Subaru Tribeca - anybody know these vehicles?

[unclebilly]

I have had my WRX for almost 2 months and put on over 10,000 kms. I love this car and since buying it, none of my Porsche’s have turned a wheel.

We are considering a second generation Tribeca to replace my wife’s Lexus LX450 (80 Series Landcruiser).

I know the transmissions in the Tribecas can be a failure point (this one has a bad trans that I plan to fix).

What else do I need to look out for?

[VincentVega]

I remember one as a rental and thought it was nice. Only issue was seat room/storage. Only reason why I remember is it was for a golf trip and with bags and a few dudes space was tight. IIRC backseat space wasnt great.

Love your lx450!

[recycled sixtie]

Well you don't see many of these around anymore. Maybe there is a reason for that. If I remember right many years ago when this car was newly tested it i was apparently hard on gas. I don't see its appeal but each one to their own.....

[SCadaddle]

Horrendous fuel mileage and spendy tire replacement are the two things that come to mind from me, a long time (22 years) multiple 4 cylinder Subaru Legacy-Legacy Outback owner. The 3.0 H6 in the 2005-2008 Outbacks makes those cars really scoot and cruise nicely with the 5 speed automatic. I'm sure the 3.0 and 3.6 H6 engines share the same small cylinder shaped oil cooler on the side of the engine case that the oil filter screws on to, and they are prone to leak from either the O ring between the cooler and the engine (easy fix), the oil cooler itself (easy fix more money) or the engine case is damaged where the cooler mounts (expensive fix). So look for oil leaks in that area. They are also prone to the cylinder head gasket issues, the water pumps are internal behind a metal cover with 51 bolts (!) driven by the timing chains supported by multiple plastic chain ramps with hydraulic tensioners.......the list goes on. First thing I'd look at is leaks at the oil filter and remove the oil filler cap and look inside the top of the cap itself. Nobody spends the time to clean the inside of the oil filler cap, and if it is dry and grungy, quite possibly crusty, I'd walk.

That being said, I'd let Faye take care of my plugs.

[unclebilly]

Looks like I bought it. Now the big decision, rebuild or replace the transmission...

[unclebilly]

So here is how this all went down...

The original owner of this Tribeca had all of the service done at the local dealer. They appear to have not always held this customers best interests as priority as there are some questionable things in the records.

This spring after installing new tires, new windshield, etc., he blew the serpentine belt and didn’t realize it. Fortunately, the water pump is not run off of the serpentine belt but the power steering, a/c, and alternator are.

It started to shift funny after the serpentine belt was replaced so he parked it and bought another identical 1 year newer Tribeca.

I bought it for 30% of market value. I replaced the brakes and lower control arm bushings, changed the oil and filters and took it to a tranny shop because the 2-3 shift was abrupt as was the 3-2 downshift otherwise it seemed fine.

The tranny shop did a full diagnosis and the report came back - the tranny is fine, the fluid analysis looks good and we don’t even reccomend a fluid replacement. $0.00. Take it to the dealer and have them reflash the trans computer.

We dropped it off at the dealer and for $66.41, they updated the software with a reflash that specifically corrects the 2-3 shift and test drove it.

The thing drives perfectly now. My wife loves it.

I feel more than a little guilty.