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Subaru Legacy/Outback

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Comments

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You can remove it and it'll put cool air in the engine, this will also allow water in so it may not be a great idea.

    -mike
  • jim1969jim1969 Member Posts: 62
    how did the TRZ compare to the WR now that you've had them for over a year? I'm going with one of these tires for my wife's FWD Sienna. I'm on Long Island.
  • surfingbaboonsurfingbaboon Member Posts: 1
    I am purchasing a new 2007 Outback 2.5i with a manual transmission. I am planning to install a hitch to tow a trailer with a quad and also use the receiver to carry and 4 bike, bike carrier at other times. The dealer hitch(Option A) is rated for GTW of 2750lbs. and a TW of 200 lbs (1.25" class I Hitch). Since the car is new this would all be covered under warranty. My quad and trailer will not exceed the GTW for the hitch, but I am concerned as to how well the hitch will support the bike rack with its low TW.

    If I go with an OEM hitch (Option B) it is rated at GTW of 3500lbs. and a TW of 350lbs (1.25" class II Hitch). I would never try to tow beyond the vehicle ratings, but this hitch give me more support for the bike rack and I could install it myself and save a few bucks.

    My question is does anyone have experience with Subaru dealers in a situation where their is a warranty drivetrain problem, but the vehicle has an OEM hitch.

    Please let me know and also provide opinions on Option A versus Option B.

    Thanks
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    By OEM do you mean the Subaru hitch? As for the tounge weight it's not really an issue on either hitch as that's really only the tounge weight if a trailer is attached. The tounge weight rating of the hitch is irrelivent as the lower of the hitch and car rating is the one you need to go by.

    -mike
  • dliboirondliboiron Member Posts: 10
    I have a '97 legacy outback 2.5 with 179000km, got several questions (point form):

    1 what is the minimum cold cracking amps needed for the battery, I have checked at a couple shops and I get conflicting asnwers

    2 when I'm at idle and turn something on, such as lights, or fans, it sounds like power is taken away from the engine, why does this happen

    3 I get about 26 mpg on the highway, can I do better?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Not sure of the cranking amps needed but I'd get as much as possible, more amps are better.

    As for the power you may need a battery or alternator if you are feeling the power loss when turning on accessories.

    26mpg is pretty good, driving with cruise on at a lower speed may yield better mpg but on a 10+ year old car 26mpg is pretty good.

    -mike
  • asp46rasp46r Member Posts: 1
    Hi, Anyone know a good source for seat covers for a 2008 Base Outback? The interior is ivory white so I'd like darker seat covers to hide the dirt.
    Thanks, Tim
  • paulmanpaulman Member Posts: 10
    It's about 20-21 in city driving (suburban Pittsburgh, not the Rubicon Trail exactly). Anything I should look into, i.e, any tricks to improve gas mileage? Car has 110K and smells of gas in the exhaust when I start it. No visible gas leaks. Can I lean the gas/air mixture? Tires have plenty of air, brakes aren't rubbing, new plugs/wires, and bearings are smooth and greased. Thanks all.

    Paul
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    I have a 2006 OB Wagon and wound up going with aftermarket hitch and have had no problems. This hitch I had installed by Uhaul and for an addtional $5 they give you lifetime warranty on the hitch. On my previous OB I went with a Hidden hitch aftermarket that Paisan installed for me (I'm not that handy around cars :blush: ). I have never had a probelm either way.

    Are you ordering the car from the factory or picking it up from the lot? I know when I got my 06, the dealer quoted me around $500 to install the hitch and wiring (I was picking it up from the lot).

    Good luck!

    Mark
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You may even want to get a 2" hitch receiver only because it's more universal.

    Just don't exceed the max tongue weight for your vehicle, which is usually 10% of the max tow rating.
  • ment2liv4ment2liv4 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    I am interested in a 1999 Subaru Legacy GT AWD... I was wondering if anyone knows of problems or mishaps with this certain car?

    Thanks,
    Chris
    Jegster347@yahoo.com
  • deblsdebls Member Posts: 6
    I bought this car used and it had 1 keyless remote. I bought another one from a dealer. After about 2 mos. it does not work. Tried changing the batteries. I think it may need to be programmed again. Does anyone know the procedure?
    Thanks.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    I had a 98 I just sold after 138K and replaced with an 08 OB. Watch for oil leaks, the seals tend to leak with age and Subaru eventually changed the gasket material in later years. Some people have had head gasket problems but not mine.
    Otherwise mine was pretty bullet proof, only other major work was the a/c but that was my fault as I had a fender bender which I think caused a freon leak which then damaged the compressor. The power radio antennas needed replacing twice too(had an ext warranty otherwise they aren't cheap)
  • deblsdebls Member Posts: 6
    I recently purchased a 2nd key fob and the dealer programmed it for me.
    It has stopped working and it is not the batteries. I think I've read where these can somehow become unprogrammed? Anyway I was wondering if anyone knows how to program this so I can try it.
    Thanks
  • monijo2monijo2 Member Posts: 2
    I'm not sure what to do, and I don't have a whole lot to spend on it at this point. I've got a 1990 Subaru Legacy, it's been a great car, but all of a sudden things seem to be happening! The worst is that over the past couple of weeks it seems to be having a problem with accelerating and power. Especially when it's cold. Once I've been driving for awhile, it's better, but still kinda rough. I've replaced the spark plugs, and the air filter, I'm about to try some fuel injector cleaner. I'm a single mom, with three teens, and I really need my car!! If anyone has any ideas about what I could do, I would really appreciate it! Thanks!!!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Hmm, I'd replace the fuel filter, plug wires.

    Could also possibly be any one of a number of sensors or even the alternator.

    It is almost a 20 year old car, and sometimes it can be difficult to track down a problem like that.

    -mike
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If those don't work the next thing to try would be the ignition coil (that addressed an issue with my Forester) or a professional fuel injection cleaning service (that fixed our Mazda 626).
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    The instructions for my 2000 Legacy were in the Owners Manual, otherwise, try this site: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/keyless.html#code%20alarm

    Jim
  • monijo2monijo2 Member Posts: 2
    Yes, next will be the fuel filter, maybe the wires, beyond that, I think she's had a good and productive life, and it might be time to let her go. :D Thank you so much for advice!

    Monica
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yeah I hate to see someone throw good money after bad on such an old car, especially in the situation you are in, where you need it to perform at 100%, 100% of the time.

    -mike
  • magchasemagchase Member Posts: 16
    My wife's 2001 L.L. Bean Outback with approximately 39,000 miles will occasionally shut-off when she makes a (right or left) turn. This has happened about three times in the last two months. Her vehicle will start right back up but (of course) I'm very concerned about this problem and if and when it will again occur. We have maintained every recommended service including regular Mobil 1 oil changes.
    Any ideas what could be causing this difficulty before I call the dealership?
    THANKS!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sorry if this sounds obvious, but could it be a near-empty gas tank, with fuel sloshing around and starving the fuel pump?

    Besides that, it's still spark or fuel. I'm not sure what it is about lateral acceleration that sets this off. Maybe the fuel pump is too weak? Clogged fuel filter?

    Does she ever get a check-engine light? Running rough? Any other symptoms?
  • robnisrobnis Member Posts: 78
    I am projecting my next car purchase in the Fall of 2008, probably around the model year transition. When I checked two or three years ago several features I wanted in the Subaru Outback LL Bean 3.0 Wagon were not available. They were:

    XM Satellite radio
    Home Link
    Bluetooth capability for hands free cell phone useage
    Keyless ignition (push button start like the Camry)

    I have been able to document the XM Satellite radio and Home Link are currently available in the 2008 Subaru Outback LL Bean 3.0 Wagon, but have found nothing on the Bluetooth capability or Keyless ignition and assume they are not available.

    Does anyone know of any consideration for these features to be in the 2009 vehicle? I currently have a G35X and am considering the new EX35 for its utilitarian value, but if the Subaru had all the features I wanted, I could save ten grand.

    Does a Subaru rep ever give info regarding projections? Am I expecting too much to hope for Bluetooth and Keyless ignition in this vehicle?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Keyless ignition is a bit hokey, I mean it's "cool" but provides no function really.

    Bluetooth I would imagine may be in the 09 as it's an option in the 08 Imprezas.

    -mike
  • dulesdules Member Posts: 37
    I'm wondering what kind of floor mats you all would recommend for our new 08 Outback. We have an 03 Forester and just went with the factory carpet mats and they are a mess. Would love to *not* repeat that mistake.

    If you recommend Subaru mats, where is the best place to get them? Anyone try the Waterhog mats from LLBean?

    We are a family with kids, in MA, so think lots of snow, wet, sand/ice melt, beach sand, mud, etc. :)

    Thanks!
  • ncc4ncc4 Member Posts: 16
    I tried the Subaru "all weather" rubber mats and took them back. They have quite wide ridges in them but they quickly filled up with water from melting snow/slush. When I parked on a slope all the water ran over the back of the mat and ended up soaking the carpet just in front of the drivers seat. As I have the tan interior it just moved the mess from one place to another! If all you have to deal with is mud/leaves they might be O.K., but not for retaining melted snow. My solution was to buy a set of the black carpeted floor mats. They absorb the water, don't show the dirt, and can be cleaned as often as you want. I also covered the foot rest ( dead pedal? ) with a piece of black vinyl floor runner and made it long enough to drain onto the floor mat to keep that area clean as well.
    Hope this helps
    Nigel
  • kfarkfar Member Posts: 1
    :confuse: Hi all…
    I purchased my 05 OB LL Bean with H6 back in September of 05. I purchased the Outback because my Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland was getting a combined 13.3 Mpg. I had rented an Outback during a trip to Washington State and at the time it seemed like a practical vehicle with decant gas millage. I purchased the H6 because of a comment the dealer made at the time about the 4 cylinder with the turbo. I have had a number of discussions with two Subaru dealers and Subaru of America about the poor gas millage I get with this car and have come to the conclusion that Subaru of America hides behind the EPA ratings. The problem is that I have never been able to achieve even the low EPA numbers. My combined number is in mid 14s. I live at near see level with no more than couple of hundred feet of elevation at the highest point in a mostly warm climate. My driving consists of 25% city and 75% freeway respectively. All together I don’t spend even an hour in sitting traffic in a week so I can’t see why the millage is so poor. I’ve looked around and have noticed one consistent thing about the Subaru product and that is your millage may vary drastically depending on I don’t know what….My wife has had 3 VWs and one Audi over the past 8 years and except for one that had a diesel engine that got us nearly 50 Mpg on the highways, we always got respectable millage. In fact we drove her A4 for nearly 4350 miles with 102 gallons of gas on a recent road trip. I have tried different brands and grades of gas and even octane booster with my OB and have had no luck. I wonder if anyone out there might have a suggestion that could help improve the gas millage in my car.

    Thanks,

    KR
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Driving style is the #1 milage effector. With my LGT I can get anything from 15mpg to 25mpg depending on how I drive it.

    -mike
  • magchasemagchase Member Posts: 16
    Thanks for the response. I also thought about the near-empty tank syndrome, but my wife is meticulous about keeping the gas gauge at half or higher and always 93 octane at Hess. The shutting-off hasn't happened since the three times back in November. Perhaps bad gas or water in the lines?
    If I take this to Subaru, what do you suggest I mention to avoid having the service department replace everything under the sun or will their diagnostics be better able to pinpoint a possible problem?
    Thanks again!
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    I can tell you that my mileage on my 06 LL Bean Outback Wagon is overall 17.5 mpg. I've had it as high as 24.4 and as low as 13.9. In winter time I usually have the mileage go down due to the "winter blend" of gas. My driving is mostly city, with some highway,hence the low mileage.

    Mark
  • steveknystevekny Member Posts: 6
    I have a '98 Outback 2.5l 5-speed (I'll bet the one you looked at is a 2.5 also) that's pretty much been a nightmare to own and operate. I won't mention that the transmission was popping out of first gear on delivery (got a reman at 8 miles! - so much for a new car), and that the drive shaft to the rear wheels was out of balance and ultimately replaced under warranty.
    At 75K the clutch started slipping, and when I took it apart I discovered that the clutch was not worn, but rather soaked with oil leaking from a composite material cover plate on the block behind the flywheel. On the recommendation of the local Subaru parts dept. guy I replaced the composite cover with a metal one.
    Front oil seal blew at about 90K. Various check engine lights have come on and gone off since about 70K miles.
    At about 120k miles, I had the typical head gasket symptoms (quite common in the 2.5 of this vintage - check engine lights, followed by overheating, etc, etc), and ultimately bought and installed a remanufactured engine from CCRengines.com. That engine lasted 10K miles, and I had to have it removed, shipped back to Colorado where CCR repaired it (free of charge, but it took 6 weeks!), and re-installed at an additional $1100 expense (By Bill Cook Subaru in Ithaca NY, where they were EXCELLENT in all regards).
    I would say whoever is selling the car is probably getting out just in time, and you'll be getting a car at just about at the point where things really start to fail.
    I could be wrong, but I wouldn't take that car if someone gave it to me with $10K in the glove box!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Could be, maybe try a bottle of that gas line additive that absorbs water?

    Of course it it's OK now, I would leave it be.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    I feel the same way about the all-weather mats from Subaru. They are leagues beyond the carpet mats, but they have little water retention.

    For my most recent acquisition, I went with MacNeil WeatherTech Floor Liners. They are thin, semi-rigid rubber "tubs" that fit in the foot well of each front seat, and a continuous liner for the rear seats (including covering the bump). The best feature about them is that they run up the sides of the wells a short distance, to protect the sides along with the bottom. Available in black, tan, or grey, they look great with any interior.

    I have the taupe interior on my car, so in Alaska that means lots of dirt real quick without protection. So far, they work fabulously. I purchased the tan ones, but, in retrospect, the black ones would have looked far better. The tan does not quite color match the taupe and the black would contrast it nicely.

    The front liners are also extremely easy to pull out and dump should water or ice buildup be an issue. The only drawback I have found is that because they are fairly smooth, ice buildup can make the driver's footing a bit slippery. Again, pop it out, dump it, and you are good to go.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Yeah, short trips and quick acceleration is tough on the mileage. Yours has the instantaneous mpg readout, correct? Try logging with that for a while to see when and where your mileage drops or increases. Maybe that would help determine whether there is a problem or not.

    The mileage you list for your old Cherokee seems extremely low to me as well, so it could be a situational problem more than a problem with the vehicle itself. It is tough to gauge long-term results on a short trip. I had an '07 Mercury Grand Marquis rental car in Pennsylvania for a week. In mixed driving (much of it city), I got 33 mpg from that car, and it had a big ol' V8 in it. Talk about shocked; I expected mid-to-high teens at best. But, I am not ready to run to the Ford dealership to buy one.... :D
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • david127david127 Member Posts: 1
    Have a 2006 Outback which I really like but can't figure out how the high to low beam works. When headlights are on, the car goes from flood light or parking light to high beam [that happens when the lighting lever is pushed from the middle position to the forward position]. The vehicle does not seem to have a low beam position which would be the middle position. When I pull the lighting lever all the way back toward me [the driver] the flashing mechanism occurs which is not a permanent position. I have had my wife view the front of the car and she reports that the rectangular lights are on when the high beams are on and the lower fog lamps come on but there are other lamps which do not come on. Are those the low beams? If they are, I don't know what I need to do to get them on according to the instuctions in the manual. I guess I don't know how to get the car to the lighting lever "detent" position which is what the manual calls the low beam position. This may be a simple question but we are baffled by it an don't have a local Subaru dealer to talk to.

    David Carter
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    You rotate the stalk end and the low beams come on.

    You push the stalk itself to put the highbeams on.

    -mike
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Maybe this has changed in recent years, but do the fog lights even come on without the low beams? If the fog lights are on but nothing is coming from the projection lamps (the round ones between the turn signals/marker lights and the high beam / DRL lamps), it may be that the bulbs are both burned out. I would find that strange, but it is possible.

    Aside from that, follow Mike's directions above. :D

    I quite appreciate the stalk layout on Subaru vehicles. It puts everything you need to drive right there at your fingertips. Quite a stark contrast to my '98 Dodge Caravan, where everything has its own switch or button mounted on the dash or console. Bleah. The '08 Outback even has the fog lamp switch integrated into the rest of the light control stalk. I do prefer the under-mounted mini-stalk for cruise control used in past years to the new front-of-the-wheel mounted buttons.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Fogs come on with the low-beams.

    I wish the fogs came on with only the parking lights.

    I'm not sure how the DRLs work cause mine are disabled. :) I hate DRLs.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    I'm not sure how the DRLs work cause mine are disabled. I hate DRLs.

    Ugh. Me too. Granted, I keep my lights on all the time, but I use the actual lights rather than the DRLs. My annoyance with them comes from the drivers who fail to turn on their lights at dusk or when dark because they think their lights are on due to the scant light provided by the DRLs.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    I usually have my headlights on as well.

    The other issue I have is that most DRL cars have illuminated dashes, which means they can see out the front and their dash is lit. However when I'm coming up behind them, their TAIL LIGHTS aren't lit. I think if you are going to have DRLs they should also turn on the parking lights or the tail lights at the least.

    I've almost rear ended several Lexus, Outback, and Volvo drivers that didn't bother to put their lights on after dark.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    DRLs should be like the Toyota ones which are so dim you will quickly notice at night that its not the actual headlights.
    I think all cars should have auto on headlights when they get dark, how expensive can a light sensor be these days?? my 2000 venture had one!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Well the Lexus/toyota drivers I see drive around w/o their headlights on all the time... With that said, I have auto-on headlights on my Armada and they work great. On the Subie, I just usually leave my headlights on all the time.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    To be fair to Toyota...

    You can leave the lights on all the time. Like Subaru, they turn off automatically when you park the car. The only difference is the Toyota gives you a 30 second delay with the lights on, presumably to help if the parking lot is dark.

    So it's easy enough - just turn the lights on the day you buy it, and never touch the lights again. :shades:

    Also, disabling the DRLs is as simple as removing a fuse/relay. Funny thing is I found out because people wanted to add DRLs simply have to plug in the provided spare fuse.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    The DRLs on Subaru vehicles are quite dim, at least the ones on my '07 and '08, I am not sure about early iterations of DRLs. That does not stop people though. If there is any excuse to be clueless, they will take it. ;)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Early DRLs just used the bright lights at 90% power.

    Now they are far dimmer, and use much less power. You can barely tell mine are on unless you look straight at them.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    not all toyotas have auto headlight off when you remove the key, my wifes sienna does not, neither does my dads avalon. the sienna doe snot even have a chime to remind you
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    What year is her Sienna?

    I didn't know it at first, because of the 30 second delay, but 2007s have the auto-off feature.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    its an o6 and a LE, I know the 06 XLE has auto off but not the LE that year. boo hoo, she has been stuck once with a dead battery from that (and the kids leaving the lights on inside) when it was subzero here recently.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    You need a PhD to understand Toyota's option packaging.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    That is surprising, especially for a mini-van. With the almost "given" use of the vehicle, one would think the manufacturer would be sure to include safety features that would save the battery from being drained. Even this '98 Caravan I have does that. And I am quite thankful for it as well.

    Just Friday night I had turned the interior lighting on while driving the last mile or so to my house. My son needed to see something he wanted to do; I arrived home, shut the car off, unloaded him, and went inside. The next morning, the whole family piles in to the van at -20F. We are about 10 feet from the driveway and I say to my wife, "I think you left a door open." She looks around, asks me which one I think it is, and it dawns on me that I left the dome light activated. :blush:
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
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