Taken for a Ride by the Dealer! Aww!

[dgreenbluet]

This is kind of a long story. First off I have a 2005 WRX, bone stock, 92,000 miles. Only problem i've had with it, was i had to replace the ECU at 60,000 because the plastic linner in my wheel well got ripped out and my tire sprayed water right onto the ecu. Spark plugs were changed at 80,000miles.

So this started a couple weeks ago. The car was not starting properly. It would crank for 10 or 15 seconds before starting. Then one night it just wouldnt start at all. It would crank all day but never fire up. I thought water in my fuel or the fuel filter just went. Put some HEET in the tank, replaced fuel filter which was not fun being in the fuel tank and all. Still nothing! I bought a used fuel pump assembly on ebay from a wrecked 05 wrx with 50K miles on it. I didnt want to buy a new one bcuz it $600 from the dealer and I wasnt sure this was the problem. So then the car started right up like new. Drove it around town for about 2 weeks. Still seemed like something wasnt completely right, it still cranked for alittle long then it ever did before. It would have to crank for 3-5 seconds to start everytime. Then I took it for a couple 1 hour long drives. The cranking time to start got longer every trip. Then one night when I was at work 1 hour from home the car would not start. It would crank all day but not start. I can hear the fuel pump come on, but no-go. So i got tired of working on it and paid to have it towed an hour to the dealer and guess what they said was wrong. The fuel pump is bad!!!! I was about to flip when I heard this. I thought the guy on ebay sold me a bad pump, but that doesnt explain why it worked for 2 weeks. The dealer wanted to order a fuel pump and install it. They insisted this was problem, after i told them i already replaced it with a used one. "he had seen this problem many times before" so i said fine, so fix it, i need my car. waited a week for the part to get in, then they forgot to call me when it was finished. i called them and asked if it was done and they said yes its been done for days. cars fixed right?

WRONG

That was about 3 days ago. Drove the car for those 3 days and it seemed ok untill yesterday, it was taking longer then usual for the engine to start. crank longer and longer everytime to start. this morning went out to the car and it will NOT start. cranks all day but will not fire up. im pretty upset about paying for a tow, parts, labor and not having my car for a week for absolutely nothing.

anyone have idea's on what could be wrong?

im thinking something electrical. maybe something with the ignition system.

any help is appreciated

i wish i could get my money back from the dealer, doubtful!

also the check engine light is not on, nor have I ever seen it on.

[oguitar]

How old is the battery?

[dgreenbluet]

I believe its the original battery, but it will crank the engine all day. Still has lots of juice. And when the engine does start it runs perfectly fine.

I know the fuel system is good but who knows, could just be a cut wire somewhere for all i know. its just so random, and thats the main problem, i cant find a pattern. i just went out and tried to start it and it started after cranking for about 5 seconds, took it for a 30 minute drive. it ran great! got home turned it off, went inside, came back out and it will not start!!! just cranks!

very annoying

is there a fuse or relay that only powers something during start-up that would make it hard to start, but not effect the engine after it is running? it runs like nothing is wrong after i get it started randomly

[dgreenbluet]

maybe the ignition relay is gettin stuck? anybody?

[oguitar]

Have your battery checked. Specifically find out what the cranking amps are. Is there any correlation to the weather? For example is it harder to start in the cold. My bet is the battery is simply old and tired.

[teflon_jones]

Did you replace the fuel filter, or just the pump?

[dgreenbluet]

Did you replace the fuel filter, or just the pump?

I replaced the whole assembly. So pump, filter, and prefilter.

[dgreenbluet]

Have your battery checked. Specifically find out what the cranking amps are. Is there any correlation to the weather? For example is it harder to start in the cold. My bet is the battery is simply old and tired.

Pretty sure the batteries ok bcuz it will start randomly after it doesn't start. And there is no pattern of any kind including weather that I can find. I've been tryn to start it for the past couple days and ita still cranking over pretty fast.

[teflon_jones]

Yeah your problem isn't the battery. It sounds like a fuel problem, but it's really hard to tell. What octane fuel are you using?

On a side note, have you done your timing belt yet? If not, it's past time to do it. That won't cause this problem but you're well over the service interval on it.

[dgreenbluet]

Yeah your problem isn't the battery. It sounds like a fuel problem, but it's really hard to tell. What octane fuel are you using?

On a side note, have you done your timing belt yet? If not, it's past time to do it. That won't cause this problem but you're well over the service interval on it.

I run 91 octane. The TB has not been done. I was gonna wait till 100k.

[dgreenbluet]

Seems like it gives me the most problems after filling up the tank but that could be coinendence.