bstone

I'm a big fan of getting data and trying to repair based on that information. I just came back from Advance Auto Parts and attached are the screenshots of their charging system analysis. Look at the massive voltage drop on the starter! It also got zero amps for a while. Thoughts?

The starter is a reman Subaru part which I personally bought at the parts counter at the dealer but it never "felt" right. All connections and grounds have been cleaned well but it still fails to start without a WHACK 50% of the time and increasing. The warranty was for 90 days only which means I'll be looking for a new or reman starter.

I finally got around to pulling the started and replacing the plunger and copper contacts inside the solenoid. Sadly that did not solve the problem and I continue to turn the key without the starter engaging but a whack on the starter gets it going for the next try. Thoughts and ideas before I replace the starter?

If the solder joints are fine then it might be a failing vehicle speed sensor (VSS) which is a sensor plugged into the transmission and controls the speedometer.

Do your neighbors a favor and cut the wires going to the alarm siren/horn. I did that and they thanked me. I can still arm the alarm which causes the headlights to flash and lock the ignition when the alarm is tripped. as to your problem: check the battery and try to reprogram the FOB

I had the same issue as the OP. Turns out my calipers were original and just rotting away. I replaced them, put in new fluid, bled the brakes, and now braking is smooth and so is rotor wear.

97 Legacy Outback Wagon AT. The rear seat belt buckle receptacle seem to be specific to the metal fittings. The receptacle for the middle rear seat won't accept the metal fitting of the belt next to it even tho they look the same. This is annoying when I've got people in the back and one of the receptacles has slipped under the seat and there's no time to find it. Is there a way to make them all work? Some sort of universal receptacle? Magic spells? Herbal medicine? BTW, I'm using language the stewardesses say on airplanes cause I'm not totally sure what the different parts are called.

Any chance the bulbs are burnt out? I had a similar issue with my headbeams recently where one lamp would go out while the other would be very bright. Turned out to be a wiring issue with a new bulb connector I had wired in. My fault and not something that happens spontaneously. You can get a new multifunction switch and plug it in to see if the lamps work BEFORE tinkering with the steering wheel. Test it out before taking everything apart because it might not be the switch. It might actually be the H/L relay gone bad which if it's the original from 1996 then this is totally possible. Cheap and easy to replace.

Good to know this is standard and not yet another problem! Thanks guys!

EDIT: Turns out it's normal behavior and not a glitch. Thanks! 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon. AT. I've recently installed LEDs for the turn signals and headlamps. Fog lamps are still stock lights. Whenever I engage the high beams the fog lamps go out and then immediately turn back on when I disengage the high beams. Is this normal behavior or pathological?

Turns out two of the wires on the headlight connector which I spliced in were reversed. Who knew it'd still partially work? I found someone else who had done the same thing and had the same exact problem (dim lights, one lamp would go dark when high beams were activated, and high beam light partially illuminated on the dash). I reversed the wires and now everything just works.

Making a long story short, I am in need of the 3 wire pigtail to splice into the wiring harness for the front turn signal on my 97 Legacy Outback Wagon AT. I've been looking all over and the closest I can come up with is this. Will it fit and work? If it matters any the bulb size is 1157A. Long story: Years ago an electronics guy cut the pigtail and spliced in the wrong replacement. To make it fit he modified/butchered the plastic housing of the headlight assembly. I have a new assembly and want to splice in the correct part.

I did, as I wrote in my post. I swapped the right and left relays which had no effect. I tried them one at a time which didn't solve anything. I also felt the relays click as I used the switch to engage the lamps.

I replaced the popped fuse but the left/driver lamp is still dim. The left/driver lamp turns off when I activate the high beams (right/passenger works fine) and the high beam light is still partially illuminated on the dash. The fuse didn't pop after I replaced it despite turning on and off the headlights and high beams repeatedly. I replaced both the right and left H/L fuses. I swapped the two relays and I can feel them both click but the problem persists. No love. I'm next going to replace the electrical connector for the drivers side to see if that helps. I also have an extra multifunction switch and will connect that to see if the problem is there. Any other advice?

I'll change the other side electrical connector as you suggest. The engine was not running when the grounding cable snapped.

Yup blown fuse for H/L LH. I'm going to replace it and hope that this restores full lighting. I'm not sure what caused this fuse to blow but I will mention that the electrical connector for the left headlamp was looking mighty crusty so I cut it out and spliced in a brand new replacement connector. I'm not sure if this is related but a few weeks ago the grounding cable under the fuse box to the battery in the engine bay snapped so I had to cut and crimp. Any other ideas on what I might check?

I wasn't aware of a failsafe but that is interesting. I'll check and get back to you.

I've got another multifunction switch and I'll try it out in hopes that it's just the headlight control stalk that's wearing out.

I found two grounds on the passenger side near the firewall. Where might other grounds be found?

New issue which began just the other night. The driver's headlamp is very dim and I am also seeing a partially/half illuminated high bean light on the dashboard. Whenever I turn on the high beams the driver's side lamp does out. Passenger's side is just fine. So far I've replaced the bulb, replaced the connector by cutting out the old one and splicing in a new one, and cleaning the grounds. So far no love. Ideas of what I should try next?

Had a similar issue with my 97 OBW when replacing pads a few months ago- one of the bolts was really rounded. I was luckly able to get it off with a vice grips. I got replacement bolts from the local Subaru dealer and changed them all on both sides just to be safe. I tired to find replacement bolts at Advance, Auto Zone, Home Depot, etc but none had the right size or right quality. In the end Subaru dealer had them for $2.something per bolt. You might also try to use a ratchet wrench which save you a ton of room. They usually come as 12-point which aren't great for rounded bolt heads but if you look around you might be able to find a 6-point ratchet wrench. I got these for doing brake jobs and they are just perfect and totally worth the few bucks of cost.

Replaced the battery 10 days ago and since then it's starting perfectly. Old battery had a 20A draw while the new one has less than 0.05A draw. Old battery went bad after 5 years and new one works just fine.

Does anyone know the actual size/measurement for the e-clip? I need two for my 97 Legacy OBW for 72311AC054

They measured it by using their device which examines the electrical system (starter, alternator, battery, etc). I didn't get a look at the device manufacturer, but it connects to + and - on the battery and also has a probe going over the + wire. They had me variously start the ignition, turn on and off the headlights, put a load on the engine, and turn off. It then gave me the print out which I linked above.

Figured out the problem when I went to Advance Auto Parts to have them check the starting and charging system. Turns out the old battery was starting to go and even with the car off it had nearly a 20A drain. A new battery installed and tested showed far less than 1A drain. I even made sure to run the new battery for a while and then repeat the charging test under identical conditions. So for $71 I have a nice new battery and it works just fine. In the meantime I did clean up a ton of engine grounds and made other connections nice and tight.