Subaru - Outback :: No Brakes / Pedal Hard When Cold Outside
Jan 25, 2014
For the past 3 yrs only in the winter when its around 30 outside where my car is parked after i start the car and put it in reverse to back up i have no brakes, the pedal is hard, i have to put direct pressure and hold it down til it softens to the floor after about 5 to 10 seconds then i have brakes for the rest of the day. But this winter and its still cold out it has been happening intermittently during the daytime going front or back i have to try and pump the brakes til the peddle softens or i just press the peddle hard and hold til it softens and then it works takes about 3 to 4 seconds in the middle of the day. Only happens when i first start up the car. I have replaced the pads, rotors, master cylinder, flushed the whole system and the latest money drop was replacing the booster.
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I got a 2002 passat 1.8t in the shop fixin some bodywork on it. When its in the cold the brake pedal gets rock hard and if you step on it the brake lights come on and stay on, when it stays in the shop its fine.
Read online about an issue with water getting in the brake booster and freezing. found nothing in the search...
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I've got a 2008 Subaru Outback with a 5-speed standard, 50K on it. Lately, when I depress the clutch pedal, it makes a whining noise, in any gear or even in neutral. It goes away when I release the pedal. But it also stops making the noise when the engine warms up. That's the part that confuses me.
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So... I have a 99 Subaru Outback 5 speed that I love the hell out of. Anyway, recently my clutch pedal has started momentarily sticking mid return. The clutch appears to be fully engaged, but the pedal sticks, or hangs for a moment before popping the rest of the way up. Once, and only once so far, it stuck completely just for a moment before returning after being depressed again. I'm not sure how concerned I should be, and given that the car is new to me I'm still trying to familiarize myself with it.
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My 2003 subaru outback wagon, manual transmission, starting revving about 1500-2000 rpms higher than normal today. When I put the car in neutral, the car revs high sometimes increasing in rpms. Also when i left off the gas the car doesn't decrease in speed or rpms almost like the gas pedal is sticking. I revved the engine while in neutral a few times to try to see if I could get the rpms to drop but that didn't work. I had two belts changed yesterday (excluding the timing belt) and everything was fine with car until today, after driving 70 miles.
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Keeps coming on when car is cold.
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My 2003 Subaru outback has a gas smell when i first start it on very cold mornings. I live in New England. It goes away after the engine is warm. Also, it never happens in warm weather.
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When I use my automatic transmission to slow my vehicle on steep downhills, the RPMs are much higher than when the engine idles because I use my brakes. The pistons are firing many more times per minute - so am i using more gas? Is the answer different for a standard transmission?
My "mystery vehicle" is a 2011..... outback...
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I just took my 2002 Subaru into the dealer to have them fix a fuel line leak that I was hoping was on recall (it wasn't). I don't take my car to them regularly but they had to be the ones to diagnose it in case it was a recalled part. They called today and said that the fuel line was leaking onto my engine, that there was no recall, and that because they heard a ticking sound coming from my engine they were predicting my cam bearing was giving out and it would be $3000 to fix it. I asked how they diagnosed it and they said they have a guy there who knows the sound well and can hear it and predict it accurately, but they didn't actually take the engine apart or anything to check.
I'm feeling a bit confused. I will have my mechanic look at it and ask him what he thinks but he did my brakes not too long ago and did not mention any concern about the clicking. I change my oil like a responsible car owner and take care of it, but it does have 200,000 miles on it. I need to drive a long distance in a couple of weeks and am wondering if my engine is about to give out....
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I have a 2005 Subaru Outback XT with turbo. I have had a strange problem the last two winters and have stumped two mechanics, so far.
At this time of year, it is necessary to warm my car up for a few minutes in the morning. Last winter, when I warmed my car up, I would smell gasoline outside of the car and in the cab. It only happened when it is about 25 degrees or less outside. After about 10-15 minutes, once the car was warm, the smell would go away. I figured smelling gasoline was bad news, so, I took it to my mechanic who said he found a loose clamp in the engine. He tightened it and it fixed the problem. I didn't have any other issues that winter or through the next year.
But, this winter, the problem is back. I have moved, so, I took the car to a new mechanic (recommended by friends) and told him the issue. He said that he found a loose clamp between the engine and the turbo and tightened it. He said other than that, he can't think of anything. Well, that worked for a few days. But, now, the problem is back and with a vengeance. The smell is a bit different. Still like gasoline, but kind of like exhaust, too. And it is strong. I have to open the windows for a few minutes to air the car out before I can drive it. I took it back to the mechanic, but he is stumped and not sure what to do next.
I think my next step is to take it to a Subaru dealer, but with a 10 year old car, I'm hesitant to go that route. Though, I love my car and want it to last AND be safe to drive. What is going on?
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I have a 2007 subaru outback ll bean addition with 67,000 miles. For the past year and a half my gas pedal has intermittently become unresponsive. The engine is running just fine but the check engine light and cruise control light start blinking and boom-no gas. After turning off the engine, the car won't start until the gas pedal has magically started working again. The dash lights continue to blink for several starts but then stop.
Prior to this problem, I have noticed that sometimes the console lights for the radio and AC blink and sometimes go dark at which point the controls are ineffective. As if this wasn't enough, just yesterday when trying to start the car, the engine was having trouble turning over with a rapid clicking noise. It eventually started but now the seat belt buckle alarm is out of whack and the speedometer displays "ER U1."
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About 2 months ago, I noticed a high pitched whine on my 2005 Subaru Outback. It honestly sounds like a siren and is very noticeable. It occurs more often when the car is cold (1st thing in the morning) and around 20 mph. It sounds like it is coming from the rear of my car. It occurs whether or not I am pressing on the gas pedal. Once I get above about 30-40 mph, I don't notice it anymore (don't know if this is because other engine noises are drowning it out or what). It does not change or get worse when I turn. It seems to subside once my car is warm. Other people have heard it and some describe it like an airplane taking off.
I took it to the Subaru dealership and they said it was my alternator. Lo and behold a few hundred dollars later, it was still making the noise. A few days later, my CAM sensor went bad and I was back in the shop. Of course, I tried to get my car to make the noise for the mechanic, but it wouldn't cooperate. They didn't see anything wrong, but it is still making the noise. I have taken it to the dealership and they couldn't get it to make the noise. My rear wheel bearings were going bad and so I replaced those - under warranty, but it still makes the noise. I keep up with all my oil changes, services, etc. I just had the fluids checked and the power steering fluid is normal. The power steering pump has also been checked and it is normal. What this might be?
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I'm getting a gas smell when I start the car in the morning-especially if its cold. I typically blow the defroster which only makes it worse. It seems to be worse when its colder out and does not happen as the day goes on. My mechanic has checked for leaks-none. I thought it might be an oxygen sensor(?), he does not think so.
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115,000 miles, adult driven. Hard cranking, took into dealer. Replaced 4 injectors - cylinder 2 misfiring. Showed me return gas line clogged with brownish material. Dealer stymied.
Now, Subaru headquarters diagnoses replacing all steel fuel lines, fuel rails, fuel pump...full of rust from inside. Tank looks Ok, as does filler neck. Premium gas used always, added Drygas seasonally as needed.
Question: where the heck would rust come from? What can I do to prevent this problem again? Love the car...would like to get 200,000 from it.
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I have a 97 F250 that is having reoccurring brake issues, It has an intermittent hard pedal with little to no brakes when it occurs. It will stop but you are standing on the pedal with both feet. I have replaced the booster, master cylinder, and the vacuum pump in the past trying to isolate the issue and still had the problem. On this year model the abs ids only on the rear correct???? if it is shouldn't it only be affecting the rear brakes? Since this truck has a dual reservoir MC the front should still work?
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My outback has 57k miles on it and already needs the front struts and rack replaced (diagnosed today at the Subaru dealership). The car has been making a whining noise in the engine and has been clunking when making turns for the past week. I have also noticed it hasn't been taking bumps as smoothly. They told me that both ends of the rack are leaking and both front struts are leaking. My husband did admit to hitting the curb on the driver side front tire pretty hard while making a u-turn about a month ago, but all other driving is pretty standard. Yes, we drive on dirt roads in the mountains a few times a year for hiking, but don't drive in a manner that I consider wrong. Did the u-turn incident cause this? (hard to believe that would affect both sides of the rack and struts).
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I recently had my wheel hub and bearing replaced. The mechanic said I might hear a little noise with the brakes but they'd work. Turns out that noise is the Anti-lock braking system engaging every time I use the brakes. It happens when the car speed gets low, maybe 5-15 mph. Also, if I'm driving slow in a parking lot or something, and let off the gas, that change in speed sets the ABS system on too, without my foot being on the brake pedal.
I've also noticed sometimes when the weather is very cold, the ABS light will go on and the ABS brakes won't work; just regular brakes. Is this something that I'd be able to solve at home? Could I possibly bleed the brake lines to check for any air ( although braking seems fine ) , busted fuse for the system, anything else to check before asking the mechanic?
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My outback started giving me intermittent extended crank starting problems on cold engine starts a few months ago. I brought it in first to repair shop and then dealership. Battery replaced, all systems checked out, computer update, camshaft sensor shim, and still I have the problem. What this could be?
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2015 Outlook 2.5 CVT - Regardless of engine temp/or oil temp, transmission will stay in low gears (relative - its a CVT) such that the car is always doing approx. 2100 RPMs. When it occurs, 35mph is 2100 RPMs; when problem is not present, same speed would be approx 1200 RPMs. Same for higher speed. 45mph would be 2100 verses approx 1400rpm. Gear indicator does indicate a '4' or '5' when it would normally be '6'.
Outside temps in excess of 30 degress - no evidence of problem. Below 30, may or may not happen. No check engine light and it does affect MPG significantly.
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Whenever the temperature is below 20 degrees F and am idling at a stop light, if I have the heater fan running I get a horrible exhaust smell inside my car. I have discovered that I can lessen the bad smell by turning off the fans when the car is idling and then turning it back on when I start to drive.
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Need to determine the cause of a strange high-pitched squealing noise coming from the engine compartment of my 2008 Subaru Outback 2.5l automatic. The squeal happens only when the temperature is cold (below 32 degrees) AND I hit a bump. It happens more often the colder it is outside. The noise is definitely coming from the front of the car and seems like the passenger side but I can't be sure. It happens with the blower fan/AC both on and off so I don't think it is caused by that. It happens when the car is cold or driven for a while and warmed up.
It occurs at both high & low speeds. I checked all my fluids under the hood and everything is filled as it should be. There are no lights (check engine or ABS) on. Recommend any troubleshooting that I can try? I have not taken it to a mechanic yet as they might have a hard time reproducing the noise since it has to be below freezing and hit a decent bump. I attach a video that I took while driving last week on a 16 degree day and heard the squeal when I hit a bump. I had been driving for about 30 min when it occurred. I have more videos of the noise if needed.
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