98 Legacy outback fender bender, won't start, HELP please

[WendyWyatt]

  My husband accidentally backed in to my 98 Legacy outback in the driveway (at low speed with a truck).  It broke the passenger side blinker and dented the bumper just below the light.  Damage seemed minimal but now the engine cranks but won't turn over.  All electrical seems normal (lights turn on etc.).  We are not super mechanically inclined but any help would be appreciated.

[Fairtax4me]

Not many reasons I can think of. Nothing important in that corner that would prevent it from starting.

Is the car manual or automatic?

[WendyWyatt]

It is an automatic

[john in KY]

Any chance this model has that roll-over kill switch that kills the fuel pump?

[WendyWyatt]

I'm not sure. Where would that be?

[john in KY]

I have no idea but do know if the car has one, the switch has a reset button.  Call the dealership in the morning and ask about an inertia switch, that's what it is called. 

[idosubaru]

try to jump start it - maybe it's not turning over fast enough, althogh it sounds like it's turning over fine?

 

if it has the roll over thing John mentioned - I'm guessing it's part of the SRS (air bag) system.  If that's the case, maybe you can just pull the SRS fuses and see if it'll start?  the SRS/airbag components aren't required for that car to run, remove/disconect, whatever and they'll run fine. 

 

1.  read the check engine code with a scanner and tell us the codes. 

2.  check for spark - can google that, some pretty easy ways to do it on that engine - would take 2 minutes and literally zero tools...though some simple tools might make sense.

[Fairtax4me]

There's no roll over/kill switch on Subarus. Not that I'm aware of anyway.

But if it got crunched far enough to cause damage to the abs hydraulic module or wiring then it could have blown a fuse.

Check all the fuses in both fuse panels, even the big green and red slow blow fuses in the underhood fuse box.