update: hesitating '01 outback in summer

T

Todd H.

Greetings,

Background:
A while ago I bemoaned my Outback's penchant for running rough when
first started, and hesitating in general during the warm months. It
felt most rough and awkward after a restart during a hot day.

Example: backing out of the parking spot at the store would involve
pushing down on the accelerator and having wimpy power until after a
second the engine would kind of catch its breath and then you'd feel
it kick in like you'd expect. You'd feel like you have to back off
the accelerator a tad to let it catch its breath and then it would
eventually kick in with some power. A similar feeling would occur
when accelerating from a stop. Within a few minutes, that really bad
hesitation would be gone, but would never entirely go away--regardless
of whether the A/C is on or not.

And what was weird is that this problem never bugs me in the winter.

I'd talked to the factory srevice rep about this after several trips
to the dealer where the tech tried to tell me my car was normal. The
service rep gave me a more assuring feeling by saying this was an
undesirably normal condition, and that Subaru was aware of it, and
working on a fix.

The Evidently there is one out there. I got an ECU update today and it
appears to have fixed the issue. Caveat: it's not that hot today,
but the car is thus far driving much better and without this
hesitation.

Program 455-288 UPG-48 was the update applied to my ECU today. It's
the first new ECU code that it's had since last spring, or perhaps
earlier.

Best Regards,
 
Greetings,

Background:
A while ago I bemoaned my Outback's penchant for running rough when
first started, and hesitating in general during the warm months. It
felt most rough and awkward after a restart during a hot day.

Example: backing out of the parking spot at the store would involve
pushing down on the accelerator and having wimpy power until after a
second the engine would kind of catch its breath and then you'd feel
it kick in like you'd expect. You'd feel like you have to back off
the accelerator a tad to let it catch its breath and then it would
eventually kick in with some power. A similar feeling would occur
when accelerating from a stop. Within a few minutes, that really bad
hesitation would be gone, but would never entirely go away--regardless
of whether the A/C is on or not.

And what was weird is that this problem never bugs me in the winter.

I'd talked to the factory srevice rep about this after several trips
to the dealer where the tech tried to tell me my car was normal. The
service rep gave me a more assuring feeling by saying this was an
undesirably normal condition, and that Subaru was aware of it, and
working on a fix.

The Evidently there is one out there. I got an ECU update today and it
appears to have fixed the issue. Caveat: it's not that hot today,
but the car is thus far driving much better and without this
hesitation.

Program 455-288 UPG-48 was the update applied to my ECU today. It's
the first new ECU code that it's had since last spring, or perhaps
earlier.

Best Regards,

Good info to know. Thanks for the update.

BoB
 
Thanks for the info Todd.
A question regarding ECU updates and newer models.
Do the newer models have the updates installed in the ECU when built, and do
dealers automatically update the ECU's when the vehicle is in for service?
Or do you have to have a problem and ask for the update? You'd think (hope?)
they'd automatically update to the new code so as to circumvent any problems
or complaints, but if they aren't making $$ on it, maybe not?
Any comments on this would be appreciated.
Brian
 
Brian McCloskey said:
Thanks for the info Todd.
A question regarding ECU updates and newer models.
Do the newer models have the updates installed in the ECU when built, and do
dealers automatically update the ECU's when the vehicle is in for service?
Or do you have to have a problem and ask for the update? You'd think (hope?)
they'd automatically update to the new code so as to circumvent any problems
or complaints, but if they aren't making $$ on it, maybe not?
Any comments on this would be appreciated.
Brian

I don't know.

You'd think the factory would blow the latest fully qualified ECU code
in at the factory. Given how long it takes for new ECU code to get
out htere because the whole care needs to be recertified with it (or
so I'm told--federal fuel emissions requirement), I'd find it hard to
believe that the factory would be blowing the latest code into new
ECU's they install at the factory.

I agree that the dealer has little incentive to tie up a service
tech's time pre-delivery to do this sort of thing when it's non
billable.

Best Regards,
 
Greetings,

Background:
A while ago I bemoaned my Outback's penchant for running rough when
first started, and hesitating in general during the warm months. It
felt most rough and awkward after a restart during a hot day.

Example: backing out of the parking spot at the store would involve
pushing down on the accelerator and having wimpy power until after a
second the engine would kind of catch its breath and then you'd feel
it kick in like you'd expect. You'd feel like you have to back off
the accelerator a tad to let it catch its breath and then it would
eventually kick in with some power. A similar feeling would occur
when accelerating from a stop. Within a few minutes, that really bad
hesitation would be gone, but would never entirely go away--regardless
of whether the A/C is on or not.

And what was weird is that this problem never bugs me in the winter.

I'd talked to the factory srevice rep about this after several trips
to the dealer where the tech tried to tell me my car was normal. The
service rep gave me a more assuring feeling by saying this was an
undesirably normal condition, and that Subaru was aware of it, and
working on a fix.

The Evidently there is one out there. I got an ECU update today and it
appears to have fixed the issue. Caveat: it's not that hot today,
but the car is thus far driving much better and without this
hesitation.

Program 455-288 UPG-48 was the update applied to my ECU today. It's
the first new ECU code that it's had since last spring, or perhaps
earlier.

Just to confirm this...after driving the car two weeks, I'm pleased to
say the hesitation/rough running/choke-then-surging things I noticed
a minute or so after a cold start of a warm restart are indeed gone.
This ECU reprgrogramming was a welcome welcome thing.
 
Todd H. said:
Just to confirm this...after driving the car two weeks, I'm pleased to
say the hesitation/rough running/choke-then-surging things I noticed
a minute or so after a cold start of a warm restart are indeed gone.
This ECU reprgrogramming was a welcome welcome thing.

Did a dealer reprogram it? Did they charge you?

Thanks, Matt
 
Matt Levitt said:
Did a dealer reprogram it?
Yes.

Did they charge you?

No. But then again, I'm still under the 5/50 powertrain warranty. I
don't know if my dealer knows about the extended warranty I bought
yet.
 

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