Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

cptplt · August 2005

there was a TSB on WRX clutches but I don't know about OB, SOA fixed mine for free. all my friends thought they were nuts to replace a clutch under warranty on a model car which many owners abuse.

jay_24 · August 2005

I believe the economics have changed. An old report (I think from Cornell University?) stated it took more energy to make the ethanol than what you get out. I've read reports where that has now changed. e85fuel.com has lots of info.

Minnesota has 10% in everything too. By 2010 or 12? they will require 20%. I believe the the Engery Bill signed by GW also had some statements about 20% ethanol by 2012.

It worries me that subies can only burn 10%. GM, Ford and DC have E85 vehicals. In fact our 98 Grand Caravan was one and our current Tahoe is another. I haven't tried it yet because its hard to find. I did see it once for 85 cents a gallon.

A co-worker burns E85 in his van. Only slightly lower mpg and doesn't notice any change in performance. He admitts there is probably some.

--jay

tpriester13 · August 2005

i don't know exactly where to post this message so i am starting here. any help is greatly appreciated. i have a 1990 subaru legacy L 4wd 4 door. so far has been a realy good car, but recently started a major problem as my daughter and sometimes my wife drive the car. the car will start jumping/hesitating(like running out of gas) and the only way to keep it running is to put the peddle to the floor and wait. this comes and goes. will not it for a while(can be weeks) and then will start doing it again. we carried to a local repair shop on a Monday and of course it never did it for them...took car home(running fine) and on Thursday it did it again. problem comes and goes but is causing serious concern as i cant trust it ti get my daughter or whomever is in it home..any ideas? has new fuel filter and new plugs(within last month).. fuel problem? vacum leak???link">

ateixeira · August 2005

I think you were right to look at those things, also inspect the plug wires. If they are original then they are 16 years old, time to swap them out. Mazda's wires on my Miata don't even last 5 years, never mind 16.

Our 626 has hesitation/stumbling problems as it turned out to be in need of a throttle body service, i.e. fuel system cleaning. That might help, and it was cheap.

-juice

xwesx · August 2005

Yes, and maybe add a bottle of Heet to the gas tank in case there is any excess moisture buildup that is complicating the problem. Does the occurrance of the problem tend to happen with any correlation to how much fuel is in the tank?

xwesx · August 2005

Possibly, but it all depends on how the circuits are wired and where the fuses are located. The dash lights do not take much current to operate, so likewise it should follow that it doesn't take much of a drop in flow for them to shut off. The lights may not be drawing too much current for the circuit, but that doesn't mean it would have no effect on the dash lights if they were tapping into the same supply. Is it possible to run a dedicated 12V supply to the wiring harness such that the trailer wiring only utilizes the signal for braking/turns and not for the actual power to operate the lights? If you could do that, it might help to isolate the problem between the nominal draw and some other type of short. Just suggestions - it may be more trouble than its worth....

Good luck.

-Wes-

cptplt · August 2005

I had something similar happen to my 92 legacy once, it was a camshaft sensor or something like that.

rharpin · August 2005

I also have a 99 legacy that has the 4 wire front and back. got code of P1133 from Auto Zone scanner. Replaced with Bosch universal 3-wire, disconnected battery and after 5 secs check light went on again. Thinking of getting 4-wire denso. Will wait to see how you make out. (someone told me to try grounding 4th wire on engine side but that didnt work). Let me know how you make out

yooper · August 2005

I have a 98 Outback Wagon with 113,000 miles. The other day the driving belt popped off, I put it back on and it popped off again, immediately. I investigated and found the pulley for the crankshaft was at an odd angle when I replaced it the second time.

I had the car towed to the mechanic and he said that the key holding the pully in place slipped out and may have ruined the end of the crankshaft. He will not replace the crankshaft on a Subaru and said the engine may have to be replaced. Anyone ever hear of this type of thing before?

I had the crankshaft seals replaced at 87,000 due to oil leakage. (It recently started leaking again) The pulley would have been removed at that point. Is it possible the pulley was not replaced properly and if so would it last 25,000 miles before slipping out? :confuse:

He is a reputable mechanic, although sometimes his workers performance is not quite up to par, so I know he is not taking advantage of the situation for the money.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

Yooper

royallen · August 2005

Another possibility is a weak/failing coil. They cost $75-80 so not the first thing to change. Roy

dsain · August 2005

I've recently purchased a 2000 OBW with 87K and have noticed some shift shock when the AT shifts from 2nd to 3rd. Not consistant, but always when cold and never at WOT (Wide Open Throttle). Took it in to the dealer (60 day warranty) and they say they can't find a problem. I don't want to drive it until a critical failure happens, and I haven't seen any mention of this problem on the board. Does anyone have any input on this problem?

Otherwise I love this car. I was surprised by the amount of go the small powerplant produces, the handling and the ride. It's fun to drive, and I imagine the manual would be even better. I could forgo the wind noise that seems to come from the mirrors, but keeping the stereo up seems to fix that

.

Regards,
David

joyride21 · August 2005

Im also a mechanic. i have also seen if you don't tighten the pully bolt tight enough it will do the same thing. To be honest with you it probably will cost you about the same for a new engine than to rebuilt. there is a place call [non-permissible content removed] engines. you get used engines from japan for not too bad of a price. i haven't had any problems with their engines yet i have bought around 20 in three years.

Steve

saedave · August 2005

A last-resort fix for the pulley-keyway-key problem is a tack weld. If the engine is trash anyway, why not?

xwesx · August 2005

Yes, I think I would be looking for similar "deferred maintenance" solutions at this point. I would not be prepared to replace an engine for an external (accessory) problem. You should be able to find someone that can get the pulley on correctly with a little ingenuity - and maybe even be able to get it back off for future regular maintenance (like timing belt replacement).

If you need a mechanic to do a crank replacement, it will probably be better just to opt for a replacement.... probably.

fibber2 · August 2005

Agree with you there! Junk a good engine for a bad keyway? No way...

If you were talking 'drive' end (flywheel / flexplate), I would agree, you are probably in trouble. But considering that the accessory pulley is only called for to provide a max of say 20 hp or so (just the acccessories...), it only requires some creative thinking.

I once scewed up the pulley on a lawn tractor. But as it was the PTO, we are talking ballpark wise the same amount of power delivery. I carved out the keyway a bit more into the crankshaft, substituted a larger key, and added a generous amount of industrial strength grey metallic epoxy. I gave away the unit 10 years later still holding strong.

Steve

yooper · August 2005

Thanks for the feedback. I still haven't heard anything from the mechanic. He had to wait for a new pulley to arrive before he could see if it was possible to do anything. I will probably try to contact him tomorrrow to find out what is going on.

IF...... If I do have to replace the motor, does anyone know what year motors fit into the 98 Outback? I assume the 96 to 2000 will fit as there was only subtle changes to the car. Will a 2001-2005 Outback motor bolt up to the same brackets? If I have to replace a motor it would be nice to get a newer, lower mileage one.

20llbean · August 2005

Hsub,

I throw in my two cents here. I hate to say it but the tire shop probably won't replace the tires. You can try to go through the warranty (new tires should have them) and see what goes through there.

My experience with the Goodrich Traction T/A's is somewhat similar. I replaced the OEM firestones at 40K with the Goodrich tires. The firestones were OK basically. The Goodrich tires were rated to 50K and had good reviews from several online sources when compared to Bridgestones. So I brought them. But at 64K on the OB, all tires have wear (bald/ no tread) on all corners. I have done the necessary things for tires (balance, alignment, rotations, proper inflation) as required. I don't expect to get 40K out of these tires. Now a friend has a Forester and he was matter of fact that AWD cars will wear tires out faster. He has over 100K on the Subarus and is on his 4 set of tires. The weight of the car impacts the tire life, my OB is 3700 lbs, getting moving and coming to a stop take longer then my 2600 lb honda. That puts more stress on the tires.

Sorry no answer for ya but good luck.

brit4 · August 2005

These cars are known for blown head gaskets. This is usually caused by overheating the engine, often from a blown radiator hose. If this was the case, it is unlikely to be a cracked block, but warped heads are a strong possibility. You can have the heads shaved by a machine shop to fix this, or look for reconditioned heads. They should run around $150.00 - $200.00 each. Change the timing belt at the same time. It is possible to do this job yourself in five or six hours, if you have the tools and a Chilton's repair manual. To have a shop install recon heads will probably cost you around $1,600.00 This is still much less than a remanufactured engine - which will probably run you more than $4,000.00. (add the cost of the heads to the cost of a short block, plus labor). Hard to spend this much on a 1997 - probably more than the car is worth.

fibber2 · August 2005

Just taking a swag here: mid '90's thru '99 used the DOHC version of the EJ25. Year 2000 was the first of the next body style, along with the series II SOHC engine. While it might bolt in, engine management would probably not be compatible. There might end up being a lot more to change than you bargained for.

Steve

yooper · August 2005

Good News! I talked with the mechanic today and he was able to work with the damaged crankshaft and put a new pulley on it.

He is waiting for a bracket part that broke when I was taking the A/C belt off and then I can pick up the car. I'll try to get the specifics from him tomorrow.

Thanks to those who posted with ideas!

Yooper

joyride21 · August 2005

just don't be supprized if the crank is ruined. subarus are prone if you don't torque the ballencer they can get loose and ruin the crank, just keep that in mind

Steve

ateixeira · September 2005

It's not the radiator hose, it's the gasket material itself. Small cracks become leaks, they lose pressure, then you overheat.

The trick it to catch it early. If you do, it's just a matter of changing the gasket, a couple hundred dollars. If you warp the heads, good luck...

-juice

royallen · September 2005

Here's another possibility for poor idle - dirty air filter. I think that as the filter gets dirty, eventually it can develop enough resistance that at the lowest RPM idle, the air sources beyond the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor such as PCV will provide sufficient air that the MAF will read so low the computer cuts the fuel low/off. It will seem exactly like "running out of gas". Roy

scoutaddiction · September 2005

I just purchased a 96 outback from a friend who told me the car has gone through numerous left headlights, I found the terminals burnt in the connector and am going to replace them now, but I have noticed that almost half of the Subarus out there have the left headlight out. Old and new it does not seem to make a difference. I just sent a message to Subaru America asking about recall's. Anyone heard of a fix for this other then engine wiring harness replacement. Thanks, Paul

ebony5 · September 2005

Well back from upstate N.Y.- have been keeping track of MPG on my '96 OBW with 79,000K- added the Lucas fuel additive and got 22.5 MPG mixed use city/hghway and 24.3 MPG on the return trip south on the Taconic. The manual for the '96 OBW specifies 93 Octane so I do not vary from that. I had BP on the trip north/mixed use and Sunoco on the return. I assume that a 10 year old engine is not as fuel efficient as it was when new.

dbell1 · September 2005

FYI - I did a search before posting. I bought a 2001 Outback yesterday. Removed the backseat headrests at the dealer due to them blocking the rear view.

I have the Rear View Dimming Mirror. I drove it this morning at 6 am and was blinded by the lights behind me. I had it turned on. I don't think I'm light sensitive, but this was very annoying. Compass works, so I'm wondering if the sensors have stopped working.

Before I take it back to the dealer, can you all let me know how this mirror works? Is it a noticible difference when it's on and working?

It's going back anyway for the fog lights not working. I'm considering getting the back windows & trunk window tinted (my last vehicle had tinting and I liked the look and the privacy factor). Would that help?

Any advice is appreciated.

mountainjule · September 2005

all my research points to this as a great car, and great in safety crash tests, reliability, etc. What year is the best? I have only limited funds, but also -- mileage. I've heard they can go 300K or more, but husband doesn't want to get one with 100K. What do you think?

fibber2 · September 2005

Philip,

Sounds decent to me! Hope you waved as you went by the Beekman Rd exit (just north of I-84).

Steve

fibber2 · September 2005

Be somewhat cautious about pre-2000 Outbacks. The 1999 and earlier body style used a double overhead cam engine that has proven to be prone to blown head gaskets. If not acted upon in time, the damage can be quite extensive and expensive to fix. While the 2000-2002 cars used a newer design SOHC engine, they too have had head gasket problems, but A) to a much lesser extent, and

Subaru is taking better car of owners with problems on a special extended warranty basis.

Steve

ateixeira · September 2005

A while back some folks were using a Single Point Ground kit to address any electrical issues.

But a bulb is cheap, I think at Costco they're $10 a pair or so. Just carry an extra one.

-juice

ateixeira · September 2005

I'd recommend an '02 or later.

Thing is, Subies do not depreciate quickly, so you might find a new one is a better buy. Plus the '05s got a lot of nice improvements. Good luck.

-juice

pf2001 · September 2005

Hi all,
While accelerating my 04 OB H6 on the highway(65-70mph), I notice a slight studdering of the vehicle.

Anyone come across this?

Thanks.

ateixeira · September 2005

Try rolling into the throttle gradually. I've heard that it will actually accelerate quicker that way vs. stabbing the throttle hard.

-juice

rzappulla · September 2005

I have a 2005 Legacy 2.5I 5 sp. with a surging problem when going downhill with the cruise set. There are many posts around March 2005 about this problem. No solutions at that time. Has anyone had this issue solved since then? Also, car a slight rough idle. Anyone else?

joeb24 · September 2005

Several days ago, I heard a whining/reving noise coming from the front of my 2006 Outback LL Bean. At the dealer, a technician took a ride with me and immediately diagnosed it as a bad, front wheel bearing. I have about 2500 miles on the car and thought it unusual for a wheel bearing to go bad soo quick!

xwesx · September 2005

Now a friend has a Forester and he was matter of fact that AWD cars will wear tires out faster.

Not sure I agree with you on that one. I think it more has to do with the tires, the road surfaces, and the drivers than it does with the drivedness/weight of the car (though obviously the weight will make a difference). I have 70K (I think they were rated for 80K) on a set of Goodyear Allegras and while I am considering replacing them before winter hits, I may hold off due to the excessive fuel costs eating at any $ I had reserved for the purchase. I expect I can probably get another 20K out of them without pushing it too much. I am currently considering the TripleTread tires or maybe a.... darn, forgot what they are. some sort of water/snow tire that Costco carries. I think it was a Potenza, but not the RE92.....

I've never had an alignment performed on this car (a '96 OBW), and I feel it steadily pulling to the right, so it probably does need an alignment. But, the pull is rather soft and seems to have more to do with the air pressure in the front right tire than anything. That tire has a slow leak that drops about 10 psi per week so I have to check it with every fill up. Maybe a valve stem? I should probably check that. :mad:

xwesx · September 2005

He is waiting for a bracket part that broke when I was taking the A/C belt off and then I can pick up the car.

I think I know the exact bracket to which you are referring. Grr.... .darned plastic parts! I missed 2 months of summer air conditioning waiting on that $12 part! :P

-Wes-

xwesx · September 2005

May have been a bad casting or improper lubrication from the factory. I doubt this problem will reoccur. I have 10 years / 192K on my OBW and the wheel bearings are one of the increasingly fewer parts with which I have NOT had a problem!

xwesx · September 2005

So, the manufacturer commands that this system be inspected 10 years from MFG date. Now is that time. Does Subaru pay for the inspection? If not, no inspection for me... I'd rather disconnect the darned things anyway. Just curious. I would think that if they say it "must be inspected 10 years from date of manufacture," they'd pay for it.

-Wes-

ateixeira · September 2005

Unless that is listed as a required step in one of the services (90k?), forget it. I believe these are designed for the life of the car.

-juice

ian7 · September 2005

Hi Mark,

I have a 1997 OB and have had similer problems. A few years back I had to have the trasmission repalced ($4500). Recently I have been experiencing the same sort of problems you describe in your post. The RMPs will increase as I step on the accelerator but the car will not increase in speed - almost as if it's stuck in 1st gear. Eventually the car engages (or cluncks) back into gear and all is well. This usualy happens when I am in stop and go traffic on my way home from work. On the open road it is running great. Have you found any solution to your problem yet?

Ian

psg · September 2005

On our '95 Legacy there is a warning label somewhere on the passenger side (sun visor?) that states the system should be inspected after 10 years. My wife had mentioned it the last time she rode as a passenger in the car, probably about three months ago. I'd be curious what the charge is for this service as I doubt Subaru will pick up the tab. I think my current solution will be to use one of our other vehicles if I have to carry a passenger in the front. I suspect a lawyer would have a field day if it could be established that you did not have the system inspected, and in the event of a collision, the air bag did not deploy to spec.

Phil

cptplt · September 2005

I got charged 3/4 hr of labor. i'm not even sure what they did as when I picked it up no one who was still around could explain it - before I brought it in, a 92 Legacy, they said they will run diagnostic codes on the system, but that car doesn't have OBD!
! the only reason to do it is really so when you do crash and it doesn;t go off, SOA can't get off scott free by saying you never got it checked!

xwesx · September 2005

Thanks for the replies. It is not listed in the repair schedule by mileage because apparently this is a time issue more than distance issue. Makes sense - after all, wear and tear isn't really applicable for the airbags by mileage except perhaps contact points between the steering wheel and column, if applicable. The only place I have seen it is on the sun visors - I think both sides have the warning on my car, but definitely the driver side. I hate Gen 1 airbags anyway because they tend to do more damage to the occupants than good unless the collision is truely at high speeds (which is rare compared to total likelihood of collision).

I had not considered the legal implications. I would never hold someone else responsible for something I did, but apparently my opinion is not shared by the "masses" judging by the US legal system today... so I should be wary! That, especially, was good feedback.

-Wes-

96pathfind · September 2005

Dumb question from a dumb guy (inadvertently drained the ATF thinking it was engine oil- odor from brain fart still lingers)...

Where the heck do you add ATF to my '03 Legacy (2.5)??? Through the dipstick???

self_mechanic · September 2005

Through the ATF dip stick hole located way back in the engine compartment on the driver side. Make sure you don't add ATF to the differential oil dip stick hole located on the passenger side.

Alland

openmind · September 2005

This has happened twice now. 2005 Outback. I'm driving along and the engine just cuts out. No warning, no hesitation, no bucking, nothing -- just stops cold, as if someone had turned off the key. Yesterday it happened on the freeway, very frightening! I was able to pull off, come to a stop, and then start right back up.

I'm taking it in tomorrow but I fear the mechanic will just look at me like I'm crazy.

Any idea what it could possibly be?

ateixeira · September 2005

Could be a vacuum leak.

No check-engine light? I hope OBD2 captures some useful data for them.

-juice

fibber2 · September 2005

No, has to be something more dramatic than that to cause it to stop dead with no symptoms first. Like a fuel pump relay, or cam/crank position sensor, bad ECU, etc.

Steve

ateixeira · September 2005

Lucien's car would not start when he forgot to reconnect one of those hoses.

However, it would not have started again later, so you're probably right.

-juice

Subaru Legacy/Outback Wagons Maintenance & Repair

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