Subaru - Outback :: 2010 Keeps Blowing Fan Fuses And Overheats
Apr 29, 2013
Several weeks ago, my wife drove our Outback for 10 minutes, turned the car off, then turned it back on after 10 minutes. After 15 minutes of its being on the second time and the car being in a car line, the red temperature indicator blinked, then went solid. She pulled over to let it cool, then put coolant in the overflow reservoir when she got home. The reservoir was nearly empty. The very next day, the exact same thing happened, in the exact same sequence - 10 minutes on, 10 off, 15 minutes on in a car line, then indicator came on again.
I took it to a mechanic who could not reproduce the issue after letting it run for four hours. He replaced the fuses and told us to bring him the car when the problem recurred. Reservoir tank is full, no blockage in line from radiator to overflow tank.
The next day, for a third time, the car overheated in the pickup line. We brought it in the following day. The mechanic finally was able to reproduce the issue. He said that both fans (a subi outback has two) needed to be replaced, as they were drawing a tremendous amount. He advised that I take it to subaru to find out if there was anything they could do re: warranty.
I took it to subaru, who said that the fans are not now under warranty (we have 65k on the car). I decided to have them replace the fans anyway, so I asked them for a diagnosis. However, after two days in the shop, they were unable to reproduce the problem. They ran the car in idle, they tried to recreate the stop-and-go/standstill environment of a carline, but no luck. They said that the fans were drawing the expected amount and that they would need recreate in order to diagnose.
I have two questions:
1) Should I replace the fans myself? I can either take the car back to the first mechanic and have him replace the fans or I can do it myself. I can do basic jobs like oil changes, replacing serpentine belts, but I'm not sure what nuances are involved with replacing anything electrical.
2) Most importantly: What would cause both fans in a relatively young subi to spike their amperage draw intermittently? I guess it's possible that i just got two bad fans, but that doesn't seem to be a common problem with this model. So, I want to make sure that this issue is not indicative of some other underlying problem.
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My engine starts to overheat (the thermostat creeps up towards the red) when I run the a/c. This started this summer. If I turn the a/c off, it settles back to normal. Mechanics said a/c pressure sensor was defective and caused a/c clutch to stay on all the time. so they replaced the a/c receiver dryer (whatever that is). didn't fix it. they looked again and said a/c fans were cutting out and causing overheating. they replaced them. that didn't fix it. now they're proposing exploratory open heart surgery: opening up the engine. if it only happens when the a/c runs, seems extreme.
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My 2001 Subaru Outback H6-3.0 is at 215k miles (I bought it for $4k at 201k miles). It overheats only when I drive for a while on a hot day. I was trying to get to Yosemite with my whole family in the car, and rather than do the intelligent thing and go back home and get it repaired, I kept going, stopping when the gauge started going past the middle to let it cool down and replace any water it was missing (after the engine cooled, of course). Amazingly, we managed to use the car almost normally during the trip, as long as we did short-ish trips and kept some water in the car. Having to pull over randomly isn't so bad when you are in Yosemite anyway.
There was a mechanic shop in the little town we stayed in, but they weren't equipped to to do a head gasket job in the little time we were going to be up there, and we needed the car to get around anyway. So I tried putting some of that coolant leak repair gunk in there and it seemed to work. We made it the hundreds of miles home, no problem (but it was downhill, where the trip up there was uphill). Problem solved, right?
Well, about a year later of only driving the thing about 50 miles in any given run, and not terribly hot weather, we decide to go a few hundred miles south. Sure enough, it was a hot day and after about 60 miles I saw the temp gauge go past mid and immediately pulled over. After it cooled a bit, I drove it (in two hops, because it started heating up again quickly) to a shop. They tested it and sure enough it's a head gasket leak. They said it'd be $2500 to fix it.
So far this car has been pretty good to me otherwise. Numerous times, I've taken it up 300+ miles into the snow and ice covered roads to go skiing and LOVE not having to put chains on. I am guessing that all the cold air up there kept it from overheating while I was pushing it pretty hard up some steep inclines without issue. It seems like there is a temperature threshold beyond which it starts to quickly overheat, and below witch, the gasket is holding fine, or something along those lines.
So, given that I like this car, is it worth another $2500 to get her back on the road? Should I just try the leak stopping junk again? Should I have been using "SUBARU cooling system conditioner" this whole time, even though it's not one of the supposed head-gasket-problem engines? Should I just drive it until it finally overheats to death? It's probably still fine to drive in moderate to cool temperatures (winter is coming), but I haven't driven it since the leaking head gasket diagnosis. I don't know if I did permanent damage to it that day, or if it's just its usual self still. It didn't get into the red, heat-wise.
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We have a new 2010 Subaru Outback and all is well except an issue with the passenger airbag. It cycles ON -OFF - ON - OFF - - - while driving. The Subaru dealer has checked it twice & says it is properly operating. We contacted Subaru, they contacted the dealer and responded, per dealer it is OK. The cycling makes us uncomfortable with the saftey of the system. She weighs right at 100 Lbs, if we hit a bump in the road the airbag status changes, if she shifts her position in the seat the status changes, it may change without any outside influence, etc. If it would maintain it's status it would seem more reliable.
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The head gaskets are less than 2 years old, radiator only almost 3 years old, I've constantly had oil leak issue. Now the problem is my temperature gauge rises after driving for 20-30 minutes when I'm going at a lower speed or in stop and go traffic. Both fans are working, no leaks, new thermostat, and new radiator cap.
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I have a 2001 Olds Alero. The AC compressor went out so my father in law and I replaced it. It worked fine for about one month, not it keeps blowing the a 10 amp fuse (can't remember which one at this moment, my wife is at the store with the car). I have been told that it is a bad wire, I can't see any pinche wires and have looked up to where the wires go into the tape/plastic casing. I have also been told that it is the compressor that is doing it (the parts store said this was not the case... I think they just don't wanna warranty anything).
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92 PA Base
It's that time again for vehicle inspection and my horn has been blowing fuses. I had it diagnosed by the dealership and they stated the horn pad inside the steering wheel is bad. They also stated the horn pads for my model of PA has been discontinued and that I should install an aftermarket horn. If I don't have this horn installed I'll fail the inspection.
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So I just got a new Passport Radar for the car and noticed that im getting no power...Checked the fuse box and and fuse was blown...replace it and the fuse blows automatically.
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So I installed my XS HID low beams and fogs a couple of weeks ago, and everything was working fantastic. However, when I installed my LED turns and load resistors, whenever I turn on the low beams, the inline 30A fuse pops. The HID fogs continue to work. The switchback turns work great, and I have never got any hyperflashing.
I have checked all the connections, and they all seem strong. I have used the diagram I found on here from exLEDshop outlining all the connections on the pin array for the headlight harness. I am tapped into the blue wire on the driver's side for + turn and the black for -, and the black w/orange stripe on the passenger side for + turn, and the black for -. If I accidentally have the load resistors connected to the wrong wire, would the turns hyperflash?
I know that it would be better if I used grounding points on the chassis for the load resistors, but could this be causing the short? Or could bad ballasts that are the culprit? The only reason I'm leaning away from it being the ballasts is because they worked fine until I put the load resistors in.
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My 2010 Subaru Outback recently surprised the hell out of me by simultaneously turning on the brake warning light, the traction control light, the check engine light and (just for a bonus!) disabled my cruise control while flashing the cruise control light. I pulled over, quickly surmising that all of those systems could not have failed at 70 MPH without instantaneous death to either me or the vehicle. Both apparently still being alive, I tried turning the car on an off to reset the lights. No go. Subaru was not going to miss this chance to get me to the dealership! (who I had avoided to this point!) As I was far away from home and the car being very healthy, it seemed, I decided to drive on. I proceeded to put a couple of hundred more miles on the car before I got back to town.
My car had 39,000 miles on it, 3,000 miles beyond the warranty end. I learned that I have an error code of P0171, "Fuel Trim Malfunction (Air/Fuel too lean)". So I guess I'm wondering about a few things...why would this sensor set off every light on my dashboard and disable my cruise control? Seems a bit overblown for running a bit lean. My gut tells me Subaru has a sensor/software problem they are not owning up to. I'm a big fan of conspiracy theories and this really smells like one...
Second, jeez, I'm only 3K miles over warranty, don't you think they'd cut me some slack. I mean I love my Subaru, or did anyway, until this happened. Now it's just another POS car that breaks for no apparent reason...
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I just got my led switch back lights in for my 08 camry. But I have run into a problem I have installed all four led signal lights (switch backs in the front and led ambers in the back) and the led flash relay for my car. What is happening is that the led will turn on for a couple of seconds and then the fuse for the signal lights burns out both the one under the dash and the one under the hood.
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I've blown my turn signal fuse for 3 times until the relay burned out. Now I have had cleaned turn signal switch (with CC) from all of the old stuff in there and replaced hazard switch. But it happens again! After 5 minutes driving, both fuses (7,5 AMP for turn signals and 15 AMP hazard) blown out. I'm afraid there are some shorts in wirings.
I'm looking for the wiring diagrams or any other users experience in this matter... Where shall I start from?
There was a water leakage behind and under drivers seat. I removed trims etc. to lift the carpet to take the Comfort Module for checking as there were some weird thing in overall car electric systems (central locking, saloon lightnings, electric windows and dropping gauges on instrument panel. I found a small amount of water in container, where the module is placed, but on the electric parts weren't any water marks... Also it's impossible to connect to the CCM via vag-com.
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Suddenly my 2007 Sonata Limited trunk and gas lid fuse keeps blowing.
I'm not an electrical guy so I don't know how to check with a meter, I oiled the latches. My car was rear ended near the tank lid/bumper area a few years ago, but everything worked fine til recently.
I can replace the fuse, but after a few uses it will blow, sometimes it will blow without being used. I can't tell if it's the trunk or gas lid causing the problem because nothing will happen immediately, Basically I am only finding out my fuse blew when I need to use it.
Where I could look to inspect the wiring for kinks or it's connection run?
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About 11pm 2 nights ago on our way to Florida, hit a nasty bump on I-95 in SC and there went the fuse to the tail lights and dash lights (#17 I believe). Obviously something shook loose from the jarring of that bump and blew the fuse. I've blown this fuse before, but I thought it was due to a cracked LR tail light assembly holding water, which was replaced last weekend.
Now I replace the fuse, and as soon as I hit the headlight switch...it blows again. Holding my breath running around FL at night until the man pulls me over for no tail lights. So far, here's what work has been done:
- Replaced entire LR tail light assembly with new one, new bulbs, new bulb plugs - Sprayed electrical cleaner all over harness plugs, and used electrical grease to hook it back up
- Sprayed electrical cleaner into both trailer plugs
- Did replace both batteries last weekend - noticed on the drivers side battery appears to be some relays next to the battery on the fenders - one appeared to be beat up probably due to prior battery replacements - no clue what they do
I am at a total loss. Worse fear is I can't figure this out and I have to turn it over to the dealership
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Why the rear Auxiliary A/C blower on a 2004 Sport Trac keeps blowing fuses and how to fix it?
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I drive a 98 Subaru Forester and last month the village cop pulled me over for having no brake lights. It turned out to be a blown fuse for the brake lights so I replaced it, problem solved. Well, I got pulled over by the same cop, in the same place tonight. Blown fuse for the brake lights. It seems like a fuse should last more than a few weeks. Is there a problem which would over tax the fuse?
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Having an issue with my car blowing fuel pump fuses every once in a while under heavy to moderate acceleration. Have replaced inline fuel filter and the fuel pump resister(white ceramic part). Runs fine with normal driving, but when I want to get some horses out of it, it will cut out and stall and once i replace blown fuse it will start back up again, and I'm off and running again.
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Car is a 2002 b5.5 1.8t sedan.
Bought the DDM Tuning HIDs, 3500k 35w for the fogs, installed with no problems. Also ordered the 5000k 35w for the low beams. Installed them, they flickered on for a second, then nothing. Let the ballasts charge for a while but still nothing. Called DDM, they said my car needs a error code eliminator kit thing later they were at my doorstep. Plugged one side in, flicked on then nothing. Thought both sides might need the code eliminators plugged in...wrong. both flickered on, and then nothing. Tried again, no flicker, both low beam fuses burned. Plugged the regular bulbs in, changed the fuses, lights working again.
I don't know much about electrical, but DDM said i def don't need a relay kit. Do I need a relay kit? Or would putting higher amperage fuses in the place of the original ones work? if so what amperage?
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My Stratus started blowing the starter fuses occasionally when I tried to crank the engine. It stopped for a while (about three months) but recently started doing it again and much more frequently now.
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My wife's AC quit blowing air last week (a '05 Nissan Altima), so I decided to check all the fuses before just replacing the blower motor. I pulled all fuses out in all three fuse boxes and didn't find any blown. Got a call from an upset wife later that day saying she could not shift the car out of park. Currently, she is driving it by using a screwdriver to release the safety switch next to the shifter.
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So I pulled into my driveway yesterday about 5 minutes after my low fuel light came on and as I was making the final turn around my house the engine cut off. Luckily I was able to park in it's normal spot before coming to a halt.
Anyway at first I though "out of gas" even though I knew I'd driven further with the light on. After putting in 3 gallons still no luck. I noticed with the key on no noise from the fuel pump so I checked the fuse and relay both were fine. I then checked all the other fuses and noticed the large 30amp PCM fuse under the hood was blown.
When I replaced it, it blew instantly. I was able to hear the fuel pump come on for a brief second before it blew out. Unsure if the two were related I then pulled the Fuel Pump fuse and replaced the PCM fuse one more time and again it blew. The motor cranks over but won't fire (not getting fuel.) Where I can start to correct the issue.
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