[JerseyJohn]

Will be bringing in our car to have dealer inspect.

Have recently had BOTH recalls addressed (fuel tank and fuel injection thing seperately).

Each time I fill up with gas since then (twice)......"check engine" AND "cruise" signs come on. (The first stays solid, the other keeps blinkin'). When gas gets down below half-full, both lights simultaneously go off. Cruise control then works normal again !

Have read owners manual regarding Check Engine deal could happen if gas cap is not put on right at fill.....so I blamed the gas attendant ! But second time went elsewhere, different attendant, and I checked to be sure cap was tightened properly......no problem. Well, once again, after say 20 miles, same deal.

Oddly, this second time, the lights went away after 1/4 tank used up........BUT, soon came back on.......shortly after making long tight curve at a highway exit.

Have checked oil and engine temp, and all seems in order. Engine still purrs like a cat. Lack of cruise control is irritating !

Have an appointment to get it checked out..........in meantime, any fellow Subaru Lovers have thoughts on really! this problem could be on a 42,000 miles '08 Forester ??

Thanks if you do !!!!!

 

[crewzer]

Very odd: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/flashing-cruise-light-65659/#post728167

More: http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f88/check-engine-light-blinking-cruise-control-65924/

I hope you get to the bottom of this and post the results.

Regards,
Jim / crewzer

 

[bbottomley]

Gas cap off is just one of many, many reasons why the CEL could come on. And it's the most innocent and easiest to recover from. You need to have the code read. Without that info all we can do is guess. It's typically free at the major auto parts chains like AutoZone or Advance.

The blinking cruise control light is a safety feature. It doesn't necessarily mean that anything is wrong with the cruise control, but it won't allow you to use it while there's some sort of uncertainty going on.

 

[pleiad7]

The cruise light flashes with the CEL on all drive-by-wire Subies, so nothing unusual there. As long as your CEL is not flashing, it's not anything that requires immediate attention or makes your car undriveable. However, it's impossible to diagnose without knowing the code associated with the CEL. You'll need to get it read at the shop or buy a code reader.

 

[JerseyJohn]

Thanks everybody for your quick response !

Will certainly report back during the upcoming week, as to what's up. Hoping that it's a simple item related to the dealership work done on the 2 recalls, with no service/part charge coming my way !


p.s. Not sure why......but 2 weeks ago, had a problem with windshield washer not working ! Wipers worked, but what a problem in the snow with no washer fluid. Dealer mechanic has NEVER seen a Subaru problem like this.....turns out that by time I got car to dealer, on a day that went up to 40 degrees......it WORKED for first time in a week. Theory was that the fluid was somewhat frozen....which makes me question the quality of fluid they put in on the day of the previous oil change !!! Anyway, no problem there since.

 

[flstffxe]

...Theory was that the fluid was somewhat frozen....which makes me question the quality of fluid they put in on the day of the previous oil change !!! Anyway, no problem there since.

Standard shop practice is typically blue windshield wash(AKA splash +32 degree). This stuff is about worthless once it gets down to freezing.

 

[bbottomley]

This is also described as problem #7 in the Important Forester info for new members! thread in the New Member Introductions Forum.

 

[JerseyJohn]

OK members.......here's my follow-up.

WAS scheduled to have dealer fix the situation yesterday. But after 2 1/2 days since I opened the thread......and got yet another agas fillup.....the problem has APPARENTLY disappeared.

First of all........the biggest relief I got from you guys initially was that the CRUISE light blinking happens every time the CHECK ENGINE light appears.
When intermittently the lights went out, the cruise control (which I use daily) was back to normal.

For now.......thanks for all your advice............it DOES appear that the problem has gone away. It DOES seem that the Forester gas cap thing is VERY sensitive to loosely tightening after gas fillup.........BUT can take an awefully LONG time for the computerized system to readjusst to normal.

Am thinking about billing Subie for the cost of Aleve needed to stop the headaches in the meantime.

If (God forbid) the damned lights come back up anytime soon.....will bring this post back to life !

Really love my Subie again.

 

[vintage42]

... I blamed the gas attendant ! But second time went elsewhere, different attendant,... DOES seem that the Forester gas cap thing is VERY sensitive to loosely tightening after gas fillup...

I have an 08 just like you. My cap not sensitive at all. It is either clicked tight, or not. My 06 Scion is the same way.

 

[JerseyJohn]

Vintage,

Logically, as a non-mechanical person,I'm down to two causes:

1) As I've described......and as is referred to in the owners manual page 7-4.......CHECK ENGINE light here could have been caused SIMPLY by gas cap not being properly tightened to click one time. (They aren't specific here about HOW LONG it will take for the stupid computerized system to realize it's been tightened.........just a note to us on page 3-12 that it may take "several driving trips"" for CHECK ENGINE" light to disappear.....WOW, in my humble opinion, what a dumb freakin' computer technicality that it should take so god-damned LONG to take away your worries). If the gas cap of this '08 LL Bean 2.5 isn't the overly sensitive part......then what the heck else would it be......the computer software ?????

2) Or, since I've had BOTH recalls done in the past 2 months involving unneceessary pieces of metal in the FUEL TANK and some kind of computer software changed regarding fuel injection or some other crap.....perhaps one of THOSE things that confused the CHECK ENGINE lights ???? Or both 1 and 2 combined ???

A third item in manual, on page 7-2, refers to MMT gasoline use....could screw up the emissions system....don't think they sell this in NJ.....but will investigate just for fun and to be sure.

Have owned Subies since '97, and never encountered any such problem.
And with all the service I pay for along with decent driving style, am ticked off to no end with what now appears to have been.....an unnecessary LONG-TIME warning on dash.

Will make sure the gas cap is never loosely tightened again !!!! That's where I think it is, and am stickin' to it !

 

[vintage42]

...I'm down to two causes:
1) ... CHECK ENGINE light here could have been caused SIMPLY by gas cap not being properly tightened to click one time... (manual says) on page 3-12 that it may take "several driving trips"" for CHECK ENGINE" light to disappear....
2) Or, since I've had BOTH recalls done in the past 2 months...

It is #1. The two recall actions won't cause a CEL. Just wait a few trip cycles for the emissions system to recover from the unsealed cap and the CEL will go out.

 

[good dog]

Even though the light has gone off, call your dealer and ask them to read the stored code from the CEL. Skip the owners manual, there are lot's more items that could cause the CEL to appear than a loose gas cap or thinking the recalls might be the cause. If only it was that simple to refer to an owners manual, this forum would be pretty quiet.

Since you called the dealer about it they should read the stored code for free, or as I've read here, places like Auto Zone and Napa will read them for free, then you can go into the dealer armed and ready.:rock:

Good luck and let us know what the code was and the plan of action to fix it.

 

[JerseyJohn]

OK. Thanks, guys.

That's a good idea....no reason I shouldn't get him to read the code, which could give historic reason for something that appears to be solved ?

If it can do that, would be worth it from dealer, even if it costs a few bucks.

Appreciate your assistance. Had gray hair before......its white now !

 

[JerseyJohn]

OK, guys. Followup.

This is day 8 or 9 since CEL (solid) and CRUISE (blinking) went away.
And it seems to have gone (hopefully) FOREVER !


YAY. Will ask dealer to check code history at next oil change, for future reference.

Am now in habit of watching/hearing gas cap being tightened after refueling.
Thanks again for your responses, everybody.

 

[JerseyJohn]

WHOOPS.

OK, guys.....another followup. Turns out yesterday.......unfortunately....
the CEL came back on after a 10 day break, along with flashing 'cruise" sign.

Brought it to dealer. Mechanic CODED it and thoroughly check every possibility.

Code WAS 0420.

Reason was : Catalytic Converter needs replacement.


Thanks again to everybody for advice.....job will be done (Free of course) next week once thet get the part.

What surprised the mechianic the mosr: He said it was the LAST thing he anticipated, since he did the recall work a few weeks ago somehow related to whatever the Converter does.

Nice to know that if God forbid the Converter fails again.......can get done also for free if before 80,000 miles. (Am now at 43,000).

 

[JerseyJohn]

March 4...........OK, guys, final note.

Had the converter replaced today...no charge......on warranty. Hopefully will now last forever !

Nice to be able to use cruise control again !

 

[vintage42]

... Had the converter replaced today...no charge......on warranty. Hopefully will now last forever !...

Some say the first converter only lasted 43,000 miles because of the ten-minute warm-ups at idle.
But there is enough doubt about that theory to try it for another 37,000 miles until the warranty is up.