Clive Goodridge

My 2007 Tribeca's eml is flashing, & sometimes cruise, but it's not the green test plugs as they're disconnected. On initial ignition on, if fans + AC clutch AREN'T cycling on/off, once started the cruise light will flash with a solid VDC off light & eml.... sometimes accompanied by solid Sport + AWD lights....no codes show on various diags, except for U1201 'CAN-HS counter abnormal' in IUM on iCarsoft diag, although I did once have in engine P0700(Request Auto Transmission MIL on) + in transmission P1718(Auto Transmission Can Communication Circuit).** Upon 2nd ign the fans start cycling, once engine started they stop & everything works correctly but eml flashes quickly.... again no codes except U1201 but diags show car thinks D-Check is on but I repeat green test plugs are disconnected. The only other 'faults' I can see on the diags are intake temp & ambient temperatures are totally wrong, in the -°C when they should be +16°C ish....car's outside temp display on dash is correct though & after running the engine for a long time both temperatures eventually read correctly. **Handbook on VDC says: 'The light may stay on for a while after the engine has started especially in cold weather.' The car drives absolutely fine, has passed an emissions test, had a good quality new battery, 2 new rear O2 Lambda sensors & all previous codes have now disappeared. My thoughts are it's a CAN system/connection or main ECM fault. Today I swapped the MAF between our 2007 3.0 Outback & the Tribeca as intake temp sensor is in the MAF....no difference, fault(s) showed only on the Tribeca & both cars ran fine. I've also swapped fuel caps & even test driven the Outback with fuel cap lose. Before I take it to a main dealer or send the ECM to be tested, has anyone experienced this problem before please?

Hi, I've a 2007 3.0 Outback auto with a strange intermittent slipping rear differential....if that's possible? When the fault appears it just feels the same as if the gearbox is flaring up & slipping but when completely stationary, brakes on, in gear(forward or reverse) a noise can be heard coming from the rear diff....!? It sounds like a low 'rumbling' as if something is still turning, we've even recorded it from inside & outside the car & it's definitely coming from the diff. The noise goes when neutral is selected. After a few miles or the next day the car drives absolutely fine, the fault may not return for days, weeks, months....once it took over 1500 miles to return. I've heard of driveshafts slipping on their splines but surely that would be more pronounced & permanent? If it was a gearbox fault, which is the first thought when an auto 'slips', then the noise should come from the gearbox not the rear diff. It doesn't matter which gearbox mode is used or paddle shift. When it 'slips' it happens in forward & reverse. It's not an electronic diff. Anyone else experienced this please? Clive

Unfortunately when I read mine on my Snap On scanner the numbers are still not synced, actual opening constantly reads -5 but learning is reading not completed & I've now driven over 50 miles. In my previous post the above paragraph somehow got put out of order so some might miss it thinking all has been cured, which it hasn't.

Hi Ian, Make of local garage's diagnostic is 'Red', no model number as it constantly updates + has tech advice. It can set the EGR into learning mode, after which the car/ecu does all the rest after a 20 mile or so drive, now driven it over 50 miles. Dash lights are off. Diag tech thinks it might be due to it being a non factory cheap replacement but aren't sure. They don't know of any way to make the learning complete after it's been started other than a 20 mile drive. Have you had yours read on a diag since Subaru 'reset' it or have you not bothered as your dash lights have remained off.....as have mine? Unfortunately when I read mine on my Snap On scanner the numbers are still not synced, actual opening constantly reads -5 but learning is reading not completed & I've I'm thinking of unplugging mine to throw a code, hopefully it reads on my Snap On as a history code which after previously clearing history codes the numbers were synced but learning hadn't then been instigated......?? Regards Clive

Hi Ian, Thanks for quick reply. Was your Ebay replacement a new cheap one & Subaru were ok 'teaching' that one? I'm hoping the local garage's diagnostic can finish the job, maybe with the help from the diag company's tech support, as it seems to have the correct page/software but we've prob not input the correct parameters or followed correct procedure......it too requested coolant to be below 60°C.....so looks promising? I'll post make of diag if we're successful. Cheers Clive

Hi David(from Hampshire), Great post, thanks. Having replaced my EGR with a new from Ebay, cleared A0409 code from history/stored codes my Snap On Ethos scanner showed the target & actual valve openings were matching & 'learning completed' but after a decent run the lights/code returned. Did yours remain off & still working ok or did you have to have it reset by Subaru please? My local garage's scanner went deeper & tried to reset but although the lights/code are currently off my scanner shows the opening stuck on -5 with the target numbers changing as they should. My scanner now shows 'learning NOT completed'. Seems they've triggered the learning process but not completed it? Vehicle is a 2009 Forester 2.0d 49,000 miles. I have cleaned & inspected it's original EGR so might refit it? Any help would be appreciated. Regards Clive