AT IDLE OR UNDER LOW REV'S 2. THE FAILURE IS THE OIL PICK UP LINE RESULTING IN A CRACKED LINE AND DAMAGED ENGINE. 3. USUALLY DAMAGE IS SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT A REPLACED LONG BLOCK AND TURBO FROM MANUFACTURER. HOWEVER NO SUFFICIENT REPLACEMENT IS MADE ABOUT PART PRONE TO FAILURE EVEN WITH A NEW ENGINE. *TR

OIL PICK UP TUBE CRACKED. *TR