Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

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Comments

  • taomantaoman Member Posts: 14
    I have had my new 2003 Outback wagon for a little over a month now. A few times over the past month, I've heard a noise coming from the left front end of the car, which I suspect may be the steering rack. I can not easily reproduce the noise. The noise occurs sometimes when I am parking and I am backing up in reverse and turning my steering wheel slightly to the right. When I put the car in drive, move forward, and start turning the steering wheel to the left, I hear a loud high pitched whining sound for a couple of seconds when I have straightened the wheel out about 3/4 of the way. It sounds like something is rubbing. I don't know if this makes a difference or not, but the noise has occurred when I am parking on an incline. Has anyone heard of a problem like this? I plan to spend more time try to reproduce the problem. Other than this infrequent noise, I love my new Outback.

    Neil
  • jlemolejlemole Member Posts: 345
    Thanks for taking the time to help me with my problem. I spent the entire day assembling a swing set for the kids, so I didn't get to your last post until now. Unfortunately after 6 hours of swing set madness, I don't have the head for any more DIY today. I'll try it tomorrow morning and let you know how it goes.

    Jon
  • jlemolejlemole Member Posts: 345
    Right where you said it would be. Thanks again.

    Jon
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    You're Welcome, Jon :)

    -Dave
  • friendly_jacekfriendly_jacek Member Posts: 96
    Hi,
    I did my first engine oil analysis recently (2.5L H4 AT Legacy L 2000). It revealed over 4% fuel in oil with the corresponding drop in oil viscosity. Never had any engine warning lights and it seems to be working fine. The PCV valve is fine.
    While the car is used a lot in the city, there is no excessively long idling. The ambient temp is 70-90 F.
    I am running some heavy-duty injector cleaners.
    Is there anything else I should be doing?
    Thanks!
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'd be worried about the gaskets. Do a compression test to see if you have a leak.

    -juice
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    Do you do a lot of short trips where the car doesn't really get a chance to heat up (20 minutes)? Could you have tested the oil after a short trip(s)? Fuel in the oil should evaporate with a long run.

    Greg
  • mhadimhadi Member Posts: 1
    Do others have the same problem with the beige plastic in the interior (around seat-belts, etc) scratching very easily? Mine is an Outback.
  • mn_patmn_pat Member Posts: 67
    I have a 96 legacy wagon. Due to poor placement of the cup holders I accidently spilled some soda on the hvac buttons. My question is how do i clean this? Is safe to just squirt Windex on the buttons until they are no longer stuck?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I'd use something that would evaporate, like alcohol.

    Anyone else?

    -juice
  • rob999rob999 Member Posts: 233
    Try BrakeKleen (brake parts cleaner). It's actually dry cleaning fluid in a can. Evaporates nicely, too. I keep a can in the garage for events like this. Great for removing grease, pop spills from interior fabrics. (Test in an inconspicuous area first.)

    As with any fluid around electronic switches, use sparingly so you don't cause a short.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    The stuff works great on your brakes too, LOL.

    -juice
  • junkherjunkher Member Posts: 27
    I would be more than a little hesitant in using a solvent on ANYTHING with plastic involved. While it is true that it would do a fine job cleaning the electrical contacts, it will also likely cloud the plastic. ( It will turn it greyish ) It actually melts the plastics surface. Play it safe and go to an electronics store and purchase a plastic safe contact cleaner. Windex can be sticky too and causes corrosion on electrical contacts with time. Even some so called "plastic safe" cleaners can cloud the plastic surface if used in large quantity. As another said, use in an inconspicious place FIRST then use sparingly.
    Silicone spray lubricant MAY do the job fine as well and IS "plastic safe". It also dries relatively fast.
  • tfoshbonetfoshbone Member Posts: 18
    Try radio shack for electronic cleaner I think they have two types. Read labels some are more friendly towards plastic. (alcohol good solvents bad) There is an industrial brand called LPS electro contact cleaner. it's great but very expensive. worse case use isopropal alcohol. hope this helps. T
  • originalbitmanoriginalbitman Member Posts: 920
    tfoshbone -

    "Try radio shack for electronic cleaner"

    Excellent suggestion. You took the words right out of my mouth. I spilled red wine on my keyboard. Sticky mess. That stuff from RS worked great.

    bit
  • nowakj66nowakj66 Member Posts: 709
    Anyone else have problems with their air conditioning on an Outback LL Bean, VDC or normal Outback?

    Our AC would cut out after 15 minutes or so, only to return when the car was restarted. I think it was related to a sensor that cuts off the AC for hard acceleration that was keeping the AC cut off.

    The dealer said there was a service bulletin on this and went through a 6 hour multipage, multistep repair.

    Now the AC works but we hear strange sounds of a kind I have never hard coming from a car. Every once and a while, particularly when stopping the car, a noise that I can only describe as an a reedy "hooooo" like a saxophone being played by an amateur.

    When my wife was driving I "felt" a vibration under my left foot in the front passenger wheel well when the noise came. I would say the noise came up 5 times in a 2 mile city drive with stop and starts on 25 mph streets.

    My guess would be a vacuum tube was not connected properly when the service bulletin repair was done. Any other ideas?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Must be something loose that is vibrating at a certain frequency. I'd return to the same dealer to have a follow-up look.

    If you can replicate the sound while it's sitting idling, try this: put on some gloves and pop the hood. Start grabbing things, carefully, and see if you can get the noise to stop. If so, you found whatever was loose.

    Another thing - dealers have a tool they call "Ears", it's a device to track a noise to a specific spot. Suggest that.

    -juice
  • joeb24joeb24 Member Posts: 111
    I have a 2001 Outback LL Bean. I finally broke down and purchased a plastic hood deflector. I am tired of the numerous stone chips. Does anyone know (have experience with) going through a car wash with the deflector on. Is it sturdy enough?
  • subearusubearu Member Posts: 3,613
    I have the deflector on my Outback. When washing the Outback at a car wash, I always remove the deflector and wash it by hand. It removes easily (2 screws and 2 clips) and can reattach just as easy.

    -Brian
  • jlemolejlemole Member Posts: 345
    The re-designed deflector has a third center clip that requires removal of the grille for installation. Thus, it's not as easy to remove in a pinch. I have not tried mine in a car wash, but I would think it would be o.k. (don't hold me to it though!).

    Jon
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    The ones in the US are sourced ex Australia. I have had one on my Outback for four years and never a problem with a car wash. I've never removed the thing since new although I have pulled off the light covers once or twice to clean behind.

    Cheers

    Graham
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Rubbing Alchol should work, we use it on computer keyboards all the time.

    -mike
  • woodwanusawoodwanusa Member Posts: 5
    Can someone give me advice on turning off the daytime running lights on my'03 Outback?
    Thx. Mike
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,399
    Actually, daytime running lights are a good thing. On an overcast or foggy day you have a much better chance of seeing another car. Many drivers don't turn on their headlights in these conditions thinking "I can see fine." They just don't understand that it's not about them seeing others, IT'S ABOUT OTHERS SEEING THEM!

    It's required in Canada and more auto makers in the US are making them standard. You can search around and maybe find posts on which fuse to pull but I suggest letting it go. It's not a vanity thing...it's a SAFETY thing.

    Jim
  • otis123otis123 Member Posts: 439
    Get over your hangup....daytime running lights increase your odds of staying on this planet...

    Ralph
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    May I ask why you want to turn them off? Is there a scenario that I haven't thought of?

    Greg
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    on the DRLs. I wish my cars had them.

    Bob
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    Your Forester "does". Just leave the light switch on all the time. The lights will shut off with the key. I left the lights on in my '96 OBW for probably 6 out of the 6.5 years I had it. I replaced each headlight bulb once; never replaced any parking light, tail light or other bulbs. Not bad for probably 115k miles (out of a total 128k) using the lights full time.

    Even though my '03 OBW has DRLs, I often just leave the light switch on. That way, you also have the side and tail lights illuminated.

    DaveM
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's what I don't get about DRLs, if they offer so much protection, why not illuminate all the lights?

    Just leave them on all the time.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Yeah, I'm aware of that. The problem with that is, during the daytime, you lose a lot of the "contrast" between your tail lights and your brake lights, thereby making your brake lights much less effective. This is a bigger issue during the day than at night because of the ambient light during the day.

    Bob
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    sounds like you need to trade for an XT. :-) The DRLs will only cost you $25,000 but they'll throw in the Turbo for free.

    DaveM
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    What a bargain! ;)

    Bob
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    ARE PLAIN DANGEROUS!!!

    Why? Cause every single night I see at least 1/2 dozen cars driving around with stupid Front DRLs on without their running lights on. Heck Hypov did it by accident recently after going out to dinner. Either they should have the parking lights as DRLs or have all the lights on all the time. :(:(

    -mike
  • ladywclassladywclass Member Posts: 1,713
    I tend to agree with mike on this one ... I seem to see lots of cars without the "real lights" on at night ...
    the only time I've needed a way to turn OFF the DRL's was the night we went to the 3 screen drive in near us and decided to switch screen after the first movie .. there was no way to completely turn off the lights and keep from annoying people when we moved ..
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    Don't know when my luck will run out... I had a run in with a plain wrapper on my tail, again, [at the stoplight] that night. My third run in since I got the WRX. This time with no running lights.
    The other two,... trying to out run them.

    I have to agree that the DRLs are deceiving and will fool even the most aware/alert.

    -Dave
  • dougb10dougb10 Member Posts: 185
    In Canada, DRL's have been mandatory since the early 90's. Yes, some folks still think because they have the DRL's on at night and there is something lighting the road, they must have their lights on....but...the instrument panel lights on the car are NOT on. This should give them a major clue that the headlights/taillights are not activated.
    Cars with DRL's are just so commonplace now, that those who don't have something on in front seem (to me anyway) be placing themselves at risk.
    I would sure not want to disconnect them.
    What bugs me most of all, are the morons who drive in the daytime with their full lights on...plus...their fog lights(even on bright,sunny days). Many times, these fog lights are not aligned properly and light up the front of their car like a Christmas tree. At least you can't miss them!
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    For your next movie repositioning...

    You can turn off the DRLs by pulling up the emergency brake to the first notch (or to the point that the brake light comes on in the dash). The DRLs only come on if the emergency brake is released.

    DaveM
  • dcm61dcm61 Member Posts: 1,567
    The same can be said for people with automatic lights that run around with no lights in the rain and fog. All you have to do is cover the sensor and the lights will come on.

    DaveM
  • hypovhypov Member Posts: 3,068
    <<some folks still think because they have the DRL's on at night and there is something lighting the road, they must have their lights on....but...the instrument panel lights on the car are NOT on. This should give them a major clue that the headlights/taillights are not activated.>>

    Doug-
    In the case of Subaru, backlight on dash will come on when running lights are on, but not all cars are built that way. Rented a Mazda Millenium in AZ and got pulled over for no running lights. Their instrument panels lights up even without running lights. I got fooled by the lumination in the front as well as the panel.

    I'll admit that evening I was not too attentive to my instrument panel. Besides, I dim down the backlighting pretty low.

    -Dave
  • dougb10dougb10 Member Posts: 185
    That is interesting that the dash lights are illuminated with just the DRL's on.

    That is not the case with our '97 Subaru Outback Limited or our '03 Toyota Camry. The instrument lighting only comes on when the headlights and tail lights are on. In the case of the Camry, I leave it in "auto" setting that turns the head/tail lighting on automatically when it gets dark. I manually override the auto setting in a rainstorm.(The Subaru does not have an "auto" setting)

    Perhaps this was changed on the newer model Subaru's or it could be that it differs by country. Perhaps others could share any relevant input.

    Doug
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    DRLs have confused my wife, too. It's too easy to forget to turn on the real lights, especially in the rain or at dusk, before it's real dark.

    -juice
  • zman3zman3 Member Posts: 857
    It seems to me that any DRL system that illuminates the dash lights is a flawed design. I can fully understand someone forgetting to turn their headlights on if the dash is lit up. I think it makes a whole lot more sense to leave the taillights and dashlights off if only the DRL's are on.
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    are a great help on gray overcast days, especially in rural areas where cars can easily blend into the background.

    As to forgetting to turn on your headlights, that will become apparent soon enough when you realize that your dash lights aren't on. The GMC moving van that I rented earlier this month actually had a green DRL instrument light on the dash, similar to a cruise control indicator light, to let you know that the DRLs are on. When you turned on the headlights, that indicator light went off.

    As to leaving your lights on all the time, and as I posted in another thread, not a good idea IMO. During the daytime there will be less contrast between your (on) tail light and the brake light when it's applied. Yes, you still have a center rear brake light, but even so, the break light "team" will be less effective.

    Bob
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    What about luminescent gauges like the new Accord and most Lexus models have? Those have to be lit all the time. In fact, they are brighter in the day than they are at night.

    Just playing Devil's Advocate. Lots and lots of people with DRLs forget to turn their lights on.

    -juice
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    it's not a perfect system. I wonder if those cars with luminescent dash lighting have a DRL indicator, like the GMC moving van? Hmmm.... maybe it's time for another TH test drive. ;)

    Bob
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    The most common ones i've seen leaving on the DRLs are:

    Lexus
    SAAB
    Volvo
    VW

    All of which have backlit dashes all the time. But I've seen many many GMs in the same boat, even w/o the lit dash.

    -mike
  • stinkynelsonstinkynelson Member Posts: 13
    My 2002 OB Wagon (manual) does what I would characterize as a jack-hammering when I first drive it at low speeds in the morning. Is this the behavior that I've found described on this board as clutch chattering or shuttering?

    I took it to the dealer way back when, and they said they couldn't reproduce it - which is true since, once the car warms up, it doesn't happen any more.

    I love the car (50K miles) but hate the morning shake-em-up that I have to go through every day. I also don't anticipate it's healthy for the transmission.

    Help?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    That's chatter all right.

    Dealers do have a TSB for 1998-2002 models, so they should swap it out without giving you a hard time. If they must reproduce it, leave it with them overnight. It's especially bad on a rainy, cold morning, I've heard.

    -juice
  • bat1161bat1161 Member Posts: 1,784
    I know I have driven with just my DRL's on at night once or twice. That is why now I just leave all my lights on all the time. That is one of the quirky things I love about my Subaru - I just have to shut off the car, and the lights go out automatically!

    Mark
  • nygregnygreg Member Posts: 1,936
    Well, it's on again and the car is behaving funny. Lack of power and surging with constant pedal pressure. Time to take it in, however, my dealer says it is not covered under the powertrain warranty. We'll see. Will have the recall done also and maybe have them install a new set of tires.

    Greg
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