Max Power

Surprisingly, the "litter box" had 107 miles when I got it. I now suspect the porter may have had something to do with the odor, as the smell went away in a couple of days. Or maybe I got used to it . . . Anyhow, if the OB problem comes back, rest assured I will vent here. Cheers, mp

I got the car back today after 3 days in the shop. The tech concluded the problem was due to the throttle position sensor connector not being firmly seated. Two fault codes were pulled (TPS and crank sensor) from when I brought the vehicle in, neither of which appeared once the tech re-plugged the sensors. The tech kept the car an extra night or two and put some miles on the car just to be sure. As a side note, the crank sensor fault was likely caused by the TPS not being plugged in. All in all, a very good experience with the service department. :clap: Cheers, mp

Care to elaborate on "the infamous virgin switch"? -mp

I certainly don't want want to scare anyone away from a Subaru, and weighed the possibility of doing so before posting. I hadn't read of my situation happening before, so I look at it as an anomaly. As for what I did to get it started . . . after 10 minutes of trying I became frustrated (it was 5 below) and rapidly turned the key to the start position, probably 2-3 times per second for upwards of 10 seconds. I heard the engine start to turn at one point, I took a deep breath and then tried starting the car like a calm person. The engine started and idled very rough. One thing I tried to do initially was move the gear selector in and out of the various positions. I did this because I was seeing the 'sport' light on, and I wasn't sure if that was normal or not (I still don't). I also tried cranking with the brake depressed, and also with my seat belt on. I seriously figured it was user error. The only thing I did that may have had an impact was to tap on the starter motor with a screwdriver. I was already thinking of the possibility of freezing moisture being the culprit, so in my mind I was rattling a few ice crystals loose by tapping on the starter. The good news is that the car is in the hands of professionals now. When there is an update, I'll post more info. -mp

That's certainly one approach to consider. Another approach I have considered is to allow the service technicians an opportunity to read the code(s) and arrive at some sort of conclusion before I ruffle any feathers or start making demands. For now, I'm leaning towards sleeping on it and seeing what tomorrow brings. At the very least I am comfortable knowing the issue is documented. -mp

On Saturday 02/09/08, I purchased a new 2008 OB 2.5i (8DD). My need for a new vehicle was mainly due to my 97 OB taking a trailer hitch up the snout a couple of weeks back. But I digress . . . Can you imagine my disappointment when I went out to start the car this morning (2/11/08) and it would not turn over? All the lights came on for sure, but the engine did not turn. 48 miles on the ticker, and I’m stuck in my driveway. After 10 solid minutes of trying everything I could think of, the car reluctantly turned and started. The idle was rough, there was no throttle control, there was a solid CEL, and a blinking cruise control light. After 20 or so minutes at idle, the engine had two speeds; idle and 1500 rpm (regardless of throttle position). After 35 minutes at idle, the throttle control had returned. So I drove the car in for service less than 48 hours after purchasing the car. My guess is that when they washed the car Saturday, water ended up somewhere water does not belong and then froze. I didn’t start the car between Saturday afternoon and this morning, and the temperature was below zero pretty much the entire time. Now I am driving a loaner van that smells like kitty litter. As an FYI – If anyone in the Chicagoland area is in the market for an ’08 OB, there is an additional $500 cash-back available for attending the Chicago Car Show that can be applied in addition to the $1,500 cash-back offered by Subaru. Ask your dealer about it, you likely won’t have to physically attend the car show. It’s like finding money in the trunk. Thanks for listening. -mp

Sorry, Nipper, my explanation wasn't great. It's not the auto down feature. The passenger side window motor doesn't stop when it should, whether controlled by the driver's switch or the passenger switch. This only happens when rolling the window down. I'm leaning towards a broken tooth in the mechanism inside the door. That makes the most sense to me, since the motor runs and the window clunks until I release the switch. I'll look at it over the coming weekend and report back. Cheers, mp

Yes, the problem occurs when rolling the window down and the window reaches the point when it would normally stop. Putting the window up works fine. Ok, I'm on board with that theory. I'll look for a worn tooth in the gear or something similar. Thanks again, mp

Thanks for the suggestion; I will certainly try a replacement switch. Any thoughts as to which switch (driver or passenger)? The results are the same regardless of whether I use the driver switch or the passenger switch. I can certainly replace both. However, the local bone yard is rip-off when it comes to switches, and I'd rather save the $. Thanks again, mp

Hello all - The motor for the front passenger window of my 97 OB does not automatically stop once the window has fully retracted. The end result is a series of clunking noises from inside the door which last as long as the window switch is activated. All other window motors stop when the corresponding window is fully retracted. What causes this to happen? How does one correct this condition? Thanks in advance, mp

I've never been happy with the light output from my 97 one-piece. I find using fog lights for supplemental light is necessary. Cheers, mp

RallyKeith - My 97 OB (08/1996 manufacture date) has a one piece. xrturbo - No worries. As mentioned in my post, the assembly fits perfectly. Cheers, mp

A local bone yard took in a 1996 Legacy OB recently, so I went scavenging for compatible replacement parts for my 1997 Legacy OB. Among other things, I pulled the headlight assemblies which fit perfectly in my 97 OB even thought there is a different part # for the 96 OB model. Can anyone tell me what the difference is between the 96 OB and 97 OB headlight assemblies? The only difference I can see is the vertical adjusting screw on the 96 has a ‘gauge’ of sorts, while the 97 has the standard screw. Both units use the same bulbs. I almost did not purchase the assemblies since the bone yard and every online parts dealer I checked with indicated the 96 assembly was not compatible with the 97. Thanks in advance, mp

Gohawks suggestion plus a little steering wheel jiggle is the method I use in my '97. mp

Hocrest - Thanks for the insight and advice. I completed the job without starting a Car-B-Q. I started drilling with a small bit, and gradually increased the bit size until there wasn't much metal left on the screw head. Oh, and I added a drop of oil to the screw head. The screw was decapitated without too much effort. The new pipe didn't easily line up with the screw holes up top, but the job is done and for the first time in 5 weeks I completely filled the gas tank. Thanks again, mp P.S - Hair dryer it is! Most people (wrongly) assume microwave.