GTS Front END Suspension Bottoming out

[Outbackmack]

Hi all
Have just picked up MY18 Levorg STI.
Front Suspension still bottoms out.
The ride is excellent until you hear the hard THUMP. Slowing down to 80kph on Roads with deep manhole covers decreases the frequency of it happening though.
Haven’t driven the older model, but have read through above posts and I reckon it’s an improvement.

 

[Parian]

So heard some knocking from the rear passenger side suspension intermittently a few weeks ago. Since then have heard it more and more. Looked under the car the other day and can see fluid is coming from somewhere (presumably the shock). So off to Subaru next week!! Bloody over this car (between this, the handling, the hands free and the front of my car looking like it has been sand blasted after only 28,000kms, I am seriously one disappointment cat, like puss in boots with the bottom lip hanging out!!).

It's quite unfortunate that it appears you have received one of the throw backs. Problems can and do occur which is frustrating for us owners.
A chap i know purchased a MY18 WRX and has already had the turbo replaced due to faulty workmanship in the factory build.

Hind sight is a damned thing, kicking myself that i didn't clear vinyl wrap the front of my car as the acid from the insect death's leaves a permanent stain. Paint protection didn't save the day eh.

Not quite sure what has caused your 'sand blasted' effect. I've driven on quite a few unsealed roads yet stayed well behind the vehicle in front to avoid damage.

After experiencing the stock suspension on the GT variant, it was grossly inadequate for someone who's driving on Australian roads.
I found much comfort after replacing the below average suspension with MCA coil overs.
Subaru is well aware they GOT IT WRONG yet as always with a lot of these corporations... will never admit to it.

Personally i've not had any issue's with the hands free speaker phone set up. Iphone 6S run thru the bluetooth portal.
Receiving person hears me clearly yet i do tend to talk louder whilst on a phone call in the car.

For me, with little initial disappointment, i've managed to modify the car to my requirements and comfort level.
Cannot say that i've ever purchased a vehicle that ticked all the boxes straight up.

Hope you can eventually get solace in your Levorg.

 

[AKKO]

For those interested a petition has been started on one of the Facebook groups:

https://www.change.org/p/subaru-australia-revision-of-subaru-levorg-standard-bilstein-shocks-by-subaru-australia?recruiter=191551866&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

 

[Arthur]

Hi guys
I’m very new to the levorg world and new to this page
But could I please ask
What has people done about the issues with the bilstein suspension
Has anyone been successful with Subaru replacing or rectifying the problem with the suspension bottoming out
I had a situation on the weekend where I hit a bump in the road at about 100kph then hit a 2nd one straight away
With the suspension already under full load the rebound was like a pogo stick
Rebounded me onto the wrong side of the road
We bound the car 2nd hand
3yrs old with only 48,000ks
It’s literally got a few days of warranty left
I rang Subaru
There responce was
So your saying you have a problem this bad but have not had it looked at by our professionals
Well I contacted them cause I don’t want anyone else to die
This is very very personal
As our son was recently killed in a Subaru
That had similar suspension
When I mentioned it to the accident investigator
It pricked his ears for him to look into
I find the car absolutely beautiful
Especially on the freeway and on good roads but unfortunately Australia don’t have perfect roads everywhere
I’m not going to go easy on Subaru
I won’t let it go
So please if I can please get some feed back would be hugely appreciated
Thanks heaps guys
Arthur

 

[robo498]

Yes, I also have just purchased a My17 levorg with the "updated suspension". ......same issue! All the car reviews on you tube say the same thing that it is not great, not sure what can be done, may need to change to coil overs?

 

[Arthur]

We shouldn’t have to outlay big money to an expensive near new car that is suppose to be designed for Australian roads
There has to be something we can fo

 

[nicodache]

Weeeell, historically, it was designed for Japan roads, as replacement for the US plastic-ey legacy

Europe and Australia had to almost beg for it - there is a reason EU and AU got it ~a year after it was first sold in Japan

 

[Arthur]

How can they sell a product that is unsafe for Australian roads

 

[Suffolk]

I contacted Subaru Australia and this was I received:

 

[Arthur]

I contacted Subaru Australia and this was I received:

So what ended up being the final outcome
Did you just bite the bullet and replace the suspension yourself,
Sucked it up and put up with it
Or sell the car

 

[Arthur]

For those interested a petition has been started on one of the Facebook groups:

https://www.change.org/p/subaru-australia-revision-of-subaru-levorg-standard-bilstein-shocks-by-subaru-australia?recruiter=191551866&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=share_petition

What ended being the final outcome of the petition here please

 

[Suffolk]

So what ended up being the final outcome
Did you just bite the bullet and replace the suspension yourself,
Sucked it up and put up with it
Or sell the car

I just purchased it Christmas last year brand new. Leaving it as until my warranty runs out or I will sell it once the newer model levorg hits Australia.

 

[Arthur]

Hi Robbon.
New to the forum. I am right there with you all, the bottom out on the front end is bloody awful. I flagged it in my feedback to Subaru in their new car purchase feedback form.
I actually have more of a problem with the rear end over undulations. It rebounds too high over rolling road undulations and I have had the rear tyres loose contact (or atleast have fairly tenuous contact with the road) and the contents of my boot become airborne and crash down. There are a couple on the Westgate freeway I regularly encounter at 100km/h and it never fails to scare the crap out of any occupants of the car (especially one in the right hand lane just past the Western Ring Road flyover that I now change lanes for). Really pisses me off and is seriously dangerous. I of course have had no response from Subaru.
Ms Button will be getting an email from me as they have clearly mucked up the suspension set up in these situations. I mean it's great on perfect roads but how often do you get them.

Hi there Nick gts
Can you please tell me what you ended doing about this
Final outcome
Did Subaru come to the party or did you end up replacing the suspension yourself
If so what did you replace it with
Cheers Arthur

 

[Arthur]

I just purchased it Christmas last year brand new. Leaving it as until my warranty runs out or I will sell it once the newer model levorg hits Australia.

Ok cheers mate
Yes we have just bought ours 2nd hand
Nearly 3yrs old and less than 50,000ks
The only thing that annoys me is this suspension
To be honest
If it was just a disliking I would either suck it up and get used to it n put up with it
But honestly at times I find it dangerous
On the freeway and most back streets absolutely beautiful
But like we did on the weekend
Some country driving
Absolute down right dangerous
That’s what is annoying me
Something can be sold for a top premium price
That is dangerous but then tells everyone it’s fine
On country roads especially it’s like driving around on a pogo stick

 

[Doogz32]

Hi guys, new to the forum as I've recently purchased a 2017 ex demo low KMs, etc. Love the car, but like others in this thread, have the exact same issue with the front suspension. Seen a couple of posts of peeps getting MCA Suspension to upgrade suspension. For family safety, I want to upgrade/fix the suspension as well.

Has anyone had issues with insurance after doing an overhaul of the suspension? And I've heard of MCA Suspension doing suspension work, but does anyone have other recommendations in terms of who to go to as well? I'm in the ACT, Australia and was shocked to speak to someone at Pedders who didn't even know what a Levorg was.

Anyways, great to see a Levorg forum goin. Hi to everyone and hope to learn more about this car.

 

[Brettzee]

Member from nz here, I have a MY14 imported from Japan 1.6 gt-s.
So has the bilstien shocks, this has all the same issues of the front hitting the stops and flappy back end, not cool at all.
I will research what can be done here to fix it and post for any other nz fellas. Good luck all, shame that this has basically been ignored by subaru.
BZEE

 

[robo498]

I have ordered MCA coilovers and they have arrived, but due to lock down v3.0 in Victoria I cannot get them installed! !!!

 

[Arthur]

Hi all

I've seen some posts on here of members upgrading suspension but don't have the budget to do full upgrade at the moment

Im not sure if its only my car but has anyone else noticed the car Hits the BUMP Stops on Deep Crevices or bumps on the road.

I've driven the same bit of road every day in other cars and don't notice anywhere near the same effect.

Its actually Quite Harsh and concerning

Levorg GTS and has only done 7500 km's

We totally can sympathize with you
We do a lot of long distance country road driving
So most of the roads are far from perfect
Including the service road just around the corner from us
After 2 attempts at 2 separate dealers
With the reply
There’s nothing wrong with it
I even sent bilstein an email with dash cam footage of it hitting bump stops at 45ks per hr in a 60zone
We were having to go nearly onto the wrong side of the road to avoid these 2 undulations in the road
3 wheel alignments in 6months
Then we done a country drive and hit some little wash outs at 100kph
I hit the 1st one
It bottomed out on the bump stops then rebounded then I hit the next
At this stage it had bounced me onto the wrong side of the road and landed on my front bumper
The back end bouncing everywhere
Friends were behind us in a little Honda jazz with 4 adults in it and an old 1980 Corolla
They didn’t even feel the bumps
But the wife n I certainly did
At that point
My wife lost confidence in the car
To be honest
It took me a while to settle afterwards also
But Subaru and bilstein said there was nothing wrong

so after a lot of thinking and research
We bit the bullet to and got MCA pro comfort coil overs fitted
Now just like every one else has said once they have done it
It’s how it should of left the factory
No more bouncing
We got the pro comforts that are adjustable if you want firmer
But it’s adjusted to 10
So 2 off the softest setting
I picked the wife up from work
She said as a passenger
It feels more planted on the road
Then I went over the undulations near home and no noise
No bouncing
Wife’s reply was
Did they just fix the road today or something
No but we fixed the car
On good road would think it’s factory
Until you hit some bumps or even a pot hole
You go
There was a pot hole there
I know there was
Honestly it’s turned a great car but with shit pathetic suspension into an over all pleasant lovely car
Full drive in drive out with wheel alignment at MCA Brisbane
$2850
But honestly
I can now be confident for the wife to go about with her work out on the country roads with confidence

 

[Arthur]

I have ordered MCA coilovers and they have arrived, but due to lock down v3.0 in Victoria I cannot get them installed! !!!

Just got ours fitted today
Omg you won’t look back
Within minutes of them being fitted
I noticed a good difference straight away

 

[robo498]

That's great, can't wait to get mine put in!!!!!!!!