[PHBMD]

I mentioned a wheel imbalance with I took my OB in for another issue. My car was kept for 1 week and driven a total of 65 miles (I had a loaner). When I picked it up the steering seemed sorta sluggish or perhaps less power assisted. My service ticket does not reflect a TSB but I really wonder.

Is there a positive way to verify a/the shake related TSB was performed?

 

[PHBMD]

Anybody?

 

[plain OM]

There were several technical service bulletins issued regarding vibrations/shaking, with related work ranging from simple re-balancing of tires through replacement of major suspension and steering components.

I'm surprised there's nothing mentioned on the invoice/work order. It might not say "TSB", but if a mechanic spent any time on the issue it should be listed (with no cost).

The TSBs were posted; for example try http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/108-steering-wheel-shake-issues/28545-tsb-05-48-10-revision.html and http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...issues/31271-finally-shakes-fix-released.html

Perhaps it will be possible to see what might have been done, in terms of replaced parts.

 

[ChromeDomeAl]

PHBMD, A TSB is a forum for technicians to get onto so they can log common problems and potential solutions. So just to clarify, what Plain OM is getting might not be the same issue you're getting at. A technician simply performing work on your car and recording it on a work-order doesn't trigger a TSB. FYI.

A technician will always drive a car when diagnosing a problem like the one you took in the car for. I'd suggest looking for signs of the technician hitting something, like a deep pothole, or other signs of bad driving. Other than that, I have no clue...

 

[PHBMD]

I need to look at the TSB (thanks for the links) in terms of replaced parts and see if something was done and not documented. It sounds paranoid on my part, but when I picked my car up after over 1 week, the steering felt 'weighted' or something. The time in the shop and the miles aren't justified by the work described on the ticket.

 

[plain OM]

. . . A TSB is a forum for technicians to get onto so they can log common problems and potential solutions. . . .

In this case (and as used most often in this forum), "TSB" refers to "Technical Service Bulletin", which is a notice from Subaru to dealers (and others able to access Subaru's technical information web-site material) about a problem being reported by consumers and providing Subaru's "solution". Where a car is still under warranty, the TSB will indicate the time allowed for the repair and the parts to be used. The linked threads have posts with several TSBs as attachments, all of which are related to a vibration/shaking issue found in some 2010+ Outbacks.

 

[plain OM]

I need to look at the TSB (thanks for the links) in terms of replaced parts and see if something was done and not documented. It sounds paranoid on my part, . . .

It would be strange if something was done and not documented, especially given the time frame and mileage. But a change in the steering feel, if I recall correctly, was something others who did have the "final" measures done also noted. (The general idea was a more stable, perhaps "heavy" steering feel. You might see these remarks in the linked threads.)

Did you check with the dealer? Perhaps the TSB was implemented and was recorded but on a second invoice that the dealer inadvertently didn't give to you when the car was picked up. Certainly, if the TSB was implemented, the dealer would have to have a record in order to recover the cost from SOA.

Let us know what you find.

 

[foxrider68]

They did it for you. Part of the fix is to install a different spring in the gear box and tighten down the stop harder which is what changed the steering on you. The miles probably represent freeway driving before and after that they did to confirm the results. I don't think you would physically notice a difference on your A-arm, column, and bushings. However if you crawl under you should be able to tell what bolts were taken off and or are new on a used vehicle.

Does the car still vibrate on you? If not let it go, don't worry about a piece of paper as the work has been done.

 

[PHBMD]

They did it for you. Part of the fix is to install a different spring in the gear box and tighten down the stop harder which is what changed the steering on you. The miles probably represent freeway driving before and after that they did to confirm the results. I don't think you would physically notice a difference on your A-arm, column, and bushings. However if you crawl under you should be able to tell what bolts were taken off and or are new on a used vehicle.

Does the car still vibrate on you? If not let it go, don't worry about a piece of paper as the work has been done.

Bingo...that's what I think happened. Perhaps the dealer & SOA didn't want to lead me down this vibration path (figuring I had no clue yet). Also, my service history links on 'MySubaru' do not work for this particular service date, but other service history links do work. But, if I'm correct on this, I do lose the documented service of a shake related repair.

I don't know what I might find that could be a smoking gun. My VIN is B*373###, so some shake remedies may have been done at the factory anyway.

Right now, last week's wheel balance of the original Conti tires (that I paid for) seems to have the car riding decent....or at least riding well enough for tires that may be suspect. Maybe I'm ok for now. I surely would prefer no hint of a shake so this car and I car can go on and live together. But the thought of paying $$$ and being stuck with design defects is maddening.