Persistent engine fault

Name Daniel Hawtin
Car Subaru Legacy
Problem Persistent engine fault

Daniel Hawtin bought his 10-plate Subaru Legacy diesel in December 2010 when it had 2100 miles on the clock. He was happy with the car until March 2011, when he noticed what seemed like very poor throttle response or turbo lag.

His local dealer, Bay Horse Subaru, fitted a new exhaust gas recirculation valve. However, the lag became worse and Daniel took the car back to Bay Horse for a series of visits, with the lag now accompanied by engine and diesel particulate filter (DPF) warning lights.

Daniel told us he was happy that the dealer was doing its best to get to the cause of the fault. It also provided him with a courtesy car while his was off the road. However, Daniel was annoyed that when he contacted Subaru UK he was told his driving style could be to blame. Subaru explained that flooring the throttle followed by heavy braking on a regular basis could sometimes prevent the DPF from self-cleaning. However, Daniel told us that most of his driving is done on the motorway.

We wrote to Subaru asking if it could provide more technical assistance to the dealer. It told us: Bay Horse has replaced the DPF and carried out an extensive road test. The engine management system and the filter now operate as intended.

If this happens to you
1 Work with the dealer and manufacturer to find a solution.
2 Use online forums to see if other owners have had similar problems.
3 Keep a note of the circumstances when power loss occurs. Does it happen on certain journeys?