mwatt

I remember seeing a post about this problem recently---and I think the solution was to R&R the tail lamps to reseal them to the body.....

The sunroof assembly (some people call it a "sunroof cassette" because it's a complete assembly that unbolts from the vehicle roof panel) will probably need to be removed for repair. The headliner inside the vehicle will have to be removed to access it. Once the headliner is down, you MAY see the problem with the sunroof, but the "cassette assembly" is actually pretty easy to remove once the headliner is down. Personally I find interior trim work one hell of a lot easier than, for instance, removing an engine for a headgasket job, but if auto trim work is not your forte, you should consider getting a local auto trim shop to look at the sunroof. I suspect there's a broken or disconnected "tilt link" (for lack of a better term)---that's the link arm on both sides of the roof that enables it to tilt up for ventilation

Yes!! A '48 Tucker!! But the center section of that grille somehow reminds me of an early ninties Pontiac Grand "Damn"...........

If you leave a cell phone plugged in overnight, you'll likely have a dead battery in the morning!! I worked at a dealer for years and I saw this almost every week.............

Well, I'll ask you the same question that I asked Meeky Moose when he questioned the operation of the alarm on his '99 Legacy (even though '99 and newer cars use a different system than '98 and older): If your 1998 Legacy Outback has the dealer-installed Code Alarm system, there should be a little red push-button/indicator lamp installed in the plastic "knock-out" panel just left of the fog lamp switch. So, does your car have that red push-button / indicator lamp installed there? If it doesn't, there's no Code Alarm system installed. This system was not native. It was available as a dealer-installed option. On our 1998 Outback Limited, the kit was shipped with the vehicle and it was listed on the window sticker as "Security System Upgrade" but back then the kit was installed when the vehicle arrived at the dealer.

a short summary of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 108 (in effect since 1969): "a vehicle exterior lighting system must be operable to make vehicle conspicious on the road.......at all times" (ignition on OR off). Since Subaru has chosen to wire headlamp/marker lamp circuit thru igniton side of electrical system (supposedly to PREVENT leaving lights on after vehicle is shut down), the switch is required---to make marker lamps operable with ignition off. What I don't understand is why Subaru insists on locating the switch there.

It's nice to see that some things don't change...look at the pic showing the instrument cluster and top of the steering column. That damned parking light rocker switch, AKA "the Subaru Virgin switch", is still there...........

Piston slap or no piston slap.....any time a dealer tells you they've "marked down the price", I'd be very concerned. Were they really planning to sell that car for 8-9000 bucks to begin with? I mean, we know it's a Subaru, and they do hold their value well, but it is approaching 9 model years old and has 85K miles on it. Are they telling you they've "marked it down" so they can cast that line and reel you in? I'll bet they were really looking to get 6500.00 for that car to begin with...

Disconnect the battery for approx 1 minute. Reconnect it. Make sure ALL accessories are off (lights, A/C, stereo, etc). Start the engine and DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING---DON'T TURN STEERING WHEEL--KEEP FOOT OFF OF BRAKE PEDAL--JUST LET IT IDLE FOR APPROX 60 SECONDS IN "P" (nuetral with stick shift) to re-learn the correct idle speed.

I changed the fluid twice and the external filter once. That corrected this problem on my '99 Legacy GT. I'm not a technician, but my theory is that fresh ATF is highly "detergent" and by changing the fluid twice (about 150 miles between changes), it either dislodged some varnish or swelled up a shrunken seal. Whatever the case, it's been 8000 miles and 10 months since I did this, and the transmission still goes into gear promptly when the shifter is moved to "D"

And after reading your post, it dawned on me that I removed the crossbars from our 1-week old Outback Limited wagon because of "wind whistle" ---that was back in October of 1997 and the crossbars are still up in the attic...........

I don't own a Forester but when you mentioned "roof rack" you may be on to something: vehicles equipped with factory roof racks must have the cross bars installed with the correct side facing forward (One side is narrower than the other). Some manufacturers label the side of the bar that's supposed to face forward. Installed incorrectly, the bars will cause nasty turbulence.

That stuff is, in fact, the metallic "dust" resulting from thousands of on-off cycles of the compressor clutch. It builds up at the front of most compressors but it's more obvious on a longitudinally-mounted (conventional front-to-rear) engine than it is on a transverse-mounted (side-to-side) engine just because of wind blowing it back....

I "fat fingered" that one.................

On a 2.2 engine, there are 5 bolts that hold each cam cover (valve cover) to each cylinder head. Under the head of each bolt is a special sealing washer that MUST be replaced when valve cover gaskets are replaced (because the neoprene part of each sealing washer becomes hardened, compressed, and cracks with age). Matter of fact, the sealing washers tend to leak more oil than the valve cover gaskets themselves. There is a large valve cover gasket that seals the perimeter of each valve cover. There are two smaller "spark plug opening" seals inside each valve cover; they seal the area of the valve cover where each spark plug passes thru the valve cover. So those "spark plug opening" seals are leaking oil onto the spark plugs of your engine. The price (at a Subaru dealer) of these seals and gaskets, especially the valve cover bolt sealing washers, will likely astonish you. I found a much more reasonable price on everything by ordering from 1stsubaruparts.com Even though my 2 Subarus have the 2.5L engine, (which uses 6 bolts to hold each rocker cover in place), the "basics" for the 2.2 are the same.....

But I suspect you'll have the "brake" warning lamp glaring at you constantly if you do that.........

Does the DRL indicator go off when you turn the headlights on manually at night? I thought the purpose of that indicator was to remind you to turn your headlights on manually at night. What I mean is, if you see the indicator on, you've forgotten to turn your headlights on--and then you've got no "parking",license, or side marker lamps at night......

Beginning model year 1999 the 4EAT has an external transmission fluid filter. It looks like a small engine oil filter, painted black with white lettering. It's located on the "driver's side" of the transmission, near the front, way up high, and cannot be easily seen unless you're up under the vehicle........

I would like to add to WJM's advice: in addition to changing the fluid, change that GD "no maintenance required" (that's what the owner's manual says) transmission filter as well.....

One part holds fries, the other part is for ketchup.

OK, OK I'm sayin' "uncle" now. So I went to this website: http://www.cars101.com/subaru/keyle...ogram%20remotes and it gives a very thorough description of Subaru alarm system operation for all vehicles since the mid-90's---but there's no mention of turning off or on the feature that flashes the lights. Did they used to flash when the alarm was armed or disarmed? I'm still wondering about the alarm installation in your car---if there's no security indicator panel and there IS a genuine Subaru alarm module behind the dash ashtray housing below the stereo, does your car have an incomplete installation?? Now you've got me.......I've still got the installation instructions for the Subaru security kit that I recently installed on my '99. Do you want a copy faxed to you so you can trace out the installation in your car??

Anyone know what size socket I'll need to remove the front axle nuts on our '98 Legacy Outback? I'm replacing the CV boots and axle seals sometime this weekend and I think I'll be stopping at Sears on the way home from the office because the impact socket set I've got only goes up to 24mm.....

I know I'm startin' to sound like a broken record here, but are you sure it has a Subaru security system?? I can tell you've got keyless entry (I believe that became standard on Outbacks in '99) and I understand that the key fobs say "Subaru" on them, but that in itself does not mean your vehicle has a Subaru security system which would sound the horn and flash the lights when the car is broken into. The security system was a factory option, or it was dealer-installed with a Subaru kit that consisted of an alarm module (which was installed in the dash behind the stereo) and the little panel that says "security" next to the fog lamp switch. By the way, that kit is still available... (I know because I just bought one from 1stsubaruparts.com for about 45 bucks and installed it myself in my '99.)

Subaru alarm system for Legacy and Outback beginning 1999 model year uses a little LED indicator in a "panel" that says "security". That panel is the same size as the fog lamp switch, cruise control switch, and rear defrost switch. The panel that says "security" took the place of the rectangular, flat "blind plug" which was originally in the dash to the left of the fog lamp switch. Are ya' positive you've got a genuine Subaru security system in there??