william_hunter

That issue was a recall, though. I found a TSB on it at the time I was hunting for answers with my car. I contacted Subaru with the VIN and they confirmed for me that the recall spray on treatment had been applied, so I was out of luck there, but I have a bulldog of an attorney wife who got nasty with the dealer that sold me a car with a broken rear subframe and THEN inspected it and sent me on my way..lesson learned by me, I will admit, but you expect a certain amount of honesty when you work with a dealer, and I didn't get it, so we won out in the end (threatening to report their inspection station for failing to check an issue I think they obviously knew about didn't hurt). Contact Subaru and see what's up with any recalls on your vehicle.

Darn right it is. I can't believe it was that simple, but it was. Now I know who to blame, and it wasn't me! Yay! Tire place didn't buff the rims or obviously tighten the lugs to specs. Yeah, and let me tell you, it was disconcerting to say the least. The VDC light came on and it hummed and the front end took a dive, I was sure I had a drivetrain or steering problem that was going to make me drive the car into a pond (on purpose)

Interestingly, it appears that the entire issue was due to a single loose lug nut on the right rear tire and both rear tires being soft (way too soft for my comfort..time to unmount and grind the rims). I tightened the lugs, thinking it was a good first step, and found one to be darn near removable by hand..then I added about 12PSI to each rear tire to bring them up to spec (29 PSI) and it seems to have fixed the problem.

Hey all, here we go again. I have another issue with my OBW, when I steer, the steering feels loose, and when I go into a turn to the left, the steering judders, the VDC light comes on, and the front end gets more loose, its a little disconcerting. I am hoping this is a simple tie rod issue, but i was hoping to get some thoughts from you all before I go to theshop with it.

The ac blows wonderfully cold when it works, so I don't know about that. I think that the temp sensor diagnostics just check whether or not they are sending a signal and the actual temp readings are what the system uses to determine need for routing the air through the AC condenser, since the whole system is controlled by the computerized climate control thingy.

Hey all. I'm getting an intermittent AC problem in my OBW, and I am looking for other opinions..let me give you some background on this: AC either runs from startup (ignition key starting car) or not at all. Sometimes, shutting the car off and restarting will start cold air blowing, sometimes it won't. I ran climate control diagnostics and checked the sensors according to this: http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/261742-post4.html Step #1 resulted in a reading of 20, which apparently means no problems. The next step is to do temperature sensor readings. It was a hot day and the if I am reading this right, the first reading, outside air temp read at 94, second reading cabin air temp at 95, and third reading intake air temp at 54. Now this seems odd to me. I highly doubt the intake air was 54 degrees. That leads me to wonder: How can I check that intake temp sensor? I've also read that sometimes these are relay problems, and I wonder, how do I check that? Any help is appreciated folks, thanks.

Update: took it back to the guy I bought it from and flipped out on him. Having a wife that is an attorney finally paid off for me.. Entire rear end replaced, no charge. Here are the updated pics: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eqz-BHTo2H_LzYKYlqcDsHwaS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xJfAk23yVF55Lt7V0V3QEXwaS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sSNtEy9Hu16CA8iiWpYAtXwaS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BoBXMkr-zovuURDr7ggRg3waS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink Now it should last me a few years..

Yes, I can confirm that this is true. I've got a few leads on the parts I need, I just am going to wait and see if the dealer where I bought the car will make it right before I make the leap

Yeah, was hoping to find an entire rear end assembly, because of the rust all over the place back there. I have some good news from the dealer, who has agreed to take it back and look at it, possibly even footing the bill for the repair.

Now all I have to do is find a replacement and someone willing to deal with all that rust..oi.. Or else get my money back. Too bad, I really like that car.

I thought I did, but I didn't look under the car in front of the two back wheels.

Here's the right side: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/3-gGFBuyYqUpcUM7KPvw6nwaS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink Here's the left: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E4NnmkuCk-byAJO1sKFb1XwaS1VYkMJ_AJsZtVIcYOg?feat=directlink Nice, huh?

As soon as I get the car back home, I will. I intended to pick it up tonight and get images for the records, but the repair guy had to run out. Probably Thursday now

The sticker went on in December, the funny thing is, I think the guy didn't even really look at it. The check engine light came on a few days after I bought it, which means he reset the computer to get it through, then pasted the sticker on. He will be run through the legal mill on this one, I assure you. Wife = lawyer who didn't like the salesman, and is really pissed. I feel pretty safe in saying we will get something out of this. Money back would be good, then I can go find another Sube to replace this one.

Apparently, this is the very thing that the recall in 2003 was intended to prevent, but it did not. Subaru is not offering to cover the replacement, however, so now I am going to go after the dealer who sold and inspected this vehicle. The guy put my entire family at risk by certifying it was safe for the road and putting his inspection sticker on it. I think I will have some leg to stand on with him, and he will make it right or I will take him to court. Should be fun. Learned a lesson with this car, though, thats for sure.

I thought I was hearing a wheel bearing going bad, so I took the car in for service. The guy called me the next day and said the rear frame was rusted through and the whole weight of the back of the car was sitting on two bolts, causing the noise I was hearing in the back end. Really? This happens in a 2001 car? I'm shocked, to be honest. He showed me the broken points in the subframe, they are rusted clean through. I'm told they are replaceable, but I am no car repair expert. What's involved in replacing this part? How much can I expect to spend on it, assuming the guy I bought the car from not so long ago (dealer and inspected it himself, put an inspection tag on it too..) does not make it right?

I can't find anything in the owner's manual about it. Its very frustrating.

Anyone here know the weight limit imposed by Subaru on rear seat LATCH installed child restraints? I have 2 kids and getting the stupid lap belts to tighten enough to make me happy is damn near impossible for my older kid, who weighs in at close to 50 pounds, but I know that in some cars the upper limit is 40 pounds, while in others it is 60. If I could use LATCH things would be sooooo much easier here. Anyone?

Sorry, its an 01 Outback VDC. Nice car, except a few issues to fix before I can feel pleased.

There are no noises that I can detect when the door is closed. It just seems to only unlock temporarily, the go right back to locked. The issue is exactly that it "was unlocked but now its not". All of the other doors are unlocked, but the passenger front is not. It seems to lock every single time the door is closed.

One more issue that has recently cropped up with my "new" outback: the passenger door (front) seems to be automatically locking whenever it is closed and it won't stay unlocked for any length of time. We can open the door as long as someone is sitting in the passenger seat and pulls the handle and pushes out on the door at the exact moment someone else hts the lock switch. Also, when the key is used outside, you can open the door, but if you remove the key, it goes right back to being locked. Is there some sort of spring int he lock mechanism of this car?

Yeah, I called the dealer on this, just to find out costs so I knew what to demand back from the dealer that sold me the car: $757 just for the assembly. Labor would probably be at least that, so I will do this myself.

Useful info, thanks. I can probably manage this, I am not all thumbs. There was water dripping from the maplight console yesterday, and I cannot imagine that the issue is not related in some way. Water filling the gutters where the sunroof is connected just cant be good

Just saying hello, and thanking you all in advance for answering my horrible questions. I'm a 2 time Sube owner, had a Legacy L (99) with 2.2 in it, that one died a horrible death. Now owner of an 01 Outback VDC (fancy shmancy car) with a really powerful 3.0L and a really really open front moonroof (yes, it is so open that it isn't even there) due to its decision to open reverse-spoiler style at 60 MPH yesterday...it made nice jewelry on the road behind me. Anyhow, I actually really love the car, I just need to fix it a little. And Hi.

So...I found a great deal on a lightly used 01 VDC and went and bought it. Brought it home and was very happy, until a few days later, sunny day, and I went to open up the tilting moonroof as I drove down the road..and the glass lifted up like a backwards spoiler. It appears that the mounts have rusted through, and there was a goodly bit of water in the channel around the inside edge of the roof's well. I am obviously upset about this, but I did some searching here and found that some other people have mentioned TSBs about this car, and was wondering if it was an issue that might have caused this rust through of the mount, and whether I should take it to a Sube dealer to see what's what. On another note, should I just tack that thing down with some caulk and forget I have a tilting roof? I also noticed that the rear roof section is now not seated properly and won't slide, I am assuming that happened after the front section tried to fly away. What do you folks think?