Subaru Legacy/Outback 2005+

smiller · January 2007

The same thing happens to my 2.5i, very scary when merging onto a highway. My car will somtimes surge right after you turn on a side street and push just a little on the gas, first nothing, then OK here we go. I miss the old throttle cable to the carb.

ateixeira · January 2007

Now you're getting a little too nostalgic. Why not ask for the manual choke while you're at it?

I'll happily take modern fuel injection and the starts-every-time-you-turn-the-key reliability, thanks very much!

-juice

xwesx · January 2007

Haha, same here, but I do miss the throttle cable.

Manual choke. My van had one of those, but I promptly removed it and installed an automatic choke on the carb. Sheesh - those things are bad enough on ATVs (though I imagine even newer ATVs have done away with them, right?).

ateixeira · January 2007

I owned a motorcycle that had a manual choke. What a pain. Yamaha XT125, back in college.

-juice

paisan · January 2007

My 2-stroke outboards had that. On my 454 in the Baja with the 4bbl it has auto-choke on it. I actually haven't had problems starting it ever yet, but look forward to the 502 MPI Mags in the 33 Outlaw.

-mike

xwesx · January 2007

*You CAN lock the car, not be in it, and have the engine running, but you have to outsmart the car - First, lock all the doors from inside using the driver door lock. Next, unlock the driver door (only) using the lock lever located next to the door handle (not the lock switch below the window controls). Finally, exit the car, close the door, and use a "door key" (second key - chipped or not) to manually lock the driver door.

So, I have figured out a couple more ways to outsmart the car that do not require using the key to lock the driver's door.

*One way (if inside the car with engine running) is to lock all the doors using the lock button, then unlocking the driver door with the manual switch. Open the door, then lock it with the manual switch and close the door.

*Second way (if you have not put the key in the ignition yet) is to lock all the doors, with the driver's door open, using the door switch (the remote will probably work as well, but I did not specifically try that method). With the door still open, start the engine, exit, and close the door. The car will actually chirp to notify you that it is locked.

In all cases, make certain you have your door key handy before closing that driver's door! :P

robr2 · January 2007

Older Hondas would only allow locking from the outside - key in the ignition would prevent it.

One way to bypass this was to pull the inside door handle on the driver's door and then lock the door using either the button or the power lock switch. This could be done even with the key in the ignition. It might work on Subarus as well.

xwesx · January 2007

Clarify a bit for me please, Rob! You are saying to pull and hold the inside door handle while pressing the lock button?

robr2 · January 2007

Yes.

kyfdx · January 2007

I did it for twelve years... 1982 Accord hatchback..

Really, not that hard.. The lock button on the Accord was down by the inside door handle.. When exiting the car, you could pull the latch with your first two fingers, and flip the lock closed with your thumb, all in one motion..

Otherwise, you had to use the key to lock the door.

garandman · January 2007

Newer Accords have auto-up windows, so most folks just roll down the window, get out, reach in and lock the door and hit the window-up.

emmanuelchoke · January 2007

Sorry, I thought my name was being mentioned.

150,000 miles on the Legacy, still impressed with the car.

rudikamp · January 2007

Has anybody installed this valve into their Subaru ?
Any cons to consider ?

ateixeira · January 2007

I have one on my Forester.

No problem with mine, in fact I'd recommend it. If we sell our Legacy first, I'd probably go through the trouble of moving it from the Forester to the Legacy.

It saves a ton of time, and also makes the job neater.

Cons? I'm not sure that all of the oil drains out completely. Mine does have a spacer and I add half a quart to help rinse out the old oil, since I only need 4.5 quarts.

-juice

paisan · January 2007

I've heard of the valve (and seen) them open up during an off-road excurion at the track, and seen someone drop all their redline synthetic oil when they were placing their jack to take their tires off and opened the valve.

-mike

ateixeira · January 2007

Off road I can imagine that happening, though the way mine it designed that's not likely because it's not the lowest part of the undercarriage. The front cross member is much lower.

As for the jack, why would someone use the oil pan as a jacking point? Use the front cross member if you must lift both front wheels.

-juice

paisan · January 2007

They weren't jacking on the oil pan, it was when they were placing the jack it flipped the valve open. This was on an RS at LRP after an event. Had to buy oil at the store there at like $10/quart!

-mike

zman3 · January 2007

I have one on my 06 3.0R. After only one oil change I love it. With all of the underbody cladding it seems recessed far enough to not be an issue. When I did my oil change I did not get a single drop of oil on the cladding, in stark contrast to pre-Fumoto oil changes.

ateixeira · January 2007

Gotcha.

Mine you have to move in two directions to open. First you lift it, then you slide it to the side.

Could happen, I guess, but I doubt it's common.

-juice

luck11 · January 2007

Well, here we go again. Had a loud clicking upon acceleration on my 05 OB XTL when it was really cold (ie. below -20 C). This has been going on for at least a couple of winters but everytime I brought it to the dealer, the clicking would never occur. Go figure. This time it did, and I am told I need a new axle????

They are also replacing the trim around the radio and climate control console because of terribly bad squeaking. Also have some rattling in the dash somewhere, but that occurs only ocassionally so can't diagnose.

I have had way to many major components go on this car than I care for (just over 2 yrs old, with 18 K miles). I am trying to rationalize that this would not be happening if I had not bought one of the early runs of a newly designed vehicle. But the fact is, this is rather disappointing for a Subaru.

Yesterday at the ski hill, when I first started the car (it was about -15 C), I heard a strange groan that disappeared when I engaged the clutch pedal (shifter in neutral). Checked this morning, and same thing. So, will have to bring it in to the dealer again while we still have this cold weather. Who knows, maybe they'll tell me that I need a new tranny?

Don't get me wrong....I generally love this car, but these issues have me wary of holding onto it after my warranty expires. Honestly, when I bought my current XTL, I was trading in my 00 OB, and really didn't look much beyond Subaru for a new vehicle. Next time, I will look the competition much much more closely.

c_hunter · January 2007

That's too bad. FWIW, none of my cars (Hondas and Subarus) have been particularly good sounding in cold weather. They all get noisier in some way, especially the engine and transmission. The noises always disappear in warmer weather. I haven't ever worried about it.

The center console trim will still squeak if you replace it. The trick is to line the contact points with tape (I prefer friction tape or a nylon/cloth atheltic tape) to keep the plastic parts from rubbing. I did this to my 05 XT and it completely solved the problem. By now, your trim will have developed rub patterns underneath and those are the places that would benefit from tape.

My 05 XT was around # 19000 off the assembly line and was nearly perfect for the 2.5 years and 36000 miles I owned it. My major complaint is that the battery died at 36000 miles.

Craig

xwesx · January 2007

In the 3 weeks I have owned it, my '07 Outback has developed a myriad of squeaks/rattles - to the point I have decided that my '69 Econoline has been bested - the '07 is my new rattle trap. I thought the squeak/rattle my '96 developed at 200,000 miles was annoying, but it was nothing compared to a car with 1,500 miles sounding like a 20-year-old minivan. :mad:

I relayed two "original" rattle points to the dealer last week when I scheduled a time to bring it in for the moisture-in-the-headlights problem, but now I will have to be sure to tell them about the 3 new rattles. This morning it was rattling so bad that it was in surround sound - I could not even tell which was which any longer!

ateixeira · January 2007

Had you been checking the fluid levels?

Mine died after 5 years but it was my fault - one cell was nearly dry.

-juice

snowbelter · January 2007

You aren't alone with rattles. My four week old 07 Outback is still rattling even after the dealer worked on the tailgate (and broke a tail light in the process). Never had one rattle in our three other Outbacks.

zman3 · January 2007

Put some thick insulative foam tape between where the two "bumpers" on the rear gate hit the rear frame of the car. These are the little back posts on the hatch. Took away my rattle almost entirely.

c_hunter · January 2007

I had been keeping tabs on the battery water levels every 15K miles or so, but that was my first suspicion when the battery died; however all the cells were full. It registered full voltage too, so all the cells were alive. Just would not hold a charge at all.

xwesx · January 2007

Oh, I should mention that it is very warm here the last few days - it was +28F!!!! late Saturday night / Sunday morning when returning from game night. Yesterday it was around 25, and this morning it was 20 on the way to work. Maybe these "warm" temperatures are encouraging the rattles. :P

ateixeira · January 2007

Was there any warranty left on the battery? Even if there was, I'm sure it's pro-rated so you get about 12 cents back. :mad:

-juice

c_hunter · January 2007

It was just barely under the 36K warranty when it died, however it was going to take the Subaru dealer about 4-5 days to get me a new battery (it happened the Friday afternoon before New Year's weekend).

The dealer said they had to keep the car for a day to trickle charge the battery and make sure it was really dead, then order a new battery, then wait for it to come in. With a holiday in the middle, I would not have gotten the new battery until the following Wednesday or Thursday! I decided to just buy a new battery for $60 and save myself some aggravation. So much for the warranty....

ateixeira · January 2007

Situations like that are one reason we have 3 cars for 2 drivers. Great to have a spare car.

-juice

c_hunter · January 2007

Unfortunately I can't consider the S2000 a third car year round -- during ski season, it is not a suitable substitute for an AWD wagon.

ateixeira · February 2007

Good point.

Unfortunately I missed the weather report and took the Miata to work today, and we might get an inch of snow. I may have to leave it here and take the Subway home.

It's not even that I can't get around, rather the other cars on the road that play bumper cars.

-juice

lilengineerboy · February 2007

Unfortunately I can't consider the S2000 a third car year round -- during ski season, it is not a suitable substitute for an AWD wagon.

In the 90s my peer group was very fond of E36 BMWs which while they are terrific in San Jose, they are less than ideal in Tahoe during ski season. For the 2-3 ski trips a year, we rented a car. It seemed to keep everyone happy, we didn't have to fight about who had to drive their own car up there, we didn't have to worry if we got in with snow on our boots, etc.
Where I am located now, I see plenty of Miatas running around all winter on Blizzaks.

ateixeira · February 2007

I could get snows, too, but that doesn't protect you from overconfident SUV drivers that have a mass advantage of 2 to 1 potentially crashing in to my tiny little roadster.

-juice

lilengineerboy · February 2007

I remember being next to an Excursion on 880 in the bay area driving my friend's brand new Miata (maybe '99?) and seeing the turn signal in the right side mirror illuminate as the behemoth started to move over. After a brief freaking out and finding 3rd gear we accelerated to safety but we have termed those mirrors as "the blinker of death."
I share your fear of SUVs.

ateixeira · February 2007

They probably would not even know they hit you. :surprise:

-juice

samiam_68 · February 2007

You're lucky. Most behemoth drivers in the Northeast don't even use blinkers.
:sick:

robr2 · February 2007

You're lucky. Most behemoth drivers in the Northeast don't even use blinkers.

Why give away your next move? It's a war out there.

ateixeira · February 2007

This must've felt like a speed bump to that Excursion owner.

-juice

dmskinner · February 2007

I just brought in my '06 Outback for its 7,500 mile dealer service. I paid $113 for what amounted to an oil change, air filter, and some air in the tires. I know they 'checked' other things, but I left feeling a little overcharged for what I got.

Whats the general consensus on Subaru dealer service -- is it worth it to pony up $350+ for the the 15,000 mile service, etc, etc?

ateixeira · February 2007

Did they rotate the tires, too?

-juice

paisan · February 2007

Should be the same as the 7500 which should be:
Oil Change
Air Filter
Tire Rotation

The major one is 30k which includes:
Oil Change
Rad Drain-fill
Brake flush
Tire Rotation
Air Filter
Fuel Filter (if it has a replaceable one, some newer models don't have a replaceable one)
Diffy Fluid Change (rear on ATs, Front and Rear on MTs)

We used to charge about $400 for this service at AZP so expect to pay about $500 for it at a Dealership.

-mike

c_hunter · February 2007

You should only have gotten an oil change and tire rotation at 7500 miles (same at 15,000 miles too). Why the new air filter? That is good until 30,000 miles. I think you feel overcharged because you were!

Definitely watch the dealer so that they don't add extras onto the service (such as the unnecessary air filter you paid for at 7500 miles). At the 30K mark, that can add a lot of extra $$ onto the bill. Make sure they stick to the book.

garandman · February 2007

I just brought in my '06 Outback for its 7,500 mile dealer service. I paid $113 for what amounted to an oil change, air filter, and some air in the tires. I know they 'checked' other things, but I left feeling a little overcharged for what I got.

Yup - you got shafted. Don't order a package - dealers load them up with a bunch of unnecessary, expensive services to pad their profit margins.

If you need a 15,000 mile service, look in your owner's manual for what is required. Go in and order those specific services. Their "15,000 mile service" could total twice as much. How do you think they stay in business selling cars for $500 over invoice?

Or just take it to a private garage and be done with it.

desiputra · February 2007

With a $1500 rebate offered on the Forester, does anybody feel that the Outback is really worth it's current price (with 750 rebate)......how does the Outback compare to the Forester ??
Thanks.

c_hunter · February 2007

Big difference -- get them both up on the highway and then drive a twisty road and you will be able to tell the strengths of both vehicles. Forester is going on 4.5 years old, Outback is only 2.5 years old. The Outback will get a facelift for 08, while the Forester will be all new (and supposedly bigger) for 09. They have contrasting features in terms of engines, transmissions, performance, and safety.

We have owned both, and they are both excellent cars. However, they are different enough that it deserves some careful consideration.

paisan · February 2007

Actually an unbundled service will likely cost more at a dealer than the bundled service.

-mike

garandman · February 2007

What dealer are you referring to? At Manchester, Nh Subaru, Wakefield, MA Subaru it's about 1/3rd less than the package they offer, because the package has a lot of services added by the dealer but not required by SOA.

I have lifetime rotate and balance on my tires, for example, so paying the dealer is going to be more costly as well. And in my experience few technicians do any of the checks suggested in the manual - they're paid flat rate so less time means more money for them and the dealer.

If there are imprtant checks that require removal of bolts, panels etc, I rub chalk on them to see if they've been touched.

paisan · February 2007

I'm not referring to any particular dealer, just dealers in general. Here they will charge you 1hr labor per item you ask them to check individually. So you are gonna rack up a lot of rate-hours that way.

Personally I do the min amount of maintenance possible, usually I do my own as well so not really an issue for me.

-mike

rob_m · February 2007

Yup. I brought my GT to Exeter, NH Subaru for a 7500 mile service and requested an oil change and tire rotation. Total bill was $95.95. They charged one hour shoptime for the tire rotation at 70.00! Nashua Subaru on the other hand will do an ala carte tire rotation for $20-$30 dollars.

When I brought this to SOA's attention, they cut me a check for the $95.95, and picked up my next oil change. +1 for SOA. I have never been back to Exeter. Rob M.

Subaru Legacy/Outback 2005+

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles