New to fourth gen Legacy - what’s to know ?

[moosens]

We just took on a 2006 Outback. We’re older and our cars are always older too. So that’s why we have little clue as to what to expect from these “newer” cars.

 

No real problems to report at this time. But we’ve only had it for less than 24 hours as of this post.

 

From what I see it’s a single cam 2.5 
You guys know this stuff - what’s that engine designation ? EJ25ZRXFUTVAK ????? 
 

Thanks for any advice and knowledge. Cheers! 

[moosens]

And please also know that we are kind of miffed on all the newer controls and features. 
 

Yes there is an owners manual and we will be reviewing soon.

Theres also two key/alarm fobs and one needs a battery. Have to set up Bluetooth too. It’s got an Alpine stereo. Again , much for us old folks to discover. 

[idosubaru]

It needs a new timing kit.  new belt is usually pointless because they don't replace the lower cogged idler which is the most prone item to fail.  It's an interference engine = bent valves. 

bare minimum it needs a new Subaru belt and new lower cogged idler: they're like $30 on ebay. 
best case scenario is a full Subaru or AISIN timing kit and water pump and Subaru thermostat/gasket.  that's what i do on any vehicle expected to last awhile.  i'll ocassionally go belt and lower idler (bare minimum) if it's rusty or someone really needs to save every penny they can.  the other components rarely fail, water pump usually gives plenty of warning, and the tensioner can be visually inspected for hydraulic oil leakage and kept if it's not wet - so they can be avoided and are less risky. 

look up 2006 outback on cars101.com and look over it's features to familiarize yourself with the ones that are most important to you.  ignore everything else - but that's a good resource for the few items that stick out to you. 

they typically leak oil at the lower headgaskets - keep an eye on it.  progressively get worse over time, very manageable, nothing dire. 

 

[NV Zeno]

Wow, a 2006.

Moosens enters the Space Age.

[Numbchux]

Should be an EJ253 (variable valve timing SOHC 2.5).

Wiring into the tailgate fatigues and breaks. If you get any electrical gremlins pertaining to taillights, defrost, rear wiper, etc., pull back the boot where the harness goes from the body to tailgate. Obviously wires can be repaired, but the whole harness from Subaru isn't too expensive (there are at least 3 part numbers, make sure to use your VIN. They were on the shelf at the dealership where I worked).

Rear bushing for the front control arms is now mounted vertically, and has to flex when the suspension moves. Much more likely to wear out.

Any trouble codes will disable cruise control

I don't think a 2006 Base model would have an immobilizer, but double check. If it does, do not loose your last key!

[idosubaru]

36 minutes ago, Numbchux said:

Should be an EJ253 (variable valve timing SOHC 2.5).

Wiring into the tailgate fatigues and breaks. If you get any electrical gremlins pertaining to taillights, defrost, rear wiper, etc., pull back the boot where the harness goes from the body to tailgate. Obviously wires can be repaired, but the whole harness from Subaru isn't too expensive (there are at least 3 part numbers, make sure to use your VIN. They were on the shelf at the dealership where I worked).

Rear bushing for the front control arms is now mounted vertically, and has to flex when the suspension moves. Much more likely to wear out.

Any trouble codes will disable cruise control

I don't think a 2006 Base model would have an immobilizer, but double check. If it does, do not loose your last key!

I think 2006 does have immobilizer.  Don’t loose that key until you verify. 

2006 also has the airbag light come on due to the dome light issue.  Solder or replace dome light if soldering doesn’t work. 

the struts suck. They’re fine new but don’t take age and mileage as well as any previous generation Subaru. I just figure any 2006 is going to need them and consider myself lucky if not.

2006 power steering pumps also suck. More frequently problematic (squealing leaking air bubbles loose power assist), not resealable like previous models, and aftermarket is a crap shoot waste of time. 

Those last two won’t strand you so they’re low key, just annoying how much worse they are than prior generations. 

Edited June 2, 2021 by idosubaru

[moosens]

9 hours ago, NV Zeno said:

Wow, a 2006.

Moosens enters the Space Age.

What do you mean enters ? I’ve been told I’m in the space age since around high school..... 

[moosens]

Thanks everybody. 
 

Wife likes it and the A/C works. 
 

See you back when the questions arise. 

Edited June 3, 2021 by moosens

[moosens]

And brus brother , you sold off all your goodies for these wagons , eh ? I think we have a color matched cargo mat in the back and full top coverage on the cargo area. 

[1 Lucky Texan]

Ido - any oil screen issues on this car?

[idosubaru]

2 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

Ido - any oil screen issues on this car?

Not that I’m aware of - do you mean engine oil, like turbos?  NA never got those.  In terms of oil this is the same oil pump and oil supply system since 1990.

5 hours ago, moosens said:

Wife likes it and the A/C works. 

Good!  Thats a good car, I like that shade of green on those years too.

Best part about 2006 is it’s the latest model generation 4EAT transmission you can get. That’s probably the single biggest reliability win over anything else mechanically. 

[heartless]

Congrats on the new ride! Looks nice.

my other half has a 2006 LL Bean Outback... in the champagne gold color. But his has the H6 & 5spd auto... honestly, for the most part, it has been a pretty darn good car.  Yeah, sure, it has had a couple of issues, but for the most part, relatively minor, and mostly specific to the H6 - like the serpentine belt tensioner pulley.. gets bad frequently (every 2-3 yrs it seems)

and yeah, the hatch wiring is a problem area... just fixed his late last summer.

Edited June 3, 2021 by heartless
cant spell?!

[1 Lucky Texan]

4 hours ago, idosubaru said:

Not that I’m aware of - do you mean engine oil, like turbos?  NA never got those.  In terms of oil this is the same oil pump and oil supply system since 1990.

 

Just didn't know if the avls/var. valve system has them.

Edited June 3, 2021 by 1 Lucky Texan

[brus brother]

10 hours ago, moosens said:

And brus brother , you sold off all your goodies for these wagons , eh ? I think we have a color matched cargo mat in the back and full top coverage on the cargo area. 

All gone on CL except a set of original floor mats front and back. FYI the cargo rubber mat was tan, the cargo top coverage was black.

The floor mats are a little soiled but hey free is good.

Come an get 'em. Your's for the asking.

[idosubaru]

4 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

Just didn't know if the avls/var. valve system has them.

 

Good point. I havent seen, or remember, any when pulling them apart but they may have something. If they do I don’t think they’re problematic like turbos. 
 

good luck moosens, enjoy many trouble free years and miles!

[NV Zeno]

On 6/2/2021 at 9:53 PM, moosens said:

Thanks everybody. 
 

Wife likes it and the A/C works. 
 

See you back when the questions arise. 

Air conditioning makes all the difference...

[moosens]

How about those reverse lights ? I see on my friend’s ‘05 wagon that their lamps take on water. 
 

Silicone caulk ? 

[brus brother]

Never had the issue on my 05.

Your friend is cursed.

[moosens]

Rear brakes just a bit different in the caliper retention method , and the extension needed to make the pass through for the caliper mounting bracket removal for the rotor swap. 
 

Ok yes I’m getting old but man those pads get more and more uhhh tricky to get into their places. Yes I used genuine parts all around. Just an old man rant. Job done , no noise, stops we’ll. But I can see or feel that I’ll be doing the fronts too. And for those keeping score I only did the rear side that was making fatal noises. It’s hot and I’m working with a limited window of opportunity. Lucky me. 

[moosens]

Should have taken pics but should that rear stabilizer link look kind of diagonal instead of more 90 degree vertical ? Link looked weak. Or the bushings of course. 

[idosubaru]

Brakes - make sure you use synthetic caliper grease for the pins. These newer models have rubber bushings around the pins that can swell when exposed to other types of caliper grease like conventional permatex and the like. When they swell jt wears the pad(s) quickly at an angle  

I use Sil Glyde and on some of my daily drivers ive been known to throw the caliper bushings away. They offer nothing but additional failure points. 
 

I can’t picture what you mean but I find most modern Subaru rear suspensions to look off in that way when I look at them haha. 

[moosens]

Thanks again. Whichever slimy stuff they used last looks to be a plenty so I left it as they passed it to me and sliding well. Next time around I’ll address the whole shebang. 
 

Sooner or later I’ll get this car up to Subafreak and give consideration to all things suspension. I just won’t rally the beast until ... ok never.

[moosens]

And what do you folks do when changing the oil and filter? 
 

Putting off any more work for today. But hoping to do the oil tomorrow or soon after. Can’t see the stinkin filter but I can feel that it’s the short type which I have plenty of.
 

So will I not be able to get my old school oil filter wrench up there? I don’t see any easy access. And of course the next question would be what are you using not only to remove but to tighten up the new one ? 
 

We can all extract a filter using many crude methods. I don’t need a lesson in that. Thanks. 

[heartless]

assuming yours still has the plastic under cover... we took his off and left it off.. much easier to access things without it

but yeah, you are supposed to pull that cover off for the oil changes, and any other work up front (coolant changes, etc) then you are "supposed" to put it back on.. pfft

his has been off for probably 7-8 years now, with no detrimental effects. oil changes are super easy with full access.

 

[moosens]

No cover. The oil filter is recessed up between sections of Y pipe and whatever I haven’t discovers yet. This is an N/A car. But where they stuck the filter is blocked by pipes. 
 

Maybe I caved in too quick. It was hot and my main job had been accomplished. But I threw my ground cover down and laid under there , worked my way as deep as I could without the car being raised. I can see the oil pan and it’s drain plug. That’s all weirdly placed as well to an old schooler but easy enough. Is what it is. It’s this filter that’s inaccessible from first approach.