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Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

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Comments

  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    Two things come to mind:

    1) A misfire on one of the cylinders, possibly only under low/no load. This is the first thing I would have checked out. It could have a variety of causes; spark plug, plug wire, timing, fuel injector, valves, and more.

    2) A transmission problem, although I have never heard a specific issue that would cause roughness at a standstill.

    Good luck,
    -wdb
  • rob_mrob_m Member Posts: 820
    Misfire would throw a CEL. Could need the injectors cleaned. Or maybe a bad vacuum hose. Rob M.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,758
    My '96 periodically does this, but I just toss it in neutral until the light turns green. Your idle speed (at operating temp) is normal, so that is not the issue. I am not sure what is causing it, but I am at 183K now and it has done it (again, periodically) for 100K now (I bought it at 83K).

    Good luck,

    -Wes-

    Garandman: "Not to put too fine a point on it....." LOL! That one tickled my funny bone.... thanks....
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • garandmangarandman Member Posts: 524
    Have an '03 outback limited wagon. Expecting third child. Problem is I can't fit 3 car seats accross the back seat (or at least the three I already own from previous 2 kids). Has anyone had success, and if so what brands did they use? I would need a booster, convertible, and infant seat to go accross to accommodate my kids. Please help.

    Subarus are indeed a bit narrow. We had a Britax Roundabout (? don't remember) and two Eddie Bauer booster seats and they fit three across with no extra room, and you have to move them back and forth to get the belts buckled. If you put the infant in the center it's extremely hard on your back to reach in like that and dos not improve the child.Some of the European brands (hard to find in the US) are narrower.

    That's also why we went from two OBW's to one and a '99 Dodge Caravan [not Grand] Sport. It has bucket seats in the center row and we took the one of the driver's side out (on newer minivans they fold down or away).

    So instead of reaching, climbing over each other, etc. now we open the sliding door, put all the kids in, shut the door (if it's cold) buckle them in, then walk up between the front seats and sit down. And carry two strollers and sometimes a bicycle. I think the passenger volume on the smaller minivans is almost exactly double that of an OBW.
  • jay_24jay_24 Member Posts: 536
    We have/had the same thing (2, 5, and 8). When our youngest was in an infant seat (backwards facing convertable?) it was OK. Once the youngest flipped to facing forward the seats couldn't fit. A year latter, however and two boosters and a child seat do fit, but just barely. We use 2 graco boosters (seat bottoms only) and a Cosco(??) child seat (5pt harness that can be removed so seat can be a booster, about 17 inches wide). The Graco boosters were the narrowest I could find (just over 16 inches if I remember.)

    Minivans aren't much better. Why? most can't take 3 kids in the second row, forcing you to use the third row. That kills the storage space and helping a 3yr old in the third row is tough. Toyata Sienna has an 8 passanger model that looks nice. Part of the reason we dumped our Grand Caravan was due to the poor second row.

    --jay
  • stantontstantont Member Posts: 148
    Did you get this fixed?

    Beyond the normal tune-up stuff (plugs, wires, filters, etc.) the easiest thing to do, especially on a car with 90,000 miles, is toss a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank next time you fuel up. I've used Red Line and Chevron, and both work quite well. Apparently slightly clogged injectors don't affect normal running at speed, but at idle and just coming off-idle, you can feel a noticeable improvement. My '90 Taurus SHO needed the stuff about every 6-10,000 miles after it had about 60,000 on it, and the improvement was almost instantaneous (don't know how it can clean them in just a miinute or two, but it seems so). I put some in our '02 Legacy when we bought it with 57,000 miles, and again saw a slight but noticeable improvement. Both cars had a slight off-idle stumble from dirty injectors. Our Subie is a stick shift, so clean injectors made it easier to learn the Subaru clutch. Your automatic is in "off-idle" mode whenever it is idling in gear, right?

    Stanton
  • tpearsontpearson Member Posts: 1
    This is going back in time, but any more suggestions on what may be causing a sound like loose glass or plastic on plastic coming from the upper rear of the vehicle? This is on an 04 Subaru Legacy sedan.
  • litespeed4litespeed4 Member Posts: 11
    2000 obw with 90k miles started intermittently running like crap. Put it on the scope and it says "Misfire in cylinder 3". That would lead me to look at plugs, plug wires, or maybe the coil. Where should I start to fix it? The plugs were replace 10 months ago. I can't recall if wires replaced then or not. Coil is original as far as I know (only had car 2 years).

    Any suggestions based on similar experiences?

    Thanks for listening!
  • vetmatsvetmats Member Posts: 71
    When was the last time you changed your fuel filter?

    I had the same code, different cylinder on a 2000 obw and it turned out to be caused by a clogged fuel injector. I had neglected to change the fuel filter, and some debris was getting past the filter into the fuel injectors.

    vetmats.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4291571095&idx=1

    We've done this in our Legacy also.

    The key is the middle seat, it's one of those boosters that simply raise the child up, they're more compact and don't have sides to them. Buckling that center belt was a pain.

    I do think a Sienna would be ideal, because you can slide that center (8th) seat forward, offset from the other two, for more shoulder room.

    Another vehicle that lets you do this is the Expedition.

    As you can imagine both are larger/wider vehicles.

    -juice
  • markk1markk1 Member Posts: 30
    The Subaru dealer (who I've been very pleased with) changed the tranny fluid
  • jay_24jay_24 Member Posts: 536
    You didn't suggest a Tribecca? Its got an extra 2 inches of width over the OB Wagon. It just might be enough.

    Yes the Expedition has more than enough. We have a Tahoe many for that reason and to tow a camper... Any of the big SUVs fit the need, however they tend to drink a bit more gas. Honda Pilot might fit the bill too. It was a close second choice for us.

    I see Edmunds has the Tribecca avaliable in the databse for doing comparisons now.

    However I have a feeling that "Outbackmom" really doesn't want to buy a new car. So squeeze them in best you can.

    --jay
  • marlenesmarlenes Member Posts: 1
    I have a similar problem, and have replaced numerous sensors, gas filler tube. The latest code is to replace the catalytic converter, which I did with an aftermarket product, and it still does the same thing. Subaru later told me the aftermarket product doesn't meet the standards required for a Subaru, and that could be why it is still hesitating. I'm not about to replace it all again, without any guarantee that this will fix the problem, which they haven't given me. Did you ever figure out what fixes the low power and hesitation. When it runs good, it is fine, but when it gets in that phase, it runs poorly, sometimes for days, then clears up, then back to running poorly again.
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    Subarus are indeed a bit narrow.

    That's intentional, and it is due to size/taxation limitations in their home market. The Subaru Legacy is as just exactly as wide as it can be without falling into a higher tax bracket in Japan.

    Cheers,
    -wdb
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    I recently bought a laptop based scan tool, and have been reading everything I can get my hands on about the operation of OBDII. I could be wrong about this, but I am not sure that minor 'quality' differences in a cat-con would explain what you are experiencing.

    There are two oxygen sensors (more correctly called a/f sensors - successor to the original O2 sensor design), one before the front cat, one behind it. The front one does most of the work in feeding back to the ECU for adjusting the injector duration to maintain stoichiometry. In closed loop mode, it makes quick adjustments around a center point, known as 'short term fuel trim' as you drive. Monitoring long term trends in vehicle performance and driving style, it makes broader map changes known as 'long term fuel trim'. This is the ECU 'adaptive' provision that you hear the folks here talk about.

    I have not found much information that indicated that the rear sensor does much more than monitor and report on how well the cat is doing with final combustion of the gases it is given. I don't think it really effects driveability much unless it becomes an actual restriction to flow, or dissappears alltogether. If that is not the correct interpretation, someone let me know! So for now, I would not let their comments compel you to spend more money on another cat. I'd look elsewhere for a problem.

    It is more likely that a sensor is compromised and is feeding the ECU bad data. That is what lead me to buy the scan system. I get occasional driveability problems, and have logged a front O2 sensor (P0130) code. The nice thing about a computer tool is that you get the full snapshot of the conditions logged by OBDII, (freezeframe data) and not just a code number. It gives a dozen parameters, such as road speed, engine speed, manifold pressure, calculated engine load, fuel trims, air and coolant temps, etc. So now I am trying to look for trends before going back to the dealer.

    Interesting tidbit. Slow response from the O2 sensor can be from surface contamination on the element in the exhaust stream. Ethylene Glycol can do this. Watch your coolant level to see if there is some correllation to when it acts up, and fluid loss. You might have a leaking head gasket.

    Steve
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    One "c" by the way, it stands for Triangle Below Canal Street. Though it does rhyme with Rebecca. :)

    Of course, it's just not available yet. It is significantly wider, and does have a 40/20/40 split fold seat that is nifty. Plus a 3rd row option.

    -juice
  • smillersmiller Member Posts: 32
    I had a 1999 OBW that did the same thing after it was supposedly repaired after an accident. It was hit by a F350 on the front left wheel - It spun the car 180. :sick:
    The engine ran very smoothly until I put in drive and was stopped.
    They finally admitted it needed a new transmission but the insurance people did not want to spend the extra
    money because they had already paid the body shop $6500 plus my deductible.
    They could not completely repair the car so they ended up totaling the car and
    sold it to someone in VT. I ended up losing my mint condition
    Subie but they did give me a $10,800 check for it.
  • goosegoggoosegog Member Posts: 206
    Fibber 2 wrote: Slow response from the O2 sensor can be from surface contamination on the element in the exhaust stream. Ethylene Glycol can do this.

    That made me recall that in my 00 OB manual there's a warning not to use fuel with more than 10%(?) ethylene content. Or something like that. Generally this results in lower pollution levels, so I have wondered why this warning is there.

    Just my fuzzy brain churning again.
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Saturday Night Live skit from around 1979 (paraphrased...):

    Emily Latella: What's all this I hear about not burning xxxx in my engine. That stuff is good for you, helps reduce dependence on foreign oil, and reduces emissions....

    Chevy Chase: That's yyyyy, not xxxxx

    Emily Latella: Oh.... Never mind.....

    Sorry, Brian! I just couldn't resist! ;)

    I don't have a CRC Handbook handy, but IIRC, Ethylene Glycol is a kind of double alcohol, related to ethanol. Like two double carbon hydroxals bonded together? But far from the same thing.... The owners manual probably suggested against any gas-alcohol blend (methanol, or ethanol) over 10%. I think the problem is attack of some sealing materials in fuel pumps, plus alcohols affinity for water can sometimes lead to corrosion of metals.

    Steve
  • goosegoggoosegog Member Posts: 206
    I knew it was Ethel somebody. Oh well, another red herring.
  • erickson00erickson00 Member Posts: 9
    I have noticed three possible problems in a 2005 Legacy GT Limited I recently bought. With 800 miles on the car, I have noticed:

    The car pulls to the right. I took it in and they performed a four wheel alignment, but it still pulls to the right. I am going to call them and have them look at it again, but I can't figure out what would cause this, since they just aligned it a week ago.

    A burning smell comes in through the vents when I am not running the AC but the fan is on. I first noticed it a couple days ago, when I revved the engine near the redline. It is similar to the smell of a hair dryer that's overheated.

    When I accelerate, in first and second gear, I hear a lot of transmission whine. Similar to the sound made when driving quickly in reverse. Is this normal? I thought I should only be able to hear the engine, the exhaust, and maybe some road noise from the tires. My car sounds like a go-kart with this whine...

    I am concerned about these three problems. I am afraid if I take it to the dealer, they will just tell me the burning smell has no source, and that the whine I hear is normal, when I don't think it is.

    Can anyone offer any insight???
  • sheesh1sheesh1 Member Posts: 2
    Ever since I bought my Outback (2002), I have had a really bad windshield problem. Whenever I drive in a crosswind, at certain angles, there is a very loud noise emanating from the side of the windshield. Sometimes it comes from the driver's side and sometimes from the passenger's side. But it seems most common on the driver's side. It is a high-pitched whine, and is very very annoying. I have had this noise for almost three years now, and noone has been able to fix it. I will admit that unless the conditions are just right (dry, windy, driving into or across the wind), that it doesn't happen.

    Originally, I took it to the dealer in Alabama where I bought it, and they couldn't hear it. Now, since I moved to Kansas, the noise happens on a daily basis (it is very dry, and very windy here). I have been dealing with the dealer here, and they have been trying to fix it under warranty. At this point they are unwilling to do anything else until the "Subaru rep" approves it.

    I have been told that this is a problem that other Outbacks (and other Subaru models possibly?) have had, and since they have tried to fix it twice (first by replacing rubber parts (gussets I think) on the side windows, and then by re-sealing the windshield), that at this point the "Subaru rep" will have to see me/it before any further action to be taken. I don't understand why the service managers can't tell/ask the Subaru rep to just approve for it to be fixed without having to see it.I almost feel as if they don't believe me that I have this problem. Recently, before a trip that I take frequently to South Central Kansas, during which I endure almost constant screaming from this windshielf because I drive for three hours in a southwesterly/westerly direction, I decided to take matters into my own hands and put duct tape around the windshield. Voila, fixed it. No noise. Now, what I don't understand is this...if I can fix the problem with a $1 roll of duct tape, why can't someone at Subaru fix my darn car?

    This problem is so bad that I am thinking about trading it and never buying another Subaru. That is sad, because I really love the car.

    Any help is most appreciated. Sorry for the lengthy message.
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    A few suggestions:

    1) If duct tape around the edges solves the problem, then a tube of RTV sealer should do wonders. It has to be something that lifts with high wind velocity. Try backing off on the tape until you find the spot, if you don't want to use sealer around the entire thing.

    2) Go to a glass shop, and pay for new surround mouldings to be put in.

    3) Find a friend with a big rock... forget that suggestion...

    Seriously, if it is bad enough that you would consider selling a car you really love, then you need to pony up $100-$200 and get it fixed by a professional. I figure it will cost you at least $1000-$2000 to sell and buy something else (just in sales tax and tags alone), so stop being miserable and get it fixed!

    Steve
  • sheesh1sheesh1 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks Steve. You gave me way more information and encouragement that I have gotten out of the Subaru guys ever.

    I told the Sub guy that I would pay for it to be fixed, and forget the warranty if they would just fix it. He still didn't have the ideas that you did.

    I appreciate it muchly.

    S.
  • jfljfl Member Posts: 1,396
    My Legacy did the same thing in heavy crosswind. Fortunately, heavy crosswind is uncommon where I live.

    I had the windshield replaced due to a small chip in the line of vision. The replacement moulding around the glass is very different and much flatter than the original moulding. I would think the new moulding is more resistant to the whistling. The original moulding was shaped like a "C". I believe the intent was to direct water from the windshield to the roof rather than to the side windows. I like Steve's idea of filling in the section with silicone.

    Hope you find a fix!

    Jim
  • profromdoverprofromdover Member Posts: 4
    Well... not only have I been blown off by the service dept. at our local dealer, but by SoA customer service as well. I contacted them originally via e-mail and they assigned me a case #. When i called them to follow up, the rep intimated that the clutch problem is due to the way the car has been driven. She told me to take it back to the dealer (which I did the next day). I accompanied their "technician" on his test drive (once around their lot). He noted that the clutch was 'juddering.' The svc, mgr. said he would discuss the problem with his district mgr., which I suspect he never did. I wrote a long letter to SoA with the case #, VIN, TSB #, etc. and to date have received no response (I have written proof that the letter was received). It has now been over a month! My next step is to write a cover letter to the President of SoA and send a copy of my original letter to their customer service dept. I am really pissed atthis point! Any further suggestions?
  • rob_mrob_m Member Posts: 820
    First the tires. Have you rotated the tires? Sometimes a radial tire will pull to one side. Also, check the tire pressure. Subies are extremely sensitive to variations in tire pressure.

    Second, the smell. Is it a manual? There are a lot of reports of 'clutch stink'. There are a bunch of threads on legacygt forum. If it is an auto, it's probably the center differential engaging.

    Last, the transmission whine. Is it the tranny, or the turbo? Rob M.
  • 96pathfind96pathfind Member Posts: 22
    Having lots of wind noise through the lower front corners of the front windows on my '03 Legacy wagon. Can somebody re-post the info on how to adjust the gussets to eliminate the noise (this was posted in 11/03, but the link from that post no longer works!)? THANKS!!!
  • bkaiser1bkaiser1 Member Posts: 464
    You should really try to find a different dealer, one that is interested in fixing the problem. The shuddering clutch is well documented here and there IS a TSB issued on the clutch in your car.

    I had a 2001 Outback with a clutch that shuddered horribly almost since new...it took 50,000 miles of me documenting the problem at every service visit (each time being told it was normal). Finally, in December 2003, the TSB was released and Subaru made the updated parts available. The new clutch didn't cost me anything, but the issue had been well documented since the car was new.

    In the absence of a "history" on your car, they may decide to only cover part of the repair at this point, but there is absolutely a fix out there. If your dealer won't help, perhaps it might be worth a drive to a different one. Good luck -- I know it's frustrating!

    Brian
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Don,

    To begin with, note that there is a Subaru Service Advisory on this, that was released in April, 2004 (bulletin # 12-82-04). So before you kill yourself trying this on your own, see if you can get your dealer to do it for free!

    Craig Hunter is our master of door glass adjustment, and posted instructions previously on his web page: http://members.cox.net/craig.hunter/gusset/

    If it is no longer available, I did copy it and have it as a powerpoint file. But you will have to post an e-mail so that I can send it to you.

    Steve
  • cvargacvarga Member Posts: 1
    I purchased my 2000 Legacy Wagon GT in September 2003. Whenever I have driven the car in excess of 20 minutes, I notice that, as I take a tight turn (like into a parking space), a noise emanates from the car, almost like a piece of rubber touching the bodywork. This ONLY happens after I have driven the car for a while and never when cold. This leads me to think that it is not the CV joints but something else. I did have the car checked up last year by my local (non-Subaru) service center and they found nothing (and could not repeat the circumstances to find the noise).

    Any ideas?
  • erickson00erickson00 Member Posts: 9
    They have not been rotated, to my knowledge. I am taking it back in on Saturday, and I will explain that it still pulls to the right.

    It IS a manual. I will see if I can find anything in the forum on "clutch stink." Is it just something I have to live with, or is it sign of a problem with the clutch?

    The whine is definitely not from the turbo. The whine comes when I accelerate, not when I rev the engine. I can only hear it in first and second gear; the volume and pitch seem to be directly rated to the rate of acceleration. Once in third, even when the RPM are high, I cannot hear the whine. If I am idling, motionless, and rev the engine, I cannot hear the whine.

    I'm concerned about it. I am positive the dealership will just tell me it's normal, when in fact it's not. And with my luck, whatever is wrong will cause other parts to fail; ones that are not covered under warranty.
  • bkaiser1bkaiser1 Member Posts: 464
    On my WRX, I cannot hear the turbo at all if I just rev the car up in neutral...the only times the turbo whine is evident is when I'm accelerating in 1st or 2nd gear and happen to be parallel to a wall or something to bounce the sound back, or in 5th gear on the highway when I accelerate.

    I know you've got a different engine than I do, but the concept is similar and it sounds like you're hearing the turbo at exactly the same times I am on my car -- which is to say, when the car is under load and not at rest. Sounds normal to me.

    Brian
  • erickson00erickson00 Member Posts: 9
    So I wonder -if I was too really get the revs high and get the turbo spooled up faster than I have been, if the whine would change...

    Then again, I can hear the whine even when I am not near a wall, and with my windos up or down.

    I'll check it out, though - thanks!
  • hilltopperhilltopper Member Posts: 1
    Don't trade it! We traded in our OBW for a grand caravan when our 3rd arrived. We now wish we had toughed it out for the short time it was for our oldest to grow out of the booster. Now looking to downsize for another OBW or Forester for all the usual reasons even though our AWD Caravan has served well.
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    .it took 50,000 miles of me documenting the problem at every service visit (each time being told it was normal).

    In my case they kept telling me they couldn't reproduce the shudder ('00 Legacy GT). But my constant complaints also got me a free clutch at 63,000 miles once Subaru finally faced up to the problem and the TSB came out.

    Morals to the story? Okay, I'll give it a go :-)
    1) Unfortunately it sometimes takes a while for manufacturers to 'fess up.
    2) Document, document, document.
    3) Maintain a good working relationship with the dealer.
    4) If #3 becomes impossible, find another dealer! There are good ones.
    5) Replace the throwout bearing while the clutch is being done!

    Cheers,
    -wdb
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Spary lithium grease on the sway bar bushings, the rubber joints that hold them in place.

    -juice
  • digobwdigobw Member Posts: 4
    I just bought a 2002 Outback (47K) and notice the engine knocks for the the first 8-10 mins each time I drive the car. Even if I drove the car 2 hours earlier, it still knocks. After ~10 mins, the knock quiets. By the way, during Idle, the engine does not knock, only when I am driving. I have let the engine idle until complete warmed up (~15 mins) and it still knock when I drive it. I ran a tank of premium gas to no avail. The knock is not fast (isolated to a few cylinders) and not a tap (lifters).

    This leads me to believe that this maybe a "ping" and the computer take ~10 mins to compensate and adjust.

    Is this normal? What can I do to quiet this down? Any suggested additives?

    Thank you
  • leg04leg04 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2004 Legacy. About a week after I bought the car that only had 100 miles on it. I started to notice an antifreeze/coolant smell. I took the car back to the dealer only to be told they didn't smell anything. After a few more tries and negative reviews on the service questionnaire , they finally smelled the odor. The explanation I received was this was "NORMAL" and that there is a tiny hold in the coolant over flow reservoir to let out the vapors. I find it hard to believe that every Subaru owner puts up with this smell. Has anyone else had this problem?

    Thanks
    PJ
  • jensreidjensreid Member Posts: 3
    I am looking to buy a Subaru OB wagon. They ares:

    1. 98 OB @ 53K for $10,900
    2. 03 OB @ 79K for $12,500

    The 03 was a sales car w/ all highway miles and regular check ups @ 30 & 60, as well as oil change every 3.

    Not much history on the 98- its being sold by a dealer so has had a through inspection.

    The question is: Is it better to get an older car w/ lower mileage or a newer car w/ higher?

    (Currently I drive a 93 Legacy Sedan w/ 140K...so high miles doesn't scare me as much.)

    Your thoughts would be appreciated.

    Thanks.
  • 63corvette63corvette Member Posts: 51
    I would recommene the newer 03 model for the higher price.
    That said, there are some terrific deals right now, and I would try to get a new or newrly new one for almost the same money. For instance, I bought a new 2004 Outback (base) from McCurley in Pasco, WA for $17,340 on August 26, 2004. Seems like you could get an 05 for about that now, and there's a world of difference.......more than the $5000 difference just in warranty alone.
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Most likely what you are hearing is not a pre-ignition combustion type knock (ping), but something known as 'piston slap'. Many of us have it, and it has resulted in quite a lot of discussion here in the past. On warmer days, you might not notice it much, but the colder it is, the more irritating it is.

    Basically, you are hearing oscillation within the cylinder bore of the tail end of the piston (known as the piston skirt). This is not a Subaru-only problem, although I wonder if the horizontal layout rather than more vertical arrangement of common engines might exacerbate the issue. In the quest for reduced mass (higher revving, reduced friction), the length of the piston below the wrist pin is trimmed. Until everything has expanded to equilibrium, it 'shakes' slightly, making the noise. A number of sources have reported that it does not appear to cause damage, but it sure does make a racket. Subaru issued a tech bulletin advising the service people to inform customers that all is well.

    But just to be sure, take it in and have them listen to it. You are still in the powertrain warranty, so it is certainly worth the piece of mind to get an opinion. Let us know what you come up with.

    Steve
  • fibber2fibber2 Member Posts: 3,786
    Given the continuing head gasket problems of the older series phase 1 DOHC motors, I would opt for the '03 without question. Plus, you are getting a slightly larger, and more comfortable car for the money. I have driven in friends '98-'99 cars (1st gen OBW), own an '02 (year 3 of the 2nd gen OBW), and have rented several '03 & '04's on trips. Clearly, they get better each year as SoA adds and refines little things. For instance, after a set of feature enhancements added in '02 (over the '00 & '01), they went and gave the '03 a revised front suspension that improved ride and handling.

    Steve
  • francophilefrancophile Member Posts: 667
    It could be that they overfilled it from new, or it could be the dreaded head gasket seepage. Do you smell it all the time, only when the car is hot, only when the car is cold? Where do you live, is the weather still cold there? How cold?

    My '00 Legacy GT had a seeping head gasket. Coolant would leak out onto the exhaust where it would vaporize. It was a tiny leak but wow did it make a lot of smell. It only happened when the car was cold and the weather was cold. Any other conditions and it did not happen. The leak was so minor that I never even noticed the coolant level dropping.

    Finally one very cold day the smell got *really* strong and I figured, enough. Took it to the dealer and they did the head gasket under warranty.

    Let us know what it finally turns out to be.

    Good luck,
    -wdb
  • leg04leg04 Member Posts: 3
    From what I've noticed I smell it all the time. It is worse when the weather is warm. I live in PA and the temp is around 50-60.

    I drive little less than 10 miles from work to home and when I get out of my car I smell it. There are no visible leaks, nor do I notice the coolant level dropping.

    Last year we drove to Florida in mid Oct. and the smell was so strong that at a gas station, a section over someone made a comment about how strong the smell was.

    Question is, how to get the dealers to do the head gasket work, when they like to put it off until it is no longer under warranty.
  • jensreidjensreid Member Posts: 3
    Thank you for the great information~

    I had no idea about the head gasket problems. Good to know.

    I am going to take the 03 into a mechanic tomorrow for a 'once over' and if all looks good, I'll likely buy it!

    I appreciate your feedback. Very helpful.
  • kenskens Member Posts: 5,869
    Cross rotating the tires will sometimes fix drift if radial pull is the case. One other possibility is that front caster (a non adjustable setting) might be out of spec. Did the dealer provide you with the results of the alignment?

    The clutch stink apparently has no solution. I've read about other owners complaining over at legacygt.com.

    With regard to the gear whine, I don't recall hearing any when I test drove a 5MT LGT last summer (I bought an auto, however). Perhaps the dealer can let you try some other LGTs to see if you have a louder than normal gearset?

    Ken
  • mrk610mrk610 Member Posts: 378
    Welcome to the Subaru Piston slap club. I also have a 02 obw with 54k miles . I have had the slap since 6k miles . I was able to get SOA to replace my #4and #2 pistons to combat the noise . That was at 42 k miles . Well the slap is back . I have done alot of investigating on this subject and there has never been a case of engine failure from piston slap in the subaru engine . Fibber2 has the best explanation of the noise . I have heard that some owners have had new short blocks installed and the slap has come back . I live with mine I just take it easy for the 1st 5-10 mins if driving . I have had my oil analysed every other oil change for the last 40k miles and I have no excessive wear in the engine . If anything my engine has very little wear for the miles . I only burn 1/2 quart of oil every 5k miles .I use sub filters and mobil1 10w30 . I have read that some owners have quieted the slap noise down by using a heavier oil or using a syn blend or straight dino oil. I,m thinking of trying a blend next change to see if there is any difference .

    Mike k :)
  • escortpowerescortpower Member Posts: 4
    I personally would be checking for a leaking windscreen that may be dripping onto the ECU.
  • jgsubarujgsubaru Member Posts: 3
    What is the trick to getting at spark plugs.....not a lot of access...do I need to drop motor, or maybe try a double universal spark plug socket
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