The Subaru WRX is a sporty car that is great for driving fast and handling well on different types of roads. The 2023 version has updates that make it even better than before.
A B service is a maintenance check for your car that looks at many important parts to make sure everything is working well. It's more detailed than just changing the oil.
An oil and filter change is when you replace the old oil in the engine with new oil and also change the filter that keeps the oil clean. This helps the engine work better and last longer.
Clutch fluid helps the car's clutch work properly. It's important to change it regularly so that the clutch doesn't have problems when you shift gears.
The clutch master cylinder is a part that helps the clutch work when you press the pedal. It turns your foot's pressure into fluid pressure to make the clutch move.
The clutch slave cylinder is another part that helps the clutch work. It takes the pressure from the master cylinder and moves the clutch to either let the engine connect or disconnect from the wheels.
Wheel alignment makes sure your car's wheels are pointing in the right direction. If they're off, it can cause uneven tire wear and make your car harder to steer.
A battery inspection checks if your car's battery is working well. This is important because a good battery helps start your car and keeps the electrical systems running.
Tire tread measurements check how deep the grooves are on your tires. This is important because deeper grooves help your tires grip the road better, especially in wet conditions.
Factory specs are the guidelines set by the car maker for how things should be on your car, like how much air should be in the tires. Following these helps keep your car running well.
A vehicle inspection is when a mechanic checks your car to make sure everything is working well and it's safe to drive. It's a good idea to do this regularly.
The check engine light is a warning light on your dashboard that tells you something might be wrong with your car. It's important to pay attention to it and get it checked out.
An annual inspection is like a yearly check-up for your car to make sure everything is working properly and it's safe to drive. It helps catch problems before they get worse.
Toyota is a car company famous for making cars that last a long time and don't break down often. Many people trust Toyota because their cars are usually reliable.
Service bulletins are messages from car makers to repair shops that tell them about problems with certain car models and how to fix them. They help keep cars running well.
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Hi, it's Mark. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada.
And we're talking cars. How are you doing, Bernie?
Doing very well.
Today's guest is a 2023 Subaru WRX. What was going on with this vehicle?
So this vehicle came to our shop for a maintenance service. About 40 something thousand kilometers,
46,000 kilometers due for a B service. So that's what we did. So we'll talk about what we found on the car.
So the B service is you check a lot of stuff, basically. We're going to have a look at a portion
of the items that you check. And it's like 140 points, 50 points, 1,000 points. There's a lot of
points. There's a lot of points. And it's not like an inspection sheet from the olden days where
there's 150 items on the sheet. There's a lot of things we can inspect and it depends on the car.
So the inspections variable of a car is a diesel, for instance. There are things we look at that,
you know, are not applicable to a gas engine or if it's an EV, there are things that are not
applicable to obviously, you know, to inspect. So it's a lot. It's a front to back inspection,
wheels off, brakes, we rotate tires if necessary. There's an oil and filter change, unless it's an EV.
Although there is oil on some of them, you know, in coolant, but those services are not
required very often. Yeah. So it's a very thorough inspection. We can go through and have a look.
All right. Let's go right to the pictures here. This is our WRX right here.
So this vehicle is fairly new. I mean, it's 2023. We're doing this podcast in November 2025. So the
vehicle is basically two years old, 42,000 kilometers, which is not a lot. Basically 20,000 a year,
I guess is what the cars got on it. So some of the items in orange, the red items are marked.
There's nothing red on this vehicle. Nothing that needs any urgent repairs. The other items are
basically just suggestions and ideas that need to be done, but not with any urgency. So we do scan
the vehicle computer, see if there's any codes and there's a note. There's no faults found.
The oil was replaced. The brake fluid and clutch fluid we replaced. It was due basically being
two years old. And so we actually noted that it was recommended and we did actually replace that.
Plus the air filter was dirty and we replaced that also. You can see on the inspection,
there's a green section down there. 107 items are okay. So I guess if we do 107 plus
245, that's 112 point inspection. It's a lot more thorough than just that.
So clutch fluid. Did I hear that right? Yeah. That need to be changed. So on a WRX,
it's a pretty high performance vehicle with a standard transmission. How important is it to
change the clutch fluid? Well, the clutch fluid is like brake fluid. It basically absorbs water
like brake fluid. It's a good idea to do at the same time as the brake fluid because it's absorbing
the same moisture out of the air as brake fluid is. So if you left it a little longer, I mean,
there's only two components really. There's a clutch master cylinder and clutch slave cylinder.
There's no ABS system and really expensive bits and pieces. So it's not a lot of money to do a
clutch fluid flush. There's not a lot of fluid and it's less labor intensive than a brake flush.
So it's worth doing if you care about your car. But if you go, hey, I want to just go on the real
cheap side, you could always leave it if you want to do. And these are some of the things,
the details that you explain to customers when they're making the decision as to what is it that
they need to actually maintain or change or repair on the vehicle. Exactly. Absolutely. Yeah.
This has 42,000 kilometers. Yeah. So there's a photo of the dirty air filter. And then just
looking at good items. I mean, things like just some notes there. We inspect the parking brake,
wheel alignment, we note from driving it. We don't actually do a full wheel alignment inspection,
but just noting how the car drives. If it's not pulling the steering wheel straight,
we assume the alignment is in good shape. And the tire wear, I guess, too.
Tire wear too, which is further down the inspection. And we measure the tires and we rotate the
tires during a B service if it's necessary and doable. Some cars have different size tires
front to rear and you can't rotate them, but most cars you can. So air filters, I'm going to make a
wild supposition here. Is this a fairly often forgotten thing for customers? Sometimes. You
know, you know, what's interesting is we find that a lot of people who've had their car serviced
exclusively at the dealer and then they bring it to us. Oftentimes when we pull the air filter out,
it is disgustingly dirty. And I think the reason is that the technicians are paid flat rate. So if
someone comes in for an A service or an oil change, if it isn't listed as an item to be done and
they're not paid to do it, they won't even look at the air filter. If it says, you know, replace
the air filter at 50,000 kilometers and it's on the work order, they'll just go ahead and do it,
but they won't inspect it and look and go, is it actually dirty? Does it need to be replaced?
Now, in all fairness, there are some cars we work on where it takes a lot of extra time to look at
an air filter. So we don't look at them, but most cars, probably 80 to 90%, we can easily
inspect the air filter and we do. Pretty severe effect on the vehicle if it gets quite like dirty
or than this one, although this one looks pretty dirty. This one is dirty. I mean, it can get a
lot worse. And you know, if it gets really bad, yeah, it affects the breathing of the vehicle,
for sure, it's important to change it. And it's not an expensive item. So we go down the inspection,
again, lots of good stuff. I mean, things like lights are noted, battery is tested,
there's a numbers of what we actually get on the battery inspection, brakes are measured,
brakes are in good shape on this vehicle, pads, rotor, you know, everything's in good shape.
Last sort of page, again, steering suspension components, exhaust system, fuel tank and fuel lines,
and then tire tread measurements. And we adjust the tire pressures to factory specs,
which is noted on there. So pretty simple. This car, again, pretty low mileage,
just a basic B service inspection, gives you peace of mind to know your car is in good shape and
nothing's worn out. So let me ask you a hard question. So how important is it to check,
literally check your car every year or every two years? You know, not going to the extreme of okay,
there's a check engine light and I put a piece of tape over it so I can ignore the damn thing. But
how much of a difference does it actually make to making sure that car starts every day and is
reliable? It's huge, absolutely huge. I mean, there are things that, you know, an inspection
won't pick up. I mean, sometimes we can test a battery and look at it and go it doesn't look that
old and it's fine. And then two days later, the car won't start because the battery fails.
These are things that can happen, but not very often. Usually if we see
festered battery terminals or the battery looks old or the test shows it not being so good,
again, we can recommend replacing it even if the car is starting. But yeah, just for safety,
I mean, things wear out. Now a two year old car, had this person not done this inspection,
well, it probably would keep on going. You probably got a few, you know, two, three,
four years where you can maybe neglect it. But once you get beyond that point,
an annual inspection is really important because things start to wear. And what's good now in a
year can wear out because it's got one more year of use on it. And can I make a supposition that
vehicles, there's really no perfect vehicle been ever built, no matter how good they are,
even if it's a Toyota, they have issues. There are manufacturing faults and stuff that you will
pick up. You check the service bulletins and repair bulletins for each vehicle when they're
coming in for an inspection. Yes, exactly. There are things that wear out on every car and some
of them just seem to last a little longer in some departments and not so long in other areas. Yeah,
there's some cars that are built better than others, but you know, like a Toyota, if you don't
change the oil and do the maintenance on it, it doesn't last very long. So there, if you want
your vehicle to be reliable and last a long time, get it serviced at Pawlik Automotive.
You can reach them online at pawlikautomotive.com. You can book your appointment right there,
or you can call to book at 604-327-7112. You have to book ahead. They're always busy.
Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Thanks so much for watching and listening.
Thanks, Bernie. Thank you, Mark. Thanks for watching and thank you for listening.
About this episode
A detailed discussion on the B service performed on a 2023 Subaru WRX, highlighting the importance of thorough inspections and maintenance. Bernie Pawlik explains the various checks involved, including oil changes, brake fluid replacement, and air filter inspections. The conversation emphasizes the significance of regular vehicle maintenance to ensure reliability and performance. Listeners will gain insights into what a B service entails and the common oversights in dealership servicing, making it a valuable resource for Subaru owners and car enthusiasts alike.
