I have a 1996 Subaru Outback. There is a strange noise emanating from the center/front of the car. It only occurs when I stop accelerating over the speed of 50 mph. It sounds like a combination of a marble rolling around in a coffee can and a baby rattle. No sound at lower speeds or when I accelerate.
View 2 RepliesI have an 02 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport with 130k miles. It makes a whining noise from the center to rear of the car that gets louder with Acceleration. The second you take your foot off the gas it gets quieter. The noise never completely disappears though. It also doesn't change if I am turning or driving straight.
View 2 RepliesI just replaced both front strut mounts on my 2005 Outback 3.0L. I was 100% sure that it would resolve an ongoing noise/rattle in the front end when driving over bumps and generally rough roads. It worked with some of the noise because the strut mount bearings were shot. But much to my disappointment after putting everything back together I still have a rattle (more like the sound when you shake a shoe box with a tennis ball inside it) in the right front suspension somewhere. When lifted the right front wheel is solid with no wobble left to right or top to bottom so I"m thinking it is not a tie rod but I am not a professional mechanic. Should I take the right front strut back off and check the new mount or is there an easier answer.
View 3 RepliesI noticed a low humming noise lately on my wife's 2007 Outback which started at around 40 MPH or so. I thought it might be something with the added roof rack attachment or tires which are Michellen Rain Force tires installed about a year ago. It sounds like an aerodynamic issue to me. Nothing has changed on the roof racks and the tires show no sings at all of unusual wear.
I looked in front of the vehicle and underneath to see if I could see something and noticed the cowling immediately under the exhaust manifold and where I removed the small door for frequent oil changes is bowed down in the rear creating a scoop which I think is the humming noise. I am trying to find the darn door in the garage so I can re-install it, but it got me thinking, is the whole cowling even necessary to have under there?
I know it can prevent rocks and things from hitting the underside of the engine, but is it really more for simply aerodynamics? It is a pain sometimes working underneath because it blocks access to everything. I was thinking of simply removing the entire contraption.
What would cause noise grinding type and feeling after having axles/boots replaced this morning on my 2005 Outback.Car seems noisy and vibrating
View 5 RepliesI bought a new 2011 Outback about 3 weeks ago, and I have around 1500 miles on it.
A couple days ago I started noticing a clicking noise near the right-front wheel area whenever I turn for the first time after I start the engine (releasing handbrake, shift to Drive, etc). This happens only one time per drive, and mostly after I turn to the right for the first time. After hearing that sound, the next time I will hear it is only after I park and shutdown the engine and restart.
Bought a used '96 Subaru Outback Wagon w/ 175k miles a few months ago and I'm having trouble. The car always starts when it's cold. However, sometimes when it's hot, it won't start. Then wait 10 minutes or so and it starts right up.
I'll make a short stop somewhere (like to pick up milk) and when I get back to the car everything seems to work fine: fuel pump, radio, AC, lights, instrument cluster, etc all turn on. Then, when I turn the ignition switch to start, I hear the click behind the dash (starter relay?) and the solenoid clicks but the starter does not turn on at all. Then I wait a little while and it will (almost always) start with no problem. This happens ~25% of the time when the car is hot.
I replaced the starter with a new one (not rebuilt) but that doesn't fix the problem. I tried hitting the new starter with a mallet but no luck. Battery, alternator and starter checked out OK at the Autozone. Haven't been to the mechanic because that would probably end up costing more than the car is worth.
Yesterday I reversed my 1996 Subaru Outback (manual transmission) out of a perpendicular parking place on a hill, swung around forward and coasted down the hill. Near the bottom, I let out the clutch out without realizing I was still in reverse gear. It made a not-so-awful noise (sounding rather like engine braking) and I very quickly put it in neutral. I immediately smelled a fairly strong gasoline/exhaust aroma and the engine stalled.
The Subaru restarted without trouble, but the check engine light was on. Everything appears to function normally now, and I've reset the engine light by disconnecting the negative terminal of the battery for a few minutes.
Have I likely damaged anything? Is there anything I should check? Should I have tried to read the diagnostic code?
I have a 96 outback which all of a sudden has no awd. The rear differential looks as though it has leaked some. I don't know if it has a bad axle, or if this loss of fluid is the culprit..... Where to start?
View 4 RepliesThe Subaru as 260k miles on it and I live in Georgia. When I attempt to start the car, it turns over and sounds like the engine catches and then dies out without getting over 200 rpms or so. Its a manual and I made sure the floor mat isn't impeding the clutchsensor.
The car has been doing this the past three days and finally today after driving around for a few hours and multiple times shutting the engine off with at least two start attempts before it fires, I get home and shut off the car.
I then attempt to restart it about two hours later and after 7 tries, all with the car sounding like the the engine has fired but not yet fully running , then the engine dies. I would push start it but am parked on an uphill slope.
I have a 1996 subaru impreza outback. It is now dead. Billowing white smoke, coolant coming out of the tailpipe, terrible rocky idle and some smoke coming from the exhaust at the manifold. (assuming it cracked from the harsh idle) I'm pretty good with cars but I've never taken on a head gasket problem myself. I have time to fix it, I just don't really know if it will be worth it. Should i just replace the motor w/ a scrapyard motor? Should I take this opportunity to rebuild and upgrade? I have a crappy chevy to get me around in the meantime. Should I give it a try or just scrap it. I paid 800 bucks for this car and it has 220k miles. No major problems until now. New alt a few months back. Previous two(only two) didn't have any problems at all. I feel like it would be worth it.
View 17 RepliesI have a 2003 Honda Civic Si with a clicking noise that appears to be emanating from the front passenger side. It appears to be "rotational" in nature. This noise is very similar to that one might hear when a CV joint is going out but it's heard when going forward. My mechanic (whom I trust) has been unable to fix this problem. Over the course of approximately 4 months they've:
1. Repacked the wheel bearings on both front wheels.
2. Replaced the strut mount
3. Replaced the carrier bearing with a used one.
4. Verified that all brakes are tight and working properly, and 5. Replaced the axle 4 times with both new and rebuilt versions.
Some things I've noticed:
1. The noise might not appear until the car is warmed up a bit, that is, driven 10 to 20 miles
2. It goes away when I apply the brakes but comes back immediately.
3. It occurs even when the engine is turned off and I'm coasting down a slight slope. My mechanic is unsure how to proceed and the noise is driving me crazy.
2005 Subaru 2.5 Limited Outback. If I drive my Outback for over an hour, when I make sharp turns at a low speed in a parking lot my front end doesn't seem to turn right. As a I turn it seems like maybe the front differential is not working right, both wheels want to spin a the same rate. what could cause this?
View 10 RepliesI recently replaced the struts and strut mounts (front and back) on my 1999 Subaru Outback (all wheel drive). Immediately after this was done, the car began making a grinding noise that comes from the front end when I either am coming to a stop (grinding begins happening at 5mph or so) or turning left (happens at any speed). However, if I am traveling along and, upon approaching a stop sign or left corner in the road, shift the car into neutral (it is an automatic transmission) the grinding does not occur. When I replaced the passenger-side strut I did not mark the position of the bolt that is responsible for adjusting the caliber. I did, however, do this for the drivers side.
I really have no clue what is going on here. I replaced the struts because the rear tires were wearing badly on the inside and I was told by a mechanic that the struts were bad (which they were). However, in an effort to save money I am unsure of how to proceed. If I go ahead and have the tires replaced and get a four-wheel alignment and it doesn't solve the issue, I will likely have to mess with the front end (or someone will anyway) which will then require another alignment.
It doesn't happen all of the time and it's not consistent as to when it occurs. Originally, I thought it happened when it was cold outside, but since it's been pretty cold here lately, I have not heard it. Also, it has occurred when the engine was warm (after driving for 20 min or so).
It sounds like it's coming from the engine block, but I'm not 100% sure. I have a 1996 ford explorer 6 cylinder 4.0L engine with approx 249,000 miles.
As I was changing my oil last week I noticed that there was a thick, dark green fluid near my front left shock and on the automatic transmission filter. The fluid appeared to be sprayed on the underbody of the car. I am unable to notice any change in automatic shifting or in the front left shock. The photo shows the filter (?transmission filter) on the top, the shock is at the bottom right. This is slightly behind the left front tire. This was not anywhere else under the car and did not appear to be road grime.
View 4 RepliesRecently I took my 2006 Subaru Outback wagon on a trip in the mountains. I parked my car in the driveway overnight and noticed oily fluid on all of the tiresand on the ground in the morning. The fluid spill was worse on the driver's side front and rear tires, but was noticeable on the passenger side as well. I did not notice an odor to it. I used the brakes alot on the way back down from the mountains..... I have taken this car places where I have used the brakes a whole lot but have not noticed this before. How bad is this? Is it possibly "normal?
View 5 RepliesI thought it was the tired due to the cold weather. But now it is warmer the noise is still there. Bareknuckes previously mentioned wheel bearings as a potential problem. The car is driving (sound-wise) like I have some huge mud-bogger tires on or like crossing a cattle-guard continuously. so loud (in the cabin) that sometime I forget to shift because I hear the humming rather than the engine.
View 2 RepliesI have a 2003 Subaru outbackI got my AC charged since it was not cooling. As soon as I left the shop I had a fog horn noise coming from the passenger side of the car. It comes and goes and even occurs when the defrost is on. Also the car runs rough when the noise occurs. The roughness stops and the fog horn noise stops when I turn off the AC or defrost. I took it to my mechanic and he has never heard that noise before. It really sounds like a fog horn.
View 7 RepliesMy Outback makes a thunking noise when I let the gas or clutch out quickly. I took it to my mechanic, who replaced a broken transmission mount, but it is still making the noise. He works out of his garage and doesn't have diagnostic tools or a lift, so has some difficulty with diagnosing problems. Otherwise he's a very competent mechanic--retired airplane mechanic actually--so I trust his judgment. For the moment, however, he is stumped as to why the thunk remains.
View 4 RepliesI recently (~2 weeks ago) had the air conditioner's compressor replaced in my 2003 Subaru Outback. Now, when I turn it on, it makes several loud noises like what an elephant would sound like. As well as noises that sound like a bubble popping in the "bubble blast/bubble popper" smart phone games. Every time it makes one of these noises, it also chugs the vehicle a little bit. If I turn it off, then back on again and set it to the lowest fan setting, it eventually stops.
Of course when I called the place where I had the compressor replaced, and brought it back in to them, it did not do it for them. I'm just glad that it FINALLY did it today for my husband to hear. That way I don't have to hear about it being chalked up to "pregnancy brain imagination". It originally started happening only if I had the air conditioner already on when I turned the vehicle on. Now it has progressed to every time the air is turned on in general. What could be happening?