BRZ and FR-S Owners Complain About Rough Idle and Stalling Engines, Some Don't Like Remedy

The sports coupe jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru that entered production as the Subaru BRZ, Scion FR-S and Toyota GT86 was one of the most awaited cars of the year, since it rekindled the fun to drive and relatively modestly priced niche. Despite being a long time in the making, being teased by a series of concepts, the final product received positive reviews. The three models are nearly identical, featuring a 2.0-liter flat-four engine with both direct and indirect injection driving the rear-wheels via a six-speed manual or auto gearbox and a Torsen limited-slip differential.
The problem is that Subaru and Scion customers who rushed in to buy the first batch of cars are now complaining about rough idle and stalling issues.
Toyota and Subaru announced that there’s no actual mechanical defect in the engine and the issue is caused by a software mapping glitch.
Toyota spokesperson Brian Lyons said that the engine control unit (ECU) is programmed to adapt to the car's powertrain and owner's driving patterns. Within 100 miles (160 km), those settings are “frozen” in the ECU.
Software coding errors in the ECU-engine communication are the culprits for this error. Under certain driving conditions (that were not specified) the electronic control unit software “thinks” that the engine is operating outside its “frozen” parameters and causes stalling or a rough idle as it tries, and apparently fails, to sort things out.
It then flashes the “check engine” light and when plugged into a diagnostic reader, shows a “P0019” error code.
The interesting thing is that, while both Toyota and Subaru agree on the nature of the problems, they offer different solutions.
Subaru will simply re-flash the ECU on all BRZs that have this issue. Toyota, on the other hand, will re-flash the ECU on the GT86 and Scion FR-S only if the car has less than 100 miles; otherwise, it will replace the whole unit.
"This is not a mileage-dependent condition. No replacement of the ECU is needed at any mileage to rectify the issue”, Subaru spokesman Dominick Infante told Automotive News. “The re-flash is the fix. There is not a defect concerning the ECU.”
Not all owners agree that the explanation of a software error is accurate, because even after they had their cars’ ECUs remapped or replaced, the problem keeps occurring claiming there is a mechanical issue.
Toyota and Subaru wouldn’t comment on how many cars are affected or how many complaints they have received until now.
A Scion FR-S owner wrote on the FT86club.com site: “Mine’s on the third week in the shop. Parts are on back order. VVTi cam gear and oil control valve are what they claimed to be replacing. Waiting on gaskets which are on back-order, apparently.”
The forum has over 100 registered complaints with many owners claim that their cars have had their camshaft bearing, cam gears, actuators and cam position sensors changed.

By Andrew Tsaousis

Story References: Automotive News

PHOTO GALLERY:

Read more »

Posted in: About,Complain,Engines,Owners,Remedy,Rough,Stalling

Paris Auto Show: McLaren Talks About its New P1 Hypercar Concept [Video]

Paris Auto Show: McLaren Talks About its New P1 Hypercar Concept

The 2012 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris was the event chosen by McLaren Automotive to present the world debut of the brand-new P1 hypercar in pre-production trim, about a year before it goes on sale. McLaren claims that the P1 draws inspiration from its racing division and its target is to produce the world’s best driving car both on the road and on the track.
"The McLaren P1 will be the result of 50 years of racing and road car heritage", says McLaren Automotive Executive Chairman Ron Dennis. "Twenty years ago we raised the supercar performance bar with the McLaren F1 and our goal with the McLaren P1 is to redefine it once again."
As you can see in the video that follows, McLaren managing director Anthony Sheriff claims that top speed wasn’t a top priority – which, given that the 20-year old F1 made its name primarily on its record-breaking top speed, is kind of ironic.
This doesn’t mean that the production version of the P1, which in Paris was displayed in concept form, will be lacking in the speed department. According to program director Paul Mackenzie, its power to weight ratio will be more than 600PS (592HP) per tonne, which, should be enough to give the Ferrari F70 and Porsche 918 Spyder a run for their money.
The P1’s also excels in terms of its aerodynamic performance. Even below the car's top speed, which will exceed 200 mph (320 km/h), the P1 generates 600 kg (1,323 lbs) of downforce, which results in improved mechanical grip and agility.
McLaren’s huge racing experience is evident in the Formula 1-like Drag Reduction System (DRS), which adjusts the rear wing’s pitch in a straight line to reduce drag and improve performance.
The P1 utilizes a mid-engine layout and a carbon fiber “Monocage” monocoque and roof structure, which is a further development of the “Monocell” chassis used by the MP4-12C.
McLaren said that further details, including the powertrain, will be announced in early 2013, and deliveries will begin late next year on McLaren’s 50th anniversary.
You can view the image gallery and a video of Anthony Sheriff explaining the thinking behind the P1’s creation right after the break.

By Andrew Tsaousis

PHOTO GALLERY:

VIDEO: Antony Sheriff on the McLaren P1

Read more »

Posted in: About,Concept,Hypercar,McLaren,Paris,Talks,Video

You Need To Know About Nicole Scherzinger

(Cars Girls Sexy Cool) - There's not much that Nicole Scherzinger can't do. The dazzling beauty is the former leader of The Pussycat Dolls and she has a flair for singing, dancing, acting, modeling and more. She was born into a family of Hawaiian dancers and it wasn't long before pretty Miss Nicole started rocking the world with her many talents.
Nicole Scherzinger has strutted her way to diva status by sheer will. As a child, she danced alone in her bedroom while singing along to Whitney Huston tapes. When she grew up, she ran off to join the rock band "Days of the New," and it wasn't long before Nicole was tapped to lead The Pussy Cat Dolls to fame and notoriety. That is when her career really started taking off.
Let's count the many accomplishments of Nicole Scherzinger. She is an awesome singer and songwriter with multiple awards and undeniable musical chops. She is a supreme dancer who took top prize in the tenth season of ABCs "Dancing With the Stars." She has appeared in live professional theater as well as television and movies. She was a judge on the "X Factor" in the U.S. and now is judging "X Factor U.K." Her face and body are seen in fashions from around the world. Hard to say what's next for this sultry pussycat. Best of all she's also dating F1 driver, Lewis Hamilton.

Nicole's Mercedes-Benz SL63:

Nicole's Bentley Continental GT

Nicole's Mercedes GL

Nicole Scherzinger Photos

Nicole Scherzinger and her boyfriend Lewis Hamilton

Read more »

Posted in: About,Nicole,Scherzinger