Olnick

Good question. It's most likely somewhere near the interior fuse box--the one under the dash near your left knee. You never did identify the year/model of your Subaru, so I'm just guessing that they're all pretty much the same layout. It's a mess of wires, connectors and boxes under there. Look for a mounting board with three small relays in a row across the top. The middle one should be the "Tail Illumination Relay." Once again . . . good luck!

Just checked my Haynes--there's a pretty good schematic (Chapter 12-32). shows TWO fuses, one relay and the light combination switch all affect the tail light circuit. In the Main Fuse Box (the one under the hood behind the battery) check Fuse 23, it's a 20 amp. Under the dash, by your left knee, check Fuse 5 (10 amp) and the "Tail Illumination Relay." After the under-dash fuse box it should be red wires that feed the tail lights, side marker lights and front clearance lights, all basically the same circuit. I don't pretend to be a wiring genius, but those are the places I'd look first. Good luck.

Don't beat up on yourself--we usually learn more from our mistakes than from being absolutely correct all the time. ('Course I wouldn't understand that since I've ALWAYS been absolutely correct!!!) When did your problem start--or when did you first notice it? Any electrical work or re-wiring or bulb replacement recently? Could the wiring have gotten crossed or two wires shorted somehow?

Hey, Pete, the Impreza based models are called "Outback SPORT." They are smaller bodied than the regular Outback, which is basically a spiffed up Legacy.

Subyluvr: Are you sure Grampa isn't stretching things a wee bit? You know, older men will sometimes . . . Oh, wait! I'm an older man! Here's my (honest) input--21.693809 mpg from a '95 L wagon, 99% city driving. 'Course I probably drive like a granny. Except when I do some maintenance and the engine runs smoother and my foot gets a little heavier. Am hoping mpg improves a bit with recent replacement of temp sensor and a new 02 sensor.

You're not gonna' believe this, Gnuman, but I actually went out to the car and popped the cupholder open--because it's been awhile and I couldn't for the life of me remember if, or where, it had springs! It must. That little sucker flies 3/4 of the way open (then you have to finish the job by hand!!!) Anyway, to answer your question, I have a '95 Legacy L wagon--and I love my car, cupholder and all.

Now wait just one doggone minute here. I happen to LOVE my cupholder! Had owned the car for a year before I even realized it HAD a cupholder, then one day I pushed the release button. Nothing happened. Well, nothing intrigues me more so eventually I pried the device out, then found I could remove the entire mechanism. It was, as expected, welded together with gooey soft drink syrup, so I cleaned it thoroughly and restored it to silky smooth like-new condition. Yes, I LOVE my cupholder. Of course I don't USE it. It's a pain in the butt the way it blocks all those controls. But every once in awhile, say at a long stoplight, I'll pop it open just to witness the miracle of its operation. Then I'll push it closed, thrilling to its silky smoothness. Then I'm okay for another coupla' weeks.

You're welcome. Let us know how it goes.

PLEASE NOTE: The original post refered to Brake Lights, so responses 2 to 9 addressed that problem! If all lights except brake lights are working, I'd guess the problem is the brake light switch--it's located at the top of the brake pedal arm, near the hinge. And, my friend, if your brake lights aren't working you shouldn't be driving anywhere anytime, night or day. Hope you find the problem. Quickly.

Uh oh! This is the first real schism I've sensed on this board--those of us who prefer to do it while lying on our backs vs. a bunch of weirdos who try to do it from the top. Hmmmm!

Yeah, you definitely have to attack the bottom nut (or bolt, I don't remember) from underneath the car. But it's really quite easy to locate. The first time we did it I worked from the top and my son did the bottom. A few weeks later, when I had received the new contacts, my son was back in college so I did both--took about 10 minutes!

I picked up an Actron 9135 a coupla' months ago and am very pleased with it, decided on the Actron because it was recommended by an indie shop owner whose opinion I respect (Dan Maurin at ROOpair Specialties in Tacoma.) It won't do the real-time stuff that Frag mentions but it's been right on for me. Bought it off eBay after several months of lurking and tracking (I'm a very careful shopper!!!) Paid about $80 plus shipping. If you do go eBay just read the seller's feedback carefully--there are some weird ones out there. Good luck.

Welcome, Tanya. You've hit on the right site for Subaru help--I swear these are the most helpful, caring car people on the planet! I have little expertise in the thermostat/radiator area, but I'm sure you'll get a ton of responses. A couple of suggestions: First, tell us more about your car--year, model, transmission, mileage, any history of repairs or problems. Anything unusual happen prior to overheating on your trip? Second, try the search function. There have been many writeups on cooling system problems that may pertain. Again, welcome and good luck.

How did they create the 2.5? I always thought of it as a bored out 2.2, but with too much material removed thus weakening the structure! Oversimplification, I know. But hey, the Subaru engineers didn't do such a great job on it themselves.

Way to go, Matt! Good detective work. I can imagine the smile on your face now as you start down the street--without the clicking!

Excellent thinking. The Dude! I believe you've hit the nail squarely on the head. The Phase I engine was flawed from the beginning but Subaru simply won't admit it or take responsibility for it. It's shameful--and very costly to a lot of trusting and loyal Soob drivers. But I don't think anyone is suggesting negligence or ignorance on the part of Phase I owners. No one expects such a weakness to raise its ugly head, especially after 20+ years of bulletproof design and build quality and the brand's excellent reputation for ruggedness. The problem is insidious. I think it happens quietly and with no obvious clues to the average driver as air and gasses from the combustion chamber push into the coolant system creating that fatal "bubble." But who amongst us burps their cooling system every week "just in case?" Sorry, I'm rambling. I just feel terrible for those poor Phase I owners who have been stung. The 2.5L really intrigued me when it first came out. I thank God (and my frugal nature) that I ended up with a lovely 2.2L!

At 9-1/2 years, not exactly shocking. But thanks for keeping us up on current events. Rather like the ying and yang of life--for every negative there is always a positive. Your thoughtful message has energized me: Perhaps my old friend may keep charging on for awhile yet.At any rate, more power to you.

My bumper got dimpled--just about the same place and size as yours. I had only had the car for a year, I was devastated, she was still my new baby! Next morning I walked out to inspect the damage again and it was gone. Popped itself out overnight! Paint hadn't broken but it had some abrasion, needed a bit of sanding and touchup. Hope your story has a happy ending too.

Pete--the "bulletproof" 2.2L engine was introduced in the first Legacy model in 1990 and went relatively unchanged through 1996. It was a NON-interference design and seems to have very few problems. I drive a '95 model and love it. In 1996/97 Subaru brought out the dohc 2.5L, an interference design. Some people have had overheating and HG problems. They feel burned by Subaru--I can sympathize, I'd feel the same way! But the vast majority have not had any problems. Some feel the problem is caused by improper filling of the coolant system--air trapped in the system causes uneven cooling which leads to overheating and HG failure. Unfortunately, you'll get as many opinions as there are Subaru drivers. A shame in a way because Subies overall are rock-solid vehicles. If you want some expert opinions on the HG issue, check with the guys at Hopkins Auto in Spokane--they have an excellent reputation. Or call Dan Maurin at ROOpair Specialties in Tacoma (253-475-1760, dsubarurx@msn.com0 he's a straight shooter. Good luck, Pete. Hope you find your way into the Subaru ranks!

Drquasi--it's probably nothing more than bad contacts in the starter solenoid. They can be bought for a few bucks, just make sure you get the correct style contacts (there are about 3 different designs used.) Do a search--there were several writeups a while back. By the way, my son and I had the starter out of my '95 Legacy in about 10 minutes--and we're not great mechanics! Sounds like Overtherainbow Subaru is going to get rich quick.

Our '95 Legacy L wagon had 205/??/15s when I bought it. They did rub the wheel well trim (but only under heavy load.) I replaced them with 195/65/15.

Man, you guys have hit me smack dab in my greatest pet peeve. We drive fantasically sophisticated, refined internal combustion machinery--the zenith of over a hundred years of engineering genius and refinement. They're controlled by super sensitive space age sensors feeding minute bits of information to computers for maximum efficiency and environmental friendliness. And how are they put together? With the cheapest pot metal screws a manufacturer can buy. Arrrrgh! Drives me NUTZ!

Hi, Spokane-Pete. My guess is that you'd probably want the Outback/Legacy model (same basic body, but the Outback sits higher and has sportier trim.) Not sure about the interior dimensions & cubic volume, but I think they're roomier than the Forester. What caught my eye was your location--Spokane. My daughter's boy friend lives there and I believe he is thinking of selling his Outback! It's a '98 with 114k miles on it and, from what she says, it's in really nice condition. Could be had for considerably less than your budget range too, I'll bet! Anyway, if you're interested in looking at it send me a PM (Private Message) and I'll give you his number. Good luck in your search--as you can tell from this board we are all pretty much "true believers." I've driven Subarus for 20 years and couldn't be more satisfied. Aloha.

Ooops! Sorry, Bro--don't mean to be pushy. But I think (emphasize "think") that it made a noticeable difference in the engine's operation and am interested in if others feel it.

So Frag, how did it go? Or are you still out there in the dark spraying cleaner through that thing?