Sydfloyd44

How funny is this??? Sorry, not you, just the fact that I went thru this 2 weeks ago. CC installed a Kenwood KDC-7011 with the "flip" MASK faceplate about 4 years ago. Starting going crazy and eventually shut off. Just replaced it at CC with a new Panasonic CQ-C7301U and integrated my XM with the XM Direct package for it. If your Kenwood has the MASK (flips completely over when turned off), that is probably your problem. As far as the dash.. I had to do some "re-work" after their install of the new equipment. (oh well!) I have a 95 Legacy L sedan which should be the same set up as yours. First, remove the cup holder. Remove the 2 screws holding the cup holder casing. These 2 screws will also release the bezel that goes around the stereo down the bottom of the ashtray. Remove Ashtray. There are 2 screws that are sort of hidden and hard to get to. Feel inside the opening near the front at the top. There are 2 screws going upward near the front. Here is a picture of the tool that I used to get to them. http://www.equalizer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=BAS550&Category_Code=&Store_Code=2004 There is also a screw straight back in the ashtray opening that might need to be loosened, not removed. (might need flashlight to see) The casing for the ashtray will pull out after you slightly lift the rear of it off of the rear screw. Remove the wire for the ashtray light. The large bezel around the stereo will pull out at the top near the cup holder first and it then needs to be carefully pulled upward to release tabs that tuck behind where the center shifter console meets the bezel being removed. Just unplug the lighter and you will see the 4 screws holding the stereo and cubby hole in place. (watch, there might be 2 screws on the left and right of the stereo as well which are about 7 or 8 inches in. If everything doesn't pull out after removing the 4 screws that are on the face, check for those screws.) That is the best that I can remember. Hopefully I got it mostly correct! It is VERY straight forward, just watch what you are doing and you will be OK. One last thing. When putting back together, DO NOT over tighten screws, especially the 2 that hold the cup holder/bezel in the place. The plastic breaks easy which is one of the things I had to fix.

Looking for some opinions. 95 Legacy sedan, 2wd. Had my muffler replaced in 98 by Midas with lifetime warranty. Had to be replaced in 2000 under warranty due to failure. Once again had to be replaced under warranty in 2003 due to failure. Here I am again in 2005, making a "hollow" gurgling (?) sound and probably needing a **4th** replacement. Work was done at a Midas about 40 minutes away which was conveniently across the street from the glass shop I used to operate. I am no longer at that location and the Midas in my immediate area closed several years ago. It is a REAL pain in the A$$ to drive it 40 minutes to drop it off, and 40 minutes back all while wasting not only my time, but a good friend who has to also drive over to pick me up. If I am going to have to plan on doing this every 2-3 years, screw it!! I will just pay my local mechanic to put a napa stainless on it. Question is this... What do you think my options are with Midas? Think they will do anything to offset $ for my mechanic to put one on in order to get rid of me or do you think they will just tell me to get lost? I read online where Midas did reimburse a guy to do this since his local Midas closed. Although I have read about some of the tactics used by Midas, Monro and others regarding the way they supposedly make their money, I have not experienced that. The most I paid for each warranty replacement was $2.95 for flange gaskets and $5.00 for nuts, bolts, washers. Any opinions or experiences would be greatly appreciated! My regular mechanic locally is looking at it on Monday to give me a specific explanation of problem. THANKS!!!!

I hope you used an epoxy rather than the typical rear view mirror adhesive you buy at the auto parts store? Was there a black area on the glass where the mirror mounted? If it does and you did not use epoxy, you risk the glass breaking in the future. The epoxy allows flex which is required due to the black "frit" in the mounting area. The regular adhesive does not allow the flex and will more than likely break the glass. As far as putting it back on. If you look at the mount on the mirror itself, you will see a oval shaped piece of metal protruding off. Hold the mirror just as it will be when it is on the windshield. Now turn it 90 degrees so that the longest points of the oval are at the top and bottom. Keeping it flush with the bracket on the glass, start pushing it up into the bracket on the glass causing the oval to catch under the silver ring. As you push up, slowly turn the mirror back 90 degrees and it will slide into place. If it gives you trouble, start over but this time, rotate it 90 degrees in the other direction.

Was just doing some reading on an industry message board relating to auto glass. Came across this article about a car hit by lightning near Salt Lake City. Bummed when I checked it out and saw it was a Subaru!! Looks like maybe a 95 or 96 Legacy wagon. Guess I was just surprised that the lightning would actually hit the car????? http://radio.ksl.com/index.php?sid=203158&nid=19

DO...NOT...DO....IT!!!!!! Leave it to a professional!! There is a LOT more involved than you may think, not to mention the SEVERE consequences if you do not install it properly. Your windshield does a lot more than keep the bugs out of your teeth on the freeway! It is a structural part of your vehicle! I very much agree with northguy! $175 sounds like it is a little low, but if they are slow, it is not uncommon for companies to drop their prices. Just make sure that they will warranty the replacement for as long as you own it and also make sure they are not a "here today, gone tomorrow" company! (warranty including rust, in case they do not prime properly!!!) I am not affiliated with PPG Auto Glass other than using their glass on a daily basis, but here is a link to some info on why you should leave it to a pro. http://www.ppgprostars.com/1_1_safety.htm

Just did this for a customer. After you peel the sheet off, spray it down with glass cleaner before you start on it with the razor blade. Change blades often. It is not that bad!! Just keep a towel handy and after you scrape it, wipe the gunk on the towel. This will stop it from smearing all over again. Just KEEP IT WET WITH GLASS CLEANER!!

Honda takes the cake!!!! I do about 10 to 1 honda windshield replacements compared to Subaru. The new Chevy Silverado trucks are a close 2nd.

That window is not laminated glass like a windshield, it is tempered. Are the "bubbles" in the black frit? If they are, this is something you want to get taken care of. The black band is called a frit. It is a ceramic that is applied just like a shirt gets silk screened. It is designed to protect the adhesive underneath it from UV since the urethane is not UV stable. Something is going on in there to cause a breakdown and will more than likely continue. Possible causes are numerous including a bad mix of the ceramic orbad reaction of the primers or urethane to the frit. If the car is still under warranty, get it fixed and this IS a warranty item.

The direction of the crack is strictly related to the location of the highest stress areas on your windshield. (bottom 3" has the most stress) Think of it like water. It will always find the easiest route until it hits as low as it can go. On your windshield, that is the edge of the glass. As far as the chip. If there is ANY sign of a strike at any point along the crack, nobody, including dealers or auto glass companies, will not warranty the windshield. Keep in mind, your wipers aren't in that position at all times when it is raining. Your best bet is to ask the auto glass company for their opinion. Since they did not install the windshield, their response has no bearing on them so they should be upfront and honest with you.

First, PLEASE, STOP IT WITH THE SILICONE ON THE WINDSHIELD!!!!!! NO< NO<NO<NO!!! Silicone will not seal it! It will cause you many, many problems! I repair at least 100 leaks a year where customers tried the silicone route and it just ends up a mess. It will not bond!!! It WILL NOT stop the leak PERMANENTLY and it will cost you Significant amounts of money to then have corrected professionally. POLYURETHANE ONLY!!!!! (you can even buy it at most auto parts stores. Its the cheap stuff which is only good for reseal, not installs) Sorry to rant!! Back to your leak. If you poured water at the base of the windshield and water came in, it is NOT your windshield. Common myth! The seal of your windshield at the base is typically 1-2 inches ABOVE the bottom edge of the glass. Water will not travel uphill to make its way into the vehicle. My best recommendation is to remove your wipers and then the cowl cover. Close hood and you will be looking into the cowl tray. This tray will hold things like your wiper motor/assembly and the fresh air intake. The cowl tray will catch the water, stopping it from running down the firewall which would be a nightmare for leaks. There are drains at each end. Make sure they are clear. Next, get a friend to start methodically running water (no nozzle) area by area until you can get something to come in. One of you with the nozzle, the other will be a contortionist under the dash looking for water. OOOOPS! I see you just posted you found the problem! GREAT!!!!!!

Open the drivers door and check the wiring harness near the hinges. We have seen those wires get severed, become disconnected, pinched, etc. COUNTLESS times. Rest assured, it is hard to work in there, but this is a common culprit of wiring woes.You should be able to pull back the casing enough to get a peek in there. Be sure to check as far as you can in both directions. If you don't visually see anything, try slowly moving the wires with your right hand as you hold one of the window switchs in the up/down position. Be patient! Good Luck!

WOW! Going back to FORD? FoMoCo stock bonds are now one step above the classification of "JUNK BONDS". Why? JUNK CARS!!! I suppose all of those recalls are "normal". (i.e. the record breaking 13 recalls on the Focus) Ooops, was I typing out loud?

In the auto glass world, we get a FLAT $45.00 for any type of auto glass installation regardless of whether it takes us 10 minutes or 4 hours! That is CASH OR INSURANCE! If the book (nags) says it needs a molding, we make anywhere from $5 to $25. The adhesives, usually 10.00 for the job. Molding, cowl or door panel clips we use, ZERO, NOTHING!! Disposal fees or any other type of "fee", NOTHING!! All of our profit is made on the glass. The cheaper we can buy it, the more profit we can make. (with slight variation, this is true of ALL auto glass companies, nationwide!) Our company is in its 25th year. We buy our glass at about as good of a price as it can be bought. With such small margins, we are doing just fine, just the same as the dealer would still make money. Keep this in mind the next time anyone thinks $200 is "expensive" for a new windshield professionally installed. Dealers charge what they do BECAUSE THEY CAN!!!!! If you want "Factory Certified Technicians", this is the price. They follow book hours. If a light buld needs replaced and it is a matter of simply spinning it out and plugging the new one in and the book says .5 hours, the will get paid 1/2 of their labor hour rate which will typically be at least $40.00. (i'm exaggerating, but you get the picture.) If any of you have been in an accident and had your car fixed at the dealer, and paid for by your insurance co., look at your bill. Their $80.00 labor rate was probably chopped down to about $45.00 and parts are typically heavily discounted. Do you think they lost money doing it? Of course not.

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=31409 C'Mon you Pittsburgh guys, wheeeerrreee aaaarrrreee yyyyoooouuu???? Even just a recommendation on a trustworthy garage would be golden here. I am south of Harrisburg which is a little too far to help you out.

It is auto down only, not auto up.

He Scubabike, who replaced your door glass?

Follow the advice from SubaruLegacy2003 first. This is very common. The joint closest to the windshield can be moved as high as possible, then adjust the mirror joint to fit your taste. Look at your windshield at the mirror (outside the vehicle). Do you see a black patch where the mirror is mounted? This is a frit (ceramic). Will look the same as the black around the perimeter of your windshield. I believe your car should have this. These mirrors are NOT mounted using standard rear view mirror adhesive!!!!! They use EPOXY!! If you attempt to remove, you will more than likely break the windshield. If you do get it off and you try to reattach to the frit using standard adhesive, the windshield will also break in due time. Had the same problem in my 2001 Gr. Cherokee Limited (LEMON!!) and I was able to relocate since I didn't have the frit issue.

Just checked Tire Rack and they are $275 including shipping. I guess I am going to go for the set on E-bay. One last question.. Should I be concerned/thinking about new strut mounts. I have no burning desire for them but I don't want any surprises. No idea whether they are something that can or will wear out. Thanks again!!

My 95 Legacy sedan has 143,000 on it now and has been feeling a little loose. It seems as though everyone around here has good things to say about the GR-2's. Did some price shopping a while ago and just did it again. Ballpark seems to be around $280. + shipping on average for all 4. Checked out E-Bay and sure enough, $199. + $29 in shipping. Seller looks quite reliable with over 400 sets available. Correct me if I am wrong, but this is a great price isn't it? They have them for the 2wd and 4wd 95-99 Legacy. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33590&item=7953466789&rd=1

Hi all. Have a 95 Legacy that I have owned since 96. At that time, I traded in my 88 GL Wagon which I regret yet today. Seems impossible to find one near the condition of my old 88 so I guess I have decided to buy cheap and go with a fixer-upper. Just wondering what you all think of this. Clearly some rust. That doesn't much bother me. Paint otherwise still looks decent. I e-mailed the guy and he said it had overheated and warped the heads and believes a new engine is in order. New engine? If not, how much a rebuild could I be looking at. Would the overheating, which I am guessing was caused by head gaskets, cause damage to the turbo or any other parts? Thanks in advance for your time!! Hope to be switching over the the "Old Generation" boards from the "Newer Gen" boards soon!!! (I plan on keeping my 95!!) http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4527896963

I have XM in 3 cars, at our glass shop, in my wood shop and in the house!! XM is awesome! As far as your problem, if I were you, I would take the managers advice and go to an audio professional and have them install! Take it to someone reputable and they will know how to work around the airbag systems. Tweeter Audio/Video has now done 3 custom installs for me. My 95 Legacy and the LS400 both have the Pioneer 903. In the LS, they customized the ashtray so when it is closed, looks standard. When you open it, there it is. They also just did a custom install on my 04 4Runner. I had them install the XM Commander. Nice unit!! Talk to the Audio guys about the Commander since it is a MUCH cleaner install. I have a Roady2 and it is awesome except for the excess wires on the side of it. Bonus is that this allows you to move it into the house or another car or wherever. Moving it was not part of my game plan so the Commander worked out perfect. If your Sube has a factory aux plug on the back, there is probably an adapter that they can hook it directly into the factory stereo. The stereo thinks it is the CD changer when it is actually the XM. Just an extra thought. Good Luck and you are going to LOVE your new XM!!!!! You will never go back to traditional radio.

Unquestionably, if you see rust around the windshield, NOT GOOD!!! Rust coming out from under the moldings is a sign that the metal underneath the moldings and the windshield is in a LOT worse condition than you can see. If the vehicle was in an accident (i.e. rollover), you will more than likely not be in good shape.

According to the ebay search, I am about 15 minutes from this car. If anyone is seriously looking at it for purchase, I can run over and get more (better) pics and info on it. Actually, now that I think about it, there are a couple of guys around here that are in Lancaster?

Re: Anyone ever replace a windshield before? Yes, I do it for a living as I have done for the last 11 years. Don't anyone get upset with me saying this but I can tell you that you are about to get yourself in a huge mess! First of all, if you already have rust, you CAN NOT just "prime over top of it"! That will be your first source of your windshield leaking in about 6-12 months and it will rapidly get worse. The rust has to be fixed, PROPERLY, not just filler over top of it. 2nd. Getting the windshield out is the easy part. Depending on what is being used now, do you know which type of adhesive must be completely removed and which type should have 1-2mm left after doing a full cut? Do you have the PROPER PRIMERS and applicators for the glass AND the body because without them, you are wasting your time! Do you have the proper urethane AND do you know what type of bead to use when applying. I could go on and on. Here is my point. If I have already pissed anyone off, sorry! Not my objective! Just trying to save someone a NIGHTMARE a year from now. Your windshield is a structural part of your car! If you roll it over, it helps keep your roof from crushing your head. (among other FMVSS) The only concern here seems to be it not leaking. That should be least of your concerns. Using BUTYL TAPE is not only illegal (for a windshield install), but if anyone would be injured due to your faulty install, you not only have to deal with it personally, but legally. I fix these cars almost daily after people try the "do it yourself" route. If we were talking a side glass or backglass, have to it!! Windshield, NO! I am sure most people here are going to just shake this off and say "just go ahead and do it", if you do, at least you are a little more informed now and I would hightly recommend you do some more research online about the FMVSS. If you think this only pertains to the professionals and not yourself, you would be wrong. Here is a link to the NHTSA website with a quick overview. Pay attention to 212, 216 and 219. Do a google search for FMVSS 212 also. Go make friends with an auto glass tech somewhere and see if he will come and at least help you for a couple bucks or a case of beer or something. I can assure you that you will be very grateful when you don't have to pull your windshield back out in a year and you find out that your cost of fixing just tripled because of the rust. Good luck and feel free to contact me via PM.

Haven't seen nor heard of any issues with the Forester windshields. What you will need to do is to look VERY, VERY close along the entire surface of the crack for ANY, I stress ANY! signs of impact. If there is, that is probably your cause. Windshields are such a large part of the structural integrity of vehicles today and any hit can cause them to split. Some do, some don't since there are so many factors. With that being said, a stress crack is far from impossible. A slight defect in the glass may go unnoticed (i.e. under moldings) until the vehicle is put under just the right stress to cause it to crack. If you cannot find any type of surface damage along the crack, you want to go to the dealer and discuss a warranty replacement. Before you replace it, shoot me a message as I will be happy to give you some tips on getting a proper and safe windshield install. I repair unsafe installs done by untrained, inexperienced techs almost daily. What might look like a good install now might be a leaking, rusted nightmare in the making.