Whine very cold start

I'll take a guess. Viscosity of fluids thickens as temperature decreases.
That thick fluid has to travel through restricted orifices in the engine/trans/powersteering. As fluid is pumped through these areas, it is forced to speed up, pressure builds and aeration occurs. The whine is from the aeration.
A mechanical engineer might explain it better.

Is it common for every Subaru? It didn’t happened on my old car , a Matrix.

adymax said:

Is it common for every Subaru? It didn’t happened on my old car , a Matrix.

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It seems to be normal. My neighbor has a Mitsubishi Outlander and it does the same "mewing" when the temperature gets below 0. Maybe the fuel injection system...

Whining

Have a 2012 as well and got the same noise for the first time this winter a few days ago. It was -25 C. I should have installed a block heater when I first got it but Ill do this next week. Never had that kind of noise in any car before. also the turn signals stopped working intermittently that day.

Mine did it too a few mornings ago. I think it was around 15F out. It's strange because I did not hear it on other mornings when it was just as cold. I suspected it was the CVT but after it went away I forgot about it...until now.

After sitting outside for 5 hours at -35 C (before wind chill) mine made a bit of a whine when I started it the other day. I couldn't really blame it though

adymax said:

3rd winter with my '12 and when it gets below 20F on cold start when de accelerating I get a whining noise for the first 2-3 stops before car warm-ups.
It drives me nuts, it's like a cat looking for a male .
This guy has same problem with a 07:

http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums...ce/3616-whine-engine-bay-very-cold-start.html

Anyone can pinpoint the cause?

Thank You

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My wife's 2011 CVT Outback doesn't make this noise, but my 2011 CVT Legacy sure does.

I have no idea what causes the noise...

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/very-high-pitch-noise-2011-legacy-2-5i-200843.html

Regards,
Nick

When all else fails, consult your owner's manual. Page 7-23 of the 2012 owner's manual states:

NOTE
Right after the engine has been started
and before it has warmed up, you may
hear a noise coming from areas adjacent
to the power steering pump which
is located at the right-front area of the
engine compartment. This noise is
normal. It does not indicate power
steering system trouble.

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Power steering pump noise is very common during cold temperature starts to almost all vehicles. You can reduce the noise by changing the power steering fluid but it will still make noise if it gets cold enough.

Also, I'm trying to do the math. You say that this is your third winter with your 2012 Subie. Three years ago would be the winter of 2009/2010. Was your car sold to you by Doc Brown with a flux capacitor option and a power source for 1.21 gigawatts?

BossMaverick said:

You say that this is your third winter with your 2012 Subie. Three years ago would be the winter of 2009/2010.

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2010-2011
2011-2012
2012-2013

You're one year off, but probably still right. Don't think the '12's came out that early in the year.

BossMaverick said:

Also, I'm trying to do the math. You say that this is your third winter with your 2012 Subie. Three years ago would be the winter of 2009/2010. Was your car sold to you by Doc Brown with a flux capacitor option and a power source for 1.21 gigawatts?

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It is a ’11, I was trying to make it younger  . Anyhow- thanks for the sarcasm, highly appreciated!