1 Lucky Texan

weird - will the engine stall if you dump the clutch in top gear? what kind of gear oil is in the trans? should be NON-synthetic GL-5 I think (I'm not sure about soobs that old) sure seems like a clutch problem, or a shift linkage issue...????

look in the PS tank for bubbles while idling - you may need to pull the intake snorkel off and have a helper turn the wheel. if you have bubbles (ok, one or 2 every few seconds from splashing is fine) you need to do as said above, stop air from being sucked in. however, if the evidence points to a bad pump, they are known to be very robust parts and you can save some $$ by swapping in a pump from a wreck. car-part.com or maybe LKQ

what shop is this? have you looked at their google/yelp/angies list reviews? anyway, poor driving habits in SF could lead to premature clutch failure - you OR the previous driver could have contributed, but to say you have a bad trans at the same time seems suspect. you don't want to pile problem on top of problem - if this shop can't be trusted - get all the 'pieces' to a better shop.

that seems like a weird combination of failure but....? have you been having any problems lately? maybe jerking/binding when maneuvering in parking lots? all 4 tires identical? I had to have my WRX's trans rebuilt - 2nd gear was destroyed. The tech said 3rd gear is most common, but second happens as well. I have no power mods and this happened at about 70K miles. there was no problem with the clutch and they didn't even see enough wear on it to change it - I was shocked as I drive 95% surface roads. You need a GOOD explanation of what's going on - or a different shop.

seems like the previous battery gave you OK service, what brand is it?

put some thread lock on it???

if you get an entire transmission, be sure the final drive is the same as your rear differential.

I have read of several 5 spds that behave like yours (seems OK when stone-cold, but binds after 10-20 minutes of warm-up) and it almost certainly is the center diff. here , many folks would source a used trans from a wreck - perhaps getting one with fewer miles on it. But some folks do order a new viscous unit and replace it inside the trans. you might dig around at www.opposedforces.com for a part number. seizing brake caliper, u-joints and 'maybe' the carrier bearing could possibly cause similar problems so, make certain they and everything else, are OK before doing any expensive or difficult transmission work!

that car is overdue for a timing belt system service. 105 months OR 105K miles, whichever is first. given that it wasn't driven much, it's possible he saw a little water/oil emulsion in the PCV line or under the oil cap or somewhere.

maybe here; http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/138-gen-5-2015-present/158858-msrp-invoice-purchase-price-thread.html

I can't add much except, our outback seems VERY susceptible to bad reading if it is LEANING slightly. Uneven surface left-to-right will throw the dipstick reading off a lot. but that doesn't explain a difference after 6 tries. You might pull and wipe the stick, then set a 2 minute timer and re-try. It can seem like an eternity if waiting is all you do - pull the stick, then check air pressure in the tires, washer fluid level, look in the radiator, etc. - THEN check the oil.

trailer harness ?

how old is the trans fluid? It's also the only fluid you must check when idling. make sure it isn't low on fluid. many people have improved old trans performance with 3 drain and fill cycles of new fluid (this get you about 80% new fluid as only around 1/2 the volume can be drained) . Some have gotten better performance with the addition of an additive like Trans-X on the final fill. Helps to freshen seals and cleam gummy deposits that might interfere with valve function. also, old plug wires can sometimes be cracked and will cause misfires on cool/moist mornings until engine heat dries the water. You MAY have 2 problems but, as you say, it could be all transmission-related.

any more difficult to start when cold than warm? there is an engine temp sensor (not the same as the coolant temp gauge in the instrument cluster) that the ECU uses to determine when it should 'choke' the car. (send xtra fuel due to low temperature) I suppose it's also possible something elese is changing with temperature; a vacuum hose leak or ???? any smell of fuel when cold?

how did you change the idle? IACV solenoid is set at factory and should not be altered. or, did you replace the IACV ? when the brake pedal is depressed , 2 'basic' things happen; there is a demand for 'vacuum' by the booster, and, there is a demand for electricity by brake lights. if the car were idling and you turn on the bright headlights...any problem? If the car is in N , any change in behavior? is the check engine light on? any repairs or maintenance done to the car immediately before this began?

They did mention earthquakes. The building codes have been moving targets but seem to be about as comprehensive now as possible. The country has 3 times the architects : general pop ratio as the US !

good idea ^^^^ power steering frequenly makes a whining noise = look for bubbles in the PS fluid tank. do a search. common issue. I've had to replace o-rings on bith my soobs' ps suction hose adapters. check the IACV hose that connects under the intake tubing, maybe it's cracked.

^^^ stiffer but not taller springs are a really good upgrade - since you likely need shocks - do both at once. spring upgrade gets better cornering AND less squat and dive.

they aren't necessarily beaters...they have some stringent laws making it difficult to keep an older car, as well as some cultural reasons : they don't keep things for a long time, preferring to get/build new. Even housing there is like this (according a Freakonomics podcast I heard), they will buy a 'house', tear it down and build new on the lot, then never paint it or update it. They just keep it structurally sound and liveable, and the next buyer will tear it down and build new. I think even some of their 'ancient' temples get torn down and rebuilt precisely the same periodically.

you might try tires more like Kumho ECSTA 4X next time you're due for tires.

I don't see how a lift would do anything but exacerbate body roll - maybe leading to worse cornering. what tires do you run? sounds like you need really sticky tires. you could experiment with a lot of little things but, if you really do take corners regularly at the limits, more negative camber might be my first adjustment. 10 year-old struts could easily need replacing. KYB direct replacements are 15% stiffer than stock - NEW stock so, they 'should' feel much better than your present, likely 'soft' , struts. And you may have options for those; AGX, Tokico or Koni inserts (others here will know details) Nothing wrong with experimenting with stiffer rear roll bar, but too much and the rear will step-out/oversteer on you. not unusual to unload the inside, it isn't doing much anyway - stickier tires may be your next best upgrade if you're plowing. you might check for motorsports threads at nasioc and maybe subaruoutback.org too.

not much from me except - kinda seems like 2 problems. About the only link I could come up with would be slipped timing due to oil on the timing belt, which also slips on the water pump????? cam or crank seal leaking?

why the battery replacement so quickly? maybe an alternator problem.

is there 12V unswitched supplied to the hatch? maybe an abraded wire in the boot from the body to the hatch? same question about trailer wiring...is it a possible drain?

a super clean gen3 H6 car would be awesome.