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Old 07-10-2011, 08:39 PM   #1
MotorcycleKopp
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Default New battery, now engine stalls

I got a 2006 Impreza 2.5i. I bought it from a Subaru dealership about six months ago, certified pre-owned. Yesterday my car wouldn't start. I checked battery water level & it was low, so I topped it off with distilled water, got a jump, and drove home in third gear to bring the RPMs up. This morning it wouldn't start again so I got a new battery from Costco and replaced it.
Well car starts now, but when I blip the throttle and let the RPMs come down on their own, they come down too far and stall out the engine now.
I suspected the alternator, so I checked it out, but it's actually putting out 13.9 volts at idle -so I don't see that as being the underlying issue.
Another thing to note is that during my first initial attempt to start the engine, after swapping out the battery, it cranked for about 4 seconds before actually starting.
Any ideas anybody??
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Old 07-10-2011, 09:08 PM   #2
Uncle Scotty
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with the engine stone COLD

and make sure ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE TURNED OFF.....NO RADIO...NO BLOWER...NO LIGHTS....NO AC NO NOTHING IS ON

disconnect the battery.....leave it off for 10 minutes and pump the brake pedal a few times
reconnect the battery...make sure the terminals are CLEAN and tight

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

get in car

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key to the last position before the starter engages and WAIT 10 seconds

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key to start the car

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

leave the car to run until the radiator fans come on.......this may take 20-25 minutes

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the engine OFF and take the key OUT of the ignition switch and wait at least 10 seconds

put the key back in the ignition and start the car and drive normally for a bit and see what happens
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Old 07-10-2011, 11:21 PM   #3
MotorcycleKopp
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Interesting..... I did exactly what you said and the drive afterwards went very well. Thank you very much!!

My question now though is..... Did this sequence that I just performed program my ECU? Or does this mean that I have a cold running engine issue?

Thanks again!! Your input and advice is much appreciated.
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Old 07-11-2011, 01:36 AM   #4
Uncle Scotty
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MotorcycleKopp View Post
Interesting..... I did exactly what you said and the drive afterwards went very well. Thank you very much!!

My question now though is..... Did this sequence that I just performed program my ECU? Or does this mean that I have a cold running engine issue?

Thanks again!! Your input and advice is much appreciated.
cleared the ecu and re-set all the fuel trims


called a 'hard reset'

sometimes the ecu gets corrupted and needs a fresh start

glad its working for ya
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Old 07-12-2011, 01:06 AM   #5
CosmoTheCat
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When the battery was removed, you erased the memory in the ECM - stuff like electronic throttle control sync and idle air control. The engine won't start until it knows what the throttle is doing - that's why it took longer to crank the first time you started it. It also has to re-learn the idle settings that work best for your setup. Perhaps you have a little carbon/gunk buildup in your throttle body so that the base default settings won't work.

When this happens in the shop, we clear the memory and fire the car up and let it idle for 5 minutes, and it seems to do the trick. If it doesn't, then it's time to clean the throttle body.
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Old 07-12-2011, 03:04 AM   #6
MotorcycleKopp
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Awesome info guys. I really appreciate all the details and explanations.
I haven't had a car like this before where I have to deal with programming and doing specific sequences like this, or something similar like the way you get rid of the seat belt chime.
It's all pretty cool. I especially like that you don't need to hook the car up to a Subaru specific laptop/computer program to do these things. I used to work for an International Trucks dealership as a diesel mechanic a couple years back, and to do these same (and similar) things we always HAD to hook up the laptop.
The more I learn about Subaru, the more I like it.
This whole forum itself is a wealth of good information. Seems like a good group of guys here -a lot better than some of the other forums I've seen. Anyways, thanks again guys!!
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Old 07-31-2011, 03:39 PM   #7
JetGirlArt
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Just did this to my 07 2.5i, I installed a new cd player and it started doing that to me a week ago, threw a cel after 3 days of trying to "drive it around until it learns". Took it to the subie shop and they reset it for me, but I unplugged the battery again yesterday to so something and it borked up again. Making a shopping list for autozone tomorrow to clean the MAF and TB.
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Old 08-01-2011, 10:53 PM   #8
Uncle Scotty
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JetGirlArt View Post
Just did this to my 07 2.5i, I installed a new cd player and it started doing that to me a week ago, threw a cel after 3 days of trying to "drive it around until it learns". Took it to the subie shop and they reset it for me, but I unplugged the battery again yesterday to so something and it borked up again. Making a shopping list for autozone tomorrow to clean the MAF and TB.
that isnt the issue
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Old 08-01-2011, 11:35 PM   #9
Eyedoc Orlando
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I also had a similar problem and my fix was the Uncle Scotty combined with a good cleaning of the battery terminals (brand new battery) -- perfecto!
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Old 08-01-2011, 11:42 PM   #10
Pool Playen Bob
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i'd look farther in battery cables too for corrosion and what not. or if there isn't enough slack in the cable and a loose mount might be tugging on it causing it to draw power.
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Old 11-08-2011, 03:03 PM   #11
Palpos1
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Default Same prob on 06 WRX

Quote:
Originally Posted by MotorcycleKopp View Post
I got a 2006 Impreza 2.5i. I bought it from a Subaru dealership about six months ago, certified pre-owned. Yesterday my car wouldn't start. I checked battery water level & it was low, so I topped it off with distilled water, got a jump, and drove home in third gear to bring the RPMs up. This morning it wouldn't start again so I got a new battery from Costco and replaced it.
Well car starts now, but when I blip the throttle and let the RPMs come down on their own, they come down too far and stall out the engine now.
I suspected the alternator, so I checked it out, but it's actually putting out 13.9 volts at idle -so I don't see that as being the underlying issue.
Another thing to note is that during my first initial attempt to start the engine, after swapping out the battery, it cranked for about 4 seconds before actually starting.
Any ideas anybody??
I was having the EXACT same problem with my 06 WRX after disconnecting the battery. Tried Uncle Scotty's fix today. Runs better; idle doesn't bottom out. Will post update after a few days. Thanks guys.
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Old 07-16-2012, 05:17 PM   #12
mmalloch
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Default Throttle Body Cleaning

I have had a similar ongoing experience with my 2006 Impreza; rough idle which came to a head when I was stalling whenever I let off the gas. I had tried the ecu reset to no avail. I was at a loss but thought I would give the throttle body a clean not seeing how this would make a difference but couldn't hurt. Ultimately it totally solved the problem! Seriously, the car hasn't run like this since I owned it. The difference in cleanliness was amazing but the difference in operation from what I could tell operating the vein by hand was very subtle but obviously very important. Prior to cleaning, it stuck ever so slightly which considering the small motor which is moving the thing is not that surprising.

My question in relation to this is: where does the carbon build up come from? Valve cover vapor? Is there any way to help/prevent/improve this?
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Old 07-21-2012, 04:38 PM   #13
gregnauman
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How did you clean it? Did you pull it off the car or just spray cleaner in there and wipe it out?

Scotty, if you have an AP and you reset ECU doesn't it do the same thing as what you are doing by removing the battery connection?
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Old 07-21-2012, 08:13 PM   #14
Uncle Scotty
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best way to do a HARD re-set is this and EXACTLY this

when you have an hour you can spend doing this when the engine is STONE COLD...
make sure ALL the accessories are OFF....no tunes,.....no AC.....no lights...NOTHING on....EVERYTHING OFF

take the battery NEG off and let the car sit for at LEAST 10 minutes

reconnect battery SECURELY

reach in and put the key in the ignition....DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key to the 'RUN' position for no less than 10 REAL seconds!!!!....that is the last 'click' before the starter starts...DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

for MT cars, push the clutch pedal in...for AT cars, push the brake pedal.....DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key and let the car start...this may take longer than usual...DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

get out of the car and let the engine idle for AT LEAST 20 MINUTES or until the fans come on....DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the car off AND TAKE THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION for at least 30 seconds.....DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL


put the key back in and start the car again..... DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL


drive the car how you normally would......

__________________________________________________ _____

anybody notice a recurring theme, here??????

what this does is reset all the fuel trims...and if ya touch the throttle pedal that ****s it all up...so dont
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Old 07-21-2012, 10:41 PM   #15
mmalloch
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[quote=gregnauman;37644271]How did you clean it? Did you pull it off the car or just spray cleaner in there and wipe it out?

I pulled it off the car which was very easy (4 bolts). I know it's not standard practice, but the only solvent I had was paint thinner. I used a rag and simply wiped out the unit throughly. It took less than 20 min start to finish. I didn't damage the throtle body gasket in the process but I may have been lucky so it may be a good idea to have one on hand.
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Old 07-21-2012, 10:47 PM   #16
gregnauman
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Thanks that is what I was after whether or not you took the throttle body off and needed the gasket.
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Old 07-21-2012, 10:56 PM   #17
Uncle Scotty
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dont try that without having a spare gasket on hand...they almost ALWAYS swell and wont go back in right
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Old 07-21-2012, 11:01 PM   #18
gregnauman
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OK thanks..
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Old 08-06-2012, 03:56 PM   #19
jb_motohead
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Had same problem as OP and others after removing battery to get at LH side spark plugs to replace. Carefully followed Uncle Scotty's instructions, and viola! - problem solved.

So where does this info come from? Not in my owner's manual. Not in the copy of the shop manual I have.

Not the first time I've encountered one of these undocumented but clearly functional sequences to initialize/reset things. Is there someplace where a library of these undocumented sequences exists?
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Old 08-31-2012, 06:21 PM   #20
jb_motohead
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Default All is well...

And a final note. I pulled off the throttle body, cleaned it thoroughly (and it was dirty!), then reinstalled it. Battery was disconnected entire time, and the car had been sitting overnight ('stone cold'). I re-connected the battery and followed Uncle Scotty's procedure, and the car is running like a top. Love it when a plan comes together.

Regards,
John Fishbeck
Haslett MI
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Old 09-01-2012, 08:28 AM   #21
CRAZYHAWK
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Listen to Uncle Scotty. Do his throttle body alignment after disconnecting a battery.

When replacing a battery, you could keep 12 volts across the terminals to avoid this.
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Old 12-07-2012, 10:53 PM   #22
99forest
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I've been looking for a forester for a while now. I've come across a 1999 Forester for sale on craigslist. Seller states that the car runs, but will die when put in gear. Do you guys think this procedure would reset the car and fix it? Thanks.
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Old 12-10-2012, 03:21 AM   #23
Uncle Scotty
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 99forest View Post
I've been looking for a forester for a while now. I've come across a 1999 Forester for sale on craigslist. Seller states that the car runs, but will die when put in gear. Do you guys think this procedure would reset the car and fix it? Thanks.

no...this isnt the issue here.....no
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Old 07-25-2013, 11:48 AM   #24
2.5iWillNeverBFast
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty View Post
with the engine stone COLD

and make sure ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ARE TURNED OFF.....NO RADIO...NO BLOWER...NO LIGHTS....NO AC NO NOTHING IS ON

disconnect the battery.....leave it off for 10 minutes and pump the brake pedal a few times
reconnect the battery...make sure the terminals are CLEAN and tight

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

get in car

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key to the last position before the starter engages and WAIT 10 seconds

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the key to start the car

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

leave the car to run until the radiator fans come on.......this may take 20-25 minutes

DO NOT TOUCH THE THROTTLE PEDAL AT ALL

turn the engine OFF and take the key OUT of the ignition switch and wait at least 10 seconds

put the key back in the ignition and start the car and drive normally for a bit and see what happens
Uncle Scotty, thanks for sharing your expertise on this. Here it is more than two years later and it was just as helpful to me as it was the original member who posed the question. My '07 Impreza 2.5i was acting funny after I had disconnected the battery. It took forever to turn the engine over, then it felt like the throttle was sticky and it was really hard to accelerate without over-revving it in first gear while disengaging the clutch. After letting the car sit in the garage overnight, I followed your instructions line-by-line. Now the car runs like a champ again. I really appreciate your help!
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Old 08-08-2013, 03:57 PM   #25
chitownwrx
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Another thank you to Uncle Scotty. In my case, my car wouldn't start. Now it's copacetic. Gracias!
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