mnwolftrack

That's good to know. Surprisingly, cloth heated seats are one of my favorite features about Subaru. I've never seen any other manufacturer do that. I'm used to only seeing leather seats with heated elements. Even with heated leather, there's still a few minutes worth of frozen tooshie when it's minus 30F.

Really??? I even read through the owner's manual to make sure I wasn't missing something. It didn't mention anything about being able to unlock all the doors. In my Toyotas, one turn of the key to unlock just unlocks the driver door. A second turn of the key unlocks all the other doors. Hmmm.... I will have to double check my owner's manual just to make sure I didn't miss something.

Thanks for the link! It would otherwise take a while to find things on dialup....

Hello, I'm looking to upgrade from a '98 OBW to a 2000-2001 OBW. There are a couple nit-picky things I don't like about the '98's design that I'm wondering if the 2000-2001 improved upon, and one thing I do like that I hope is retained. 1. Are the power window switches illuminated on the 2000-2001? This drives me nuts on the '98. 2. Do the 2000-2001 have heated CLOTH seats like the '98 we have? I LOVE the cloth heated seats. 3. On the 2000-2001 do all the doors unlock when the driver side door lock is unlocked from the outside with the key? I'm used to Toyotas and this is a handy feature. It bugs me that I have to unlock the door on the '98, open it, fumble around in the dark to find the door lock button to unlock and let other passengers in. 4. Do the 2000-2001 autos suffer from torque bind? 5. Do the 2000-2001 have the FWD fuse? I'm only considering 2000 to 2001 OBW's because those are the only ones in my price range (so anything newer is out of the question). I'd go test drive something local and get my own questions answered, but there isn't anything local right now. My only hope is to drive 200 miles to a larger city and find something.

I haven't checked into the price of parts yet because part of the point of this post was to determine what parts I'd need. If it's not going to be as simple has buying heating elements or different seats, plus the switches, then I may very well try to hold out for something that already comes with it (or just keep our '98). There's nothing wrong with our '98, I just like the styling of the 2000+ better and the non-black interiors.

Hello, We might be upgrading from our '98 OBW 2.5L to a 2000 or newer body style. My question is, if it doesn't already come with heated seats, how difficult is it to add? I'm used to Toyotas, and with these, they basically make one wire harness and any options that are missing can be added relatively easily. Our '98 LBW has CLOTH heated seats which seem like the best of both worlds when it's -20F outside. No instant butt-freeze to leather, and heated to boot. I'm hoping that I can just buy the switches and find the plugin's under the center console, and buy the heating elements (or different seats) and plug them into existing harness plugs under the seats. While I'd prefer just to get a 2000-2001 OBW with heated seats already, but the cars in my price range typically don't have them. Any ideas? I don't want to buy aftermarket seat heater kits at this point, unless I find out it's not do-able or is cost-prohibitive.

Thanks! That's exactly what I needed to know. I contacted the seller and will hopefully be the one to get them.

Hello, Sorry, I didn't have time to search for this question. I have the opportunity to buy a set of '96 OBW alloy wheels with good winter tires for my '98 OBW. The tire size should be the same--is the wheel size/backspacing/lug pattern/lug type the same? I don't care if the actual rim style is different between the years. I just want to know if they'll fit.

While I didn't specifically look for plugs in the fenderwells, I don't recall seeing any either. The space is tight, and I think my hands would have felt them. Would someone have to remove the tires to access these plugs? It was easy enough for me just to go from underneath the car to remove the plugs, that I didn't even put it up on ramps. That turned it into one of the easier spark plug jobs I've done. The only difficulty I personally had was getting my sockets/extensions/rachet to seperate on command.

Well, I like the MR2. I'm a long time Toyota 4x4 fan (mainly pickups, 4Runners, and Land Cruisers), but I like most everything in the Toyota lineup (except the Sienna). Every car has a purpose, and I don't think anyone should even try to compare two such completely different cars. There is no clear decision of car A is clearly better than car B. It all depends on what a person's interests and needs are, and to find the car that best suits that.

Oh, you meant while in gear and moving? Oh yes, I suppose the MR2 is a little faster than my subi....

My subi goes just as fast, if not faster, while parked.

Well, I ended up buying the OEM laser platinum plugs. I had bought aftermarket wires, but I opted to return them and bought OEM wires at the dealer. The boots are a little too fancy to hope an aftermarket brand got it right. Spark plug wire removal and replacement was a lot easier than I was expecting. I've worked on much more difficult engines than this. I don't know why anyone would want to mess with trying to take the plugs and wires out from up top in the engine bay. The plugs and wires were pretty well in the wide open from below (and I didn't even jack the car up or put it on ramps, but I could have if I felt like it). While it's still a bit cramped to get my hand in the space between the inner fender and valve cover, it was a lot better than trying to snake my way through engine parts, wiring, etc.... I put the wires in from the bottom too. I tried to dangle them down into position from above, but the large boot was binding in the small amount of space. The wires went in much easier from below. The worst part of the whole job was trying to get my stupid socket wrench from disconnecting from the 3" extension, or the extension from the socket. I used a standard spark plug socket with rubber insert, 3" extension for a 3/8" drive rachet, and a 3/8" rachet. I tried using a swivel joint for a little extra length, but it made it too awkward to get good leverage. As most of you are probably already aware, it's easiest to put the socket in the spark plug hole first, then put the 3" extension in there (and spin it around until it engages with the socket, then keep spinning and pushing in until the socket engages the plug), then put the rachet on. For removal, remove the rachet from the extension, then remove the extension from the socket, then pull the socket out with the plug in it (the rubber socket insert is most helpful for this part). The plugs were nice looking, no evidence of oil leakage (knock on wood). The plugs were OEM style NGK's, so with 131k I don't know if they are original or not (but probably). There was some funny green corrosion on one of the ignition pack terminals (#2), so I cleaned that off with a wire brush.

After doing some searching, it appears many people recommend sticking with this expensive plug since it is designed to last longer than a standard copper plug and the plugs are a bit difficult to change (can't be as hard as other vehicleds I've done!). Other people seem to recommend the v-grooves or other NGK's, but I think I will just bite the bullet and get the OEM lasers. I always use NGK's on my Toyota's, and it appears that NGK is the way to go with subi's too. Bosch +4's suck! I know that much. I tried them in a '99 land rover that had otherwise been driving just fine, and immediately after the +4's it started spewing engine misfire OBDII codes and ran so badly it couldn't get out of it's own way. So, I guess I answered my own question!

Hello, I wanted to do a basic tuneup on our recently aquired '98 OBW 2.5L and wanted to start with plugs and wires. I got aftermarket wires, but skipped getting plugs for now. The parts store wanted $10 per plug for "laser" platinum OEM style (I think the p/n was PFR5B-11)! Single platinum plugs were under $2 each. Not even Bosch +4's cost as much as the "stock" plug. Did I just happen to find a parts store who thinks their plugs are made of solid gold? I've been working on cars (toyota mainly) for 15 years, but never ever saw a plug costing $10 (not even on Land Rovers).

I checked them on low beam. As you mentioned, they do not appear to receive power at the switch in high beam or with the headlights off completely.

Hello, I've got a '98 Outback. The OEM driving/fog lights below the bumper do not come on. The fog light switch backlight comes on, including the orange "on" light. I tested a multi-meter on one of the driver bulb sockets and it's not getting power. The 9006 bulbs themselves are fine. I can hear a relay clicking under the dash, but am not sure which one it is (haven't picked up a repair manual yet). Do the relays go bad on these things? I'm used to bulbs or switches going bad, but not relays. I checked fuses and those were ok. I even took the fog light switch apart to see if it was dirty inside (it looked great). Any ideas?

I've owned two pairs of silverstars. One set was in my '92 Camry, and they lasted about 9 months as well. Another set was in a Land Rover, but I sold it after a month. I called the bulb's tech support # to complain, and they told me the bulb's life expectancy is only 1 year. At the time, they would honor free replacment on anything that failed sooner than 12 months. I still have the bulbs and never bothered to send them in.

just a thought, but does the subaru headlight power run all the way through the switch and back to the headlights, or does the headlight switch control a relay that turns on the headlights? The reason I ask is, most pre 1995 Toyota pickups/4Runners/cars can get upgraded lighting simply by upgrading the wiring harness. The headlight's power does not come straight from the battery, and by the time the power DOES reach the headlights, there's been a good resistance drop. A harness upgrade runs power straight from the battery to the headlights, and the headlight switch then operates a relay to turn the circuit on. I've done this harness upgrade on my '90 4Runner and it's very easy and cheap (about $45). That upgrade alone made my headlights about 2x brighter than they were while still being legal. I then added Hello Vision Plus headlights (the big 6x8 inch full size lights) and it improved again, but the biggest difference was the harness upgrade. If your headlights aren't seeing the full 12 volts, you're losing lighting efficiency. For information on wiring and output, check out this site: http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CheapTricks/Headlights.shtml#WiringHarness Perhaps someone else can chime in about the Subaru wiring. I have only owned a Subaru for about a month, whereas I've owned Toyotas for 15 years and can definately say a harness upgrade helps Toyotas.

I realize the OEM bulbs come with the plastic base and green cover, but those don't normally need to be replaced. I would do LED's, but there's no guarantee on lifespan of those either. I've replaced many LED's in Toyota OEM radios and climate control buttons before. I didn't think of putting a spacer in there, but ideally I'd like to find something more exact. If anything, it would be great to find something that already has tinted glass like the #74 or #194 bulbs (I may have the #'s wrong). Then there wouldn't be any need for a green sleeve. For what it's worth, Toyota also uses green sleeves on many of the dash bulbs (LED's seem to be reserved only for radio buttons or climate control buttons), and Toyota's bulbs just don't burn out like this. I don't mind doing the research. Any time put into this will be better spent than paying $5+ per bulb (I can easily see paying $100 for bulbs). I think the trick will be to make sure to find the right voltage and wattage bulbs. I've seen anything from 12v 60mA like these Radio Shack bulbs all the way up to 450mA bulbs in the case of mag light bulbs which look almost exactly like the OEM subaru bulbs but don't have the long leads.

Yes, another dash bulb question. Yes, I've already read the super long post in the sticky. My question is this. Has anyone ever determined the actual manufacturer (not Subaru) part # of the infamous HVAC bulbs, for the original skinny bulb that came installed in the car since new? And, I believe Subaru is now offering a different (larger?) bulb as the replacement because they may have realized their originals sucked? The reason I ask is, while the Radio Shack p/n 272-1092 bulbs "work", they aren't ideal. These bulbs are notably shorter than the original bulbs in my '98 OBW, and the green cover doesn't fit without trimming. Also, the Radio Shack bulbs tend to sink too far into the plastic base, making the green cover fit even worse. Lastly, I read posts on this forum that said the Radio Shack bulbs are a bit dimmer than the OEM bulbs, and after having installed them I would have to agree. I highly doubt radio shack will carry an identical replacement for either the old or new bulb direct from Subaru, but places like http://www.bulbdirect.com should carry it. Looking at similar bulbs on their website, the costs are like under $1 per bulb . Obviously, much better than the $5+ ripoff from the dealer and possibly even better than Radio Shack. Lastly, if anyone has one of new larger bulbs from subaru that is burned out and would like to donate it to me, I can do the digging. I may even use a microscope to look for any ID marks on the bulbs. I refuse to pay 1000% markup on a stupid bulb and am on a quest for an exact replacement. I have at least 8 bulbs out in my dash, and I shudder to think the dealership is ok with charging me 8x$5.37=$42.96 plus tax.

Definately glad to be here. I'm impressed with the amount of information available. I went from knowing very little about Subaru to pretending to be an expert while car shopping! I hope to stick around for a while, and even help people back as much as I can. I've done all my own maintenance on my vehicles for the past 15 years, but my main background is Toyota pickups and 4Runners. The Subaru is actually for my wife, but I will be doing any and all work. I've done headgaskets, timing chains/belts, brakes, wheel bearings, radiators, differentials, suspension lifts, complete paint jobs, and just about everything else possible on the Toyota's. Hopefully some of my experience will carry over with the Subaru. I tried Land Rover, but I got tired of wiring issues, sticky valves, check engine lights, and 13mpg etc.... I debated between an Outback or an Audi A4 or A6 Quattro AWD, but the Audi's seem to be a bit on the expensive end as far as maintenance goes. Subaru's seem to be a little more reliable. No vehicle is perfect, but I expect it to be a good choice.

Well, I "fixed" the seat heaters. I pulled the panel and the fuse was fine, so my next step was to check the switches. I didn't have to do much after determining none of the 3 switches in the center console were plugged in :-\ . Sooooo, I plugged them in and magic presto, I have heated seats. The nice part is, both the top and bottom cushion elements work on both seats! As far as the guy telling me to leave it in FWD mode for better fuel economy, I actually think he believed it. I looked at several vehicles this weekend including the 7 Subaru's, a few Toyota 4Runners, and a few other misc. vehicles and some of the things the private party people told me was just redicolous! I took a 4Runner for a test drive and the guy asked ME what the (automatic transmission) overdrive button was for on the shifter handle.... Uh... Another lady told me her 4Runner runs EXCELLENT and has no problems. Too bad it is running on 5 cylinders instead of 6! She apparently doesn't realize the engine misfire and lack of power. She also tried to convince me that the check engine light was on because of the alarm system. Uh, no. It was a close call between thinking these people were lying or just didn't know any better.....

Hello, I just bought my first Subaru (1998 Outback with 129k and winter package) after doing much research on this board. I've figured out how to replace the climate control bulbs, fix heat shield rattles, and keep the metal bracket above the rear license plate from rusting, learned all about torque bind, all thanks to this board. But I do have some questions I couldn't find answers for: 1. Are the power window switches supposed to be illuminated? Mine are not and it is annoying. My Toyotas all have illuminated switches, but a CR-V I owned did not either. 2. Same question for the heated seat switches. Although, my heated seats don't appear to be working at all. The switches do not light up and I don't feel the heat. I have not searched on this topic yet, but I'm hoping there's an easy solution such as cleaning switch contacts or changing the dash fuses. 3. The driver front seatbelt is frayed and needs to be replaced. Do these seatbelts have C02 or other type of pretensioners in them that I would need to be concerned about while replacing? Or are these just basic seat belts? 4. Does installing the fuse in the FWD holder really improve the fuel economy? One Subi that I test drove had the fuse installed because the owner claimed it bought mpg up to 30. However, when I removed the fuse and test drove, it had serious torque bind (I didn't buy that car). So, I'm not sure if he was just ignorant or if he was just trying to hide the torque bind.... It wouldnt' make much sense that it would improve mpg since everything is still spinning but figured I'd ask.... I test drove 7 Outbacks yesterday from 1995 to 1999, and I was able to pick a good one with only a couple minor things like burned out dash bulbs and needing a seatbelt. Thanks to this board, I was able to find minor to serious torque bind on several of the cars I test drove (and skipped), and picked a nice car! It's been well cared for (even the metal bracket above the rear license plate is clean), though I am going to change the oil, transmission fluid, coolant, and flush the brake fluid before the snow flies.

Subaru's are pretty hard to find in our neck of the woods, and they do go for a premium (thus delaying my hopes of finding something in my pricerange that doesn't need repairs). I definately wouldn't buy it without seeing it, but I want to know what I'm getting into price-wise for repairs in the worst case scenario to make sure I can come out even or preferrably ahead. While I have seen some subi's with rust, it hasn't been much more than some very minor bubbling around the rear wheel well. It is nothing like the rust I see and fight with on my '85 Toyota pickup.... I don't have an efficient way of going south to find a rust-free subi, so I will need to find something here. Traveling about 3 hours to get a vehicle is about as far as I want to go. I've looked at enough vehicles in my day to know my concept of "good condition" is not always the same as people selling something. I looked at an AWD Audi last weekend that was "in good shape and didn't need anything," drove 3 hours to plan on buying it, only to find it had lots of rust, needed 2 catalytic converters, interior was trashed, needed a new driveaxle and CV boots, and it was unknown when the t-belt was done (a big deal on Audi's)....