Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!

this car is just like a ticking time bomb. a little history...just had a new engine put in (subaru reman) and a new ecu put in. it's been running shoddy and the shop couldn't figure out why...call today and they've narrowed it down to the car is shooting electricity back into the ecu after starting. how is this possible and has anyone ever heard about this??????? they said the tool that would be used to help diagnose why is not even available in the US so they're going to try and jury rig something up from radio shack. now, the car was running fine before i brought it into firestone (previous posts)...all that they did was replace the rack and pinion and brakes...then also 'testing' to find out why my car was making such a loud noise. who knows what they did. any input would help tons...

[kuoh]

Now I like getting parts and gadgets from Radio Shack as much as the next guy, but it sounds like they're trying to jury rig some more money out of your wallet. First of all, how exactly did they determine that the car is "shooting" electricity back into the ECU? Obviously there are electrical signals travelling between the ECU and various engine sensors and components, but I don't think this is what they're talking about. Now if they somehow screwed up your service initially and shorted some wires and partially fried your ECU, I supposed that could be considered "shooting" your ECU. Is this Firestone or a Subaru dealership that's giving you this explanation?

KuoH

Originally posted by kuoh
Now I like getting parts and gadgets from Radio Shack as much as the next guy, but it sounds like they're trying to jury rig some more money out of your wallet. First of all, how exactly did they determine that the car is "shooting" electricity back into the ECU? Obviously there are electrical signals travelling between the ECU and various engine sensors and components, but I don't think this is what they're talking about. Now if they somehow screwed up your service initially and shorted some wires and partially fried your ECU, I supposed that could be considered "shooting" your ECU. Is this Firestone or a Subaru dealership that's giving you this explanation?

KuoH

these are the subaru people...i'm never taking my car to firestone again. i don't have a clue what the hell they're doing to my car right now...personally, i'd like to just take it to another shop, but we really don't have anywhere else to go except dealers around here (that are reputable). whatever is happening with the electrical...that's what i needed that 80-whatever fuse for (b/c it had blown). i kinda believe the subaru people b/c right after i tried to drive it away from firestone (in the beginning of march)...there was the engine thing, and the car would die (electrical would be fading in and out). my mistake was letting the firestone people keep my car over the weekend and fiddle around with it (the "systems testing"). but on the other hand it's taken the subaru people two weeks after they finally got the engine in to tell me this. i'm just ready to cry or something...i think i'll have put around 8k into the car since i got at the end of feb...and i only paid 5 for it. luckily, my mom has a soft heart and is taking up most of it, but still...this is ridiculous. car was running great when i bought it...brought it to two different shops to be looked at (one was the dealership) and it checked out fine. the root of my problems started with firestone...and now it's just a damn plague.

[kuoh]

Maybe the car is just getting too old, but more and more it's beginning to sound like the more professional service, no offense to the techs here, we get for the SVX, the worse off we seem to be.

To be perfectly honest, my SVX has not been to a shop for any service, except for the wheel bearings, in the last 2 to 3 years and still seems to run well. Ofcourse it could fall apart tomorrow, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it doesn't since I just returned my leased 300M last Friday. Am I ever glad to get that beast out of my hands and my wallet!

Now I just have to save up for new belts, water pump, seals, 4x struts, and wish for new headlights and a paint job. Oh, and an MP3 player and a better sub.

KuoH

[svx_commuter]

(the "systems testing

I feel for you man. It is really sad when you think a shop messes something up. Stay with the facts. "The car was fine when you brought it in."

I know this will not help you now but for others.... The car has its own diagnostic system that can be activated to check out the sensors of the engine and transmission. It is not hard to do. No special tools required. No need to go to a shop for this.

[Landshark]

stay the hell away from Firestone!!! i took my beater car there to have the fuel filter changed. they charged me for the filter/labor. i paid. then walked out to the parking lot where my car was sitting, and for whatever reason, i happened to look under the car at the same old rusty fuel filter. they never even bothered to change it. i flipped out on them (in front of a line of customers, of course) and made them change it right then as i watched. i won't be going back, even with the beater. bunch of morons - i sure as hell wouldn't take my SVX there. i'm not sure i'm confident they could do an oil change right.

Alan

Originally posted by Landshark
stay the hell away from Firestone!!! i took my beater car there to have the fuel filter changed. they charged me for the filter/labor. i paid. then walked out to the parking lot where my car was sitting, and for whatever reason, i happened to look under the car at the same old rusty fuel filter. they never even bothered to change it. i flipped out on them (in front of a line of customers, of course) and made them change it right then as i watched. i won't be going back, even with the beater. bunch of morons - i sure as hell wouldn't take my SVX there. i'm not sure i'm confident they could do an oil change right.

Alan

heh...while my car was making knocking noises...they thought that changing my oil and then revving the engine a few times in neutral would do it some good. all the while the thing got louder and louder...gotta love the thought of all the little bearing pieces that were flying thru my whole oil system and engine trust me, they will never have my business again