In case y'all hadn't read this, thought I'd post up what I just got from Subaru via email. Dear Subaru Owner: We would like to thank you for selecting a 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. At Subaru, we take pride in our products and are committed to your continued satisfaction. During a quality review, we discovered that under certain harsh driving patterns, specifically when repeatedly or continuously operating the engine above the "red-line" (RPM above 6,700), abnormal combustion could occur resulting in serious internal engine damage in the form of broken piston ring lands. This abnormal combustion condition is the result of an "over lean" fuel mixture caused by a combination of fuel cut activation and high turbo boost. To prevent this condition from occurring, Subaru has developed a modification to the Engine Control Module software logic that will improve combustion management above "red-line" engine speed. This revised logic will not adversely affect the peak performance of your vehicle. WHAT WE ARE ASKING YOU TO DO PROMPTLY We suggest that you schedule an appointment with your Subaru dealer as soon as possible to have the Engine Control Module software reprogrammed to help maintain your vehicle's optimum performance and possibly prevent serious engine damage. Your Subaru dealer will perform this repair at no cost to you. In the meantime, please maintain your vehicle's engine speed below 6,700 RPM until this repair has been performed. Please present this letter to your Subaru dealer on the day of your service appointment. HOW LONG WILL THE REPAIR TAKE? The approximate time to perform this repair is 40 minutes. However, it may be necessary for you to leave your car for a longer period on the day of your scheduled appointment to allow your dealer flexibility in scheduling other appointments. MODIFIED VEHICLES Aftermarket Engine Control Module (ECM) software changes may adversely affect the proper operation of your vehicle and prevent your Subaru dealer from performing the ECM software logic update described in this e-mail. If your Subaru dealer is unable to perform this update as a result of non-authorized modifications made to your vehicle's ECM, Subaru will not be able to assist you until your vehicle is returned to its original condition. If this software update is not performed or if other aftermarket modifications cause similar engine damage, Subaru will not be able to assist with any resulting repair costs. IF YOU NEED FURTHER ASSISTANCE To locate your nearest Subaru dealer, you can access our web site at www.subaru.com and go to the dealer locator function. Or, you may call us at 1-800SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) during normal business hours. Please call or write us immediately if the dealer fails or is unable to complete this procedure free of charge. Your continued satisfaction with Subaru is important to us. This update is intended to assure your vehicle's optimal performance. We appreciate your understanding in this matter and regret any inconvenience this may cause you. Sincerely, Subaru of America, Inc.
I thought redline was lower on the 08, like 6600 or so. Well I'm guessing this is for those who disable the rev limiter maybe...
yeah i'm glad i haven't had anything done to mine yet now. it's about due for service again already with all the miles i've put on it so i can kill two birds with one stone hopefully before school starts next week!
I would think that if its fuel map problem, if you modded your car with exhaust, and lets say, flashed it with Access Port you should be fine. Right?
It's for the sti, not your leggy =P Anyways, I would think if someone got it tuned, it should not have this issue.
Agreed. As long as you trust your tuner to be safe up there, no need for the "dealer reflash." Looks like less timing/more fuel up top. Not really sure how people with a stock car could be driving "above redline," however. Fuel cut is always going to do bad things to an engine if you live on it..
