mwatt

Correct name for that is a throttle body. It's the part on the engine that the accelerator cable attaches to. Yes, a throttle body can become plugged up with deposits. It might be helpful if you could ask the dealer what code they obtained when they scanned the car's computer. (They did do that, right?)Even though the "check engine" light may have gone off, the computer retains the code.

Do the rear seatbacks fold down to "extend" the truck area on your car? If so, let a garden hose run continuously over the trunk and tail lamps while using a flashlight to search for the source of the leak. Just move the front seats all the way forward to give yourself room to stand on the rear floor.

The blower motor works on the other speeds, right? Since you've replaced the resistor assembly, the only other possibility is the blower speed switch itself. I suppose it's possible that there's a broken wire or connector at the switch or at the resistor but that's highly unlikely, unless someone has been in the dash recently and butchered something. We've got a 98 OBW also, and I've noticed recently that the blower speed switch feels "sloppy" and doesn't have the positive detents at each speed like it used to. I suspect I'll be replacing the blower speed switch on our car in the not-to-distant future.........

You mention "It feels as though when the brake is applied it wants to kick back". To me, this sounds like the ABS is actuating when it's not supposed to. I'll bet you've got a wheel speed sensor that's starting to fail; that "tricks" the ABS into coming on for no reason during low speed stops. And when that happens, the car will slowly roll to a stop (and right into intersections), even if you're putting all of your weight onto the brake pedal. Does the ABS warning lamp come on while driving or stay on longer than it used to after starting the engine?? There was a recall on brake master cylinders for these cars (we've also got a '98 Outback) but the symptom of a bad master cylinder is the brake pedal sinking to the floor when brakes are applied. What you're describing (brake pedal "kicking back") sounds like an ABS problem..........

If you are replacing pads only and not machining or replacing rotors (which is probably not the best idea but that depends on the condition of the rotors), just remove the lower caliper bolt, then pivot the caliper assembly upward with the upper caliper bolt still in place. That will allow you to access the pads without having to remove the caliper.

If your 99 OBW has the dealer-installed Subaru alarm system by Alpine, the alarm module is at the center of the dash, right below and slightly behind the stereo. To my knowledge, that control box is not "configurable".

You're in southern Pennsylvania?...Have you tried turning it on when the bottom of the windshield is frosted up after parking outdoors overnight? Start the engine, leave the blower motor off, and turn the wiper defroster on just to see if the wiper park area begins to thaw. If it's any consolation, the wiper defrost feature on our '98 Outback Limited doesn't dim the headlamps either. I'm fairly certain that the wiper defroster doesn't draw nearly the same amperage as the rear window defroster, because the heated grid area on the windshield is really quite small. Doesn't the owner's manual say "don't leave the wiper defrost feature on....with the engine not running"? The wiper defroster will not draw down the battery if it's on while the engine is running (with a properly functioning alternator).

Oh, yeh, yeh.....and one more thing.....(I promise I'll shut up now) Oil filler pipe is retained to driver's side cam cover with one bolt---it's kinda' buried down low so you have to look around to spot it. There's an "O" ring that seals the filler pipe into the rocker cover. None of the timing belt cover bolts attach to the cam covers, although one or two do butt up against the passenger side cover....

You mentioned "but I can’t feel this through steering it feels like center of wagon which is the reason I first thought it was a engine problem....." This makes me wonder if the universal joints for the rear driveshaft are beginning to fail. I've read descriptions of symptoms similar to this on a few other posts and replacing (as I recall, Subaru does not offer rear driveshaft u-joints as separate replacement parts) the rear driveshaft was the correction on those vehicles.

Of course, if you disconnect anything in an airbag system the warning light will stay on constantly, and the driver will never know if a real problem developes.......

One last thing I just remembered: the cam covers tend to become "stuck" to the cylinder heads. Resist the temptation to "pry" them loose, because you'll gouge up the aluminum. After all of the bolts are loosened and you've moved the spark plug wires up and out of the way, just gently bump the covers with a small plastic or rubber hammer from underneath----that'll jar them loose. When the valve covers come loose, they'll leak a small amount of engine oil that was sitting inside them. So before you start, prepare your garage/driveway for that leak with old newpaper or whatever....... Oh, yeh, there's something else. When re-installing spark plug wire boots back onto the spark plugs, don't force the boots back into the spark plug "wells". Just slowly guide them into each spark plug well---it can be a little frustrating because of tight clearance. Once each plug wire boot is inside the plug well, you have to firmly snap the boot onto the plug. If you don't hear a positive "click", the boot is not seated thoroughly onto the plug.

I wonder if the catalytic convertor has become restricted or melted-down? That would restrict the flow of exhaust and limit engine rpm. If you have access to a vacuum guage, attach it to one of the intake manifold vacuum ports. Partially open the throttle by hand and watch the vacuum guage. If the vacuum reading continues to drop at a steady 1500 rpm, the catalytic convertor may be plugged up. I've seen technicians disconnect the exhaust ahead of the convertor, then run the engine just for a moment to prove that the convertor is plugged. It'll be loud as hell, but if the engine revs up freely, you've isolated the problem..........

What Sid Viscious mentioned is important: you need to remove the air filter housing, mass air flow sensor and air intake duct from the passenger-side of the engine compartment. You'll also need to remove the windshield washer tank AND the fuel filter bracket from the driver's side strut tower---that enables you to get your hands and arms down into the engine compartment without getting all cut up by the fuel filter bracket. And definately have a 10mm ratcheting wrench on hand for the lower bolts on each cam cover. Those lower bolts are accessed easily from under the car, but the rear-most lower bolts do require that ratchet wrench.

Use a 2-piece "upholstery button" from an automotive trim shop or a furniture re-upholstery shop. They are available to match the typical gray or tan interior colors. Simply push the pin from the "male" portion of the button thru the belt webbing, then snap the female section onto the pin to cover it.

A common cause of vehicle "wander" at hiway speeds is worn ball joints. Have any of the places you've taken the car put it up on a lift and tried to pry up between the ball joint and the knuckle on each side (to check for play)?

Also consider checking for engine oil leaks at the cam covers--especially at the cam cover bolt sealing washers.

And thank you, a97OBW and Gnuman, for the great info. Back in April, when I began to pull the shafts myself, I had gotten as far as driving out the roll pins but I couldn't remove the outboard end of the shafts from the hubs. I'm lucky to have a heated garage and compressed air, but now a friend has loaned me his air chisel with one of those "hammer-head" lookin' attachments on it. I'm confident that it'll drive the shafts out of the hubs. I'm hoping that since the local shop had them out only 8 months ago, they'll come out fairly easily....

Well, thank you (and ctoth, above) for your responses. I'm probably going to try the "disconnect ball joint" method on the car this weekend. Just to make sure I understand: after disconnecting the ball joint from the control arm, there will be enough back and forth movement in the strut to allow clearance for getting the splined part of the axle shaft out of the hub assembly, right?

First year that used vehicle horn for alarm system was 1999. 1998 and older vehicles use a separate "siren" that looks like a little bullhorn. If it's a Subaru alarm system, that will be attached to the right strut tower and it points downward.

How have you determined that it's not functioning to begin with?

first mistake: 8 months ago, I had a local shop replace all four CV boots on our 98 Legacy Outback wagon because the right inboard boot had split (what else is new, right?). Went to all the trouble of getting genuine Subaru boot kits and grease and band kits but didn't do it myself because I couldn't drive the outboard ends of the axles out of the hubs. So here we are 8 months/ 6000 miles later and we've got the "clunk clunk clunk" from the right axle shaft on low speed left curves during light acceleration. Somehow I knew 8 months ago that this would happen.....damndest thing is I thought I was saving money...... So I've ordered reman Subaru axle shaft assemblies from 1stSubaruparts and I'm determined to install them myself. But here's my question: the guy that did the boots 8 months ago told me "all you have to do is unbolt the control arms at the rear---that will allow room to get the axle shaft to come out". In all the previous posts I've read, no-one else does it that way. Everyone else disconnects the ball joint from the control arm. I've got the factory shop manuals and unbolting the control arms at the rear doesn't appear to be that much of an ordeal (or am I wrong?)----why does everyone else recommend the "disconnect ball joint" method?

Use a 2-piece "upholstery button" from an automotive trim shop. They are available to match the typical gray or tan interior colors. Simply push the pin from the "male" portion of the button thru the belt webbing, then snap the female section onto the pin to cover it.

I second that motion!! OZIUM (available in automotive section at WalMart) is great---and thay have one called "new car smell". Just spray it and let the car sit with windows closed for a day. I'm going to disagree with a few others that have recommended Fabreeze. It has a sickening, heavy perfume odor that doesn't smell anything like the inside of a clean car.

This is not new, nor is it a FMVSS requirement. Separate back up lights on the new Legacy wagons are simply a new "twist" on styling. If you think about cars from the 60's (for example a 1969 Mustang), many of them had separate back up lights. I'll bet you're correct about the cost, however, and you can bet it's passed on to the consumer.

No, you're not crazy---but consider this: any "Auto Armor", rustproofing, undercoating, etc is pure profit for the dealer. They can have their new car make-ready crew (typically younger employees that don't get paid very well) apply this stuff in no time flat. If you don't mind paying through the nose for something that costs the dealer next-to-nothing, go for it. One more consideration: is the "5-year paint protection" and "5-year leather protection" some sort of warranty that they're giving you? If that's the case, I would be concerned. You don't often see a four or five year-old car with paint or leather problems anyway----those kinds of things tend to happen later in the life of a car. When I worked at a dealer years ago, they would sell Auto Armor paint protection to customers, and then tell them that it required a periodic "re-application" (at the customer's expense!!) and a periodic "paint inspection" to keep the warranty valid. Beware!!