forester2002s

Can you elaborate?

Just to confuse the picture a bit, but: My 2002 Forester came from the factory with the keyless remote. It opens the doors, as it should. But there is no security module installed. So the fact that you have a remote, doesn't necessarily mean that there is also a security module in the car.

Filling the rear diff is a bit tricky, because of the limited overhead clearance. First, screw in the lower drain plug. I use a 1 litre plastic bottle (1 US quart would work just as well). I use the type that has a tapered top, with a small nozzle in the cap (looks a bit like the top end of a caulking tube). With this bottle full, or nearly full, of oil, I aim the 'nozzle' into the top filler plug-hole, and squeeze the bottle. I can only just about get the bottle to the horizontal, or slightly above horizontal. After a few squeezes, I am blowing air; so the bottle needs to be refilled. I keep filling the diff this way, until the oil starts to flow back out of the filler plug-hole. That tells me that the oil level is correct. So then I screw in the top plug.

And if you buy metric bolts from a hardware store, it is useful to know that: - Metric Grade 8.8 is equivalent to an ASTM A325 high-strength bolt (the metric bolt will have '8.8' stamped on the head - the A325 bolt will have three radial marking on the head). -Metric grade 5.8 is equivalent to a run-of-the-mill alloy-steel bolt (nothing special); watch out that you don't shear it off when tightening!

DRAIN the oil, and MEASURE the quantity. I think that this is the ONLY way to tell how much oil you really have in the sump. And then proceed from there....

I'm not sure if this is related, but I experience hesitation on my 2002 Forester MT. The problem is hesitation/stumbling, particularly noticeable at low-speeds in 1st gear. I have previously posted my own fix for this problem: - when starting the engine, do NOT drive away immediately; - instead, let the engine idle for about 10-sec without touching any pedals or switches; - then drive away; there will be no hesitation. I'm assuming that the ECU 'learns' something during this 10-sec of idling. Anyway, it works!

If you're not sure about becoming a lawyer in the first place, then the answer is simple: LEAVE IT TO FATE! - If you make it to the exam location, then you must be destined for great things, perhaps even Attorney-General; - And if you break down in a cell black-hole, and you miss the exam, then your future lies elsewhere.

If your engine was cold when it did this (sucking in), then you need a new radiator cap. A properly functioning radiator cap will allow coolant from the overflow-tank to be drawn back in to the system, without causing a hose to collapse under negative internal pressure.

The question of which are the best (and worst) oil filters comes up frequently on this board. And the answers are predictable: - Brands X, Y and Z are the best; and - Brand F is complete junk, don't buy it. But none of these responses are of much use to me, unless they are accompanied by some real life experiences. - For instance, if Brand X is the best, why? What happened to the engine to give Brand X an excellent rating? Or did the engine just perform normally? - And did Brand F lead to mechanical failure, not just once, but many times? And what exactly went wrong? - And how long is the oil-change interval? Did Brand F fail because of an extended filter-change period? - And was the car driven normally, no red-lining, no rallying, etc? I suspect that, for most normal drivers, driving a mixture of city/highway, with the recommended (or sooner) oil-change intervals, that any brand of oil filter will work well. But I am open to be convinced otherwise (with the relevant explanation, not just opinion).

Fuzpile raises an interesting point, in that many electrical problems are due to a bad ground. So, have you checked that the ground wire to the A/C fan is good? You can do this with a resistance/continuity tester, or you could run a temporary good ground to the appropriate connector. It's worth a try.

This DIY H-G write-up (for RS25 engine) may help: http://www.rs25.com/forums/f105/t78972-diy-head-gasket-replacement.html But I don't know if it is exactly applicable to your vehicle.

This has me worrying about my own 2.5. How many miles on the odometer when this happened?

... fuel filter ...

When you say 'can't fill gas', what exactly are the symptoms? Does the gas nozzle shut off automatically? Or is something else happening?

BeerGarage! What a great name, and what a great collection of photos!

I agree that gear and rear-diff oil should be changed periodically. Why don't people do this? I think that Subaru is partly to blame. The recommended maintenance schedule only requires an INSPECTION of the oils every 48,000km, and doesn't actually require any oil REPLACEMENT. When I drain these oils, and see those little metal particles, I'm know that I've done the right thing for my car.

Here's a (belated) update: - I replaced the Slave Cylinder last summer, and bled the system. - That cured the sticky pedal problem completely. - Now, 9-months & 20,000-km later, I am free of the sticky pedal symptoms. Moral of the story: A sticky clutch pedal is probably due to an ageing slave cylinder.

I measured the dipstick on my 2002 Forester 2.5 SOHC 5MT. These are the measurements (taken from the underside of the yellow plastic handle, which is where it contacts the top of the filler tube): - 504.8mm to end of dipstick; - 487.8mm to Lower hole; - 466.2mm to Full hole; - 456.0mm to upper notch. The FSM for this model says to add 4.0L (4.2USquarts) of oil after an oil & filter change. When I add that amount, run the engine, leave overnight, then check the oil level, it shows at the Full hole. You can see a photo of the dipstick at

Let it sit overnight, and then check the oil level again. That might allow the 'froth' to settle, and give you a better reading on the dipstick.

And do a search on this board for <hesitation>. There are lots of posts with your same problem. My own solution (2002 Forester 5MT) is to let the car sit for about 10-seconds after start up (not touching the throttle, nor any other electrics), and then to pull away. I find that if I drive off immediately after starting, then I get the low-speed hesitation that you describe.

What happens if you change the oil & filter, and then add the recommended volume of oil? Where does it show on the dipstick?

I used one of those cylindrically shaped bottle-brushes to clean inside my coolant overflow tank. It did the trick nicely. Now I can actually see the coolant level through the plastic.

A happy ending is always nice! Now you'll be ready for that final blast of winter !!??!!

I have Wiring Diags for my 2002 Forester. Not the same year as yours, but the wiring may be similar. So, on the 2002, the heated side-mirrors DO have a 'Mirror Heater Relay': There is a connector in the bulkhead area, under the dash (the wiring diags show the location on the right-side, but I haven't actually looked for it on my vehicle). The relay appears to just plug in to the connector (and keeps the heater on after the heater button is pressed). The connector is shown as: - Black; - 4-wires: (Black/Yellow, Black, Red/Blue, Black) (actually there may only be 3 wires going to the connector with the two Blacks internally connected). (the Red/Blue is 12V; the Black/Yellow is connected to the 2 side mirror heaters; the Black is grounded). So if you find this connector under the dash, and nothing is plugged in to it, then you may need to buy a relay.

I agree 100%