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What's up with my Subaru?
Hi I have a Subaru -11 Outback, 2L diesel Problem Started with it cutting out on idle when cold. Would get better after a couple of minutes. No fault code and Subaru shop had no clue. Then it started to die on idle even when war, Still no help from Subaru here. Now it will crank over but die if it fires up. Still no fault code or help. EGR, filters and pumps are ok. Reset of idle has no effect. If I give it a bit of pedal when starting it will start sometimes. If I aim at 2000 rpm it immidiately cuts down to 1500 by itself. First minute it will smell very bad at the exhaust. When running it will cut out directly if it goes under 1100 rpm. But when running it is running very well and low consumption. Very unreliable to drive like this. Subaru find nothing so I ´m really hoping you can point me in the right direction. Regards Richard Lehtonen Norrköping, Sweden
Our answer:
Hi Richard,
That car's engine is known to build up carbon deposits in the combustion chambers, which can cause running issues that may not be flagged up in the on-board diagnostics. Only way to fix that is to take the engine apart and have it cleaned, which is a huge job, unfortunately, and not worth investing in unless the chambers can be examined via a camera first - easier said than done of course.
Another possiblity is a slipped timing belt, though we would not expect the engine to ever run right if that had happened.
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