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Common Nissan Maxima vs. Subaru Legacy breakdowns

The Nissan Maxima and Subaru Legacy are both popular sedans. Similarities can be seen in price, styling, and performance. What are some common repair problems seen in each model? When do they occur and how much do they cost to fix? What about how to pay for car repairs? Let's find out. Check Engine Light Both Maxima and Legacy owners dread the appearance of this little light. In the Nissan, it's most likely a failed ignition coil. This part transforms the car battery voltage into a higher voltage required for starting. This problem appears more often in Maximas with over 140,000 miles. The cost to replace the ignition coil runs around $400, parts and labor. The check engine light on the Subaru Legacy is more often due to a failed oxygen sensor. The O2 sensor measures the oxygen level in the exhaust and can affect fuel consumption. This part fails more frequently in models with over 110,000 miles. The repair costs around $200. Legacy Sound System Problems It's not uncommon for the Legacy to have sound system failures at 140,000 miles or more. The speakers might not work or only function intermittently. Hitting a bump might also cause the radio to shut off. Repair costs here can vary, but the typical charge is around $600. Nissan Check Engine Light Part 2 The Nissan check engine light also may appear due to oil leaking from the camshaft position sensor. Difficulty with stalling and acceleration might occur as well. The repair costs around $250 and is more frequent in models with over 104,000 miles. Big-Ticket Items Some repairs are especially costly. In Maximas with over 120,000 miles, the power steering pump may begin to malfunction. This produces a clunking or knocking sound when driving over uneven terrain. Steering might be affected with abnormal noises heard when turning the steering wheel. A Nissan Maxima power steering pump replacement costs around $1,250, parts and labor. Now, if you begin to feel your Legacy vibrating or shuddering at around 116,000 miles, it may be a transmission problem. It's more noticeable when the car shifts gears. Legacy transmission repair can be expensive, costing up to $2,000 or more. Even more costly is a Subaru Legacy head gasket failure, seen more often at 110,000 miles or more. AC malfunction, fluid leaks, and engine overheating can occur when the head gasket fails. The repair costs are around $3,000.

2017 Subaru Forester has new face, better EyeSight, torque vectoring

The Forester was Subaru's best-selling vehicle in the US last year, and holds that title so far in 2016. With stiff competition in the crossover segment, though, Subaru isn't resting on that success. A refresh to the Forester for the 2017 model year adds more tech, and updated face, and a quieter interior. Plus you can now get torque vectoring on the 2.0-liter turbo, just like in the Impreza WRX and STI. The updated Forester arrives at dealerships in July. Most significant among the updates is a an upgrade to Subaru's Eyesight safety system. Eyesight uses two cameras in the windshield to read the road ahead and provide emergency braking and adaptive cruise control. With the new model year the system now uses color cameras with a winder and longer field of view. The tech suite includes Lane Keep Assist, and higher trims benefit from additional improvements like High Beam Assist, Steering Responsive Headlights, and Reverse Automatic Braking, which can automatically stop the CUV if it detects an obstruction behind the car. The 2017 Forester's design tweaks are minor but attractive. The new grille features horizontal bars, and the updated front fascia for naturally aspirated models has a larger body-color section around the air dam. The headlights feature C-shaped LED running lights, too. Riding in the Forester should be quieter thanks to thicker door glass, new seals, additional under-floor insulation, and an acoustic glass windshield. There's also a redesigned steering wheel, and it's even heated on the Touring trim. Customers can still choose between a 170-horsepower naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four cylinder or a 250-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four. Subaru worked some engineering magic on the 2.5 and upped the fuel economy 26 miles per gallon city, 32 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined – gains of 2 mpg city and 1 mpg combined. Subaru's venerable all-wheel drive layout also now includes Active Torque Vectoring on the Forester 2.0XT Touring with EyeSight for even sharper handling. Related Video: 2017 SUBARU FORESTER OFFERS ADVANCED SAFETY FEATURES AND GREATER COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE April 14, 2016 New Driver Assist Technology Improved MPG Upgraded Comfort and Style Turbo Model Now Features Torque Vectoring Cherry Hill, N.J. - Subaru of America, Inc. today announced a comprehensive update to the 2017 Forester including revised styling, new driver assist technology, more interior comfort, enhanced driving performance, and better fuel economy.

Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.