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Comments
I have a 2000 outback and mine vibrates a little at highway speeds but I just ignore it. From what I understand the OEM rotors warp easily. You may consider going aftermarket with powerslot or brembo rotors.
FWIW, changing my braking style reduced the frequency of warping rotors. It's better to brake hard sooner than a slow building braking effort that reaches greatest force when you stop.
Anyone have ANY idea? The dealer is drawing a blank and can't help me.
Thanks,
L
-juice
-juice
Owen
Is this task easily done?
Any tricks to it?
Thanks,
Jon
So a failed 25c part results in a $500 repair (or $250 for those of you in the US).
I don't think the 3.0l has a longer stroke, in fact I think it's a tad shorter, so you should have room to work.
-juice
-juice
- remove the access panel on the driver's side and set aside
- note that the power point and the rubber plug below it are closed off from the small storage pocket
- remove the rubber plug (about1.25" dia)that is just below the power point
- raise the center panel that covers the spare tire
- remove the floor panel on the driver's side. Just pull it straight up. Notice that it is held by two pull-out fasteners toward the front of the panel.
- at this point, I borrowed a borescope from my mechanical inspection group. I inserted it in the hole below the power point. Eureka - I finally could see the connector laying on the bottom at the rear of the compartment. The connector was pointed to the rear of the vehicle at the end of its wire harness.
- I made a small hook from a clothes hanger. Inserting it through the rearmost slot (where the access panel attaches)near the floor, I grabbed the wire bundle just behind the connector and raised it from the bottom of the compartment.
- I then inserted the hook through the hole, grabbed the harness, and pulled it up enough to grab it with my fingers.
- I pulled the connnector out of the hole and secured it with a piece of twine to keep it from falling back in.
Good luck!
Now I am trying to figure out how to route the trailer wiring adapter to a point outside the car. Of course, the easiest way would be to run the wires out through the liftgate and the lower seal, but that isn't a good long term solution. I would welcome any recommendations.
With all the fine design of the OB, I can't believe the the Subaru guys made this connector so hard to get to. The Forester has a much better design.
I agree that something is lacking in Subaru's logic (they're one pin shy of a full connector?) regarding this connector location.
Glad you persisted & succeeded.
Mine has 2 horns, so that's why I think it's a fuse. If a ground connection went bad, the other horn would still work, I believe.
-juice
According to my local RV place nobody tows with cars any more. Apparently you need a truck or SUV.
I guess the '06 is a lot easier, but I'll post what I found if anyone else is interested....You ready??
Oh, by the way, DO NOT DISCONNECT ANY CONNECTORS THAT ARE YELLOW!!! These are for the airbag system, and I think there is one back there. You don't want an airbag deployment. The best thing to do if you're not me (I don't mind taking chances, he he he) is to disconnect the battery.
Remove cover and spare tire well foam cover.
Remove floor panel forward of the tire well (I just lifted it up, taking it easy so I didn't break the push 'pins' that hold it in place.
Remove the passenger side rear floor panel. My car has cargo net tiedowns at carpet level that I had to remove to get this off.
Remove foam block.
Remove rear door (hatch) sill.
Remove passenger side panel (some screws involved). Do NOT use brute force. This is not a very strong structure. If you have all of the screws out it will come easily. I don't remember if I took it all the way out or if I left myself just enough room to trace the wiring harness.
Now, grope in the dark, down and behind the rear wheel well. I found one loose connector (nothing connected, and when I pulled it out into the open, viola, it was the correct one.
There is enough slack in this cable to pull the connector up behind the passenger tail light access panel, and I suggest you do that, even if you are not intending on getting back into there after hooking up your trailer light converter. My trailer light converter (a T-ONE from Draw Tite failed after 11 months, they were awesome about replacing it, just had to fax them my reciept).
If you pull everything out, your bound to find it. The main harness in the rear half of my car is on the passenger side.
Good luck (even the dealer service guy I asked didn't know this one).
Phew! Thinking about this makes me tired. Oh, I took the time to vaccuum whilst I had it all apart. (took on some Lake Michigan sand after a day with the dogs and kids at the beach).
Thanks Subaru. This doesn't make any sense at all. Why did the get it right on the Forester, and still don't have it right on the OBW (and probably other models).
I do the same thing, where I keep it out of the elements and just pull it out when I'm towing.
David
Aren't carbon deposits more likely? Or maybe a faulty knock sensor? It should dial back the timing, anyway, if there is knock.
-juice
radiator hose collapsed.Took the radiator
cap off to relief the pressure and the hose
returned to normal.There is a clicking in front of the engine.When I start the engine
it has a lifter noise.Could this be a warning that the water pump is about to go out?Oh,by the way after replacing the coolant it has'nt over heated since.Can anyone give me a hint of whats going on?Also
how do you replace the spark plugs on this car?Sincerely,Dumby2.
I've done plugs on a '98 Forester and on an '02 Legacy. The Forester has very tight clearance, but the Legacy has more space so it's easy. Yours should be in between the two.
Just follow the wires to the plugs. I'd change the wires, while you're at it.
-juice
For the spark plugs, fairly easy job (now that I have done it a few times), but still more consistently trying than on any other car on which I have changed them. You should remove the battery for more clearance on the right side and remove the air cleaner assembly on the left for the clearance over there. If you have trouble getting the plug wires to come off the plugs, there is a handy and cheap tool you can buy that gives you better grip and leverage on the plug wire. After that, take a 5/8" plug socket (I think), followed by a u-joint, then by a 3" extension, then a 6" extension, then the ratchet. That should allow you to get the plugs out and back in.
Good luck with the car and be wary of the overheat event - it is probably indicative of a looming problem.
-Wes-
Thanks
For now, check the ATF level, it's the yellow dipstick on the trans tunnel. Passenger side I believe (ours are not automatics so I'm not sure).
-juice
They are just simple round metal diaphram horns. You can generic replacements at any auto parts store. I've used both Hella and Fiamm, but there are others.
Thanks,
Jon
I was away for 2 weeks and it sat everyday (except one when it was driven). Also it was raining heavily throughout the weeks. Possible condensation in the wiring? I know the volume knob is dust/static prone, but it has never ceased its functions. Anyone have similar situation? Fixes to suggest? Thanks all.
Last spring we upgraded from an 85 GL 4WD wagon to a 96 Legacy/Outback wagon. We drove the ol' GL until she gave up the ghost and our Subaru mechanic took our hands and told us to not put any more money in her, to let her go...
Everything has been hunky-dory until recently. In the last several weeks, it has started leaving a gooey mixture of an oil and antifreeze like puddle on the garage floor. The oil level hasn't dropped although we are due for an oil change, but a couple days ago it wanted to overheat for the first time. I opened up the radiator cap and sure enough, it was low on coolant. I have also noticed a rattling/tingling sound in the front area of the engine behind the belts and pulleys. I was wondering if it's time for a new water pump. I have done some searches on the net (how I found this site) about this but haven't pulled up any good info as of yet. Anyone in this forum have any experiences of this nature with this year of Subaru? We are at 166772 miles on this car...
I have to say, even with this trouble we love this car!
Thanks for any advice any body can offer....
Signed,
Concerned in Idaho...
Could be waterpump or radiator but an inspection of the heads should get you on the right track.
Eric
I was able to pop out the trim piece from the shifter, but the trim piece around the radio/hvac seems to be giving me a problem. I got it unclipped most of the way, but the bottom will not release. I removed the change bin, ash tray and a screw behind the ash tray. What am I missing? Thanks! Rob M.
OK, you start at the back of the center console and work forward. I remember there were two screws ahead of the shifter that I originally overlooked. They may be under the shifter surround, IIRC.
When you get that out, remove the ash tray, and you'll need a very long phillips screw driver to remove a bolt at the very back. Get one with a magnet on the head so you don't drop the screw.
The rest was pretty routine.
-juice