Engine - Extended Crank Time

SOURCE: Subaru Tech Tips

TITLE: Extended Crank Time

APPLIES TO: All H6 6-cylinder models

SERVICE TIP:

It's January again, and the colder weather has settled in to many parts of the country.

Along with it, the Subaru occasionally gets calls concerned with extended cranking times on H6 equipped vehicles.

Be advised that the H6 uses a different type of crank angle sensor and it takes a bit longer for it to produce the signal that the ECM is looking for to start the vehicle. The vehicle may crank for 3 to 5 seconds before starting. This is a normal condition and no repairs are necessary.

Mentally, 3 to 5 seconds seems like a short period of time until you actually time it out with a stopwatch or other timing device.

Some customers are saying 10 seconds or longer before theirs starts. If they were to actually time it out, they would most likely discover it was starting well within the allotted time frame.

The point of this is, that if you get a customer concern of an extended crank time before the engine starts, make certain you are not dealing with a normal condition for this vehicle.

Subaru has updated logic for H6 vehicles to address an extended crank time concern. To determine if the ECM in your vehicle has this updated logic already installed, perform the following steps using the New Select Monitor (NSM)

1. Turn the NSM on.
2. Select 'Each System Check'.
3. Select 'Engine Control System'
- Engine type will be displayed.
4. Press 'YES'
5. Select 'OBD System'
6. Select 'Getting of Vehicle Identification'
7. Then the 'Calibration Identification' is shown as 8 digits.

If the updated logic has been installed, the number should be one of the three listed below.

- D6JP000B
- D6HE000B
- D6HE100B

A calibration I.D. different from any of the above means that the logic for extended crank time has not been installed and the ECU will need to be updated. Updating is done by contacting the Subaru.

All H6 vehicles produced from 3/12/01 (VIN#: 17662014) have the updated logic.