STEVECHAPS

Apologies if this has been posted before but I returned from 1 week hols last night to find a dead as a doornail Scooby & seem to recall other such problems & want some other examples to tackle my Dealer with. Is it a fault or just a C**p standard battery? Either way, not impressed & whilst I'm whingeing, what about the Rubbish starting? Last Scoob was 1st time every time, this one isn't & splutters into life rather than firing up....any fix from the dealers?
All replies appreciated before I 'go off on one' with the supplier

Josh L

It's happened to quite a few people, including me, and in every case that I know of the battery has been replaced under warranty.

Ady 1

Steve C, it also happened to me, over xmas I left it 3 feekin days and it was dead as a dodo, tried to disarm alarm and no joy, had to open door and all hell let loose and couldn't disarm the alarm even with the 4 digit code, all a bit embarrasing with the next doors etc. After calling out Subaru roadside assist they said oh this happens to most STi8's yer battery will be just below 12 volts and they were right so they jump started me and off they went. I got pissed off having to start it and drive it every day just to keep a charge in so I took it to the dealer who duly swopped the battery for a new one under the warranty. I haven't left this one yet for any time and don't want to tempt fate but like you I find this quite unacceptable as I too had a classic shape scoob that fired up every time even after 3 weeks hols, keep us posted,I think its about time Subaru did something even if its planting a heavy duty battery on.

Regards Ady

PS You'll probably find someone will have a chew at you for calling it STi8, political correctness an all that sh!te, but who gives a toss anyway to me it is an STi8!!!

phil_r24_2

Hope this helps.

Below is an extract from a post I made a couple of weeks ago (basically my advice would be to go back to your dealer and get your battery exchanged under warranty, and also get them to test the amp drain with the car parked and everything switch off (except the alarm and tracker of course). I would expect the amp drain to be around 1mA):


Sti8 Battery Problems

During my discussions with IM regarding the Prodrive spring kit/fitting situation, I asked several questions regarding my MY03 Sti8 battery problems (As I’m today having my second replacement battery fitted!!).

Firstly I asked about the possibility of the alternator being linked to the MY03 Sti8’s battery problems, and the recommendation of driving with the side lights on in order to ensure the battery is correctly charged. IM told me that they have carried out various tests and there is no problem with the alternator on the current MY03 Sti8, and that all their tests showed the alternator to be correctly charging the battery.

I also asked IM about the potential for a high voltage drain on the MY03 Sti8 causing the battery to completely discharge. IM said that they have had no reports of any MY03 Sti8 with high voltage drain issues, and thus IM did not expect there to be any link with the batch of reported battery problems.

The latest bit of information I have on the MY03 STi8 battery situation has come from my local dealer. The alternator charge to the battery is controlled by the ECU, and where the battery falls to 11.8 volts the ECU recharges the battery

Ok well I hope the above information is of some assistance. I would also like to take this opportunity to thanks International Motors / Subaru UK for all their help with the above information.

korky

STi 7s are the same - poor show if you ask me!

Korky

mwp

me too last week for the second time ... told dealer to replace battery next week ... they said ok.

f**kin annoying if you are at an airport carpark at 9pm !!

STEVECHAPS

Ok, rang dealer & new battery going on as soon as I get there. They were bothered enough about the starting issue to want the car overnight but I'll see if a new (Better?) battery makes any difference.
As said, damn inconvenient at 11pm when bloody knackered & neighbours kids asleep etc.
Used to have this sort of probs as a pimply youth with 10 yr old Capri's so a bit gutted really, especially with bragging rights ('Subaru's never go wrong like your French Crap') over wife's C**roen now lost as it started first time

mutant_matt

Also, the STi MY01> can be a pig to start sometimes as it only bearly makes it due to aparently, the Euro emmissions on startup it has to pass.

Make sure you turn the ignition on and wait for the pump to finish priming (stop whiring) before you turn it over - this usually helps it with the starting....

Matt