club.liberty.asn.au

Hi all,

Just fitted my genuine used Subaru towbar on my MY04 2.5i wagon.

After re-attaching battery and driving it, it just won't go uphill at speed and is totally gutless in first gear at high revs.

Reset the ECU as per normal procedure and no difference. The mufflers had some rattling when I took them off, and so after finding this problem, took them back off to see if any exhaust flow restriction causing this. Apart from a nice sound there was no increase in power......

The only other thing I did was attach the factory towbar harness into the connector which is designed for it. All connections work on the trailer, so the harness is fine.

Have spent hours on the web, but no ideas - apart from low fluid in the auto tranny (is full and still red as was changed 1 year (7000km) ago).

Only other possibility is slipping band in auto box, but was no sign of this before fitting towbar.

And no, it's not because a trailer is attached!

Mr Bagus wrote:And no, it's not because a trailer is attached!

Was about to suggest this.

How long have you driven the car since?

Any other issues like stumbling/bad idle/poor fuel economy? Slow to start etc

alexeiwoody wrote:

Mr Bagus wrote:And no, it's not because a trailer is attached!

Was about to suggest this.

Hand Brake released?

Um, yep,

no trailer - check
no handbrake on - check

Have driven it for a week now, but only about 150km total...

Worth to keep driving and see what happens or try to reset the ECU by battery disconnect?

Mr Bagus wrote:Worth to keep driving and see what happens or try to reset the ECU by battery disconnect?

Time to throw on a Scan Tool and go looking for irregularities?

Did a code check connecting looms near fusebox and just showed PO____ with no number so assume no recent code?

Have ordered an OBD2 and will check properly when it arrives......

Iirc it's to do with your rear brake light resistance, if it's not legit as seen by the ecu, you'll be in a type of limp mode related to a rear brake light fault.
Google the issue also affects your model with led Taillights iirc

bigBADbenny wrote:Iirc it's to do with your rear brake light resistance, if it's not legit as seen by the ecu, you'll be in a type of limp mode related to a rear brake light fault.
Google the issue also affects your model with led Taillights iirc

If this is the issue, disconnect the towbar wiring, check all brake lights are plugged in and working - and see how it drives.

Thanks,

Will do......and report findings.....

Well....

Give the man a cigar!

Brake lights were perfect when I first installed towbar and hooked to trailer to check connections. Everything worked.

Just now checked and both brake light were not working! 3rd light OK. I pulled the globe holder out on each one to check bulbs and by doing this, the lights came on....

Anyway, took it for a run, and back to normal. Re-connnected towbar harness and still runs as normal. Sweet! Thanks!

Why don't they just put a warning light on dash when globes not working instead of limp mode?

Hope this helps others with a similar problem.

Thanks to everyone.

Mr Bagus wrote:Well....

Give the man a cigar!

Brake lights were perfect when I first installed towbar and hooked to trailer to check connections. Everything worked.

Just now checked and both brake light were not working! 3rd light OK. I pulled the globe holder out on each one to check bulbs and by doing this, the lights came on....

Anyway, took it for a run, and back to normal. Re-connnected towbar harness and still runs as normal. Sweet! Thanks!

Why don't they just put a warning light on dash when globes not working instead of limp mode?

Hope this helps others with a similar problem.

Thanks to everyone.

Not sure why there's no Check Engine light, but the limp mode is Subaru's logic of making the car slower....as you have no brake lights.

Good on Benny for remembering about it.

It will only happen when both lights are out.