Tech Tips May 2017 (TIPS 0517)

TECH TIPS MAY 2017

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN

01 LOST KEYS? CONTACT THE SUBARU TECHLINE

If you receive a vehicle from the customer where all their originally registered keys have been lost, you may need to contact the Subaru Techline for the necessary steps to program new keys. Depending on the immobilizer type, you will be unable to just program one new key without an original key. Both immobilizer Type-B and Type-D require an original key to make any changes to the immobilizer system. Without an original key, a new one cannot be added. Unsure of which type immobilizer you have? Refer to the Quick Reference Chart found in the October 2016 TechTIPS newsletter. Once you have confirmed the vehicle is the Type-B or Type-D immobilizer system, you will need to do the following:

• Verify the vehicle is onsite.
• Open a Repair Order with all necessary information.
  • VIN, RO number, RO date, Mileage if it can be obtained, etc.
• Verify key type (push-button, turn-key)
• Contact the Subaru Techline.

When calling the Subaru Techline, please ensure all necessary information is available at the time of the call. Once connected with the Techline, we will be able to provide you the necessary procedure to program new keys to the vehicle.

TECH TIPS GREATEST TIPS 

New for the Tech Tips Newsletter is Tech Tips Greatest Tips. Every edition of Tips will include a past Tech Tip that is still relevant and useful on our vehicles today. For the first edition, we chose the Too Much Oil TIP. The Techline still uses this TIP to assist Technicians daily. Remember, if a vehicle comes into your Service Department with a hesitation/sluggish type feeling, check the engine oil! 

02 TOO MUCH OIL IN THE ENGINE REVISITED

How much is too much? What can happen if you put too much oil in an engine? If you've ever seen an engine that had way too much oil added, you'd say a lot can happen and all of it is very bad and expensive. What if it's just a little over full, say by half a quart? Shouldn't hurt anything...right? Excess will just burn off...right? Wrong! What if we told you that an engine just half a quart over full could result in a drivability concern? It can.

You may want to check the engine oil level when the engine is cold. In addition, we have received reports outlining CVT operational issues listed (but not limited to) the conditions below. These have also been found to be a result of an over-filled crankcase:

If the engine oil level is over-filled, drain the excess oil to the full mark on the dipstick then see if the conditions are corrected. Conditions like these will generally be most noticeable when acceleratingup a grade. If you are monitoring the ECM using the SSM, you may also notice knocking correction occurring at the same time you experience the surging sensation. We are aware of concerns like this occurring in the field following both Retailer and aftermarket oil changes. If the oil level is found to be over-filled, always make sure to check the oil level in the front differential to rule out an accidental draining. Always confirm the engine oil level is correct following any service. What if the car is new? What if the mileage isn't near the scheduled service interval? Don't discount the possibility of someone adding oil to an engine between services. After all, if it's down half a quart why not just add the whole quart. It's only a little over full. What could it hurt? Now you know. It could hurt drivability!

07 PAK FILE ERROR MESSAGES

The Techline has received some calls from Technicians having issues with certain Pak files programming. The issue is usually accompanied with some kind of an error message. If this issue occurs, there are a few basic steps to take before attempting diagnosis.

• Verify the correct PAK file and CID (where applicable)
• Make sure the GR8 has entered power supply mode and the battery voltage is stable
• Verify the CF Laptop is fully charged or being supplied a charge.

If you still have an issue after verifying the above, shut off the key, exit the vehicle, lock and unlock the car with the remote, then retry programming.

See example of error message below:

15 BLUETOOTH CONCERNS?

The Techline continues to experience high call volume on Bluetooth issues. Keep in mind in order to diagnose a Bluetooth concern, we first have to make sure the phone is compatible with our system. We can do this by going onto Subaru.com, select FOR OWNERS at the top of the screen, selecting Bluetooth Compatibility and following the prompts. After confirming the phone compatibility for your specific issue, check with another phone to rule out the phone as an issue. For more on Bluetooth operation and diagnostics, refer to Tech Tips 4/2016. In the event that you are calling Techline for assistance, you should have a Bluetooth pre-call worksheet filled out and ready. This will give the Representative most of the answers to the initial questions you will be asked. Doing these initial steps is crucial as it will help us cut down drastically on call and wait times for the Techline. In the event you are experiencing an issue on multiple vehicles and may seem to be a characteristic, we recommend submitting a Quality Monitoring Report.

15 DOES THIS ACCESSORY WORK WITH THIS CAR?

There is an easy way for a Technician verify accessory applicability. Navigate to the home page of Subarunet. Click on the Parts/Service-Prgms/Accessories link, then select Accessories. After selecting the vehicle, the catalog will open. Keep in mind, you can also use the part number to get your accessory installation guide. Copy the part number, navigate to the Accessory Installation Guide and paste the part number in the Keywords/Tool # box. Leave all other fields blank.

Example of the catalog below.