forester2002s
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Everything posted by forester2002s
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You were correct in trying that switch on the steering column; that's what it is meant to do (turn off the parking lights). The switch could be faulty. Try prying the switch up and out; then disconnect the switch from its wiring to see if that solves the problem. Otherwise, there could be a problem with the wiring deeper down in a wiring harness.
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The AC compressor-clutch doesn't activate unless the signal-wire has voltage applied to it (this happens when the refrigerant is at the correct pressure). If the compressor is removed from the engine, the belt-pulley should spin freely.
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I don't bother with an engine stand. Just use a few blocks of spare lumber on the garage floor. It's not perfect, and OSH may not approve, but it works. And it's not that difficult to remove the engine, but you do need a lift of some sort.
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Long shot: In case the valves are sticking, try an oil+filter change.
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My 2002 Forester, which has the EJ251 engine, does have the timing belt guide.
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Take the joint apart, reverse the donut, and reassemble.
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I would be cautious about tying the seat-heaters into another existing circuit. The seat-heaters draw quite a bit of power (they are 'heaters' after all), and could easily overload a circuit designed for something else.
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An overheated bulb-connector might be caused by a non-standard bulb. Some folks use high-intensity (and therefore high-wattage) bulbs to get better lighting from the headlamps. Worth checking the other side as well.
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History of Subaru CVTs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Subaru_transmissions#Continuously_variable
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The EJ25 engines typically have peak torque at around 4000 r/min. And torque drops off quickly below 2000 r/min. So I tend to keep the engine speed between 2000 and 4000 r/min (for my style of driving, there's rarely any need to go higher than 4000).
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On my 2017 Forester, the Subaru designers have taken this to the extreme: there's no temperature gauge at all!!
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Low on refrigerant? If so, clutch won't engage until the refrigerant pressure is higher.
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Check your spare tire! And check that the wheel lug-nuts are not on so tight, that you cannot remove them using the Subaru-supplied wheel-wrench.
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I replaced my original 2002 Forester radiator about a year ago. It had a hairline crack in the plastic header near to the upper hose. I had been losing coolant very slowly for several months, but there was no obvious leak to be seen. The coolant loss gradually increased until one day, when I lifted the hood, I could see steam coming from the header. My replacement radiator was a TYC from Amazon. Good price and delivered quickly. One year later and all is fine, with no more coolant loss.
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I agree that axles are probably the main problem. But you should check the 3 engine mounts: - 2 lower-mounts between the engine and cross-member; - 1 upper-mount (dog-bone) between engine and fire-wall. If any of these mounts have failed (delaminated rubber?), this could be either the cause of the vibration, or else collateral damage from another source (e.g. axles).
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It goes almost without saying, that the car should not be driven (nor even the engine started). There's a real risk of fire or explosion with a leaking gas-tank.
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Just to be sure: Does the CEL lamp light up during the test-mode on starting up? All warning-lamps should light up briefly when starting the car. If the CEL lamp is not working, then no CEL problem will show up during driving.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subaru_EJ_engine
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Are these USPS cars manuals? Or automatics? I would guess that the stop-start nature of a mail route would be hard on an MT-clutch, no matter how skilled/careful is the driver. But I suspect that an AT would last longer with that kind of service.
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My two wheel-bearing failures were both hard to diagnose. I bought an Infra-Red temperature gun, but I could not detect any temperature difference on the bearing hubs, even after a longish test-drive. Nor was there any looseness on the wheels. Neither with the wheels loaded on the ground, nor with the wheels unloaded up in the air. In both cases, it was only after the audible rumble got very annoying that I could feel a very-slight 'click' on the jacked-up wheel with the failed bearing.
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Exhaust Heat-shields loose?
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Read my lips: H-E-A-D G-A-S-K-E-T
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If it's any help, most of the air-bag wiring-connectors are Yellow
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Yes, the 'fog' lights are a waste of time. And yes, the panel-mounted cup-holders are prone to failure (I've broken them twice on my 2002 Forester), and they are expensive to replace. So hang on to them!
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I have that symptom too. I find that it goes away after a while. Coffee usually helps!
