mwatt

Can't blame you for not wanting to spend additional 30 bucks, but how else are you going to find out?? Yes, it's a gamble, but it worked on my car.... Remember, I changed my fluid TWICE and the filter once......

Just as 99obw indicated, you don't have to drain the transmission to change the filter. But you should be aware that draining the transmission fluid is really very easy---there's a drain plug on the trans pan that's very easy to access, and it uses the same replacement "crush washer" as the engine oil drain plug when you're reinstalling it. When I changed the trans fluid on my car, I drained it into the same oil drain pan that I use to change the engine oil, and my local gas station allowed me to dispose of the used ATF just as they allow me to dispose of used engine oil. If you decide to change your ATF, purchase 5 qts of ATF and use an appropriate funnel to refill the fluid back thru the dipstick tube. I found a long, narrow "specialty funnel" at my local WalMart, and it makes the re-filling quite easy....Oh, and yes, you tighten the replacement filter firmly by hand.

Here's a portion of my previous reply to TACODE in response to the transmission concern on his '99 Forester; maybe the part number for the trans filter will help you?? "The filter (part # 38325AA302) looks like a little engine oil filter but it's painted black with white lettering--as I recall, some of the lettering says "A/T only". The filter unscrews from the transmission case, just as an engine oil filter unscrews from the engine block. I used a large pair of Channel-locks to break the filter free (because it's too small in diameter for my oil filter wrench). The filter is expensive--I paid about 25.00. Please consider my earlier suggestion about purchasing this only at a Subaru dealer because it's no ordinary filter and I suspect there's some confusion about it in the "aftermarket"....." Mark

OK, I'll buy that. I know that other manufacturers design that feature into their automatic transmissions. My concern is that the owner's manual doesn't mention the feature at all. Does your Subaru automatic trans do that?

began doing something strange a few days ago. Only when coasting down a long hill at 40-50 mph with my foot off of the throttle, the transmission will suddenly downshift back to 3rd gear for no reason. I can tell it's back in 3rd gear not only by feel and by the tachometer, but because if I move the shifter to "3", nothing changes. When I step back on the throttle gently for a moment, the transmission shifts back to 4th gear. No "check engine" lamp coming on; car runs beautifully under all conditions. I recall seeing another thread about a vacuum sensor located up on the right front strut tower that might lead to this problem, but I can't find that thread.....

This is a difficult question to answer because the owner's manual maintenance chart states that the "transmission filter is a maintenance-free component". I do believe, however, that the maintenance chart does call for FLUID changes periodically. If I may offer a suggestion: change the fluid when the maintainance chart in the owner's manual suggests. Perhaps change the FILTER at 100000 miles. However, you must consider severity of usage....frequent operation in heavy traffic, high temperatures, towing, etc. can drastically affect condition of the fluid and the filter.

It's true. Synthetic or part-synthetic oils are "slipperier" because of smaller molecular structure of synthetics....thus, it slips past piston rings (and seals, and gaskets) more easily than conventional oil....

I had to remove and reinstall the rear bumper cover on my '99 Legacy GT wagon recently; when it comes to body-related repairs, this is not for the faint-of-heart: 1. remove 10 mm bolt located inside each rear wheel opening (at the rear of each wheel opening arch). The bolt holds the upper forward corner of the bumper cover to the quarter panel on each side. The bolts may be hard to find because they become covered with crud over the years... 2. There are five or six 10 mm bolts on the underside of the bumper cover that secure the cover to the steel bumper bar. Remove them. As I recall, one of those bolts is conveniently positioned directly above the tailpipe, so I had to remove the 2 muffler "donut" hangers to drop the muffler slightly for access to that one bolt.... 3. There is a row of plastic push-pin type fasteners on the TOP forward edge of the bumper cover---just forward of where the bumper step pad is. They are difficult to see and even more difficult to remove because you need to get a screwdriver between the bumper cover and the liftgate surround weatherstrip lower pinchweld to pop the push pins loose from the fasteners. How the hell they ever assembled this is beyond me because it's virtually impossible to get those push pins back into the holes when you reinstall the bumper cover. It may help to pull the lower part of the liftgate surround weatherstrip loose from the pinchweld so you can see better between the bumper cover and the rear body panel. I believe there were also more of those plastic push-pin type fasteners on the underside of the bumper cover. Again, use a screwdriver to pry up the push pin in the center of each fastener, then pull the fastener out. 4. The bumper cover slides rearward when you've finally removed all of the fasteners and bolts. Note that on each end of the steel bumper bar, there is an upright "support arm" that serves to keep the bumper cover aligned perfectly with each quarter panel. MAKE SURE THEY ARE NOT BENT DOWNWARD WHILE YOU'RE WORKING ON REMOVING/REINSTALLING THE COVER. If either support arm is bent down, the bumper cover will "sag" downward from the quarter panel on that side, giving an unsightly appearance because there will be a larger-than-normal gap between the bumper cover and the quarter panel. 5. You should also make sure the styrofoam insulator is positioned properly on the steel bumper bar before installing the new bumper cover back on the car.. Hope this helps you. A couple of Heinekens helped me. By the way, I did this on a warm October afternoon when the bumper cover was softened by the sun. I'm sure you're aware that an ice-cold bumper cover and other plastic body parts are not flexible, and cracking of fasteners, etc. is more likely..... Mark

Replace the spark plug wires. 100K miles on them is more than enough.

You need to use a VERY short, small flat-blade screwdriver. With the screwdriver pointed upward (blade facing up toward the hood) insert screwdriver blade gently between connector and locking tab. When locking tab is gently pried aside, you'll be able to remove connector from front washer pump. Note: on my '98 OBW, dirt had accumulated on the connector, so I had to spray it with a garden hose to be able to see the locking tab and how it actually engages into the connector. It's just an upside-down version of the connector on the rear washer pump, but accessing it requires using the very short, small flat blade screwdriver. (can't over-emphasize that---must be very short because there's no clearance beneath the connector)

Do all of the brake light bulbs (especially in the center hi-mounted stop light) work when you press the brake pedal? Cruise control monitors operation of brake lights --- if a bulb is out, cruise may not engage.

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 on top of the steering column is required---to make marker lamps operable with ignition off.

My wife and I also have a 1998 Outback Limited (as well as our 99 Legacy GT wagon). The battery on her '98 finally died last year (6 or 7 years on the original battery is actually quite good) with the same symptoms you describe. If your car has the Subaru "security system upgrade" (not some other brand--just the Subaru upgrade) that was available for 1998 model year, there are specific instructions for restoring security system operation after a battery disconnect. The instructions are on the security system upgrade installation and instruction guide (which is sort-of an owner's manual supplement--it's just a couple of pages long) that the selling dealer should have left in the glove box or inserted into the owner's manual. These same instructions are on a stick-on label that should have been applied to the positive battery cable or to the top of the radiator core support (front of engine compartment). The Subaru security system upgrade for our '98 is listed on the original window sticker, but back then the upgrade kit was shipped with the car, and the dealer installed it when it arrived there. That means that label location and component location may vary slightly from car-to-car because of dealer installation. By the way, if you need to get the vehicle out of "P" to move it (in a situation where jump-starting is not an option), the shifter top trim cover can be removed relatively easily to access the shift-lock over-ride lever, which is just forward of the shift lever. By pressing the lever down with a screwdriver, the shifter will unlock, and the vehicle can be moved. If your vehicle does, in fact, have the Subaru security system upgrade and you can't locate the instruction sheet or the label, write me a private message.....I can fax you a copy of ours if you'd like.

1997 Impreza automatic trans uses a "traditional" internal (inside the trans pan) filter. 1999 model year was the first year the filter was an external "spin-on" type. The internal filter is a clean-able screen, not the paper filter type that requires replacement.

What I failed to mention in my reply to your post was that I also experienced a long delay before my '99 Legacy's trans would go into gear WHEN WARM also....AND....just like your Forester, the delay issue was never in "R"---my car would engage reverse almost immediately--even before the fluid and filter change. (As I understand it, auto. trans. internal pressures are higher in "R"). When I drove the car, then parked and came back 15 minutes later (fluid still warm) I could shift into "D" and just sit there....for 15 to 30 seconds.... but as soon as I revved the engine ever-so-slightly, the transmission would bump into gear. I apologize for not telling you this originally. My transmission would delay into "D" cold OR warm...... Now, I can't tell you if the fresh transmission fluid swelled a shrunken seal, or if replacing the filter corrected a restriction in fluid flow, but there is a substantial improvment in forward range engagement time, cold or warm. The only thing that makes me question this kind of fix on YOUR vehicle is that the dealer has already performed a fluid change. I don't want to sound like I'm trying to talk you into replacing your filter, but it's still cheaper to try this than it would be for internal repairs or trans replacement, right?

If Howard's suggestion doesn't work: when the door ajar lamp stays on, walk around the outside of the vehicle and press in firmly on each door to see which one of them makes the light go off....perhaps the contact switch on that door has become corroded? Maybe the door striker on that door has to be adjusted for a slightly tighter fit? I had to adjust the tailgate striker on my '99 Legacy GT wagon for a slightly tighter fit to make the door ajar lamp stay off. The situation was more obvious on the Legacy however, because the display is graphic, so you can see which door is ajar.

Beginning model year 1999, the automatic trans filter is external---it's not hidden at all. From under the vehicle, it's plainly visable on the "driver's side" of the transmission case, close to the front of the transmission--it is up a little high on the case though, so the vehicle has to be on jackstands or a lift to see it. The filter (part # 38325AA302) looks like a little engine oil filter but it's painted black with white lettering--as I recall, some of the lettering says "A/T only". The filter unscrews from the transmission case, just as an engine oil filter unscrews from the engine block. I used a large pair of Channel-locks to break the filter free (because it's too small in diameter for my oil filter wrench). The filter is expensive--I paid about 25.00. Please consider my earlier suggestion about purchasing this only at a Subaru dealer because it's no ordinary filter and I suspect there's some confusion about it in the "aftermarket"..... By the way, I changed the trans fluid TWICE, deliberately. Went to the local WalMart and bought 10 qts of the "house brand" Dexron III ATF. I drained the existing fluid (you know there's a drain plug for the trans, right? It looks just like an engine oil drain plug...) and refilled it WITHOUT changing the filter the first time. I drove the car about 100 mi. over a few days, then changed the fluid again, but the second time I changed the filter as well. My thinking was that fresh fluid, being highly "detergent", may dislodge some sludge in the trans--and I wanted the original filter to trap that stuff, not the new filter. So that's why I changed fluid twice. The trans on my 1999 Legacy GT still goes into gear promptly after an overnight sit, even when the temp is near freezing..... While I'm no longer a service advisor, (I worked for a Chevrolet dealer for years; that's why I drive a Subaru) I'll tell you that some advisors will "pacify" a client by telling them "we checked that". Do you really think they removed the filter for inspection? Like an engine oil filter, the external appearance of the transmission filter doesn't tell anybody anything--unless it's leaking.

A few months ago, my 99 Legacy GT wagon (116,000 mi) developed a long delay before the trans would go into drive after a cold start (even in warm weather). I corrected the problem by changing the fluid and replacing the external spin-on transmission filter (the one that the 1999 owner's manual doesn't even mention---but in 2000 and newer Subaru owner's manuals they say "the transmission filter is a maintenance-free part....") and it solved the problem on my car. It looks like a little engine oil filter and is quite expensive---and if you choose to do this consider buying it ONLY from a Subaru dealer because even though it looks like an engine oil filter on the outside, it's substantially different on the INSIDE.....

Use a garden hose to run a continuous GENTLE stream of water across the sunroof while you sit inside the vehicle and watch. (not just for a few seconds--let it run for awhile to simulate a steady rain) If water begins to drip from the interior roof garnish moldings (the trim panels in the passenger and cargo area that fit against the edges of the headliner to give it a finished appearance), the sunroof drain hoses may be plugged with sediment (or cracking, or pulled loose). This would require removing the headliner for furthur diagnosis and correction.

Has anybody water-tested the vehicle using the method I mentioned above?

Use a garden hose to run a continuous GENTLE stream of water across the sunroof while you sit inside the vehicle and watch. (not just for a few seconds--let it run for awhile to simulate a steady rain) If water begins to drip from the interior roof garnish moldings (the trim panels in the passenger and cargo area that fit against the edges of the headliner to give it a finished appearance), the sunroof drain hoses may be plugged with sediment (or cracking, or pulled loose). This would require removing the headliner for furthur diagnosis and correction.

When you said "boy do I hate working under dashes", I feel your pain. that kind of thing was a lot easier for me when I was in my twenties. But then, cars were simpler in the early 80's..... Luckily, this job doesn't require too much "under the dash" work: (ignition obviously "off", consider disconnecting battery) 1. remove trim panel under steering column (remove 2 large phillips screws, then give a firm pull on each end of trim panel to dislodge 2 trim clips that "force fit" into slots in dash panel). You can leave the trim panel laying on the floor as there are harnesses/relays attached to it. 2. When you look where the steering column passes thru the dash, you will see two 12mm bolts that hold the column to the dash support. You should consider getting under the dash just to note how those bolts are installed. I removed those two 12mm bolts using a socket, and a ratchet with an extension. Its actually easy to do this while in the driver's seat, as you can see the bolts thru the opening in the dash. The bolt on the right side was a little tougher to access because it's partially obscured by a wiring harness. KEEP IN MIND NOT TO PINCH ANY HARNESS!! When the bolts are removed, the column only drops an inch or two, but it's enough. You might try what Gilles suggested and loosen but not completely remove the bolts (they're fairly long bolts) but I removed them completely on my wife's car.... 3. remove 4 phillips screws securing the instrument cluster "surround trim" panel (the black plastic panel going around the circumfrence of the cluster--it's the panel that the cruise, fog lamp, rear defrost, and security switch (if you have that option) are located in. Two of the screws face upward, above the speedo and tach--use a short phillips screwdriver to remove them. The other two screws are at the bottom left and right side of the panel. 4. The cluster surround panel will slide out, then the connectors must be disconnected from each switch. Each connector has a locking "tab" that has to be pressed very firmly before the connector will separate from each switch. 5. Remove the four phillips screws that retain the cluster to the dash. Tilt the top edge of the cluster downward while pulling the cluster out toward you. There are four connectors that plug into the cluster (two on the right side of it, one on the left side, and a little blue one in the back). These connectors also have locking tabs that must be pressed firmly before sliding each connector out of the cluster. After the connectors are pulled loose, remove the cluster by CAREFULLY manuvering it out past the steering wheel TO AVOID SCRATCHING THE CLUSTER LENS. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO BE GENTLE WITH THE PRINTED CIRCUIT ON THE BACK OF THE CLUSTER. 6. Once the cluster is out, you can see the bulb sockets on the back. (Don't freak out if you see open holes with no sockets in them--that's normal) The bulb sockets simply twist about 1/4 turn to unlock or lock them into the printed circuit. NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF BULBS: #74 and #158. I found both available at a local AutoZone store. As I recall, there are only two of the #158 bulbs. The rest are the smaller bulb #74. The bulbs simply pull straight out of the sockets. You can sort-of tell which bulbs serve as back-lighting illumination and which serve as warning lamp bulbs. If in doubt, shine a flashlight thru the bulb holes in a dark area to see "what lights up". THE BACK-LIGHTING BULBS ARE COVERED WITH A TINY BLUE "BULB CONDOM" that tints the bulb to the correct color for back-lighting. Normally, you would transfer the little blue bulb cover to the new bulb. On my wife's car however, heat from the bulbs over time had caused the rubber covering to simply crumble. Worst case: if you don't reinstall the blue "bulb condoms", the back lighting will be brighter than it used to be. But don't leave one back-lighting bulb covered and the rest un-covered. That'll obviously result in uneven back-lighting. 7. CONSIDER REPLACING ALL BACK-LIGHTING BULBS WHILE YOU HAVE THE CLUSTER OUT. Hope this helps...feel free to write back if any questions. Mark

I just did this on my wife's 98 OBW. You cannot access the instrument cluster bulbs by reaching in from behind. The instrument cluster assembly has to be removed from the dash, which is really not that difficult (but IS a little time-consuming). You should also be aware that the job of removing/reinstalling the cluster can be less clumsy if the steering column is lowered--not simply by tilting it down but by removing the two 12mm bolts that secure it to the dash bracing. If you're still interested, let me know and I'll continue......

Subaru has designed the headlamps to operate only when the ignition is on. Nice feature because it (supposedly) prevents leaving the lights on when engine is shut down. But Federal Motor Vehicle safety standards require that a vehicle exterior lighting system be operable WITHOUT the engine running, thus the switch on top of the column. Seems to cause more trouble though, doesn't it?

This back-lighting bulb replacement method also works on 97-99 OBW LTD seat heater switches, emergency flasher switch, outside mirror heat switch, cruise control switch and fog lamp switch. For all of these, when the back-lighting bulb fails, Subaru is more than happy to sell the entire switch only, not the bulb & socket assy. Working in a well-lit area, you will need a magnifying glass and a pair of tweezers to install the new bulb in the existing micro-socket. On 97-99 OBW, the micro-sockets for these back-lighting bulbs are hidden under a foil shield that "peels" off (gently!!) from the switch assy.