Suzam

There are no head gasket issues with the 2.2 engines.

No that can't be right, I have an aftermarket setup but it should act just like the lights on the car itself. If no car lights are on, then there should be no trailer lights. It it the running lights or brake light that stay on? The reason I ask is that the brake light circuts always have power, that's why you can push the pedal an the brake lights work when all else is switched off.

Are the Legacy wheels 15"? There were also 14" alloy wheels for the Legacys. I don't think the 14" would fit your OB. Otherwise they should bolt on. Depending on the wheels from the legacy you might need the open ended lug nuts, if the wheel has a center cap that covers them.

Is this a 2.5 or 3.0? Do a search for "coolant leak" "head gasket" and read this thread http://usmb.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12780 You might have an external head gasket leak if it's a 2.5, even thought you have a MY03 engine, the leak is worse in colder weather. The leak "seals" itself as the block and head warm up and snug together. Usually on the driver's side head at the rear cylinder near the firewall.

Have you checked the rear differential? I had a rear going bad on a Dodge that shook the whole car at low speed. Slowly got worse for about 1,500 miles then started to bind up. Ended up I replace the entire rear end.

I just received this via the "My Subaru" Web Site, of which I belong. Thought I'd pass it on to those who may not get an email notice. Here it is as, just as I got it: **** Service Program WWP-99 February 2004 Dear Subaru Owner: This email is sent to you in the interest of continued customer satisfaction. Subaru of America recently announced a campaign on certain model year vehicles starting in 1999 through 2002. Official Owner Notification Letters will be mailed to all affected customers starting in late February through May of 2004. The timing of the mailings is based on the vehicle model year, starting with oldest affected model year in February through the newest affected model years in May. The following text is similar to that contained in the Official Owner Notification Letter that will be sent to you during the mailing phase affecting your vehicle. Therefore, this email is most likely arriving before most owners will receive their official Owner Notification Letter in the mail. Please do not schedule your vehicle for an appointment for this campaign until after you have received your Official Owner Notification Letter, unless you are experiencing vehicle problems. You can contact your local Subaru dealer for any questions related to this or e-mail us at Subaru.com, contact us. CAMPAIGN MESSAGE As a precautionary measure, SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. is recommending that a special conditioner be added to the engine cooling system of certain 1999 through 2002 model year Subaru vehicles equipped with 2.5 liter engines. This recommendation, which applies to your Subaru vehicle, is made to prevent a possible external coolant leak at your vehicle’s engine cylinder head gaskets. WHAT YOU SHOULD DO Once you receive your official Owner Notification Letter in the mail, you should contact your Subaru Dealer as soon as possible for an appointment to have the Subaru Cooling System Conditioner added at no cost to you. The approximate time to perform this operation is 15 minutes. However, it may be necessary to leave your vehicle the full day of your scheduled appointment to allow your dealer flexibility in scheduling. Please present the official notification letter to your Subaru Dealer at the time this repair procedure is performed. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Your vehicle’s engine cooling system contains liquid coolant/anti-freeze. Over time, it is possible for small external coolant leaks to develop at the engine cylinder head gaskets. This is the result of normal expansion and contraction of engine components caused by the heating and cooling of these parts. To prevent coolant leaks from developing or to correct existing leaks at the head gaskets, a special Subaru Cooling System Conditioner should be added to your vehicle’s cooling system. FUTURE MAINTENANCE In the future, it will be necessary to add Genuine Subaru Cooling System Conditioner to your vehicle’s cooling system whenever the engine coolant is replaced. The recommended service interval for coolant replacement can be found in your Warranty and Maintenance Booklet under the heading “Schedule of Inspection and Maintenance Services”. As a reminder, with the official owner notification mailing, we will include an update page that should be added to your Owner’s Manual and Warranty and Maintenance Booklet. We ask you to keep in mind that replacement of fluids (including Subaru Cooling System Conditioner) during inspection and maintenance services is not covered under warranty. WARRANTY EXTENSION Once you receive your notification letter, you should have this Service Program repair performed promptly. If so, Subaru will extend coverage under the Subaru Limited Warranty on your vehicle for cylinder head gasket external coolant leaks to a period of 8 years or 100,000 miles, whichever occurs first. Warranty coverage begins on the date the vehicle was delivered to the first retail purchaser. If the vehicle was used as a demonstrator or company vehicle before being sold at retail, warranty coverage begins on the date the vehicle was first placed in such service. As a further condition for this extended warranty coverage to apply, you must have Genuine Subaru Cooling System Conditioner added to your vehicle at any subsequent cooling system services at the interval specified in the Warranty and Maintenance Booklet under the heading “Schedule of Inspection and Maintenance Services”. Resulting damage caused by a lack of maintenance or low coolant level will not be covered. CHANGED YOUR ADDRESS OR SOLD YOUR SUBARU? If you have moved or sold your vehicle, please reply to this message with your Vehicle Identification Number and your updated information. IF YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY PAID FOR A RELATED REPAIR In the event that you have already paid an authorized Subaru Dealer for repairs to remedy an external coolant leak in an engine cylinder head gasket at less than 100,000 miles and your Subaru’s cooling system has been properly maintained, you may be entitled to reimbursement for the head gasket replacement costs. Any reimbursement by Subaru will be based on our suggested retail parts pricing and suggested labor time multiplied by the dealer’s hourly labor rate at the time of repair. Because Subaru Dealers are independently owned and operated, Subaru of America has no control over the actual charges. The actual repair cost may be higher or lower than the rate used by Subaru of America to calculate reimbursement. If lower, reimbursement will be limited to the amount you actually paid. Please send the ORIGINAL service repair order, which has complete information including the name of the repair facility, date of repair, mileage at the time of repair, complete vehicle identification number (17 digits), and your name, with correct mailing address and telephone number to the address listed below. Subaru of America, Inc. Customer Dealer Service Department Attention: Service Program WWP-99 P.O. Box 6000 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034-6000 Please send original receipts only and retain a photocopy for your records. Please be assured that we will attempt to process your reimbursement request as quickly as possible, but may take up to 120 days for this process to be completed. IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM Should you have any questions regarding this customer service program, please contact your nearest Subaru Dealer. To locate the nearest Subaru Dealer you can access our Website at http://www.Subaru.com and select “Find a Dealer”. Or, you may call us at 1-800-SUBARU3 (1-800-782-2783) during normal business hours for assistance. Please call us immediately if the dealer fails or is unable to make the necessary repairs free of charge or write to the address listed in this email. Again, this email is possibly being sent before you will receive your official owner notification. Therefore, we would appreciate it if you would wait until that time to have the service campaign completed. Your continued satisfaction with your Subaru is important to us. Please understand that we have taken this action in the interest of your vehicle’s proper operation and we have staged the owner letters in phases so that Subaru dealers can perform this service within a reasonable time frame. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this matter may cause you. Sincerely, SUBARU OF AMERICA, INC. ****

Yeah I just solved the noise on our MY01 OB Wagon. I just carefully removed the tweeters by pulling them straight away from the door and, with the window down, slowly pushed the entire panel behind the tweeter so it reduces the gap where the glass sides up in between. The gasket now contacts the window better and the wind noise is gone. Finally! I figure I'll have to do this every 6 months or so.

Another possibility would be that the car arrived or was damaged at the dealer's before sale. It's not uncommon for a "touch up" of damage caused in transit or on the lot. They don't all arrive in perfect condition and some of those storage lots have them right up against each other.

Check this site http://www.oxygensensors.com/ I belive there are 2 different sensors that will fit, most after markets have 3 wire hookups. If you can find a 4 wire which has the direct ground, I think you'd have a better off.

Check out http://www.edmunds.com/ they have a breakdown on dealer's cost for the car and accessories, and a info on rebates etc. I have looked there and gotten the car faxes from Consumer Reports. The numbers are pretty darned accurate.

We had 2 sets of door gaskets on our dirver's side and 1 on the passenger side, put on under warranty. Worked great for 6 months or so then the noise is back just as loud. Our MY95 Legacy is quieter on the highway than our OBW. Going in once more before the 36k is up to have them look it over. The last time it was remarked the the gussets were adjusted. It didn't really help much. It's all right by the tweeters at the front of the side windows.

If you're not looking for flash, just reliable wheels, I'd go for any model with a 2.2 liter. They are pretty much bulletproof motors.

Ok here's a pic from the driver's side standing at the front tire looking in from the side. The hose was located next to and lower than the spark plug wires, you can see the outer screw head on the clamp but the inner one was the one leaking down on to the cylinders. Sorry it's 20° now and dark. Couldn't see the passenger side but you get the idea...maybe. Hope this helps, if not I could take a couple tomorrow and post. if you can't see it try this link.

2 weeks ago when my wife was warming up our '01 OB wagon while she cleaned off the ice and snow in 12° weather. When she got in the car she smelled gas fumes coming in the vents. I went out and popped the hood and found gas dripping from the fuel line on the driver's side above the cylinder bank. There is a short piece of fuel line between 2 metal lines that has 2 hose clamps, just above center of the 2 cylinders, the inner one was dripping about 1 drop every 3-4 seconds, there was a puddle on top of the cylinders that quickly evaporated after I tightened the clamp. I double checked the rest and found that another on on the other side needed a quick snugging of about 1/2 turn with a phillips driver. Smell has not returned and I've been checking them every so often since.

That's an interesting question, I wonder if straight 30w (which I wouldn't use in the dead of winter since it's been 10-18°F at night lately here) or a 20w-30 would be quieter from cold start than 10w-30. For that matter, would an engine block heater mean a quieter piston than ambient temp cold startups?

I have a trailer for our 01MY Ltd, I know the ABS works with the wiring hooked up because I had to hit them hard for a short stop once (lucky the trailer was empty so no load shift). I would check the electronic switching box for the wiring first, if the box has to translate the brake and turnsignal lights into one trailer light (mine does so I assume you don't have a separate setup for turn and brake lights on the trailer). Could be it's sending feedback or something into the electrical system. I would double check ground (earth) connection, you could hook a temp wire up direct from the lights back to the car for a test. Is this an aftermarket setup? And does it use the plug supplied in the back of the car? If so then maybe you should try a different wiring harness. Hope this helps you out.

Check this link out... http://usmb.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6507 for a good simple way to compare tire circumference. Since yours is a manual, I belive that the difference isn't as potentially as damaging as with an automatic to the center differential, but someone needs to confirm that. Also, mixed tires on any car can cause issues with handling and braking. If you can, get a new set installed.

Wow, $219 with shipping to me in DE, since it comes from PA it a shorter trip. Didn't realize going to CO would raise it that much...Geez

I bought a hitch from hitchesonline here's the link for your Outback: http://www.hitchesonline.com/subaru_cl2_outback_95-99.htm $131 for everything but wiring harness ($46) and ball ($10). Even with shipping I think you'd save a little here. I put on my own on our 01MY Outback. Took about 45 minutes, and I didn't need to jack up the car.

The ABS does a self test after the car starts to move, the pump activates and it checks itself for problems. If your light goes on at this time it must see a problem.

We had the EXACT same thing several months ago. I posted here but it might have been the old BB. Two curved cracks showed up on the bottom, about where the glass would rest (on two points maybe?) the cracks continued to get larger both traveling in the same direction towards the passenger side as I recall. The dealer claimed it was a stone, but we argued it was on two different spots...no help, we bit the bullet and had it replaced. $350.

There's been major debate about "No Leak" products, do a search on this board or any other automotive BB. I would never recommend the use of any "fix" like that in an engine. They can cause more trouble than they solve, including hiding a major problem that may well surface after the "fix" suddenly stops working. I would not trust those products to cure or prevent a problem. K9 Leader--My mother-in-law uses Dempsey's often for maintenance and light work. I use B&D Automotive off of 495 for our 95 Legacy. We do use Matt Slap and have had a good experience with them for 4 Subarus and over 10 years of service, go figure...

There isn't much clearanced between the 16" wheels and the rotors which on your 04MY are larger than any of the pre 01MY Outbacks. 15" will not fit the 04 but 16" would fit your 99MY. The lug patterns are the same for both cars.

A pressure test of the cooling system should show if you have a radiator or hose issue. Some of the post here about that head gasket on the 00+ models seem to indicate a cold weather factor for the external leak (colder=more leak). Try putting a sheet of kraft paper long enough so that both front tires rest on it, or newspaper if you can garage the car so it won't blow away and check for leaks, especially around that back cylinder. BTW-which DE dealership are you using?

If you check http://www.kbb.com I think you'll find the invoice price for your area is around 24,950 the dealer cost may have been a little less, the L7C adds $231 cost and the cargo net adds $32, so I'd call it a good price. We have a 2001 Ltd and I installed my own hitch from http://www.hitchesonline.com for about $175 with wiring harness and ball.