Steves72

Reporting back. Temps were tolerable today so I removed the knock sensor and it appeared to be in generally good shape except for a light amount of corrosion around the edge. I also noticed that the electrical connector was not bright and shiny. Pulled out a brass brush and worked both the block surface and the sensor mating surface. It was not easy to reach the electrical pin in the plug but I used a very soft emery board on it. Put it back together and utilized a dab of dielectric grease and the code is gone. Cost was zero but a small abrasion on the back of the hand from the throttle bracket. Getting my hand in there to start the bolt into the block was were I got the abrasion. Crossing my fingers and hoping that the issue is corrected.

I have replaced the knock sensor once previously. That last time the code was p0325. This time the car has a p1325 code. The cel light is not always on but it never blinks which I know is real bad for the cat. I have no issue buying a knock sensor and installing it but I do have two questions. Why a p1325 (now) versus a p0325 (in the past)? While doing a search on this web site, a long time user mentioned that for $20 a knock sensor could be had on eBay. When I did a search on eBay I found sensors for as little as $6 something and a flood of them for under $10. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and $6 seems like you are buying junk. Autozone wants $80 for one while I can pick up one from Rockauto in the 40-60 range. Am I overthinking this? Can I use the cheap Chinese junk being pushed on eBay or should I order the Bosch unit on Rockauto for $40? Car is a 2000 Legacy Outback Limited - 173,000 miles Steve

I found the diagnostic plug under the dash and jumpered it so I could read the code. I must have turned the key on around a dozen times before I felt comfortable saying it was a "51". I have no idea how to clear the code except maybe disconnecting the battery? I also learned that a working ABS system is not a requirement to pass my state's safety inspection which I have to do by the end of next month. I have a hunch that replacing the ABS system would likely lighten my wallet considerably.

How many times do you have to cycle the ignition key and does it have to happen in sequence? I drive the car daily and the light has remained on since Tuesday. I have probably started the car 20 times in the past five days.

Looking for information on just what is meant by code 51: Abnormal Valve Relay. Where is this part? Is it integral into the master ABS control unit that is on top of the frame on the front right side of the car? Can that relay be serviced? If it is not part of the master ABS control, where is it located? And, the most important question, how much, if I have to replace it. And, this is to add some background on the circumstanses. I was on my way home from work on Tuesday. It was snowing. I was approaching a light and it went yellow. I decide to stop but for the last 30 or so feet before the car came to a complete halt I hit glazing at started to slide. The ABS system reacted to the slide. I felt it through the brake pedal. Once I stopped which was a little over a car length beyond where the traffic plate sits, I quickly put it in reverse and backed up and on to the traffic plate and out of the intersection. I put the car back into drive and noticed that the ABS light was on. From the description above it should be obvious that the car is an automatic. Make and model are in the title. Car has 166,000 miles on it.

Based on what you have already done to the O2 sensors - new units and swapped from side to side. I think it is pretty safe to say it is time for a new cat. If CT is really strict on emissions - like PA - it is the only thing that will fix your issue once and for all. Steve

Final report. Got the car back today. My wallet is 4k lighter and the car has a remanufactured transmission. The front differential was shot. A remanufactured differential was not available anywhere. The only way I could get a differential was to buy a whole transmission. No one around this area had a used transmission. My mechanic got one from the dealer. Steve

I have one MWE axle and one raxles.com axle on my car. I bought the raxles.com axle last time because MWE took so long to get me their axle. I have zero complaints about either axle. Both drive fine and the raxles.com unit is warrantied for life. BUT, and that is a big but, you do have to return their axle to them first for that free replacement. Steve

Sorry, just saw your question. I went genuine part. Steve

When my OBW started tossing this code, I tried replacing the O2 sensors. I tried clearing the codes. I tried ... But, the code always returned. I wound up replacing the cat and put the heat shields back in place. The 0420 code has not returned since the new cat went on the car. That was over nine months ago. Steve

jheat71, I am experiencing similar symptoms. I have teeth broken off in the front differential. Your issue may be different but I just wanted to let you know what my mechanic encountered. Steve

Well, I said I would report back what the issue was when it was solved. It turns out that there are more issues than originally thought. I went to get the car back today and instead of my car I drove home in a loaner. After the carrier bearing was installed and torqued to specifications the vibrations were even worse. The axle and new bearing were pulled back out and at least two different differential pieces were fished out of the case. My mechanic is uncertain if the bad bearing caused the teeth of the gears to break off or if the teeth breaking off led to the bearing failure. When I first felt this on Saturday I was 30+ miles from home and drove it in that condition. I drove it another 4 miles on Sunday, 28 miles to and from work on Monday. Finally, 10 more miles Tuesday morning to drop it off with my mechanic. Perhaps I should not have driven it that far but you do what you have to do. Steve

My father always talked with great fondness of his 1950 Buick. He loved that car. Steve

I will reiterate once more - this was not a failed DOJ. The failed component was not related to the CV joint. The failed bearing is inside the transaxle case. Steve

Yes, I believe you have pointed out the correct part. I do not know what the technical name for that bearing is but is is a type of carrier bearing. It does support the axle stub and there is one on each side of the transmission. Only one of them has gone bad on me and I did not feel it until Saturday. I did not like the feel of the vibration so I did not want to continue to drive it waiting for it to get much worse just in case it was the transmission itself. The symptoms I experienced was a vibration when pushing on the gas pedal. The harder the engine was working the more pronounced the vibration. There is a long down hill run on my way home and I lifted my foot off the gas pedal while the car accelerated on its own down that hill. At the bottom I was doing close to 75mph - no vibration. As soon as I put my foot back on the gas to climb the next uphill run, the vibration returned. There is another active thread on this board right now with symptoms very similar to mine. That car's symptoms sound more sever than mine. Perhaps because the issue has not been addressed immediately. Steve

jheat71, my car has similar symptoms. Vibrations while your foot is on the gas. My mechanic has traced it down to the bearing inside the transmission that supports the front axle stubs. See this link - http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/23368-ring-clips-cv-joint-axle.html Look at the forth post and the bearing is item 6 in the picture. I do not know that parts name. All I can say is that I have many of the symptoms you experience. I will get the car back on Thursday and let you know for certain if replacing that bearing solved my problem. Steve

With no clue, I took it to my mechanic. He identified the issue as the bearing which carries the output shaft stud. It can be seen here - http://www.subaruoutback.org/forums/66-problems-maintenance/23368-ring-clips-cv-joint-axle.html Scroll down to the 4th message in the thread posted by driveby. It's item 6 in the picture. Steve

No, I could not. The noise is not apparent at very slow speed and does not occur when the car is cold. It starts after about 10 minutes of driving and is only noticeable above 25 mph. Steve

Today I was returning home when I noticed an odd sound. I was able to determine that the sound was not apparent with the car stopped, did not occur with the transmission in park (or neutral) and revving the engine. It does occur when your foot is on the gas. If you take your foot off the gas and allow the car to coast the sound disappears. It starts back up as soon as you put your foot back on the gas pedal (even lightly). You can feel the vibration if you rest your hand on the shifter. The sound is speed sensitive (not RPM) related. I checked both the transmission fluid and the differential fluid when I got home. Both were normal and did not smell abnormal. I am guessing that it might be a wheel bearing or something in the back of the transmission? Any educated guesses would be appreciated. Added Note: both front axles are less than two years (one is less than one year). Neither boot is damaged. One axle, the newer is an raxle.com axle, the slightly older one is an MWE axle. And, I am following this thread which does sound similar: http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=134518 Steve

This is just a guess as I am not a pro. I would say that the engine is likely in need of service. The first order of business is to do a compression test. If you do not have the equipment to do this yourself you may need to pay someone to do it for you. But, if you lost power in two adjacent cylinders and it happened at the same time I am guessing that it is a head gasket. Just remember, I am not a pro. Steve

Here is my story. I have a 2000 Outback wagon purchased in 2004. The car came with two remotes and two keys. I used one of the remotes all the time. Last year I noticed the remote not working very well so I changed the battery. It helped a little but the range while it improved with the new battery did not extend as far as when I first purchased the car. It got to the point to unlock / lock the car required me to push the buttons many times to get it to function and I had to stand next to the car to get it to function at all. Recently, I was going on a long trip and rather than taking the very problematic remote or take the only good remote, I opted to purchase a new remote. I had it in the glove box still in the plastic. One morning I came out of the hotel and the old problematic remote would not unlock the car. Used the key. Off went the alarm. Hoped in the did the three on - offs with the key and the alarm quieted. Pulled out the new remote - it's one of the new tear drop design - and the owners manual. Programmed the car to new remote. Everything went fine except that after all was done I was in valet mode. The new remote locked and unlocked the doors but I could not get it out of valet mode. After getting back home I pulled out the other remote that originally came with the car. On the first attempt with that remote, the car exited valet mode. The new tear drop remote works fine to lock and unlock the car but it appears to not be able to fo some of the higher end functions to the older alarm systems. Can anyone confirm / deny this? Got any suggestions? Steve

P0420 code - followup: Well, I just wanted to finish up this thread for everyone who will stumble across it using the search function. I had suffered along for more than a year with the P0420 code on for months at a time but every once in a while it would go out on its own only to return in short order. I live in a state where an active code will cause your car to fail it's annual required inspection. So, last year at inspection time I killed the code one week before I had the car inspected. Made it through inspection. With another annual inspection coming up, I had the car on a lift checking everything. I discovered that the right inner CV boot had failed - again. It's the one closest to the cat and gets exposed to a lot of heat. It was at that moment that I thought about replacing the oxygen sensors. On closer inspection it was apparent that there was going to be a lot more room around the front oxygen sensor when the axle was out of the car. So I ordered both the front and rear oxygen sensor after ordering the axle. Getting to the front sensor was easier with the axle out of the way but the grease from the CV joint made the job a real mess. But, I am happy to report that with both oxygen sensors replaced I have not seen the service engine light in over 2,000 miles of driving. I went with Bosch units ordered from Amazon. Their price was lower than most others - around $120 for both. Steve

Followup: This had to be the easiest job I have ever done to the car. I should note that I was working on a lift with air and a 1/2" impact gun. The nut holding the bearing to the transverse link could not be hit with the impact gun but a 24" breaker bar made removal fairly easy. The impact gun made short work of the two bolts that held the bearing to the frame. Removed old, installed new. I was off the lift in 30 minutes and could have been done in half that if I had rushed through it. Steve

I have to replace it on a 2000 Outback Limited wagon. I noticed it dripping clearish grease while replacing the right axle yesterday. Question One: Does the arm have to be removed from the car to replace the part? It seems to me that the two bolts holding the rear of the arm could be removed; remove the nut that retains the bushing; pry down the transverse link just enough to remove the bushing; remove and replace. If I can get away with this I can probably save myself the cost of an alignment. Or, am I just being too cheap? Drop the link, do the job, and take it in for alignment. Question two: I have not been able to find this part available as a counter replacement item. Is this a dealer only part? The dealer quoted it at $126 or so. I have the amount in the car not in front of me as I type out this out. Steve

Interesting idea. How about something that can slip into the hitch, have a bar up to "T". Add a couple of pieces of flat steel on the end of the "T" to lock the load in place. And, finally add two flat straps to lock to the rear cross bar. Thanks for the inspiration. Steve