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shortlid, If both dust boots are "gashed", that means crud/rust has gotten underneath and may have started to corrode the pistons and the caliper bore, meaning a seized piston is probably in the near future. The best thing to do is to remove the calipers from the car, then using compressed air, pop the pistons out of the bores. Take fine steel wool (package marking will be 0000) and polish the pistons clean, do the same for the caliper bores, and flush well with clean brake fluid. Then check both the pistons and the bores for pitting of the metal. If there is MINOR pitting or none at all, they are reusable. If baddly pitted, such that a good seal can no longer be made, replace the caliper. Get a new internal seal and install in the caliper using brake fluid to lubricate it. Install the new dust boot the same way. Then watch this YouTube video on how to reinstall the piston using an air gun. Very simple. The other advice I can give you, is to watch several of the YouTube videos on removing and changing out the caiper seals and dust boots. Its not rocket science, and after reinstalling everything and rebleeding the system, you'll never go to a mechanic again for brakes. Good Luck!

deener, Disconnect the battery and wait 30 minutes before tackling the steering column, dash bags, That will allow the stored electrical charge to dissipate and not fire the bags in your face. As for a used heater core ... the one from the wreckers may be just as bad as yours ... after changing it, do you really want to do the job a second time if it is just as bad? Aftermarket cores are available and eBay is filled with them. Just be sure to match yours for year and model. As for the dash bulb, pull the trim surround from the combination meter, undo about 4 screws, disconnect the wiring from the back of the meter assembly, undo screws from the back of the assembly if necessary, and all of the bulbs just twist out from their sockets. Easy to replace. Hint: if you tackle this yourself (it is a DIYer exercise if you are careful and methodical), take lots of pictures in sequence to refer to upon reassembly. As well, as you pull parts and screws/bolts off, place the pieces one after the other on the floor alongside the car from the rear bumper forward. That way, you'll know what sequence things have to go in upon reassembly. I put each set of screws/bolts in a small container/baggy next to each part that I removed as well. Makes it a no brainer. As well, download a free shop manual for your model online. Do some searching, as they're out there, and the exploded diagrams will show you where all of the fasteners are. Good Luck!

rxpilot, http://www.workshopservicemanual.com/m007250-subaru-liberty-legacy-bc-bj-bf-1989-1994.html The above link will take you to a page where you can download the service manual for the generation of Legacy you have. It is the entire service manual for several years of Legacies that all have the same frameless windows. You will have to download the manual, and then search it for the pages for adjusting the window glass. The procedure is rather involved, and will most likely cover 3 or 4 pages. My last OBW LTD (a 2007) had the same frameless windows and I had the service manual download. For that generation the bulk of the window adjustment procedures were listed for the front and rear windows IN THE FRONT WINDOW pages. Only the different measurement procedures were given in the rear window pages of the FSM. There are a series of bolts to be loosened, the glass moved to precise locations, and then a sequence of tightening the bolts. Be sure to read the procedure for the front door glass before you tackle the rear door glass reading section. If you have the correct glass for that rear door (I wonder if in fact that you don't), you may well have undone bolts that should have been left alone, and thereby have unadjusted the glass from its proper position. The manual will give you the proper procedure, but read carefully and take it one step at a time. Its not rocket science, but I recall reading those pages for my 2007 several times before I tackled the job. It was confusing due to the Japanese interpreting how to change the language over to English in translation. Good Luck!

#3 gets my vote as well. Things (including brake fluid) contract when cold and expand when hot. The cold fluid has dropped in volume overnight, arming the low fluid brake light. Once it warms up, the light goes off. Obviously the brake fluid level has dropped, due to brake pad wea,r where this light on then off situation will continue until the brake fluid level is topped off again.

740gle, Heartless is correct ... leave the metal flake base coat and clear coat painting to a professional. You will be disappointed with your results if you don't have experience with these materials. Having to scuff it all down again and repaint it a second time, pluss the cost of materials is just not worth it. As for pulling it yourself, go for it. But when it comes to putting it back on after the repaint, get someone to help you position the cover. As well, mask around the headlight and fender seams where the cover meets them. That'll prevent scratching the paint on the fenders and the bumper cover. Remove the tape only after the cover is properly seated.

subaru3, At the restoration shop I work at infrequently, we often have to replace rocker panels and the bottom of doors with new sheet metal. Some lower sections don't need new metal, but require the rust to be removed before it is epoxy primed and then finished (filler to smooth out shallow dents and pits) and finally painted. We simply lightly sand blast the entire lower section (from the doors down) to remove the rust and keep the blaster pointed down and moving quickly to minimize heat buildup and warping of the metal. The fact that most rocker panels are curved to begin with, they have the strength to prevent warping that would happen in the middle of say a door panel where its flat. We've never had any issues doing it this way

aspevac, First off, next time, write your document using your word processor and then copy and paste it in the post. Its too messy and time consumming for others to move back and forth between the two in order to answer you. Most people would get frustrated and not reply, which I even came close to doing. As for the brake issue, most mechanics will insist that brake pads, rotors, etc. be replaced in pairs, to ensure braking is consistent and will not pull the car to one side or the other. The only time that they would not insist and do only one side, would be when the parts are obviously new, or nearly. Doing your own brakes yourself, would give you other options, but you must be certain that you know what you are doing. Mechanics will often insist on new parts being used, to stop the customer coming back in with a complaint of further brake issues just after having had work done on the system. New parts ensure no quick returns and complaints that hurt business. The real problem is the lack of brake maintenance that people do. The fluid should be flushed out every 4 years. Some manufacturers want it done every two years. Really, someone should go over your brakes once if not twice a year. Lube the slide pins, clean up and lube the pads sliding surfaces, flushing the old fluid out to prevent rust inside the calipers, etc.

Gentlemen, My wife loves her Lexus (alright, I do too), but the car we take almost everywhere, everyday, is the OBW LTD. In fact, I've owned one of each of the generations since 1997, loved each one, and loved each new one better than the last, because of the upgrades in the rear seat fold down configurations for one, the headroom (I'm 6' 2" and I can wear a hat in the winter without rubbing the sunroof cover, power driver's seat, the normalcy of the parking light switch moved to where it should be, the framed windows in the latest generation, and so on. But most of all I like the fact that not everyone drives one where I live, and in winter I can do circles around everyone else who is slipping and sliding, and no longer consider the Subie as quirky. There is no white knuckled driving in a properly equipped Subie in rain or snow and ice. What I hate is the new electronic emergency brake that you know is going to cost bucks to fix down the road, when the motor wears out and you have to drop that gas tank to get at it. No more just buying some cables, or having the brake handle just fall into your hand in an emergency. Imagine trying to use the electronic one in and emergency while driving at speed and having it go to full lock on? Make a wish ... because you are going for a very exciting, in a bad way, ride.

snatchedhatch, Are you sure that the problem is the weatherstripping, or .. is the window glass not properly aligned to seal up correctly? Those frameless windows often get out of alignment because people grab the glass to close the door. There is a procedure for setting the glass up properly, but you will need the proper pages from the service manual to follow. They are involved and fussy, but it can be a DIYer. I used to have a copy of the FSM that I downloaded from a link on this site, but as I've moved on to the newer body style 2010+, I erased it. Do some searching here to find the link and download what you need. Or maybe someone will post the pages you need. Good Luck!

snatchedhatch, If the leak is the AC drain tube, water from that drain will be under the car at the firewall on the passenger side. If, after running the AC, the water doesn't appear on the ground where I described, then your drain is clogged. The fix is to open the hood, and on the passenger side, down low on the firewall, look for the rubber drain end. Squeeze it open several times. Or get the car in the air, and from underneath slide a coat hanger part way up the tube end to clear the debris. grimaceNMike, If your OBW has a sunroof and its a 2000 - 2004, the steel sides of the sunroof opening may be wicking water through the cracks in the sealant under the paint and through the paint cracks, into the roof support structures. From there it drips down into the overhead map lights and drips onto your lap, especially on turns. My 2004 did the same thing. Subaru had a TSB on the issue. The fix I used was to open the sunroof, and lightly sand the painted sides of the sunroof opening. I then mixed up a small amount of 5 minute epoxy and painted the sides of the sunroof opening to seal the microscopic cracks in the paint and the sealant underneath. Give the epoxy overnight to cure completely before closing the sunroof. I've had one clown here scoff at the cause of the leak and my repair, when I described this issue a year or so ago. He obviously never read Subaru's TSB on the issue (back in 2001 I believe) describing the same fix, because of inadequate sealant application at the factory, and sealant shrinkage, causing the paint to crack microscopicly. I never had any more leaks from the sunroof after the repair.

nickthenack9, The parcel tray, 95055, normally comes with these cars and sits on top of the spare to hold tie down straps, first aid kits, trailer hitch balls, etc. It, along with the plastc plugs you are trying to find, should be available on any wreck you can find. As for a tool for these and any other plastic plugs, try to find one of these....

nickthenack9, The same parts are on all Subies world wide. So, give us a year and model, and somebody will have it on a parts car in their back yard, and may send you a couple for the cost of the postage to down under. Yes, Virginia, there are such people. I'm thinking that the fasteners are for securing the carpeted floor panels that are in the sides of the trunk floor of a sedan or an outback. Pull up a floor panel to get at the jack and there they are?

5clmnts, What you probably have is a dirty contact on that volume switch. It most likely can be cleaned. That means removing the side panel with the volume switch from the steering wheel. It shouldn't be particularly difficult, I've had several apart over the years, but not on a Subie. The problem is the danger of the airbag going off in your face if you get too rammy with the wheel. Disconnect the battery and wait 20 minutes before attempting to disconnect the switch panel from the steering wheel. The panel may have fasteners that can be seen and removed from the back of the wheel, or the airbag assembly may have to be removed first to get at the panel fasteners. If you go this route, you may be able to remove the switch from the panel, and then take the switch apart inside a large ziplock bag (to retain any springs that fire out of the switch when you open it). Clean up any contacts with a pink eraser or fine emery paper. An alternative may be to just leave things as they are, and spray electrical contact cleaner (Radio Shack or auto parts stores) into the switch and cycle it several times. Allow it to evaporate for several minutes before testing the switch, to prevent a short circuit. Personally, I'd go with contact cleaner first, and then take the dang thing apart if necessary. I've taken this approach with many radio/power window/seat switches over the years with great success. Its time consumming and fiddly, but generally corrects the problem. Just remember to disconnect the battery and wait for the residual electrical charge to dissipate, before attempting the switch removal from the wheel, if you decide to go this route. Good Luck!

Its hard to be specific when we don't know what year or model of car, and the picture is not upright. I've done many bumper cover removals and replacements, so the best I can do is give you a generic answer. In behind the inner fender liner and just forward of the seam between the bumper cover and the fender will be a screw or a 10 mm bolt that can be removed. All other fasteners are plastic plugs or bolts along the top of the bumper cover just behind the grill between the headlights, and along the entire bottom of the bumper cover from one side to the other. The only other fasteners are usually plastic grippers molded into the bumper cover itself, and they are just under the headlight and along the seam between the side marker lights. They are just a press in fit, and once all those other plugs/bolts and the one screw/bolt at the wheel well are removed, the bumper cover pulls away sideways from the wheel wells and straight forward off the car. If your grippers (what else to call them?) are dislodged (as it appears in the photo) you should be able to just push the bumper cover back into place with your hand. If the grip fastener on the fender doesn't hold it in place, remove the inner fender cover to get access, or pull the headlight assembly from the car to get at the seam. Yes, the air intake and some other things will have to be yanked to get the area you need to access. None of that is hard, just time consumming. Should you decide to completely remove the bumper cover, just before you get it clear of the front of the car, reach in underneath and unclip the fog light wiring. Good Luck!

xpsychox, You want to " keep the tech out of my vehicle", and yet you are considering purchasing the one Subaru with the most tech, and a turbo one at that? You have a decision to make, a lot of tech with the STI, or another car devoid of the turbo, the variable center differential, and on and on.

outback12, 16 inch rims will fit your OBW. I have my snow tires mounted on the 16 inch steel rims that I used on my 2007 OBW, and kept for use on my present 2012 OBW. The 16 inchers put the speedometer out a wee bit, but with a GPS I was able to reconfigure in my head where I need to run the speedometer needle about 6 kmph faster at 50 mph or 80 kph. Whichever wheels you go with, check them first on the front of your OBW, to ensure that they'll clear the rotors and calipers. If they fit on the front, they'll fit on the rear.

m07801, Sorry to read about your problems re. driver's seat comfort. Before you do anything that costs a great deal of money, I would suggest another aproach. I've owned 4 Subaru OutBack LTD's since 1997, one of each of the generations up to my present 2012. Now, while I've not had any back problems myself, I've always found the seats have had enough features to allow me to get comfortable for the 8 hour drives it takes me to get to my parents home. My present Subie has infinitely adjustable power seat bottom and back, as well as an electrically blown up lower back air bag built into the seat. I would suggest that you go back to the dealership (if they'll permit) and test drive such an equipped OutBack for a day (or weekend) and see how it pans out for you. If they won't do it, rent one for a weekend. You need to get the high end model to get the three controls for the driver's seat. If the seats in that car work for you, do some measuring of the seat brackets in your Impreza, and of the seats and compare them to the set in the OutBack. With modifications, it may be possible to swap your driver's seat for one from an OutBack wreck that is the same colour, although the OutBack one will be in leather and won't match the rest of the interior of your car. Then keep your old seat in storage in the basement, and put it back in when its time to trade the car. With luck and careful shopping, and if you're handy at all, it may cost you far less to go this route or with a similar after market seat, than it would be to trade cars. Good Luck!

Sleeve, Yes, that doesn't sound normal, or safe. Too much movement wears axle shafts and bearings. Your car is now 13 years old, and the rubber components in the mounts may well have deteriorated and are stressing other components. Get your mechanic to check it out, and if any mounts need replacing, consider the extra cost of going with factory parts, as they will fit much better than aftermarket.

Indian Steve, I know you don't want to hear this, but you really need to consider two sets of tires and wheels, a dedicated set of winter tires and a set for summer driving. There is no comparison to be had with all season tires trying to be both, and doing neither really well. I'm well aware that not everyone can afford the expense of two sets of tires and wheels, and the inconveniences of storing and changing them over. But, how much does an accident cost, one that may have been avoided with the proper tire? I can appreciate that many drivers have to compromise when the family finances are tight. Personally, I want my wife to be driving under the safest circumstances possible, or not at all.

akira, That switch dead center on top of the steering column is the parking light switch. It could be involved someway, but then you'd expect that all the running lights would be on, not just the passenger side. But, perhaps the two systems (parking lights and right side turn signal lights) are shorted together in some way. I once traced a similar problem (turn signal would go on, on the passenger side, but would not flash) to someone who had put a single filament bulb in the front turn signal, instead of a double filament bulb. The single contact bulb was actually touching both contacts in the light socket base causing the feedback problems.

akira, You obviously have a short in the electrical system of the turn signal. Without the aid of a wiring diagram for your model to check, I suspect that your turn signal switch in the steering column is the logical culprit. Depending on whether you can be without the car for a day or so, if it were my car, I'd pull the combination switch (turn signal/high beam switch) out of the steering column and test and check the switch contacts for a right turn. If its had a contact come apart and jam or weld itself to another contact, you may be able to see where the problem is. At that point, put in a used switch from a wrecking yard, or spend bigger bucks and get to a dealership for a new one. Should you decide to tackle this job yourself, disconnect the battery and wait 1/2 hour for the capacitor to dissipate its stored electrical charge. That will prevent the air bag firing in your face accidentally should you jar the steering column. As well, before pulling the wiring harness for the combination switch out of the steering column, tie a sturdy string to its connector end under the dash. That way when you pull the switch and harness through the column, you'll be able to tie the string to the replacement harness and pull it back down through the column. Good Luck!

daddycool100, I suspect that any Subaru dealership will have the part number and will be able to get them for you.

codyskier1, Online check out "TigerJDMJapaneseEngines" out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, for availability and pricing. They ship all over North America, and the prices for a guaranteed, drop in, low mileage engine from Japan, are more than reasonable.

ron2368, Seized pistons in the caliper may or may not spell doom for the caliper. IF they can be removed, and IF the pistons and the caliper bores have not been scored, you may be able to resurrect them. But your language telegraphs that you're not a wrencher, so you are best to just replace the caliper and BLEED the entire system flushing out the old fluid. Seized pistons can be removed by replacing the bleed screw with a grease nipple and pumping them out with a grease gun. A clean up of the pistons and bores with 0000 steel wool will show whether they can be saved, if there are no deep pits. If so, clean and lube them with fresh brake fluid and reinsert, providing the seal and dust boots are in good condition. One thing for sure, if one caliper has gone bad, the others are not far behind. They all need servicing (as described) or replacement. When the owner's manual says to flush the brake system every 48 months .... this is the reason why. Good Luck!

subeeTed, Its really quite easy. There are two plastic plugs in the black plastic cover, between the tail light lens and the tailgate weatherstripping. They either have a phillips screw center that you unscrew until they loosen the entire plug enough that you can pull/pry it straight out, or have a plug within a plug that you pry the center up about a quarter inch until the entire plug can be pried out. Then remove the black plastic molding. Underneath are two 10 mm screw/nuts to be removed. Then grasp the lens assembly and yank it rearwards about two inches (there is a grip plug on the front of the lens assembly that must be freed up. Simply turn to undo the light bulb sockets from the lens assembly and you're done. Masking tape a bit of paper towel to a screw driver to dab up the running water, and then use a hair dryer in the bulb openings to dry out all of the moisture. Check the inside seal of the lens for cracks or separation, that you can seal up with silicone seal to waterproof if needed all around the outer lens next to the inner sides. Good Luck!