Sewoolf@ptdprolog.net

I bought a used 99 Outback yesterday and I'm already having problems. The car is in excellent shape cosmetically and drives great. The brakes don't work though. The brakes had problems when I test drove but the seller agreed to bleed and replace pads. This seemed to help up until we transferred the title. After that the brakes became progressively softer until I had to press to the floor in order to stop. The brake pedal holds tight once it is pumped up but but goes to the floor next time I try to brake. There is no evidence of a fluid leak either. I had the brakes bled again today by a mechanic. The problem is even worse now - it seems like there is even more air in the system. It definitely has all the symptoms of air in the system. I suspect the master cylinder but the pedal holds tight after pumped up, and there is no evidence of a leak. It also sounds like the calipers aren't retracting all the way after I do brake. I guess it could also be a caliper or a faulty brake line, but I'm leaning towards the master cylinder. Any thoughts? I'm also pretty pissed at the guy I bought the car from since he knew damn well he didn't correct the problem and he put a new inspection sticker on it with bad brakes. I'm not the litigious type but I was wondering if I have any legal rights since I bought the car as is. I want to keep the car - it is really sweet - Limited Edition with leather interior and nice paint, wheels, etc. Please help. I want to avoid repeat visits to the mechanic. I normally do most maintenance myself but I burned myself out on repairs to my 91 turbo this summer. I should have the 91 back on the road soon as a second car after i fix the cooling system but its days are numbered. I was hoping this 99 Outback would be repair free for at least a year. :mad:

I am looking at buying an Outback. I found one with 130000 miles on it that is supposedly in mint condition. I haven't driven it yet but I am curious if it is worth it. The asking price is $5000. The seller says "it's loaded with every extra available". I would feel more comfortable with lower mileage, but, on the other hand, the timing belt, water pump, etc were probably replaced by now. What do you all think i should offer? What should I look for besides head gaskets, wheel bearings, ball joints, timing belts, water pump, etc?

My 91 turbo is having more problems. This is definitely the last repair i am willing to do before i put it to rest. It started overheating thursday night on my way home. I noticed another coolant leak on the turbo coolant reservoir tank which I haven't fixed yet. Here is my problem. I topped off the system several times with coolant while idling with the cap off. The temp gauge is stable at an idle. The fans turn on when it heats up and it looks like the thermostat is opening since I can see the coolant circulate after it heats up. Coolant does burp out of the system intermittently after it gets hot but the temp gauge stays stable. The temp starts going up as soon as I put the cap on the turbo coolant reservoir tank. It just keeps getting hotter and doesn't come back down. Eventually steam starts seeping through the crack in the reservoir tank as it overheats. The radiator doesn't have a cap on this car. It very well could be a head gasket since this isn't the first time it overheated and the car has 220k on it. I plan on fixing the leak and replacing the thermostat. I will not do the HG since the car is nearing its demise anyway. I would also like to replace the cap on the coolant reservoir if i can find one. Is the thermostat located near the water pump behind the hose? Is it an easy repair? What is the best way to get all the air out of the system on this car? Does anyone have a decent Outback for sale, preferably with the 2.2L? Am I on the right track with this?

Which pin do i need to test?

Still having the ABS problem. Last time I had this problem it turned out to be a broken tone wheel. The only other thing I can think of would be air in the line since I did replace the passenger front rotor and I had a neighbor help me bleed the brakes and she didn't have any idea what she was doing. Can air cause this problem? It basically comes on after I brake for the first time, which is disengaging the ABS as far as I know. The brakes do work but I want things to be safe...

The sensors and wheels look OK. Plus, it doesn't happen right away. I can stop a few times before it happens. My last test drive it didn't happen at all. I'll check back in sometime tomorrow after I go for a drive in the A.M.. Thanks.

I replaced my driver's rear hub today and rotors and pads on all four wheels. Also replaced the passenger front caliper last week. I test drove the car all last week with just the front passenger caliper and rotor replaced. I noticed ABS like movements in the brake while at a stop a few times but the light did not come on. I also test drove this morning after replacing the other front caliper and pads. No lights came on and the brakes felt normal. I then test drove after replacing the driver's rear hub, pads, and rotor. Also replaced the other sides rotor and pads. This is when the light started coming on. The AbS activates while coming to a stop but the brakes work fine after that. It feels like the passenger front is the one triggering the ABS, but the light didn't come on until I replaced the rear hub. I cleaned all of the sensors and swapped relays because my ABS turned on in the middle of the night a couple of months ago for no reason at all. I had no other problems with my brakes at the time except probably the right front caliper was shot and the left rear wheel bearing was going. The sensors did have a lot of metal fragments before I cleaned things up. Any advice?

Just took a test drive. Very quiet but ABS light came on. Restarted and it seemed ok.

Almost done putting it back together. Hardest part was putting the damn e-brake back together. Job went smoothly all in all.

Thank you. I'm starting at 6:30 AM tomorrow. Also replacing rotors and pads all the way around.

I'm about to replace the driver's rear hub on a 91 Legacy turbo AWD w/ ABS. I need some help. Anyone have step by step instructions, including the tools I will need and other relevant info such torque specifications, common problems, etc. Thanks.

check the alternator

Does anyone know where the relay is located? And does anyone have one for sale?

So, I came home last night around 11:00 and parked my 91 Turbo Legacy in front of my house, feeling proud to still be on the road after 217000 miles. I heard a whining sound about half an hour later coming from outside the house but dismissed it as sounds from the foundry accross the street. Well, I awoke to a dead battery this morning and could still hear a motor turning under the hood. My neighbor ended up loaning me her 93 legacy which was a much slower but smoother ride than my 91 - she is only at 95000. Anyway, I jumped the car after work and figuered out that the ABS unit was running even with the car turned off. I disconnected the system and it corrected the problem - my brakes actually feel tighter now without the ABS. It is also worth noting that I've had some issues with ABS prior to this. My brake pedal would feel like I was hitting ice while sitting at a stand still at a stop light or something. I thought my wheel bearing was going and the movement set off the ABS process. I really don't understand how ABS works entirely btw. So, I have a few questions: 1. What is wrong with my car? 2. Is it safe to drive with the ABS disconnected? 3. Does anyone have the parts I will need to fix it? I thank all of you in advance. This message board is awesome! Scott :eek::eek::confused::confused::confused::lol::lol:

There is definitely a leak somewhere. My coolant reservoir was empty but only took about 2 pints to fill. There are no bubbles coming through the system and the temp stayed steady at 1/2 last night when i took it for a test drive (after filling the coolant). There are no visible, steady leaks that I can see. I'm still guessing the thermostat is bad but working intermittantly. I'm still going to replace the thermostat. I'm wondering if a new gasket is needed for the thermostat housing? I got an o-ring seal but haven't found anything for the housing at the local auto parts store.. I hesitated to take it apart because of this. I'm also wondering what the best way to replace the coolant is in order to avoid air pockets in the system.

My Subaru Legacy 2.2 Turbo has 197000 miles on it. Over this past winter I started having problems with the heating system. it would blow cool air when at an idle but blow hot air once i started moving and the engine ran at a higher RPM. Sometimes I noticed the coolant guage going up to about 3/4 but it would come back down again after I revved up the engine and drove. I initially figured this was a thermostat problem. Then, the other day, I drove my usual 40 minute commute from work to home. I hopped in the car about five minutes after getting home and got on the highway for another trip. Well, my car started bucking and sputtering as if i was running out of gas or having an electrical problem. The engine also made some weird noises. I pulled over at a gas station and noticed smoke billowing out from the engine. I popped the hood and found something smoking directly to the passenger's side of the engine, next to the head and near the turbo. I'm not sure if it was oil or coolant but i am concerned something blew out. the car did start right up again and has been running ok except taht the temp guage for the coolant has been rising to 3/4 quite a bit and then coming down again. I plan on replacing the thermostat this weekend but i am worried that it is too late to prevent major damage. it has been a great car and i'd hate to give it up. Please help!

I've been having problems with blown relays for the blower motor. It started about three years ago. The first replacement lasted about a year. the second lasted about 10 months. I replaced a third in August '05 but it blew after about a month. So, i decided to replace the motor about a month ago along with a new relay. things worked well until this morning, but then it suddenly stopped again. i'm fairly certain the relay fried but i am unsure why. my understanding of electrical systems is limited but i'm never satisfied when i go to a Soob dealer since they rarely fix the problem and always overcharge. I have a 1991 Legacy turbo. The check engine light comes on quite a bit but it did not come on at all today - i am unsure if this is related but thought i'd mention it. I would also like to check the ground wire for the blower but i can't find it. Any help is greatly appreciated.

My blower motor keeps stopping. i've replaced the relay three times over the past two years which temporarily corrects the problem. it burned out again unfortunately after only a month this time. i'm pretty sure i need a resister (also) since the fan has only been working on speeds 3 and 4 since i got the car. Does anyone know what is causing the relay to blow? i suspect i may need to get a new blower motor but i'm not sure. Please help!