Subaru Legacy/Outback

petpal2

My 02 VDC will show outside temperature when pushing the buttion by the climate control however I thought you can view it also, by the clock area?? Can anyone confirm? I can't seem to get this info from the manual.

Jack

rsholland

Not with the VDC or LL Bean with the auto climate control. With Outback H-4s, with manual climate control, the outside temp gauge is in with the odometer.

The first time I drove those models last year I noticed that. I don't like the way Subaru set that up for the H-6 models..

Bob

grahampeters

G'day

Try pressing and holding the Outside Temp button until you hear a beep (couple of seconds) The outside Temp will hen display until you next touch a climate control button.

Cheers

Graham

mrdetailer

Let me add a different perspective about purchasing a Subaru. My Subbie is 11 car years old now. I generally buy cars at about 60,000 miles and run them for 200,000 miles. I did the same with the Subaru. I now have 120,000 miles on my 1991.

A timing belt broke early because of a faulty idler arm, I had to replace a solenoid. Other than that my repairs have only been maintenance items. I am meticulous in my maintenance and repairs, and after the initial year's $1500 at 7 years I have averaged only about 700 dollars a year in maintenance and repairs. My other cars average closer to 1200/year.

I have a Dodge with 170,000 miles and it really feels it's age. It runs well, but creaks and groans. At every repair I ask if it's really worth it. My Subaru runs every bit as good as when I bought it. It will easily go 200,000 miles. It is still taut, quiet, smooth, responsive and fun to drive. And I just bought the bottom of the line L version.

Most of the time you will avoid problems by careful maintenance. Follow only the Severe maintenance schedule. Run at least a synthetic blend oil and change every 5,000 miles, or the MONTHS specified in the owners manual. Change Radiator fluid at least every other year (I do it yearly). Do a transmission drain and fill every 15,000 miles. Replace brake and power steering fluid every 30,000 miles. Use a clay bar, and glaze and wax the finish at least twice a year.

I like American cars, but if you want some real horror stories see the problems with Ford or Mazda 626 automatic transmissions, or GM steering issues. Really, the problems listed on this site are minimal and not frequent.

If you're worried about the pinging issue, wait 6 months and the software fix should be incorporated into the newer vehicles already. If it is not, make it a condition of sale.

Don't be like a social workers who see only the families needing foster care intervention and conclude that the state of the American Family is abismal. The vast majority of owners are experiencing no serious problems. Even those of us with older used cars really love their Subbies.

rsholland

I forgot about that, but you're right. You can see either the inside temperature or the outside temperature—just not both at the same time.

Bob

c_hunter

a little late to respond, but here we go . . . .

I just had to replace a cut tire on my 2000 Outback wagon, and here is what I found out. First, the stock Firestone tires are a version of the Wilderness HT tire, though Firestone does not list it in their product catalog. As far as I could tell, the only HT that comes in the 225/60-16 size is the OEM Outback tire. I went in looking for a replacement, and that's what they came up with. It was an exact match.

The tires on the 02 models are labeled Bridgestone Potenzas, but they look suspisciously identical to the Firestone Wilderness tires. I am basing this on the product photos in the 02 model brochure which show tread, and this may be incorrect -- automakers have been known to get creative with PhotoShop in these brochures. It is possible that they airbrushed "Firestone Wilderness" out and added "Bridgestone Potenza" in just so they could reuse the old product photos. I guess I won't know for sure until I get a look at the real thing.

I have always had a steering wheel vibration on my Outback, from day one, and no manner of re-balancing, tire rotation, or alignment has fixed the problem (changed it maybe, but not fixed it). The vibration is not consistent. Sometimes the car is buttery smooth, sometimes the wheel shakes. No particular speed range, no particular road surface. It's really not repeatable. I have suspected the tires for a long time, but will have to wait until they are replaced to see if it's really the problem. I would appreciate learning about any resolutions to the issue. This is the only annoyance I have with an otherwise wonderful car.

Craig

leeduncan

Craig,

You might try finding a shop with the Hunter 9700 wheel balancer. The 9700 can find stuff standard equipment can't. The url for Hunter is:

http://www.gsp9700.com/index.cfm

It is a $25,000 wheel balance system that not many shops have. It sure would be worth checking out.

HTH,

Greg in IN

paisan

Greg is correct. Over on the Isuzu side of the SIA plant, 98 Rodeos were known for a horrible vibration as well, no matter what Isuzu did or said, the only universal fix was a wheel balance by a hunter 9700. Well worth a try.

-mike

outback165

Craig,

My vibration is exactly as you describe. For that reason, my district service rep said the same thing that Greg said about the Hunter 9700 machine. The Firestone store that I went to wanted my dealer to use new wheels and tires off a new Outback and try it on my car to see if that resolved the problem. We did that test, and it seemed to take care of the problem. When I went back Firestone they said no problem about replacing all four tires. Unfortunately they didn't have the same tire and wanted to put the "HT" tires on my car which my buddy's Ranger has on his car. I didn't like that, so instead I came home and posted here as well as getting on Tirerack.com and Firestone.com. Did some homework, and called the folks at Firestone. Learned more about tires than any "civilian" needs to know! Anyhow, The techi guy at Firestone said that we would really like to see Bridgestone Turanza H Revos on the car, but that the retailer would probably only agree to put on the Bridgestone Potenza RE950, which is the retail version of the RE92 which is an OE model number and probably the OE tire on the '02 Outbacks. (Like I said, I have learned WAY too much about tires!)

So I called the retailer back, and he said that Bridgestone, by definition, is an upgrade from Firestone, so he would have to check with his district rep. So I'm waiting, but I'll keep you posted.

The Bridgestone techi also said that the Firestone Firehawk SH30 is a great tire, but that the Turanza H Revo is the best tire for the money and what he would put on his car. The ratings on Tirerack give the Potenza the best score.

Thanks to all who offered advice!

Pete.

rocko20736

Has anyone taken their subie in to a dealership to have the shim kit installed? This is part #26298AE020 for "Brake Squeal Noise".

I'm curious to find out who is paying for this repair, Subaru or customer. My dealership is "playing dumb" about this problem.

mrk610

Thanks for the reply .I made an appointment for the oil change ,and I have peace of mind now .
I've never had the brake squeak or the hesitation
but my rotors do have the grooves in them other people posted about it . But no problem with braking effort . I feel the brakes are very good .My brakes on old car 96 Honda accord were terrible . The one thing they need to change is there painting application . All you have to look at it for any length of time and it scratches .

Thanks again mike k

cptplt

is this only for the latest models, I have the problem with my 98, will it work for me?

fibber2

Craig,

I think we are dealing with PhotoShop-ish retouched photos. There was a mix of '01 & '02 cars on the lot when I bought, and I looked at the tires on each. While I am no fan of Bridgestones (had them on a Datsun & Toyota as OEM - and was happy to eventually replace them), I specifically wanted to avoid anything that said "Wilderness" (whether from the Decator plant or not). While I cannot remember the UTG numbers on the Firestones, I noticed that they were different from the Bridgestone Potenza RE92's of 360/A/A. And I believe the tread pattern was sufficiently different to convince me that it was a different animal.

Steve

bud_ody

Does anyone know where to get the best price for Subaru extended warranty ? I am interested in 7yr/100,000 mi/0. What is the best price we can get ? Thanks.

taxman10

Your dealer has two prices - retail and his " cost". My dealer was so eager to sell me a warranty the night I picked up my car - they usually run contests on these types of products that give the dealer a bonus or trip to somewhere for selling "x" many - that he showed me the price list with BOTH figures. I paid his cost. My plan - 6 years , 80,000, $50 deductible @ $684, $725 after 6% tax. I think the sticker on this plan is around $1300.
Negotiate, like heck. There's big markups on these.

david55838

Hi all,

I sold my 2000 Isuzu Rodeo to get an '02 OB. My Rodeo had the dreaded steering wheel vibration Paisan spoke of. I had the wheels and tires balanced on a Hunter 9700 to no avail. After lurking on the Edmund's Rodeo board for a bit, I heard enough folks find out that the OEM Bridgestone Duelers were flat spotted after the vehicles had sat on the dealer's lots for months at a time. I somehow convinced the regional Isuzu rep to swap out these tires for Michelin Cross Terrain SUV tires, and the problem was solved. It seems that lower quality tires may become flat spotted, and no amount of riding on them will return them to normal. Good tires will go back to their normal 'roundness' after driving on them. Just my .02

David

nygreg

Just calculated my H4/auto gas mileage from late April to now. Average is 23.5 mgg in mixed driving. Octane does not seem to make a difference. Just switched to Mobil 1. Don't expect a big difference, but I will let you know. Car seems to like "that good Gulf gas".

Greg

c_hunter

I went back to my local Firestone place this morning, to check on getting another three matching Wilderness tires to go with the single tire I replaced last week. They were out of stock, but gladly offered to take back the single Wilderness tire and sell me something else in a set of four. The best choice appeared to be the Potenza 950 (a directional tire), which you mentioned in an earlier post. The sales lady at the counter and the manager both raved about this tire, and I could tell they were being honest. So, I figured, what the heck, it would be a huge improvement over the Wilderness in terms of handling, and only slightly more expensive.

Later on, the tire manager out in the shop refused to mount the tires -- apparently, there is a bulletin out that says not to mount directional tires on the Subaru Outback. They would only stick with the original Wilderness tires. Wierd. So, I'm back to getting another three OEM Wilderness tires (they had to send a gopher to a nearby town to get them).

I don't know the details about the service bulletin, whether it's from Firestone or Subaru. But, the local shop doesn't want to install anything but original spec tires on my Outback.

Craig

subearu

See if you can get a copy of that bulletin. Makes no sense that directional tires can't be on the Outback, let alone any sube. Hmmm.

Patti - any insight here?

-Brian

viktoria_r

Lately I noticed that my 01 Outback i-4 auto sounds rougher than usual and does not seem to accelerate as well as it used to. Could this be gas? I am in Chicago area. Anyone else experiencing the same? Tx

outback165

Craig - I tried sending you an email message with some info, but I think I took too long (work keeps getting in the way!) and when I hit "send" it might have timed out...

From what I hear (I really wish I had my own opinion on this!) don't go with Wilderness, at the very least go with the Potenza RE92s. Another tire that both technical Firestone people I spoke to raved about was the Turanza H revo.

My dealer is waiting for a call back from Subaru technical but Firestone technical didn't know of any reason why directional tires couldn't be mounted on an OB. Infact, when he asked around at one point, he was given examples of more expensive 4x4s and AWD sports cars that have directional tires as OE.

I'll let you know what my dealer finds out from Subaru technical.

Pete

paisan

There are no I-4 subarus. It's actually an H-4. It is most likely your gas, but you might throw in a container of Techron @ your next fillup and see if it helps.

-mike

outback165

Trying to confirm that directional tire/Subaru thing. Neither Firestone nor Subaru know or any such bulletin. The Subaru dealer tells me the SVX came OE with directional tires - can anyone confirm? He has checked with the District Service Rep and she doesn't know of any reason why directional tires can't go on a Sub. Anyone have any opinions?

hondafriek

I also called my regular tire dealer,he says directional tires can be installed on the outback and to be told otherwise is plain old bullpoop.

Cheers Pat.

outback165

Thanks Pat for the feedback. My Firestone dealer just called me back to tell me I could come in Wednesday AM to have the RE950s put on! He also had never heard of the directional thing, only his expression was not as polite as "bullpoop"!

Craig, if you can, hold off a couple of days, and I'll let you know how the RE950s are, and whether they take care of the vibration (which has been lost among these directional issues!) Call the Firestone number I emailed you - I'm sure they'll satisfy you. Also, if necessary, find another Firestone dealer who will mount the RE950s.

Thanks all for your input.

Pete.

c_hunter

I just got back from Firestone, and now have 4 new Wilderness tires and a fresh 4-wheel alignment. The steering wheel is vibration free and the car tracks rail-straight for the first time ever. I did not expect a whole lot from Firestone, but have been pleasantly surprised. They could teach my Subaru dealer a thing or two about how to solve problems and correctly align a car. The bozos at the Subaru place could not even get the steering wheel straight the first time around, and the car never felt right.

In the end, I knew the Outback should steer/ride correctly with the Wilderness tires based on my recent test drive in a 2001 VDC, and this reaffirms that experience (I still would like to buy a VDC someday, though). So I guess that is a valid benchmark!

BTW, I asked about the bulletin, and the guy who I talked to earlier had left for the day. So, I don't know the details. I also remember seeing directional tires on an SVX many years ago, but the guy I spoke to earlier said the bulletin was specific to the Outback and not Subarus in general.

If I had more gumption, I would head over to my Subaru dealer and ask for a refund on the alignment they did at 15K miles (for $89), and see if they would share the cost of new tires with me, since that was the ultimate solution to the vibration problem they were unable to diagnose. But, I'm happy that the car finally rides and tracks so well, and I get enough heartburn and stress at work! I probably don't have enough documentation either. I think I will just write this off as a learning experience and move on. My wife and I will be heading into the Shenandoah mountains of VA this weekend with the Outback, and I'm looking forward to the drive.

Now a side question: Where can I get a steel rim with the Subaru 5-lug pattern? I saved two of the old Wilderness tires, and want to setup a full size spare for off-road excursions.

Craig

dill6

Just thought I'd share my experience with these Bridgestone tires - I would not buy them again. They are very noisy on rough pavement/freeway expansion joints and snow traction is miserable.

Now, the Precept golf ball, which is manufactured by Bridgestone, is the absolute best deal in a golf ball available - equivalent performance to the top of the line Titleists at 40% of the price! Personally, I prefer the MC Extra Spin model, but...what's that? This isn't a golf BB? Sorry...

ateixeira

Cool, Craig, glad you took the plunge and got 4 new tires.

Call around to local dealers to see if they have any take-off steel wheels. You can sometimes get them cheap-cheap.

-juice

hammersley

Craig: You also might try your local salvage yard for wheels - I've had good success with finding cheap wheels for snow tires & spares (last set for a Nissan P/U were $17/ea, when the dealer wanted $70!) Just make sure they're straight & no bent rims. Even if they're in the next town, makes for a good excuse for a drive!

Cheers!
Paul

mrk610

Makes me feel good my baby has fresh oil and filter. The service tech at my dealer still didnt want to do it untill 3000 miles . But I said im paying for it so do it. Had the noise in the front end checked out again ,and they still dont hear it or feel it .I think it is the front brake pads sliding on there calipers because when I accelerated from a light I kept my left foot on the brake and no noise .???????????

mike k

hondafriek

Brake pads should not move in the calipers and if they do you have a problem.

Keep after the dealer to find the source of the noise you could have a caliper mounting bolt that is not tight also.

The fact that it stops when you have a foot on the brake would make it seem indicative of a brake problem,however you do not want to be driving around with your foot on the pedal no matter how lightly, you can cause the brake fluid to boil as well as cause premature wear on the pads and rotors.

Cheers Pat.

fibber2

Mike & Pat,

Again, I do not know Subaru's well yet, but many disk pads do have free play and are dampened by 'anti-rattle' clips. These are bent spring stock jobs that attach at either end of the pads. The wear sensor tab is also sometime integral with them. I also had a noise that disappeared with light application of the brake on one of my previous Fords. Replaced the springs (parts guy had thicker ones - higher K value ??) and the noise went away.....

Steve

pattim3

I hadn't heard of any such TSB, so I asked around. No one at Subaru has heard of any such bulletin.

We did have directional's on the SVX. The only problem we saw was with folks that had rotation questions.

Patti

bill_ca

I'm pretty happy with the Bridgestones on my '02 OB. I think they have a decent combo of performance and comfort (road noise). Frankly, though, I'm not averse to Bridgestone in general. My other car is a BMW, and I put Bridgestone S02 Pole Positions on it for the track--very fat, very sticky--but also good on the road. I've had absolutely no quality issues through several sets of tires.

outback165

Thanks Patti for looking into that. Craig I wonder what that guy was talking about! I'll let you all know how the 950s fair!

Pete.

c_hunter

Yeah, I wonder too. When a retailer comes up with a story like that to steer the customer away from buying more expensive tires, which in turn causes them to go to extra efforts to locate cheaper OEM tires from another store, it makes you wonder!

Maybe there was a hidden reason, but I got the impression that the tire guy was being dead serious. Maybe he just got his facts wrong. I probably should have pushed to actually "see" the alleged bulletin.

Pete, I'm anxious to hear how the 950s do on your OB. Of course, if the car goes down the road sideways, then we'll really wonder!

Craig

viktoria_r

Thanks, Mike. I meant H-4 of course. Techrons is gas additive?

paisan

Yeah it's by Amoco IIRC. A lot of people on here and in the Isuzu boards I frequent have used it successfully. 1 bottle every 5K miles or so.

-mike

ateixeira

Actually, Chevron. Buy the stuff named Techron (not "with Techron"), becuase it's not watered down. Comes in 12 and 16 oz sizes, about $5 or so.

-juice

paisan

Yeah that's the stuff.

-mike

goosegog

"Gumption". Now there's a good word I haven't heard in a long time. One of my mother's favourites.

outback165

I'll let you know, I have a 7:30 appt tomorrow AM. I know the retailer is not at all happy about putting the 950s on my car. This is all being covered under warranty, but this should not affect his pocket too much - it's not his fault. I don't get it. I know he was rather bothered at the fact that I would call Firestone Corporate... the 800 Consumer Affairs number on firestone.com. I made it clear that I had no complaints with the retailer, so I can't imagine what bug he's go up his ---. I'm intrigued by the 4 wheel wheel alignment that you had done to your car. I wonder whether he a) can do it, and b) whether I need it. Any advice? I'll let you all know how they are! Juice, your wheels looked awesome, is it worth waxing the factory OB wheels?

Pete.

hondafriek

If you are putting on new tires you should always get a 4 wheel alignment.

4 wheel alignment is a bit of a misnomer nowadays as all cars need a 4 wheel alignment.

Cheers Pat.

c_hunter

Firestone charged me $65 for the alignment (you can also pay $113 for lifetime alignments) and it was worth every penny. Based on what I've gleaned from following the discussions on Edmunds, Outbacks are notorious for coming from the factory with poor alignment. Add to that the fact that the correct alignment is almost dead-ahead (very little toe-in), and it seems like the slightest error can make the car drive poorly. If it's even a little off, the car will have a problem on crowned roads and all the other issues associated with bad alignment -- drifting, poor steering response, tire wear, etc . . . .

Before I had Firestone do the alignment, my OB had a bias towards the left, and I was constantly having to correct to the right. In addition, there was a dead spot on center, where I could saw the wheel and nothing would happen. Now, the wheel feels firm on center, and responsive. I should note that my Subaru dealer did an alignment at my 15K service, and basically made the situation worse than before. Thankfully, Firestone seemed to know what they were doing. It really feels great.

Pete: I agree with Pat, if you're getting 4 new tires, an alignment is a good idea. I think if you throw some extra business at Firestone, it might also improve your relationship with the local retailer (if that even matters in this case). I was very pleased with the service I received from them, and would go back again.

Craig

hypov

my '98 OB had this veering to the right nitch. I can see my steering wheel cocked @ 11 o'clock at high speed... or was it veering left and cocked @ 1 o'clock?
I'm losing memory cells here :-D
Anyway, the tech @ dealer had it all 'zeroed' and it's driving fine now.

-Dave

ateixeira

I think it is worth waxing the wheels (they are painted). They stay cleaner, ice won't stick when it snows, and they just look better.

-juice

bandd1

I have a question regarding driving my outback; I have the LLBean automatic and drive it in the D position... now i have been told to drive around town in 3; and use D when on the freeway. Is it safe to change from 3 to D while driving??
thanks

mrk610

I drive in 3rd when I won't go over 30 miles an hour due to the trans goes onto 4th overdrive and the engine lugs. This is bad for the trans and can overheat IT .BY the way I have a my02 outback wagon aet. No it won't hurt the trans.
mike k

paisan

It is safe to do that, but not recommended. Always use the "D" position on an AT. The only time to put it in "3" would be on hills where you don't want it to upshift too early (when you let off the gas on a hill it will go to 4th, then if you tap the gas again it will go down to 3, by keeping it in "3" it will avoid over shifting) or around town if there are small hills and you are doing around 40mph and you notice it shifting up and down between 3 and 4 often. In reality 99% of the time the AT shifter should be in "D"

-mike

sten2

Has anyone tried installing non-Subaru fog lights? Can you use the factory wiring harness? Do you need to buy a Subaru switch to use the wiring harness? Does the harness already include a relay? (2000 L wagon)
Does the factory wiring for the tweeter kit and sub woofer/amp work easily with non-Subaru stereos?
Has anyone seen the horsepower and torque curves for the 2000+ 2.5 L engine?
Thanks!
Sten