Started with a 'Check Engine' light !
16 September 2012, 07:53 PM
#1
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Started with a 'Check Engine' light !
Greetings all.....
This is the first time Ive had to ask a question here, but I'm totally stumped.
Ive got a 99 Forester 'S' Turbo and it is brilliant (usually), a bit thirsty but I live out in the sticks and it gets me and all my tools/equipment to any job in any weather. Basically, the car earns me money !
Several months ago the Check Engine light flashed on/off whilst driving yet there was no loss of power. I pulled over and checked everything but all was OK so I continued on my journey. This happened several times over the next few weeks but again, no loss of power and all OK. Ive tried getting the codes read but two different garages cannot get their reader to connect (one was Snap-on, the other an ELM327 unit). One garage suggested that the ECU had been 'locked' but I seriously doubt this. Gradually, I noticed the car start to hesitate when the Check Engine light flashed on/off so I gave it a full service (plugs, fluids and filters), new MAF and new Lambda. I also checked all the accessible vac-hoses for rips and tears but found none. The car ran alright for several days but then the problem returned. Over the last few weeks, the Check Engine light has started to come on more regularly and the hesitation become more pronounced until today when it belched out a load of black smoke whilst accelerating.
When the car is running OK, which is about 80% of the time, the performance is incredible but the fact that I can lose power without warning is very un-nerving !
Its nearly MOT time and the car has always flown through its test but this time I need a new windscreen and full exhaust system in addition to sorting this engine problem.
I'm verging on taking the car to a Subaru specialist but know that I will need a bank loan for them to look at it ! There is also the fact that I have serviced and worked on this car for years so would not like to throw in the towel just yet !!!
Can anyone point me in a new direction or suggest something I havent tried yet.
This is the first time Ive had to ask a question here, but I'm totally stumped.
Ive got a 99 Forester 'S' Turbo and it is brilliant (usually), a bit thirsty but I live out in the sticks and it gets me and all my tools/equipment to any job in any weather. Basically, the car earns me money !
Several months ago the Check Engine light flashed on/off whilst driving yet there was no loss of power. I pulled over and checked everything but all was OK so I continued on my journey. This happened several times over the next few weeks but again, no loss of power and all OK. Ive tried getting the codes read but two different garages cannot get their reader to connect (one was Snap-on, the other an ELM327 unit). One garage suggested that the ECU had been 'locked' but I seriously doubt this. Gradually, I noticed the car start to hesitate when the Check Engine light flashed on/off so I gave it a full service (plugs, fluids and filters), new MAF and new Lambda. I also checked all the accessible vac-hoses for rips and tears but found none. The car ran alright for several days but then the problem returned. Over the last few weeks, the Check Engine light has started to come on more regularly and the hesitation become more pronounced until today when it belched out a load of black smoke whilst accelerating.
When the car is running OK, which is about 80% of the time, the performance is incredible but the fact that I can lose power without warning is very un-nerving !
Its nearly MOT time and the car has always flown through its test but this time I need a new windscreen and full exhaust system in addition to sorting this engine problem.
I'm verging on taking the car to a Subaru specialist but know that I will need a bank loan for them to look at it ! There is also the fact that I have serviced and worked on this car for years so would not like to throw in the towel just yet !!!
Can anyone point me in a new direction or suggest something I havent tried yet.
16 September 2012, 08:56 PM
#3
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ive got my own ELM327 scanner (bought from ebay last year) and works on everything except my Scooby 
Tried all the free software (and some dodgy downloads) but nothing works. Chap at garage said that some dealers cut a wire behing the OBDII port so you have to go back to them for diagnostics but my port and wiring is fine.
Can get a reading of battery voltage when it connects but keep getting "Vehicle Data-bus or Power Supply error" message.
Tried all the free software (and some dodgy downloads) but nothing works. Chap at garage said that some dealers cut a wire behing the OBDII port so you have to go back to them for diagnostics but my port and wiring is fine.
Can get a reading of battery voltage when it connects but keep getting "Vehicle Data-bus or Power Supply error" message.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
charlesr
General Technical
9
28 September 2015 09:16 AM
TylerD529
Lighting and Other Electrical
5
20 September 2015 12:10 PM