It almost sounds like you have a problem with the transmission linkage rattling in one position and not in another.

For what it's worth, if the dealer is handling this problem as a "non-issue" and they really have not checked into your problem much, I'd take it to another dealership, or insist that your present dealer put in a little more effort into diagnosing the problem. You don't want the linkage to come loose or an important part to vibrate off or become disconnected as you drive down the road.....

 

The dealer basically blew me off. They were very quick to call it a "characteristic."

Is there an easy way to see if the linkage is the problem? I plan on going to another dealer.

 

Anybody else have any thoughts?

Nick

 

It's not the ABS check? That happens around that speed. I'm not sure why it wouldn't do it in manual mode, though.

Andrew

 

This rattle isn't the abs check...

Nick

 

Nick, if you have a way to get underneath the car, you can check the linkage yourself. Perhaps you know a mechanic who will put the car on their rack for you and help you check it. Lastly, just going to another dealership may be the answer if yours "blew you off."

Good luck!

 

Thanks again. I will see what I can do before I go to another dealer.

Nick

 

I scheduled another appointment with another dealer for the 13th. I will report back what they say.

Nick

 

I'm currently at the new dealer...let's see what they have to say.

Nick

 

Good luck!

 

The new dealer (Maple Hill Subaru of Kalamazoo, Michigan) was able to find the issue in 20 minutes. My previous dealer (Delta Subaru of Grand Rapids, Michigan) replaced my windshield wiper motor cover for its recall and forgot to install the piece of foam/weather stripping that goes between the motor cover and windshield glass. The plastic was rattling against the glass at low speeds due to the rpms/engine vibrations.

The new dealer is 45 minutes away, but they were much better to work with. They had to order the part and I will have to return, but I'm glad the rattle will be taken care of.

Nick

 

Well, went back to the dealer and had them install the missing part....still didn't fix the rattle.

Am I striking out with Subaru Techs? It seems to me that I've run into a couple with an inability to do anything unless a computer code tells them that there is a problem?

Nick

 

It seems to be a growing trend with most dealers now, I actually had a Lexus IS before this car and the dealer was the same way. Car would almost stall and occasionally grind on start, but because it never registered an error code they wouldn't do anything.

The Outback seems to have many "minor" rattles within the engine compartment. Mine makes a rattle upon acceleration, what almost sounds like a loose heat shield. I will have them check it on my next visit but not expecting much.

In your case the first dealer didn't seem to want to help much, and the 2nd didn't make it any better so if it is something you really would like to find the solution to you might have to get SOA involved...

 

I just emailed SOA, so I'm hoping that will go somewhere. I can honestly say that I haven't been impressed with any Tech yet.

Nick

 

Subaru of America has contacted me and a case was opened. I have another appointment at the Maple Hill dealership on May 5th. I will continue to document the status and this thread.

Nick

 

Nick, I know being patient with this kind of a "pain" is difficult.......NOTHING is worse than a rattle which won't go away!

I used to be a repair technician, both in electronic equipment and with vehicles. Getting rid of a noise, especially an intermittent one, is really difficult. Hopefully your new dealer will be able to work things out for you in short order. Best of luck!

 

The rattle in my Outback is repeatable. I just wish to find a service tech who wants to help solve the problem. I was a bit surprised that they haven't verified they fixed the problem before giving the car back to me.

Nick

 

What does the rattle sound like? Is it like a cricket chirping? I am having an issue with a chirp when I first press the accelerator (not all the time). Took it to the dealer and took a mechanic for a ride, he said the noise is from the timing belt and pulley and Subaru has acknowledged the noise and the fix is to replace the pulley with a different one. I'm taking it in later this week so I'm hoping that fixes it

 

I have that chirping noise as well...I can hear it at idle. I didn't realize there was a fix for that. My rattle sounds like plastic against metal.

Nick

 

I think mine is now making the same noise..

I've been able to reproduce the sound if I put the car in gear (drive or reverse), hold the brake, and press the accelerator pedal lightly.. Mine seems to do it at around 900 RPM or so. I'm also hearing what I think is a heat shield rattling at the same rate. So, I'm guessing the two are related.. I plan to jack the car up this weekend and get under it to see if I can find anything loose. If I can't, the local dealer will be seeing mine early next week.....

I "think" it's something vibrating up against the lower passenger side firewall. But, I'm not sure of that (yet)..

If you find a resolution, I'll be curious to "hear" what it is..

 

Mine did it off & on for a couple of weeks. It quit doing it before I could get it to the dealer and I can't even "make" it make the sound now.. If it starts again, I'll be sure to get it to the dealer sooner. :8:

 

Anybody have/get a resolution for this? Ours seems to make a similar noise when you are just starting out sometimes from a stop or going really slow and then accelerate. Might have to check out what the dealer says.

Thanks

 

Not yet. Mine hasn't made the noise in at least a week or two.. :8:

 

I have another thread going on a very similar issue, a chirping or pinging sound when starting from stop or starting up again after slowing. It is like a quick 2 chirps and quickly goes away.

I brought it to my dealer and they replaced the timing belt pulley but the noise remained, we even grabbed a new OB off the lot with 800 miles on it and it too was making the noise. My tech called in to Subaru with me in the office to make sure the issue is noted on my records in case this becomes a major issue down the road. I'm really hoping someone here can figure out what it is.

I don't know much about cars but I had the feeling it was either a belt or something in the exhaust rattling around. The tech felt it sounded more like engine pinging, apparently the foresters used to have a lot of problems with pinging in the past.

The odd thing is it's the same each time, a quick 2 chirps then gone. I wouldn't think the knock sensor could adjust for engine firing at the exact same time every time if it is indeed the engine pinging.

 

Going on a road trip soon, I might just run her down and use a tank or two of premium to see if it persists.

It is kind of funny, but I joined this forum a while ago and read a ton. Followed through the whole steering wheel shake ordeal and then we finally got a 2011 late in the model year. I completely stopped reading on the forum because I think I was too busy enjoying the car when my wife let me drive it (it is hers primarily). Now I'm back to research an issue. Car has been great so far, just noticed this the other day. That and the place that changed her oil the other day used some red goop on the drain plug instead of a new crush washer so it was leaking a bit. Got that settled and plan on doing my own oil changes from now on for sure.

 

Let me guess - a certain major quickie oil change shop? I know which one they use a orange cheap gasket when they don't know that the car uses a crush washer. Chances are the washer is still on there too.. LOL Even worse is that the shops that have that level of lacking attention to detail generally wrench the crap out of the drain plug and end up stripping the pan too.

I keep a few loose crush washers in the bottom of the glove box. I've found that I can get about 3-4 changes out of a washer before it starts to drip assuming the plug hasn't been wrenched with the idea it needs to hold Earth in orbit.

 

I'm having a similar issue that NiceH is describing above. I just bought a 2011 OB 2.5i limited with 37K miles, and started noticing the slight rattle when accelerating in the initial "gear", typically between 15-25 mph. Once you get out of that speed/rpm/gear, then it's very smooth; you hear the typical Subaru engine revving and going to work (I think).

It's really more annoying than anything else for me at this time. The vibration and noise feels like this car has a manual transmission, and the noise you hear in-between gears. I never owned a MT car before, and so this might not be the best way to describe it...

If any one of you has been able to fix the similar issue above, please let me know. Thanks!

 

Never been able to resolve the rattle. Since I noticed the noise/rattle, I have put around 11,000 miles on the vehicle. The rattle has stayed about the same...still not sure exactly what it is.

I have a feeling that it's something internal to the CVT, but only time will tell if it causes an issue or not.

Nick

 

Folks, I haven't worked on ay GEN-4's. I have driven a couple of courtesy vehicles. That's it I have to re-iterate "heat shields". And by that, I mean everywhere. Subaru's , my XT with all of the turbo piping, have heat shields "encasing" entire exhaust components, around sensors, located shielding plastic components. Some have mechanical fasteners, some are stamped, crimped, welded with additional flanges. All it takes is just a vibrating vain, fin, seam...or against the body or other component.

Noises and vibrations drive me nuts. I'd look really hard at anything I could see. Under the car and in the engine bay as well. Especially anything built up with a flange or housing.

2 cents

 

Hi Nick,

I took mine to a local dealership for a test drive, and they found the issue and resolved it on the spot. It seemed like the rattle noise was well known to them, which turned out to be the plastic cover (rectangular shape, about 3 x 2 inches) used for covering the air inlet on top of the engine. After removing that part, which the technician said can be left out, the noise is gone! My noise can be different from yours, but maybe you can try that? I can post the picture of it later.

 

Thank you for the update. Please post a picture if you can.

Thanks,
Nick

 

Awesome - glad to be of help. The technician said that I didn't need to have it on, as it's really decorative, and a replacement part would eventually wear out, anyway. I'm enjoying my OB now!

 

Rattle

I have a 2014 Subaru Outback 2.5i PZE and it makes a rattle noise. Gresham Subaru replaced the heat shields, although they didn't think they were loose; sadly that didn't solve the problem. They then changed the catalytic convert but the noise is still there. I found a video of the EXACT noise my car makes, wondering if yours sounded similar and if so, then I would take off that plastic piece like suggested.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIjGEQbtPUA

 

2016 does not have the same cover