Subaru Outback VDC

paisan

Just as a matter of course I checked the coolant in the overflow tank today on my SVX. I ran it hard at auto-x on sunday and it shook down several problems on it. The coolant is now at the "low" level yet before auto-x it was at the "full" mark. It must have come out under the extreme conditions. It hadn't previously lost any coolant. So the H6 engines may indeed push out excess fluid from the overflow and cause it to end up at the "low" mark.

The other problem was it looks like it blew the gasket that is between the cat and the 2 exhaust manifold pipes.

-mike

ateixeira

paisan: if you flush the radiator, try seeing what happens when you overfill the overflow reservoir.

In fact, next H6 owner to do that, can you check?

-juice

[Deleted User]

Hi y'all! The driver's side windshield sprayer nozzle on my 2000 Outback is aiming too low. How do I adjust it? Can I just use a needle, stick it in the hole and adjust the nozzle? Is there any danger to break anyhting? My Subaru service wants $14 for something that sounds fairly trivial. Any help appreciated. Cheers, Mischa

ateixeira

It's that simple, you have good instincts. :-)

-juice

[Deleted User]

Hi y'all! The driver's side windshield sprayer nozzle on my 2000 Outback is aiming too low. How do I adjust it? Can I just use a needle, stick it in the hole and adjust the nozzle? Is there any danger to break anyhting? My Subaru service wants $14 for something that sounds fairly trivial. Any help appreciated. Cheers, Mischa

ateixeira

Yep, just a needle to adjust the aim. Piece of cake.

-juice

[Deleted User]

Hi y'all! The driver's side windshield sprayer nozzle on my 2000 Outback is aiming too low. How do I adjust it? Can I just use a needle, stick it in the hole and adjust the nozzle? Is there any danger to break anyhting? My Subaru service wants $14 for something that sounds fairly trivial. Any help appreciated. Cheers, Mischa

tos

Those Edmunds reviewers are tough. Just read the VDC review http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/comparison/articles/70543/page003.html and they slammed it. Asside from the lackluster engine and poor tranny their radio review was particularly vicious.

rsholland

The engine power characteristics and tranny comments are not new to most of us here. A lot of us have said the same thing. The comment that the engine doesn't wake up until around 4000 rpm is pretty much true, and we all wished it had a 5-speed automatic, as well as a manual option.

It is a very refined and smooth engine, and a great long distance cruiser, however.

Bob

snowbelter

I second rsholland's comments. I test drove a Highlander before buying the VDC and have been a passenger in one since. The Subaru ride is much more solid-feeling. The Subaru fit and finish seemed better to me. The Highlander rides soft and bouncy. The Highlander beats the Subaru with its extra-roominess and real seating for three in the rear. As a non-six footer and a family of three, the Subaru works for us, but the Subaru is going to be too confining for many others.

ateixeira

I dunno, the VDC was a close 2nd place finisher, and consider a couple of things:

* the street price is much lower than the Highlander's, so the price advantage stretches
* 2003 models get a 6CD changer standard, one of the key features missing from the 2002
* they fail to mention the 3 years of roadside assistance you get with the VDC

Plus, the Bean is a strong value and could be compared instead. Add a lower price and some free maintenance and even Edmunds, which generally isn't fond of Subies, might pick the H6 a winner.

We drove and liked the Highlander, actually I did, but my wife didn't. The rear seat is too low for comfort, and the price is high. Toyota will have trouble competing against the Pilot, which offers more for your $30 grand plus.

The Bean is around $26k and the VDC $27-28k nowadays, so it's a faily big step up in price.

-juice

robert116

robert116

ffsteve

There is no text in Robert's "final chapter" messages above.

Was he edited, or did he merely fail to actually say something?
S

originalbitman

Maybe that's the final chapter.

bit

ateixeira

SoA stepped up to the plate and he's speechless? Hope so...

-juice

ateixeira

This question was posed in another topic: does VDC still act even when the ABS is engaged?

I mean, when you are braking, can it release brake pressure from one wheel to prevent a spin, even if that wheel is not skidding? i.e. can it override the ABS?

-juice

robert116

juice not speechless but H6less, thankfully. I do check in now and again to see who else is reporting the coolant loss problem with the six cylinder though.

Something some of you may be interested in; a dealer (out of state dealer SOA so don't try to get even with any of our local people they are all really nice) told us that adding coolant to the H6's has become a necessary part of the service routine...

Wonder if this will be deleted??

theob

Have a 2001 VDC w/ 35k mi. on it. Haven't noticed coolant consumption yet. Other than the hard starting that was fixed by the ECU re-program, and a hood deflector disintegrating in less than a year, we have not had any problems with the car. Just took it in for an oil change and the dealer said the front pads were within warranty replacement range, so they swapped those and turned the rotors. All of the above was taken care of under warranty.

Re Mac 6-CD: Did they replace the cassette player with the changer in the Mac head unit? Would I have to swap out my complete Mac head unit to get a changer or could is it a separate unit that I could retrofit in my '01???

BTW, someone earlier mentioned the changer being under the front-passenger seat. I believe that the only thing there is the Mac amplifier/equalizer. I inquired McIntosh about a year ago about a 6-CD changer that is mentioned in the owners manual. They said they had nothing that would work with the '01 head unit.
Theo in CO

ateixeira

Note that Robert's H6 always worked fine, it never broke down or stranded him or anything. And it's been replaced by a model that CR reports as having 15% more problems than average (for the V6, the 1.8T rates about average). OK, whatever, good luck!

I think the Mac is a whole new unit. It dropped the cassette/single CD and now has only a 6CD in-dash. Looks like a double-DIN sized unit.

-juice

rsholland

Did you get a 4-Motion Passat?

Bob

cptplt

I can certainly understand the concerns of those who are loosing coolant with no obvious cause and obviously the main concern is its getting to places like the cylinders or oil pan etc. A few months ago I was at the Chevy dealer with the wifes van and the service people were all excited about a discovery they had made. There apparently is a "problem" with 2.2 engines in cavaliers. If you check for combustion gases in the coolant, you find it not infrequently. They have been replacing a lot of head gaskets for this. Well, they did a uncontrolled study. They checked it on every cavalier of that engine type they saw over a few months. Everyone had this "problem"(combustion gases in the coolant) but only a very small fraction actually were having any engine problems. They decided thats the way this engine is so leave it alone! Maybe the H6 is doing the same in some way or other. Its not right, but its not necessarily bad!

paisan

I still stick by my theory that it's a too small overflow resevoir. Same problem happens on my H6 3.3l DOHC SVX motor.

-mike

nygreg

I agree with Paisan. I have seen small decreases in my H4. When I add coolant, it takes very little to raise the level, thus the sensitivity is high.

Greg

ateixeira

I've never needed to add to our H4s. In fact the only time I ever needed coolant was when I flushed it.

-juice

kens

Ditto here. My coolant level pretty much remains unchanged between flushes.

Ken

deering1

Anyone having trouble with sunroof leaking, and water ending up in maplight on 2002 VDC ????

kullenberg

I occasionally have to drive my mother's Outback wagon; a 99, or perhaps a 98, I think. It's my understanding that it was redesigned the following year. Is the front seat any larger in the newer one? I would be interested in a VDC wagon, if I thought I fit ( I'm 6'4" ). I suppose I could go into the dealer and try one out. (duh) TIA for any comments.

xccoachlou

I was at a dealership with a very tall, 6'4"+ salesman who had no problem getting into a VDC, a 2002 selling for $25,720

- Lou

sebberry

I am 6'2 and recently ried to fit in a 03 outback limited wagon, and found it surprisingly tight on space. I had the seat down as far as it could go, and back as far as it could go. I am not sure if there were controls for the height of the front and back of the seat, I didn't get to try. I think there might be.

I found that my knees were a little high around the steering wheel, with the wheel tilted all the way up. Again, I might have had the seat adjustments a little off, but one would think a "crossover" vehicle like this appealing to SUV buyers, would actually cater to the larger boddies of an SUV enthusiast.

I did a comparison of legroom offerings for many vehicles including the Explorer, GMC Sierra, Honda Civic, BMW 3 Series, Passat, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Mercedes C-Class wagon, Ford Focus Wagon, Audi Allroad Quattro, and others, and found that the outback had more legroom than all of those and more, even than "compact cars".

Outback or course with 43.35 inches of legroom. I wonder if it is measured differently for some reason. I am currently driving a 1990 Legacy Wagon, and it offered more room for me than the outback. I hope the seat can be moved back on the rails to fit me.

If anyone else has any opinions or experiences with this issue, please post a reply.

Bye for now...

eric102

I'm 6'3" and have an 02 Outback. I made a simple modification to the seat rails and gained about 2" of additional seat travel. I'm very comfortable for hours at a time now. The seat mod just requires drilling a couple new holes in the rails to relocate the electric drive carrier's and drilling out one rivet (which seems to serve no purpose) for clearance on one of the carriers. Its a fairly simple job if you are even halfway handy with tools and not afraid to start drilling on your new car (I did it to mine a few weeks after buying it).

taxman10

The Outback is very short on legroom. I'm just around 6'1" with more of my size from waist down. I have an 01 Bean, wife's car, love it in all ways but find it way shorter than my 01.5 Passat.
Left leg rubs on door panel, dead pedal too close, seat short and knees elevated. Don't believe the book measurements - try one on for yourself.

bravadajon

Hello,

I have been posting to the other two Subaru groups and then saw this one.

I am 6'4" with a 2003 LL Bean Outback...it has the dual moonroofs.

Just sufficient head room; leg room is okay; my right leg rubs on the console near the gas pedal...this seems sort of tight.

I had a Bravada before...so this is sort of like a sports car transition, but I like it.

sebberry

I find it odd that I have heard of people who at 6'3" have enough legroom, not to mention that being a bigger car than my 1990 legacy it seems to have less room.

I would look into having the seat moved back on the rails a little if I decide to get this car. Loyalty to Subaru's prevails...

ateixeira

Fitzmall.com has 2002 VDCs for $25,574 including freight! Man, if I were still shopping today I might get that instead of the wife's Legacy L.

Eric's solution is ingenious and should accomodate just about anyone who doesn't play center in the NBA.

I'm 6' with a 30" inseam and I actually don't even have the seat all the way back on our Legacy. It's forward maybe a couple of detents. I drive clutch, maybe auto drivers like to sit farther back?

-juice

hypov

as it implies, has nothing to do with how tall one am. It's how much leg you've got.
Like juice directed to, he is 6' with a 30" inseam. I'm 5'8" with a 30" inseam.
AT driver - I seat far enough that I can floor the throttle/brakes and still have a slight bent on knee.

-Dave

ateixeira

We should take a photo next to each other. Our waist would be at the same height, but the top of my head would be 3" higher! I would look ridiculous!

Maybe I need to stop doing so many stretching exercises!

-juice

hypov

my legs are somewhat bowed. Probably why I'm only 5'8" ;-)

-Dave

sebberry

Would that have any implications on the warranty?

Do you think the dealer would cover the cost for a upholstery shop to do the work?

This is so frustrating, I can't believe they have gotten smaller than the pre '95 Legacys...

ateixeira

I don't think it would affect any warranty concerns unless you're talking about a problem with the seat itself. They'll never even know, it's out of sight.

No, I don't think any dealer would pay or even do it if you paid them. In fact I'm sure they would frown on the change being done, if only because it affects the passenger's distance from the air bag.

-juice

sebberry

When I tried the 03 outback limited, I found that my knees were very close to the steering wheel, and I had just enough room to manipulate the pedals. I had the seat back and down as far as it would go, but I didn't try the tilt feature, and it seemed that the seat was tilted forward a surprising amount. Does this make much of a differnece when tilted back or is it a minor adjustment?

Also, when you moved your seat back, did you still feel comfortable reaching the steering wheel and console controls?

Thank's for your input.

-SB

sebberry

Yes, the limited does have the sunroof, which wasn't too much of a concern. I do think I had the seat tilted forward which probabally took up some of that headroom.

gmcarlmrnet

I just bought a 2002 VCD sedan with 5000 miles on it at a dealers car auction in Minnespolis (I paid an independent dealer to do this for me). I ran a carfax on it before purchasing but their was no information on it. I was told this was because it came from Canada. Does anyone know how if this makes sense? The buyer who I can vouch for said the lease company who sold it is a reputable one from MI.

I have a couple of other questions if people wouldn't mind me asking. I have spent the last few days going through the messages to find these answers.

1) Given this car was in Canada the temperatures are in Celsius on the heating/outside temp screens. Anyway to change this to farenheit.

2)There is a round botton above my cruise control that I can turn (I thought it would dim my dashboard lights) but it doesn't seem to do anything. ?What is this for

3) I live in Minnesota. Any recommendations to put on snow tires? Which ones?

4) Recommendations for floor mats.

Is there any way to get past servicing records on this auto?

Thank you. Gary

eric102

Try it with the seat tilted back, it should be more comfortable but probably won't increase the leg room much. Another thing to try is to raise the seat, that will increase leg room a little bit. I don't have the moon roof so headroom isn't an issue for me.
Mine is an automatic, I can't remember if it has the same leg room as the manual, but the pedal positions might be different enough that one might seem more comfortable than the other.
After the seat rail mod the steering wheel is further away (2"), it was noticeable at first (not awkward) but now I never think about it. The car is a totally comfortable cruiser.
I agree with Juice that you probably won't be able to get the dealer to do it. I asked my dealer after I bought my car and they didn't know of anyone that would do seat mods, probably that liability stuff.

Eric

paisan

You guys had telescopic wheels like the XT6 and SVX!!!

-mike

ateixeira

Gary: first, congrats.

Try calling 800-SUBARU3. Make sure their records show the car is now in your name. Then ask how to get an account with My.Subaru.Com, which includes maintenance records by VIN. If they are missing, call again and see if they can get the info from Subaru of Canada.

-juice

sebberry

for your input on the seat rail modification.

When I was at the dealer the first time, they kindly took me and the Outback to on of the local upholstery shops. They said it couldn't be done, however I called around and found another place that thought they could do it. I will be visiting again to have another look.

gmcarlmrnet

I contacted subaru of america. Apparently I cannot get my car listed on the my.subaru.com site since it came from Canada. I talked to subaru of canada. They don't have a similiar internet site. They did tell me other then a $35 warranty part nothing came up when they ran the VIN number. I was able to find out the dealer who sold the vehicle and have sent them an email asking for information about my car but no response so far. It seems odd to me that all of the warranties are reciprocal between the US and Canada but that they don't share information/computer sites, etc. The car is running great other then an intermittant wind noise up on the front drivers side window which I see has given other people problems.

ateixeira

A $35 part? So it hasn't had repeated visits, most likely. Sounds good.

-juice

gmcarlmrnet

I contacted subaru of america. Apparently I cannot get my car listed on the my.subaru.com site since it came from Canada. I talked to subaru of canada. They don't have a similiar internet site. They did tell me other then a $35 warranty part nothing came up when they ran the VIN number. I was able to find out the dealer who sold the vehicle and have sent them an email asking for information about my car but no response so far. It seems odd to me that all of the warranties are reciprocal between the US and Canada but that they don't share information/computer sites, etc. The car is running great other then an intermittant wind noise up on the front drivers side window which I see has given other people problems.