Is my car going to die

[Eden Marel]

I just thought I would ask, I have a 2003 Subaru Legacy Wagon Special Edition that has a problem.

I just don't want to schedule any trips to areas unfamiliar to my mom, because my mom is so unbelievably directionally challenged and no one will be able to rescue me if the car does die!!


This problem is, that when I drive anything faster than 35 MPH, the front of my car starts making a loud humming/thumping woom woom woom sound AND it gets painfully louder as I drive faster, or accelerate and slight turn at the same time. Hard to describe the sound.... like a somewhat weird sounding helicopter... a propeller type sound I suppose. The sound is the same, but it gets faster and louder the faster I drive.

And yes... unfortunately, I was late on my last maintenance in November and we went to Oil Can Henry's and they said I was driving without Oil. And then they said they would fill up my coolant, but they never did. Then my mom remembered, and we looked ourselves and apparently I also had no Coolant, so we filled the Coolant ourselves.


I'm not sure if this is an engine problem or what, so that way I can send the Appointment Form on the Dealer's site for an Engine problem or something else problem.



Oh yea, this problem started to happen before my lateness to my maintainence, I thought after the oil change and stuff that the noise level went down a notch but it could have been just me. But now the noise seems to have gotten a lot worst, much louder!! Also we got the Tires Rotated sometime in December. I got all four brakes and some belt changed in late 2009 or beginning 2010. My mom said they already changed the tires on this car few years ago. This car hasn't been washed for a year or so. I can't think of anything else.

[dodohead]

why dont u just bring it into a mechanic and have it checked out before your wheels fly off while driving it.. bring it into any mechanic to have them check

no oil... bad.. no coolant... bad.. id say u have major engine problems

[Eden Marel]

Yes, I' am going to bring it to the Dealer, so the service people can look at it. I'm just trying fill out the appointment form correct so I can get things done correctly.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by Eden Marel

I just thought I would ask, I have a 2003 Subaru Legacy Wagon Special Edition that has a problem.

I just don't want to schedule any trips to areas unfamiliar to my mom, because my mom is so unbelievably directionally challenged and no one will be able to rescue me if the car does die!!


This problem is, that when I drive anything faster than 35 MPH, the front of my car starts making a loud humming/thumping woom woom woom sound AND it gets painfully louder as I drive faster, or accelerate and slight turn at the same time. Hard to describe the sound.... like a somewhat weird sounding helicopter... a propeller type sound I suppose. The sound is the same, but it gets faster and louder the faster I drive.

And yes... unfortunately, I was late on my last maintenance in November and we went to Oil Can Henry's and they said I was driving without Oil. And then they said they would fill up my coolant, but they never did. Then my mom remembered, and we looked ourselves and apparently I also had no Coolant, so we filled the Coolant ourselves.


I'm not sure if this is an engine problem or what, so that way I can send the Appointment Form on the Dealer's site for an Engine problem or something else problem.



Oh yea, this problem started to happen before my lateness to my maintainence, I thought after the oil change and stuff that the noise level went down a notch but it could have been just me. But now the noise seems to have gotten a lot worst, much louder!! Also we got the Tires Rotated sometime in December. I got all four brakes and some belt changed in late 2009 or beginning 2010. My mom said they already changed the tires on this car few years ago. This car hasn't been washed for a year or so. I can't think of anything else.

Sounds to me to be a front end problem. Maybe a warped rotor etc. for the form, I would just state what you stated here, that it makes a whoping sound when increasing speed, that way they check the whole system

[boringname]

There should be both an oil pressure gauge and a low engine oil warning light to tell you when you need oil.

If the engine has a crack in the engine block preventing it from holding oil for very long than most people would consider the engine beyond repair. Fixing cracked engine blocks isn't practical.

Driving a car without enough oil in it for very long will kill it.

[Eden Marel]

Originally Posted by Noahma

Sounds to me to be a front end problem. Maybe a warped rotor etc. for the form, I would just state what you stated here, that it makes a whoping sound when increasing speed, that way they check the whole system

Okay, I will write that. Now my mom wants me to go shopping for a place that will fix the problem for the cheapest... wow I'm tired can't we just get it fixed at the dealer's jeeeeeeeez.

Originally Posted by boringname

There should be both an oil pressure gauge and a low engine oil warning light to tell you when you need oil.

If the engine has a crack in the engine block preventing it from holding oil for very long than most people would consider the engine beyond repair. Fixing cracked engine blocks isn't practical.

Driving a car without enough oil in it for very long will kill it.

Ohh okay, well the light never lit up back then. The Oil Can Henry dude said it was below the stick so either I was driving without oil or I have barely any left. So we did an Engine Flush or something like that cuz he said that whatever I have left is probably some hard sticky useless junk.

[Noahma]

Originally Posted by Eden Marel

Okay, I will write that. Now my mom wants me to go shopping for a place that will fix the problem for the cheapest... wow I'm tired can't we just get it fixed at the dealer's jeeeeeeeez.


Ohh okay, well the light never lit up back then. The Oil Can Henry dude said it was below the stick so either I was driving without oil or I have barely any left. So we did an Engine Flush or something like that cuz he said that whatever I have left is probably some hard sticky useless junk.

Sounds like you were a couple quarts low, which is not dire, but not good either.

Do not go the cheapest route, look up reputable repair shops. www.troubleshooter.com should have a few listed in the auto area (this is Tom Martino's website, the consumer advocate from 630khow am)

[Joe.1]

Check your tread on your tires. If there is uneven wear, then your alignment/balance is off. If your engine has been making that noise, it would've blown up by now.

[Eden Marel]

Originally Posted by Noahma

Sounds like you were a couple quarts low, which is not dire, but not good either.

Do not go the cheapest route, look up reputable repair shops. www.troubleshooter.com should have a few listed in the auto area (this is Tom Martino's website, the consumer advocate from 630khow am)

Okay I will try to convince my parents... they like everything cheap... it's very hard to convince them cuz money is a huge issue in this family. I tell them it is usually better to buy a pricier higher quality item that may or might last longer over cheap items which may result in multiple purchases over time, but they always use the "you don't care/understand, because it isn't your money" reason on me.

I'll look into the site!!

[kwangtzu]

Subarus use a lot of oil and their sensors are pretty late to light up. If your engine hasn't been destroyed, check your oil at least once a month.

That said, you should tell the mechanic if you notice anything different about how it steers. Whether the noise gets louder when you are accelerating (like getting on the freeway) or slowing down. Does it only happen when the car is moving, or does it happen when the car is in park/neutral and you press the accelerator?

From this part of your description "louder as I drive faster, or accelerate and slight turn at the same time" it sounds like the 'constant velocity' (CV) joint on one or both of the front axles is going out.

Killer first post to a planted tank forum, huh? I expect to learn a lot on here, but cars are something I already know, so I guess I'm paying in advance for the education I expect to get here.

Good luck with your car. And keep an eye on your fluids, there aren't any automatic top off systems in cars yet.

[HypnoticAquatic]

is the noise coming from the engine something else? if u have sludge build up i would recomend a can of moa44 it will clean alot of sludge built up as long as u follow the directions. if it was your rotors you should probably feel a vibration through the break pedal, if it the noise gets faster with speed i would shut the car off and check to see if the fan is warn out (only when car is off) by grabbing it and seeing if it wiggles if so its bad, i would also check the lugs on the tires ive know of noises like that from the wheel having play from being loose. my gut is saying if it has a helicopter sound it could very well be a loose fan, if it is that and doesnt get fixed it can and will go through the front end ratiator and all and cause extensive damage could also go though the hood ive seen some crazy things happen with cars. but without more info its us just guessing what it probably is. i would not drive it unless it was to the shop or someone that knows there way around a car!!

[Eden Marel]

Originally Posted by Joe.1

Check your tread on your tires. If there is uneven wear, then your alignment/balance is off. If your engine has been making that noise, it would've blown up by now.

Okay I will tomorrow morning. I actually think my problem has to due with my WHEELS. I've always felt that way... ever since I got my brakes change, I felt my Wheels were a little strange, but it took several months after the brake change for the really annoying loud humming sound to start.

I always thought I felt my wheels slid or wobble ever so slightly during certain times, but I thought it was just me. Then also when I drive on the ice and slide (since my car doesn't stop very well on snow/ice) my car doesn't slide to a stop straight even though I have the steering stright, it always stops at an slight angle like this: /
But that could be just because of the ice.

Wow, I hope my engine doesn't blow up any time soon...

[kwangtzu]

Noahma is right about your oil. I've seen the same engine as in your car with less than two quarts of oil (out of five) not light the "check oil" light.

[Eden Marel]

Originally Posted by kwangtzu

Subarus use a lot of oil and their sensors are pretty late to light up. If your engine hasn't been destroyed, check your oil at least once a month.

That said, you should tell the mechanic if you notice anything different about how it steers. Whether the noise gets louder when you are accelerating (like getting on the freeway) or slowing down. Does it only happen when the car is moving, or does it happen when the car is in park/neutral and you press the accelerator?

From this part of your description "louder as I drive faster, or accelerate and slight turn at the same time" it sounds like the 'constant velocity' (CV) joint on one or both of the front axles is going out.

Killer first post to a planted tank forum, huh? I expect to learn a lot on here, but cars are something I already know, so I guess I'm paying in advance for the education I expect to get here.

Good luck with your car. And keep an eye on your fluids, there aren't any automatic top off systems in cars yet.

Nice 1st post hehe. Welcome!!

Anyways, yes, I guess I shall check my fluids more often. My parents only do it once a year, but I drive more often than they do so it is a good idea.

The sound only happens when I accelerate, the sound returns to a normal level at under 30MPH or at stop. I haven't shifted to Neutral ever.

Originally Posted by HypnoticAquatic

is the noise coming from the engine something else? if u have sludge build up i would recomend a can of moa44 it will clean alot of sludge built up as long as u follow the directions. if it was your rotors you should probably feel a vibration through the break pedal, if it the noise gets faster with speed i would shut the car off and check to see if the fan is warn out (only when car is off) by grabbing it and seeing if it wiggles if so its bad, i would also check the lugs on the tires ive know of noises like that from the wheel having play from being loose. my gut is saying if it has a helicopter sound it could very well be a loose fan, if it is that and doesnt get fixed it can and will go through the front end ratiator and all and cause extensive damage could also go though the hood ive seen some crazy things happen with cars. but without more info its us just guessing what it probably is. i would not drive it unless it was to the shop or someone that knows there way around a car!!

Wow, I'm not sure at all. But I'll call Subaru tomorrow and try to use some exaggeration to make it seem more like an emergency so they can get me in sooner. I don't want a fan flying around or some crazy thing O_O

[kwangtzu]

If it has been going on this long, your car isn't likely to blow up tomorrow. Probably...