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Subaru Legacy/Outback

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  • jtcomjtcom Member Posts: 2
    Have a 1999 Outback limited
    I have a Front end vibration when I hit the brakes.
    Put4 new tires on the car yesterday, replaced all the rotors and brakes (front and rear) last week.
    And still have the problem of very apparent vibration when I brake.

    What else is there, wheel bearings?

    jtcom@aol.com
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yes, that is exactly where I'd look next.
  • cmckeown1cmckeown1 Member Posts: 1
    A friend of mine's parents are looking to get rid of their daughter's '98 Subaru Legacy Limited for a rather low price - the catch is is that it's because it's over-heating when driven. They took it to a garage and the mechanic said he's pretty sure it's due to a blown head gasket. I don't know a great deal about any kind of car, but apparently it was estimated as an approxiate $1000 repair. From what I've seen and found around online, I'd still be getting the car for an incredibly good value.

    So my question is, does the mechanic sound correct? I'd hate to go through all that just to discover the problem is something else. I can't say I'd be able to afford that kind of mistake as much as car trouble shooting can be hit or miss at times.

    Any information would be greatly appreciated!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Is that quote to replace one head gasket, or both? Remember the boxer has two heads.

    The key, though, is has the overheating been bad enough that the heads are warped and may no longer seal properly, even after new gaskets are installed?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Overheating doesn't necessarily mean it's the head gaskets. Unless you have evidence other than overheating, I would not assume it's headgaskets. I'd start with making sure the radiator AND the top of the engine has coolant, then check the T-stat, then pressure test the radiator, then replace/check the water pump.

    -mike
  • larshlarsh Member Posts: 1
    Hi! Looking for advice, as visits to both the dealer and an independent mechanic have failed to solve this problem. The A/C, apparently still fully charged, has intermittently failed during highway driving or extended driving during very hot summer days. This has happened last summer and now this summer (hot and dry in Salt Lake City) as well. Usually, this failure is immediately apparent when we start the car, though a few times the A/C system has conked out after a moderate amount of highway driving. Other times, nice, chilly air comes out! The mechanics cannot reproduce, I guess since they can't heat up the engine enough. Any thoughts on how to proceed? We are OK for daily driving, but dreading our road trip next month....thanks for anything you can offer.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Sounds like a bad relay and/or AC switch of sorts.

    -mike
  • screwbaruscrewbaru Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 99 outback with 159000 miles...what should i be watching for concerning the headgasket and any other expensive problems? Also i wanted to put some beefy tires on it...215 75 r15's does anyone know if those will fit? Any input would be great! thanks
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    For the head and valve cover gaskets just inspect them for oil leaks. Also make sure the coolant is green and not mixed with oil.

    Also check the front and rear main seals of the engine for leaks.

    At 159k miles the head gaskets owe you nothing, so maybe they will never fail, who knows?
  • pzach530pzach530 Member Posts: 1
    I just came up on a 1996 Legacy Outback for free!!!!!! The motor is just leaking a lot. I think the main and rear seals are toast, but maybe it just needs a whole new gasket set? What I was wondering is can I drop in a WRX turbo motor in the 1996 Outback, or what other badass turbo motor could I fit in there??? Any feedback would be awesome, I have to fix this thing before the snow starts to hit. Thanks..
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Head gasket failure was common, so you could rebuilt that one, just make sure the heads themselves are not warped, so they seal properly.

    Basically if the engine was driven while overheating a lot, you have a boat anchor.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    Well, put a "badass turbo motor" in there and you will likely end up with a bad transaxle pretty darn quick, but from the sounds of your post, you will burn through this car quickly either way. Any Subaru engine (4-cylinder) will fit, it is just a matter of how much work you want to go through to do it. There is more than just an engine to change... you would have to change out the control units, sensors, and so forth.
    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've done about a dozen or so motor swaps in subarus wrx/sti to non-turbo cars.

    There are a lot of things beside just slapping it in....

    1) Wiring harness- You will have to rewire a good protion of the wiring harness to accomodate the WRX ECU the wiring harness usually runs about $2-4k to have someone do it in the car, $2k outside the car.

    2) Motor itself- make sure you get one out of a running car or else it'll be a headache forever. Seen this a few times where we didn't see the car it came out of running.

    3) Other items- Front crossmember, sway bar, power steering lines, etc. etc. This stuff usually adds up to about $2-3k worth of "misc" items.

    All in all if you have someone install a turbo motor, expect to pay about $8-10k for the work with the parts. Even then the car will likely not be 100%.

    -mike
  • jrp5jrp5 Member Posts: 1
    My 1997 Outback with 210,000 miles on it is getting downright noisy. I'm wondering if it's due to wheel bearing problems, or something else. Here's the situation...when the car is moving I can hear a "whuh-whuh-whuh" sound. The sounds speeds up as the wheels turn faster. As highway speeds its a pretty loud drone. I recently replaced the tires and had the front brake pads replaced. Neither fixed the noise problem. The noise gets a bit more pronounced when I turn right, then quiets a bit when I straighten back out.

    What do you think? And, if it's wheel bearings, how urgent is it that I fix the problem quickly? I ask because I will be replacing the car in the spring. And, finally, any guess on the cost of replacing a wheel bearing?

    Thank you very much for any and all advice about this.

    JRP
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Absolutely.

    Change 'em. Think of all the added friction, if they don't fail they will at least be costing you in gas mileage.
  • pathtomaxpathtomax Member Posts: 215
    I was reading the Wikipedia article on the Subaru Outback and found this interesting piece of information regarding the 2000-2004 Automatic Outback.

    Is this true???:

    "The 4 speed automatic transmission, had a feature where the transmission could be instructed to ignore 1st gear from a standing stop to assist driving on traction limited situations, such as ice and snow. The system was activated by moving the gearshift from the "D" position down to "2nd". The car would then start in 2nd gear, and not 1st. The transmission also splits the delivered torque 50-50 between the front and rear wheels. Once the car stopped, the transmission would start back in 2nd and not 1st, until the system was upshifted to 4th."

    I tried this recently on my '01 and could almost "hear" all the wheels pushing me forward.

    Thanks for any insight!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Yes, true. I read that from some Subaru material a while back.

    Good way to start in Snow.

    Actually, an SoA rep was on these boards for a while, and she polled us to find out how many people knew about that feature. Most owners did not know, so they ran a publicity campaign to inform more owners.

    Definitely true.
  • altimatealtimate Member Posts: 74
    I just took delivery of a new Legacy SE yesterday.

    Can someone help me with resetting the trip computer? The manual simply talks about resetting the trip button. I don't see anything but the one button that changes the reading from temp to mpg to ave mpg, etc.

    I tried pushing the trip reset button by the speedo but that didn't do anything. Anyone's help would be appreciated.
  • pathtomaxpathtomax Member Posts: 215
    Good to confirm and definitely good to have up north here!
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    IIRC the button used to switch between A/B Trip odos on the gauge panel when held will reset the ODO it is displaying. This also resets the Avg MPG for that ODO.

    -mike
  • altimatealtimate Member Posts: 74
    Thanks a lot Mike.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    Yep. To reset the individual trip odometers (A or B), you need only push the button to select the proper meter, then push and hold for a couple seconds to reset. They reset independently, so you can use 'A' to track tank-based mileage, and leave 'B' accumulating to give you an inception-to-date economy rating, etc.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • ludergirlludergirl Member Posts: 4
    I've only owned Hondas and Toyotas, mainly because I have always found them to be the most reliable - never had one break down, only needing to change oil and perform regular maintenance on them, no major repairs ever necessary. I'm looking into buying a Subaru Legacy because I want a car that handles well in the winter snow, but I am concerned that a Subaru won't be as reliable as Honda or Toyota. How reliable are they in comparison? Is this a car that I can drive for 10 years, 100,000+ miles, without frequent, major repairs?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Well, so far you've been lucky, because any car, from any brand, can give you problems.

    Generally I do think you're likely to get 100k trouble-free miles from most Subarus. At least free from major troubles.
  • jopopsyjopopsy Member Posts: 65
    Hey Gang,

    Long time member, but been a long time since I've last posted.

    Looking to ditch my 05 CR-V (FWD). Since moving to PA, the roads are not exactly like they were from my previous address.

    When comparing the Outback 2.5i Special Edition vs. Forester 2.5X Premium, I'm having a hard time seeing exactly what I'm getting in the Outback for ~$1400 more. I used to have a 05 Forester and I thought VERY highly of the Subaru make in general after my experience w/ that car.

    Is there anything I'm not seeing mechanically? Is it a quality of drive issue? What say you pros? Break it down for me pls ! :)

    Jopopsy

    PS Juice, I'm sure you're still here in one form or another. Hope all is well.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The outback is a bit more refined, has a longer load area, and is more "car-like" rather than crossover-like. Also is probably a bit quieter as well.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • toyo_ztoyo_z Member Posts: 47
    Test drove several 2009 limiteds with auto trannys today. Very, very nice ride. One unusual thing i noticed though was that the car would roll backwards on inclines when starting from a stop, almost like driving a manual & stepping on the clutch.

    It seemed rather weird, so I took out another car, and it did the same thing. My 2003 and 1996 Legacies did not do it on the same incline.

    Anyone know if this quirk is new to the 2009s?
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    Well, one thing aside from those Mike mentioned earlier, is that the Outback SE also has a limited slip rear differential. That, in my opinion, adds much to the control factor of the car in low traction situations. Assuming, of course, you turn off the VDC. ;)

    Aside from that, I would have to run through the features list of the vehicles, but mechanically, I do not think they vary too terribly much.

    Take a look at the cars101.com site for a comprehensive run down of features for both models.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • zspzsp Member Posts: 1
    I have to say that I have always been a fan of Subaru and the concept of equipping all their middles with all wheel drive. I too have always driven Toyotas and Hondas for their track record of reliability…and I too have been tempted by the Subaru allure…until recently…
    Here is the story:
    My girlfriend purchased a 2004 Subaru Legacy 2 years ago. At 80k the entire engine had to be overhauled due to a fatly connecting rod slowly destroying everything from the connecting rod on down the line (pistons and crank shaft included). Prior to the rebuild, I had noticed that the head gasket was leaking and had to have that replaced as well. Fortunately, all this work was done under an extended warrantee. All in all, this work would have cost $2000-PLUS had it not been for the warrantee. After further research, come to find out this issue was not an isolated issue (Just Google Subaru 2.5 liter engine problems…)
    My advice for new Subaru owners – get the extended (**100K plus**) warrantee – YOU WILL NEED IT.
    As for me, my love affair with the rugged AWD Subaru brand is not what it used to be. I will (albeit reluctantly) stick with my Hondas and Toyotas and continue the family tradition of consistently driving them past 200k…without major engine overhauls.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Hondas and Toyotas are not immune to problems.

    I've track driven at least 6 subarus STARTING at 100k miles and put on on 10-20k miles AT REDLINE on track with stock drivelines.

    So your arguement doesn't hold weight IMO. The head gaskets are a known issue, they changed the gasket material to fix this issue.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Outback interior is a little nicer, more upscale.

    Still, I'd pick the Forester again.

    We had a 98 Forester, an 02 Legacy, and an 09 Forester.

    My wife and I may argue over which Forester we liked best, but the Legacy would definitely fall in 3rd place. Distant 3rd.
  • cptpltcptplt Member Posts: 1,075
    I am on my 6th Subaru with over 500K miles on these cars, never had a major engine or tranny problem. My first toyota, an 06 sienna needed a new tranny at 44K miles! S... happens even to the best.
  • ScottolaScottola Member Posts: 1
    Hello there, my wife and I just bought a used '97 Outback/Legacy. Is there a hatch release inside the car handy to the driver or does the hatch only open at the rear?
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    There's no separate hatch release. Only opens at the rear.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The rear hatch unlocks with the doors.

    -mike
  • traffic_hank3traffic_hank3 Member Posts: 1
    We are about to purchased a used 2000 outback, our second, it has the factory installed stereo without the cd player, but the unit is set up for the cd- has all the buttons, etc- is there any place that still sells the single units that go with this car and stereo? Where would I find them. Thanks
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    The two most likely places to look are probably an online Subaru parts supplier or a scrapyard, depending on whether you are looking for a used or unused unit. The supplemental (add-on) CD player in my 1996 Outback was a Panasonic unit. I am not sure, however, if they changed to another supplier by 2000.
    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
    I would shop for a 6CD changer out of a WRX from 2002 or so.

    The harness plugs right in, no hassles, and that double-DIN sized unit fits where the regular radio and single CD add-on would go, so the size is perfect.

    I put one in a 2002 Legacy. I put a 2nd one in a 1998 Forester.

    There is one hard-to-reach bolt, you'll need a long phillips screw driver with a magnetic tip.

    But the harness fits so it is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
  • dmurr3dmurr3 Member Posts: 11
    Hi, I'm trying to help a friend whose 1999 Outback Legacy is stuck in downtown Boston. The car has power but won't start. Does that sound like a dead starter? Years ago I remember on some cars, if you were really lucky, you could give the solenoid a few whacks and that might get it started. Anyone know if this works in a 99 Outback? Any thoughts on a solution (other than having the car towed!) would be much appreciated. thanks!
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    It depends on the problem. If the solenoid is sticking, the whacking could help. If the starter is "dead," no, it won't help start the car, but it might make you feel better! Starter replacement is a very simple task, so if there is a strong possibility that the problem is the starter, your friend could buy one and install it on site.
    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
    If it's a manual they could push start it.

    Not as easy with AWD but it can be done.
  • baccus49baccus49 Member Posts: 60
    Is it able to be shifted? Sometimes the gear shifter needs shaken a bit to make sure it is in park. The car will start only in Park or Neutral, but if it is not fully in Park, it won't start.
  • awrenchawrench Member Posts: 2
    I have a 1996 Outback Legacy 2.5 Liter that was succumbed to high level flooding in the Houston, TX. area. I drove home from work during a very long unrelenting rainfall. I started noticing a wining drone sound coming from the car only when driving at 15-25 mph. It made a loud squeal when I went into reverse. The next morning the squealing sound happened driving forward and reverse. The whine doesn't sound like belts. It sounds more metallic. I checked the transmission fluid and the transaxle fluid and both show no evidence of water/cloudy appearance. I would like to know if there is anybody who may know where to start focusing on repairs. There is no squealing at idle or reving up to 2500 rpms. The sound seems to originate from the wheel or axle? Could it be the antilock brakes malfunctioning? Thank you in advance for any suggestions.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,780
    I would start with flushing all of the car's fluids and see where that leaves you. It definitely sounds like the issue lies in the transaxle, but no way of knowing for sure what you have to work with unless the water is eliminated first. Perhaps there is an additive you can put in the transmission fluid to drive out any remaining water after you flush 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
    Could be a bad wheel bearing. Have those inspected.
  • senturi1senturi1 Member Posts: 8
    I recenlty was told by our Subaru service advisor that I needed to replace the front axle seals on our 2002 2.5 Legacy Outback. This issue started when I noticed a smell coming from under the car while the engine was running. Also, this odor was noticed while driving with the blower and AC on. The 2002 Outback has very low mileage; about 24500 and I'm the original owner. The Outback is serviced regularly; i.e. oil changes and PM. My question is how this can happen, and how major is this repair job?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The axles on our 626 leaked but I think it was caused by damage from a rock or debris. The rubber was torn, basically.
  • guzda53guzda53 Member Posts: 2
    I can't find the fuel filter. Manual says on front strut tower on driver's side by windshield washer reservoir tank. I bought a new one but can't find location? Car was purchased in July 2004. Was filter eliminated?
  • satyrezsatyrez Member Posts: 1
    Hi ,any updates on your Subaru, I have the same problem right now, seems like "a fluid" is dripping on my exhaust and leaves me with a strong burning smell... any news on this....
  • sculler1sculler1 Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2003 LL Bean Outback with 105,000 miles. My Subaru clan of friends told me, "It's just getting warmed up". However, no one can relate to my alarm system experience: If I get out of the car, shut the door - and don't lock it - and wait about 20 seconds or so, the car's lights will flash and it's armed itself on its own. Now, I can open the car door - it hasn't locked itself - but the car's alarm will go off. I discovered this when I first put gas in the car and went to get back in after the fill-up. Imagine my surprise. I've since tested it in the privacy of my garage and I'm baffled. I have another car that will re-lock and arm itself if you remote unlock it and don't open the door within 30 seconds, but nothing like this. So every time I get out and shut the door, I have to be sure to either lock it or remind myself to "unlock" it before getting back in - even though it's NOT locked - because the alarm will go off. Love the car so far, but this is the oddest "security" feature I've ever come across. Is this an LL Bean "bright idea" that's since been wisely discontinued or is something malfunctioning?
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