mikem

Actually have using 89 octane. Cost difference to use premium is about 10 cents per gallon or about sixty dollars per year. Not a lot even if you keep the car ten years which is way above the average

I went thru similar problems with my 04 3.0 H6. Left no codes when it had one of its spastic fits. Finally found a dealer in Raliegh and a technican that had some knowledge of the problem. A faulty TPS with dead spots in it was causing the bucking and poor running. My dealer was open to the idea that they could not fix it and called the other dealer for info. Replaced the TPS and cured all problems. The straw that broke the camels back was the throttle would stick at whatever position it had when the fault would occur. I filed a report with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and walked that into the dealer also. I think the Explorer/Firestone tire episode has made them a little more sensitive to early warning signs that the public may actually have brains.

have had a 2004 3.0 since last april. Mileage is 24mpg for running around town, slightly more for extended interstate driving at less than 65, about 24mpg for speeds greater than 65 on the interstate. been that way since day one with tire pressures set as per the door sill label

I had a similiar problem with my 2004 outback. Would not generate any codes to help in troubleshooting. Finally got the word from a dealer mechanic in Raliegh, NC that he had replaced six of them due to an intermittent short that would not generate codes. I filed a report with the NTSB because the throttle would stick open and the car would continue to cruise at the last speed until it encountered a hill. The dealer did change the sensor after two episodes and my insistence and researech from the Raliegh dealer. The problem disappeared

I think I would start looking at grounding straps or grounding wires for the battery/ electrical system, especially the alternator. good luck

Seems like the lack of oxygen would also effect the heater and the set of lungs that were both present. I've seen fuel injected aircraft engines with vapor lock caused by heat soaking. However, since you are recently from the UK, maybe you just got in the wrong seat through habit and put the key in the glovecompartment lock! Let us know what you find out.

15k on a 04 h6 35th editon. So far very happy. Nothing but a small problem with defective Air Mass processor. Wouldn't be too hesitant to do a thirty k service except for all the problems I read concerning a proper bleeding of air from the cooling system. I downloaded the complete maintenance manual for SOA's site so I am in possession of the correct method hopefully. Very thrilled with the car. Love taking it on the Outer Banks of North Carolina up and down the beaches.

I apologize to 4wdfrenzy and to the rest of the contributors for the tone and content of my comment in this thread. It was inappropriate. I owe a debt of gratitude to those who take the time to contribute something positive and informational to this board. I did neither. mike

Bought a H6 2004 Outback last spring and have been happy with it. Have not installed a trailer hitch yet but it appears capable of towing my small 13 foot boat. As to the "peaky power" I can not speak. Last thing I drove with that was a two hundred lbs, 40+ HP six speed shifter kart on road courses. The Subaru is just for getting around. It does a good job intown and on the highway. Just spent 900 miles on the highway this weekend and running constantly 60+ on the back rural roads and 75 on the major highways I ended up with an average of 25 mph. Almost exactly what we get in town just running around. I run mid grade gas in it although premium would not raise the cost per year but by about $60.00. Great car. Great Value.

Drove the car again on a four hundred mile trip and the problems did not show up until 150 miles. Stopped into the dealer in Raliegh and they knew immediately what the problem was, a throttle positon sensor. Said they have replaced 6 already and they are not generating codes or CELs.The car started a new trick on the last trip. It would hold the current speed, be it 65 or 45, didn't matter, when you took your foot off the accelerator. Put it in nuetral and it would maintain the last rpm. Kinda tough to stop unless you take it out of gear. I will post this on the NHTSB site. Drove it early this morn and the CEL is out and it runs like a top, except it runs after you take your foot off the gas. Got it back to Greensboro dealer this morn and they called saying they had put in a new TPS. Don't know if any codes were recovered yet. Will post results. Thanks for the input. 11/2/04 Got the car back this pm. New Throttle position sensor installed. No codes, no CEL tripped before installation. Dealer consulted with Southerstates Subaru in Raliegh and based on their advice the TPS was changed. Quincy at the Raliegh dealer is very sharp. Was told there is a Tech bulletin out now for this problem. I posted my experience on NHTSA complaint board due to sticking accelerator. thanks for the comments.

04 H6 3.0 outback purchased 03/04 from dealer. In 7/04, 6700 miles, I took it to the dealer because it felt like the car was missing badly or the fuel injection was cutting out. At first I thought the A/C compressor the cause of the skip or hesitation. Felt like the compressor was way too big for the motor. Did a test with the A/C "Off" and the jerking continued. Not real bad but definetly a hesitation or misfire type of sensation. Not something you want to feel in a new car. Dealer "could not duplicate". Mecanhic told me he ran "the piss out of it to reset the transmission". Boy, was I impressed. Especially since during the test drive he related having been arrested over the weekend for "wreckless driving". Today I experienced the same sensations at highway speeds and went thru the same routine of turning off the A/C. Skipping got worse and when I got to some congested traffic the transmission shifted down rather abruptly at about 5-10 mph. No big metal sounds, just a "thunk". Did the same thing shifting up at about the same speed. Finally got so bad I pulled off the road and figured I had maybe 10 miles of life left in the car. Shut it off, made a few calls looking for dealers and then headed to the nearest one, about thirty miles away. Ran great. No hesitation, no shifting woes. Nothing but a new car running like it should. Drove it down the interstate at 75+ and it was charming to drive. Mileage is stable in mid twenties, no other symptoms. What the heck is going on? Any guess, knowledgeable or otherwise, is appreciated. Dealer got it this morn. No codes found. What is unmonitored that would cause this type of problem.? How can it misfire and not be captured by comp.? What would clear up with just swithching off the key for 15 mins.?

Figured you must have a loose seat, but i just checked the seat in our 35th editon and if I grab the front right it will move about a sixteenth of an inch upward and downward. The audible click is evident only if i first pick up the front right and then push down. Just a normal push from getting in the car does not give the sound. Not something I would expect from a new car but really hadn't noticed it.

Bought a 04 H6 3.o, 35th anniversary edition about six months ago. Nice car, basically same cargo room as the Volvo V70 wagon that preceded it. Rides good on the highway, about 24mph around town and the same on the highway at 65+. Haven't had it in the snow yet, however I suspect it will be excellent. Quality of the workmanship is excellent. One small squeal on drivers window as it lowers, not enough to take back to the dealer. No other complaints. Can't say I have ever had such a trouble free new car, certainly much better first six months that the five Volvos. Would buy another if needed. And the price was most satisfying, offered four percent over what consumer reports said the dealer paid for the car and they accepted without a quibble. I don't race them and don't ralleye them either. Will leave that opinon to others that are qualified in those areas.

we bought a 35th edition outback and it gets about 24 in town with a small increase to 26 on the long hwy trips with long periods of 75+ mph. About what i expected.

just got a 2004 outback h6-3.0 and need some info about installing/or not installing a tow package, either oe or aftermarket. Will be towing very small boat, less than a thousand pounds total weight. Anyone installed an aftermarket tow bar using an oe wiring harness? Or and oe bar and wiring harness? Wonderful board. Look forward to using it a lot. mikem