Subaru® Service Information & More
Milito’s has Serviced Subaru® in Chicago since 1968.
Rely on Us for Any Type of Subaru Repair and Maintenance Today!
How Subaru Has Stood The Test Of Time
People Love Their Subarus
So much so that 97% of Subaru vehicles sold in the last 10 years are still on the road today. The Japanese car brand is well-known for their safety, reliability, and fuel efficiency, which is what makes them such popular commuter vehicles. That doesn’t mean that Subarus aren’t tough, though.
They’re also purchased because they can handle difficult terrain and can adjust to nearly any weather condition. The reason they’ve been around since the 1950’s is because whether you need a good all-purpose vehicle with four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive commuter vehicle, Subaru is a great choice.
Who Is Buying a Subaru?
In one word — females, due in large part to Subaru’s marketing efforts.
They found that half of their American sales came from teachers and educators, health-care professionals, IT professionals, and outdoorsy types.
They also released a 2018 crossover to attract more buyers in the 25 to 29 age group than any of their other all-wheel-drive vehicles.
When asked about going after a younger demographic, Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior said, “That’s part of our challenge. To get more younger people, more females to get into Subaru, and give them a Subaru experience that’s enjoyable for them, hopefully then you can keep them in the brand.”
Top Subaru Repair Problems
While Subaru is a mostly-well-oiled machine with only minimal owner complaints, no vehicle is perfect, and there are a few issues that may need to be addressed.
- Leaking Head Gaskets – The first sign that something could be wrong with a head gasket is the loss of coolant, which could be leaking into the vehicle itself. Coolant that gets pulled into the engine can quickly cause damage due to overheating, and everything from the failure of spark plugs to corrosion and rust can be a result of coolant leaks.
- Double Offset Joint Repair – If you notice your vehicle is starting to handle differently or you notice a new clunking sound while driving, it could be because of suspension joint issues, especially in the front axle.
- Constant Velocity Joint Repair – There are many joints under your vehicle that help effortlessly run your vehicle, but eventually it becomes too much. Subaru is known for needing CV joint repairs regularly, so if you notice clicking sounds when you turn or a change in handling, it should be looked at by an expert at Milito’s Auto Repair.
- Timing Belt Replacement – If a timing belt fails, it could destroy your engine. It’s recommended that Subaru owners preemptively replace the timing belt before 100,000 miles, as Subaru is known to have issues after that mileage marker.
- A/C System O-Rings – It’s not uncommon to have an A/C leak in your vehicle, and it’s relatively simple to repair. However, in Subarus, it has been reported as a failure of the A/C system o-ring, which causes the leaking of coolant, and that can cause the compressor to overheat and fail.
All of these problems and more can be fixed by the Subaru service mechanics at Milito’s Auto Repair in Chicago.
What to Look for When Buying a Used Subaru
If you’re looking for a luxury car but don’t want to pay for a brand new model, a used Subaru is the way to go.
Here are five things that you should do:
- Check the Records – Check the serial number with your local Subaru dealer for a service history. If they don’t have a history, make sure it has credible records from the owner.
- Professional Inspection – Even if you ran a vehicle history report, you should still have the car inspected by a mechanic to find potential issues and to determine if the car has been in an unreported accident. Make sure they pay attention to engine-related components, like fluids, hoses and belts, radiator, and the battery.
- Check the Tires – Tires can tell you a lot regarding the maintenance and driving history of the car. If tires are worn unevenly across the width of the tread, this could indicated aggressive driving by the previous owner of the vehicle. Also look at the surface of the tire for feathering (bad alignment). Bad alignment can be caused by worn steering/suspension components, the Chicago potholes, or frame damage.
- Certified Pre-Owned – The certification provides a long-term warranty which is only offered after a rigorous 152-point test fully resolving any visual or technical flaws. It’s also factory-backed with a 7-year/100,000-mile powertrain coverage and $0 deductible.
- Test Drive – You’re judging your comfort level with the car. Do the power windows all work? Are the mirrors easily adjustable? In addition, take a moment to park in a clean area on the road, and let the car run for at least 30 seconds. After which move the car and do a visible check for any leaking substances, which is a red flag.
Subaru Innovations
Driving Infotainment
Thanks to Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTM connectivity, your favourite music is at the ready, along with voice command, hands-free calls and contacts.
Pre-Collision Braking System
This provides automatic braking to help avoid or reduce the severity of detected frontal accident impacts.
Blind Spot Monitor
A light on your side mirror illuminates to let you know if a vehicle is detected in your blind spot.
Subaru Intelligent Drive
Not all drives are the same, and Subaru Intelligent Drive gives you the option to tailor your car’s performance to suit your mood — Intelligent (I), Sport (S) and Sport Sharp (S#).
Subaru Dealers in the Chicago Area
The History of Subaru
In 1953 Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. was created from the investment of five companies — Fuji Kogyo, Fuji Jidosha, Omiya Fuji Kogyo, Utsunomiya Sharyo and Tokyo Fuji Sangyo — as an aircraft manufacturing, sales, and maintenance company.
The CEO of FHI, Kenji Kita, decided he wanted to get involved with car manufacturing, and he began making plans with the name P-1. Deciding he needed something different, he went with the Japanese name, Subaru.
The first car produced was the Subaru 1500, and it had a 1.5 liter, four-cylinder OHV engine. But only 20 of these cars were manufactured because multiple issues with supply came up.
In 1958, the Subaru 360 was released as a passenger car with a distinctive individuality. At the time, Japanese automobile manufacturers were working on developing small “people’s” cars as recommended by the Japanese government. Subaru took up the challenge of building a small, affordable car that could perform well, and the four-passenger, four-wheel Subaru 360 fit the bill.
In 1966, FHI’s first compact passenger car powered by the boxer engine, the Subaru 1000, was released. This offered driving stability and a comfortable interior, in addition to technical features such as the front-wheel drive platform, a horizontally-opposed engine, inboard brakes, and an independent four-wheel suspension system.
Partnering Up
They would go on throughout the decades to innovate and release dozens of models that appealed to everyone from families looking for a safe commute to those who liked to go off-road. Part of this innovation was due to many of the partnerships Subaru has had through the years.
In 1968, the government ordered the merging of the auto industry in Japan, believing it would improve competitiveness while operating under the Prime Minister. Nissan received 20.4% stake in FHI, and they planned on Nissan using Fuji Heavy Industries’ capability for manufacturing buses. In exchange, Subaru vehicles were to use parts from Nissan. This partnership can still be seen today in models released together such as the Nissan Pathfinder, the R-2, the Rex, the Leone, the BRAT, Alcyone, the Legacy, the Impreza (including the WRX), plus the Forester.
Nissan was eventually acquired by Renault in 1999, and their stake in Subaru was sold off to General Motors. Throughout their time together Subaru created the Baja and the Tribeca. Then in 2005, GM liquidated all of their holdings of FHI and more than 40% off GM’s stock was sold to Toyota Motors. Since that time, there have been a number of collaborations, including the Camrys, Toyota 86, and the Subaru BRZ.
Subaru Today
In January 2014, Subaru reached 20 million units produced in Japan since beginning in 1958, and they hit 15 million units of AWD vehicles produced in 2015.
In 2017, FHI changed its name to Subaru Corporation, and the Subaru brand won the title for “The Most Trusted Brand” from Kelly Blue Book in 2018. This gave them their fourth consecutive win for having a combination of affordability, dependability, high safety features and all-weather grip.
And the company is all about love, namely the Subaru Love Promise. Their effort to create a world that is a better place than it ever was before. To do that, they signed a commitment to communities and customers stating they strive to make positive impacts in the world. Simply put, they respect and love all people and encourage others to do the same.
They’ve enlisted all their dealers to do it as well, and the company has donated more than $50 million in the last two decades to causes they believe promote love.
Fast Facts
Subaru WRX was once the most ticketed car in America. In 2014, 33.6% of Subaru WRX drivers reported getting tickets for moving violations.
Also known by the Greek name Pleiades, which is part of the Taurus constellation, Subaru is also Japanese for “unite”.
The company has been a partner with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) since 2008, and has donated more than $16.5 million to the organization.
The Subaru logo was created to represent the five companies that merged to create FujiHeavy Industries.
Not only does Subaru’s Indiana plant have zero landfill status — meaning 100% of manufacturing waste is either recycled or turned into electricity — but it was the first auto plant ever to achieve this status.
