[ImprezaSport21]

There is something massively wrong there. I am betting, unfortunately, that your car was in a massive accident before delivery. You need to contact Subaru and ask for disclosure. That massive gap and alignment difference is not acceptable on any car.

Also, a new car should not have 95 miles on it, period. I would guess this shows someone was driving the car and or possibly to/from repair.

Here's the famous BMW case where they had to eventually pay out $2 million (plus $4,000 in car damage value reduction) for not disclosing damage.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/517/559

 

[securityguy]

I agree and disagree with the above. 95 miles on a new car is really no big deal. Would it be nice to have lees than 50? Sure, but my car came from over 100 miles away and I had 165 on her the day I picker her up. I know people that have bought new cars with well over 200 miles on them so you really can't assume anything is "wrong" because it had 95 miles on her.

 

[ImprezaSport21]

Sure, it's up to the buyer if that's normal. Im 48 and have owned over 25 new vehicles. None has had more than 30 miles on them. All three of my 2017 Imprezas arrived with between 6-8 miles on them.

Someone drove that car a lot of miles.

I would not accept a "new" car with 80+ miles on it without a massive discount, but then again, you can get that on a brand new Impreza.

Regardless, those seams are not Subaru's normal. I highly believe that car was hit and hard.

 

[2017SportHatch]

looking at the pics of his doors I have to agree with ImprezaSport21. I think his whole problem stems from the car being hit now. that could possibly answer why his car is hard to keep straight. those gaps are definitely not Subaru typical. I must say the gaps on ours are almost perfect. they each line up well to each other and each side of the car.

since I typically have to have a vehicle traded into whatever dealer I am buying from the 95 miles on it don't concern me. but that gap is indication something has been hit at some point in time. it didn't roll off the assembly line looking that way.

 

[silentlysailing]

Passenger side and Driver side Trim alignment just for visual purpose, As I said before I don't think its a big issue but it is enough for me to wonder.

I know I stated before but here are a couple pictures that in my belief it was the way they were built, though kinda bazaar. I test drove the car with 7 miles on it took delivery at around 11 miles. I had pre-ordered the car from the dealership based on it being in incoming inventory.

I've had the trim at the bottom of the window come out too and had to pop it back in. Its only on the driver's side. Most new cars now adays have some small miss alignments, whether its hood, trunk lids, areas around the lights, where the body meets the bumper and doors. Also my previous new car had slightly over 500 miles on it when I bought it due to dealer transfer/trade and likely test drives. As a truck driver, I know on 18 wheelers at least, it isn't uncommon to have to have the doors adjusted to fix water leaks or to latch more easily. So I'll defend Subaru in that at least it doesn't leak so far and seems more sealed air wise than some of my previous cars.

 

[Onenutt]

Hey I am new here and new to Subaru so please bare with me. I was wondering if anyone has had handling issues with their 2017 Impreza models. I have a 2017 Impreza and regardless of where or how I drive the car has a very soft floaty almost drifty feel to it, it never really seems planted on the road. It does handle better in snow and ice and I have had it in under warranty for it (they say its like every other new car however the Legacy loaner they gave me felt more planted). I have taken the car in and had it aligned and that did help some but it still doesn't feel right. Being new to Subaru, maybe its a Subaru thing but for comparison, I have driven and never felt as unsafe in a 2003 Wrangler, 99 Cherokee, 05 Ranger, 97 98 01 Saturn SC, 2018 Challenger, and many more. Does anyone maybe have suggestions to improve handling, honestly I am at the point where as soon as I can I will be getting another vehicle and either parking this one to try to improve it or just outright get rid of it. Thank you.

I am going to repeat myself and say that something is very wrong with this picture! A 2017 Subaru should handle like a dream regardless if the road is dry, wet, frozen, etc. Our 2017 handles perfectly all the time!

You should not have to go to independent shops for an alignment because the car is still under warranty! There should be no reason to "park it" or "try to improve it". This needs to be fixed by the dealer. Insist on a meeting with the Service Manager. Insist of a road test with the shop foreman. Insist that they fix it or you are filing a complaint with Subaru. Don't accept no for an answer. Quit trying to fix the problem yourself, it is Subaru's problem not yours. This is a new car for crying out loud! I can't believe this is actually happening!

 

[mongoose1]

re impreza steering issues.

I am on my 4th Subaru. Had a 2001 Legacy GT (beautiful little car-not enough power-could not fit in it(I'm 6'4")) comfortably, kept it for 2 years, then traded in for a 2003 WRX wagon, great car(fit easily,had power-just not quite enough yet),went through 2 other cars then in 2013 got an STI wagon (this was what Subaru was all about (lots of power-fit fine-kept it for 4 years. then decided to get a 2017 Impreza 2.0 basic. then I decided to replace the oem wheels after a month with some alloy units from tire rack. from the beginning I noticed a problem with the steering-it seemed to wander on the road at highway speeds. I called it twitchy, squirrely, wandering. Initially I thought it had to do with the wheels. eventually I returned them and bought a set of original brand new oem 2008 Legacy wheels from the dealer that had the same parameters as the original wheels. Problem solved? NOPE. Having visited the dealer quite a few times and they saying that they thought nothing was wrong with it. I did a lot of investigating to try to figure out wth was going on. one day I go to a picnic my daughter had invited me to and I meet the regional tecnical manager for Jaguar/Land rover for the midwest. I was casually explaining the issue with my car, and the first question out of his mouth is-does your car have electric steering? I said yes it does. Oh, he says, we come across that problem in our cars regularly. And the solution is we do a software upgrade which fixes the issue. Shortly thereafter I drove to my friendly Subaru dealer (where I only bought the Legacy GT and the WRX but where I've always gone to service all 4 of my cars. I told them what I had been told by the Jaguar manager and asked if Subaru had come out with a software fix for this issue. NOPE, they said. nothing like that has been released to date. so no resolve for the issue which I never experienced in the prior 3 cars. Since I bought the car cash, and had installed some items which don't come with the car from factory( underhood sound/heat blanket, rear sway bar (that was a bear to install), the nice and expensive oem alloy wheels, some oem mud guards for behind the wheels, some grocery bag hooks in the trunk ,etc) I didn't really want to exchange the car for another. It now has over 23,000 miles on it and I drive more aware since I know that any slight movement when I'm going straight ahead and sometimes even a sideways gust of wind can upset the direction of the car, I will keep it for now but this is probably the last Subaru I will ever own (not the last car, just the last Subaru). I'm very disappointed with the engineers in charge of the steering system because I think they goofed by not allowing for adjustment of the steering with software. I think that they thought what they did was fine but all the other little issues the car has, cannot overcome what I feel is a major issue-steering of the car.

 

[Tylast]

My dealer, for some stupid reason, put the tire pressures at 40+ and the car handled horrible. He said the mechanics recommend those pressures to get better mileage - really stupid (who ask you to override the factory setting?)

When I adjusted the tire pressures to the normal amount, car handled fine and I have a Ltd and I think
it now handles really well - not a sport model!

Just picked up my 2018 Impreza lat week & had the twitchy experience at highway speeds. It was so bad I wanted to return it. I found my pressure to be at 42 for all tires! I reduced it to the recommended psi & the twitchiness is completely gone. I mentioned it to the dealer & they were like...what's the problem with high tire pressure. They're clueless I tell you.

 

[securityguy]

Just picked up my 2018 Impreza lat week & had the twitchy experience at highway speeds. It was so bad I wanted to return it. I found my pressure to be at 42 for all tires! I reduced it to the recommended psi & the twitchiness is completely gone. I mentioned it to the dealer & they were like...what's the problem with high tire pressure. They're clueless I tell you.

The first thing you have to check is TP before leaving a dealers lot. I told them to set all 4 to 35 psi. They are notorious for setting pressures super high. Glad you recognized the issue and that it corrected your experience. These are great cars!

 

[jeff3820]

When the cars leave the assembly plant the tires are inflated very high to make sure the tires stay inflated in case of extended storage or long distance shipping. When the dealer preps the car for delivery (or test drives) they are supposed to put the tire pressures at the factory recommended pressure.

 

[mongoose1]

In my case, the tire presure is not the problem. I regularly check it with a $ 50.00 (very accurate) dial gauge. I always keep the pressure as per the manufacurer's recommendation shown on the sticker on the drivers side door jamb.

 

[pprknight]

Maybe steering slop is part of the problem?

Not much seen for a cure on this problem. Seems like you have the problem or not. Then you get used to it or not. Maybe get an alignment to help by adding toe in, or increase (or reduce!!) the tire pressure or plan future new tires or suspect your car was damaged.

In my browsing I saw a hardware item listed and "Impreza wandering" wondered. Is is the steering and wandering and crosswind issue some have (for whatever the real reasons) made more troublesome by all the soft rubber isolation in our suspension and steering?

You have to admit that the 2017+ Impreza handles rough roads with a fantastic ride. Is there a downside? I had a 2002 Mazda Protege 5 that handled like a go cart on railroad tracks and never wandered but it made folks nauseous with its hard ride. My son brought the thought up when I mentioned this post, my earlier thread and the Car And Driver article after a drive to Baltimore on the PA Turnpike and US 70. He had previously been really impressed while driving my car on our pot-holed streets.

Lots of "my car wanders in the highway lane at higher speeds" on the internet forums for a number of Subaru models and previous production years. Does it almost feel like your steering has a bunch of rubber bands in its mechanism that makes the steering corrections under react and then over react to your input? Especially on turns and in side-winds? I swear I could feel absolutely nothing in the way of road shock through the steering wheel on this car - I might as well been using an Atari 2600 game controller (yes, I'm that old). Too much rubber in this thing?

One post for a 10 year old WRX mentioned having good luck with a cheap hardware item. So I ordered this thing from Amazon on Sunday 4/22- life is too short to sweat $75. Ordinary (not Prime) free shipping to Pittsburgh got it to me on Wednesday!!! Three business days!

I had some strong sidewinds really knock me around on Friday. About the worst that I can recall in 50+ years of driving; well almost; it was not quite as bad as a VW Beetle in the 60s; and that car couldn't even hit 80 without a steep cliff to help.

Saturday was not raining and not too cold so the car had its minor surgery in my driveway.

So I have now installed a gizmo called a Perrin Steering Dampener Lockdown for Subarus (psp-sus-565). From Amazon for $72.90. A similar Torque Solution Billet Steering Damper lockdown is a little cheaper at Subispeed - but shipping?? and no included instructions?? The initial test was "pretty good" at 80mph with some fresh breezes on Sunday here in Western PA the car felt stable and different for the better. I've scheduled the snow tires to be rotated out and maybe a free alignment check tomorrow at a Mr. Tire store. I'll keep this post in mind when the jury is done deliberating.

Claims for these things include "hunting through corners is gone", "removes the excessive steering play" and "first drive I'd made in this vehicle without the lane departure warning alarm sounding".

It restricts the steering dampener by wedging and compressing the rubber doughnut affair in your steering column. No downside noted by me as yet. I thought that I might have too much steering shock transferred but if there is now any minor change to that it seems for the better. Its good performance may just be my imagination, but so far I'm pleased.

Installation was no fun however. Very tight confines under the hood. Minor surgery was done on my hands from sharp edges and getting up and down from the ground. I got better access from underneath with the driver's side front wheel off. I recommend using a lift and a very large selection of socket extensions and a socket hex key (5mm ??) for this effort. Trying to loosen and tighten bolts while laying under a car on jacks and jack stands is for crazy people on hindsight. I am now paying the price for the efforts with a new bottle of Tylenol and hands that look like I was in a bar fight. Better yet, get a pro to do it. I doubt if the Subaru dealer would want to do it though. Claims of 15 to 30 minutes installation were not met. It took me longer than that to find the first dropped item at the bottom of the engine compartment in this adventure.

Good luck guys.

 

[Mrniceguy8211]

I have the same problem in 2017 impreza sport. It ever so slightly pulls to the left. It has done this since day 1. I have had it aligned 3 times already. The 2018 impreza limited I have as a loner drives perfectly strait. I wonder if it has something to do with the sport models

 

[pprknight]

Perrin Steering Dampener Lockdown works

So I have now installed a gizmo called a Perrin Steering Dampener Lockdown for Subarus (psp-sus-565)... when the jury is done deliberating...
...Claims for these things include "hunting through corners is gone", "removes the excessive steering play" and "first drive I'd made in this vehicle without the lane departure warning alarm sounding"...

Jury is in. This thing works!!!! :smile2::smile2::smile2::grin2:

I did get the stock Continental tires and factory 16 inch wheels back on and asked for an alignment with a bit of toe-in. Car's alignment was not too bad originally but some adjustment was made - darn north east winter pot holes!! Had some windy days earlier and the car was much easier to control. A gust would hit the car and require some correction but not the back and forth of the earlier set-up.

Yesterday I had a calm day on I79 south (and back north) with newer smoother road surfaces and with two good high speed 30 minute runs of a mix of speeds up to the high 70s. I swear I have a new car!! Steering is much more like I would expect. No objectionable road shock or wiggles from the device's reduction of rubber stuff in the steering linkage. Anyone else try one of these?

 

[silentlysailing]

Jury is in. This thing works!!!! :smile2::smile2::smile2::grin2:

I did get the stock Continental tires and factory 16 inch wheels back on and asked for an alignment with a bit of toe-in. Car's alignment was not too bad originally but some adjustment was made - darn north east winter pot holes!! Had some windy days earlier and the car was much easier to control. A gust would hit the car and require some correction but not the back and forth of the earlier set-up.

Yesterday I had a calm day on I79 south (and back north) with newer smoother road surfaces and with two good high speed 30 minute runs of a mix of speeds up to the high 70s. I swear I have a new car!! Steering is much more like I would expect. No objectionable road shock or wiggles from the device's reduction of rubber stuff in the steering linkage. Anyone else try one of these?

I don't know how I missed the last few posts. Thanks for letting us know of one solution that worked. I looked it up some more too and on the legacyGT(here and here) and forester forums, they had people that discussed that it improved stability/reduced the wander with the electric power steering equipped cars. I placed my order for one and I'll see about having my local shop install it next week. I'm pretty excited and hopeful.

 

[Su Baru]

The seller accepted a $40 offer on this one https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/263294413252

 

[silentlysailing]

I got an appointment set up to install the part later next week. My local independent subaru shop, that I've had work on one of my previous subaru's and did good work, said its a pretty common install on subaru's with the electric power steering. Said it'd be about a half hour labor or $50-$60ish for the install labor which isn't bad at all if it fixes most of the wandering.

 

[NoSlushbox4Me]

I installed my Perrin unit from below yesterday. Started with a cold car to make sure I wouldn't burn myself on the exhaust. Backed out of garage and shutdown immediately. Positioned the ramps in front of the wheels. Started, pulled up the ramp, shutdown. Under the car, the exhaust was nice and cool, but the cat. conv. was noticeably warmer. Got the part installed, started car, backed down the ramp, turned steering wheel left and right, pulled back up the ramp and shutdown. Went under to recheck the torques. HOLY @#&! THAT CAT. CONV. IS HOT!!! Got a nice little forearm burn from it. I should have worn long sleeves. That way, I could have caught one on fire and gotten 'a real man's burn' instead of this little sissy burn.

Haven't had a chance to do any freeway driving yet to give it a good trial.

 

[2017SportHatch]

I have the same problem in 2017 impreza sport. It ever so slightly pulls to the left. It has done this since day 1. I have had it aligned 3 times already. The 2018 impreza limited I have as a loner drives perfectly strait. I wonder if it has something to do with the sport models

not sure, but our Sport model doesn't have this problem like some do. I have experienced "wondering" with this car only once since we bought it in Dec 2016 and that was above 75mph on a less than perfect freeway. so I chalked it up to bad roads. haven't wondered one time since.

 

[C J]

Took my wifes' Ford Fusion out for a spin the other day (first time) and it felt heavy and ponderous compared to our cars.