Suzam

Yes you need to pull the door panel if you do need to replace it. It's mounted on a steel template along with the window switches. Easy enough, just be careful when removing the panel re are plastic holders that like to pull out of the panel, never to stay in again. Also there are a couple of screws to remove on the armrest and behind a plastic plug cover.. You can look on ebay for the whole group of switches, then you just unplug the old one and plug and play the replacement.

You should be able to tell if the starter is engaging. Plan on replacing the motor and bid accordingly, if it is repairable you're in luck. If not hopefully the winning auction price warrants being able to afford a replacement engine if necessary. You always roll the dice with an auction, in most cases you should plan for the worst.

This topic comes up every so often, it goes back to the older 4 wheel drive trucks with locking hubs. These 4WD (note not AWD) vehicles need a transfer case shifted to 4WD to engage the front drive shaft, resulting in drive power going to the front differential which drive the wheels which was the reason for the locking hubs. If the hubs are not locked the front wheels spin freely because they are disconnected from the front differential which means that when the transfer case is disengaged from the front drive shaft the whole front drive system is dormant the only thing is the weight of the system itself is reducing MPG. This results in no drag loss while the vehicle is rolling. If the front wheels were locked but the transfer case not engaged the differential and front drive shaft would spin and be creating drag resulting in less MPG. This is not the way Subaru AWD works since it is engaged at all times but in the case of the automatics it is controlled by electronics as to how much drive goes between the front and back wheels.

That sounds wrong to me. I have a 2013 Legacy Ltd with the same drive train. Today it was only 15ªF when I started my car. The idle ran up to about 2,800 rpm the leveled off at about 2,200. After about a 2 minute warm up at idle I drove fairly easy on the road between 35 and 45 mph. My rpm never went higher than 3,000 in that time.

Not sure where you went but for the future service Fulmer's Garage on Park Ave in Media has a couple of mechanics that have their own Subies. My daughter takes her 99 OBW there for most of her services.

Possible torque converter lock up issue? You should observe 4 shifts plus a 5th reduction in RPMs when the converter locks. It sounds like it's possible it is trying to engage but unsuccessfully.

Thanks for the answer to the mystery! I've changed out alternators before and sometimes grime or manufacturing lube gets on the new pulley causing the belt to slip on the power steering. After a day or so it works off and the steering is fine. It seems to cause it to slip and rumble at low slow turns almost at idle or while you start to move from a dead stop and turn at the same time. I once thought my steering rack was going out but it cleared up.

I PM'ed gordsan on 10/5 because I'm curious to learn the outcome of the problem. Hopefully we can attain closure. I re-read the post and even though she stated it was "Definitely my car, my keys.", i can't help but wonder if there is another Subaru in the family and the keys are for it. I can't tell you how many times I've grab the keys for one of the cars and had to return to the kitchen to grab the proper set. It's even more confusing when my daughter is home since I reprogrammed one of our MY01's remotes for her MY99 to replace her dead one. Try going out to the driveway and unlocking the car, getting in and wondering why the heck you can get the key in the ignition.

iPhone OS can use an ELM327 WiFi scanners. I purchased one on Amazon for $14.95 and downloaded several free basic apps and it works well with our MY99, MY01 and MY13 Subies.

I wonder what happened.

I was correct. I just needed the opinion of a total stranger because she always believes them over her own father! Go figure. Also the bet was a prepared meal be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Winners choice. I haven't decided yet. Oh yeah, I did have to help her move too!

After several years off the car, my daughter put her cross bars back on the roof of her 99 OB to move. When I looked at them, they looked like they were on backwards. They are wing shaped with a thick rounded side and a sharper opposite edge. What is the correct direction for these. I'm not posting what I think is correct because I have a little side be with her!

A friend of mine used a toilet paper roll and a tennis ball with duct tape to simulate one on his Ford Escape. For what it's worth he had no trouble on his Ford.

MY97 2.2 and later are all interference.

Welcome to the board and the world of Subaru! There is a ton of info on this site and a lot of informed members who will answer any questions they can. As for your key, you sometimes have to rotate or rock the steering wheel slightly to release the locking mechanism for the key. If the wheel was turned in a way that it rests hard on the mechanism you just need to move it slightly to release the lock cylinder. Move and hold the wheel to release the presure and hopefully your key should come out with some wiggling.

The 2010+ emergency brake will only disengage two ways: #1. Driver's seat belt must be buckled (then pull the e-break button outward or GENTLY tap the gas WHILE IN GEAR to release) #2. Push the brakes firmly while pulling the e-brake release. If these don't work then something else must be wrong.

Have you tried servicing the trans to see if it helps the problem?

Our MY13 Legacy Ltd. has the latest 2.5 engine, and we've had no problems with the couple of single digit or the low teens mornings we had this winter. When I drive any distance in cold weather, I'll take off my coat and drive in shirt or sweatshirt sleeves with the seat heater on low and the temp set at 69-71˚ for the drivers side and the wife will set the passenger side at 74˚ with the dual controls. I think it's a little better than our MY01 Outback but not by much and maybe because of the ability to customize each side with the dual heat controls.

I'm not saying ebay is the know all fitment center, but a quick search show that the same glass is for all Impreza styles. Try "SUBARU IMPREZA OUTBACK SPORT LH REAR WINDOW GLASS" as a search.

Sorry I missed the 5MT in the original post. I did copy the words "torque bind symptoms" from your post, pasted into the search and got some good hits in the first 5 or 6 for definition including the MT viscous coupler.

My 2001 Outback Wagon leaks both oil and coolant. It's really more of a seeping than leak. What exactly is leaking on yours? If it's coolant, I'd confirm that the Subaru coolant conditioner (stop leak) is in the system. If you don't know, I'd do a flush and put new coolant and the conditioner in and see what happens. Oil can be leaking from several different places like cam seals, oil pump seals and valve covers, but there is a known seeping oil issue with the head gaskets that mine has been doing for several years now. It's slow so if you check your levels regularly it shouldn't be a problem. Also the timing belt maintainece is 10 years or 105,000 miles. You should confirm it was done.

Leave the key in the "run" position while you re-connect the battery, this should reset it. It may spark slightly but it's not a big draw of power. ALSO LET US KNOW how you made out. Solutions posted for problems help us all.

If you're mechanically inclined, buy a set of starter contacts. Or purchase a rebuilt starter and replace the original one. As mickc03 stated I've also had a 95. 97 and 99 that all had he same problem and new contacts cured the problem.

If the engine runs normally, I would allow it time to dry out by letting it run long enough for the engine compartment to get up to operating temperature. It may just need to dry up some moisture that got in somewhere it shouldn't. Also check for anything loosened up by water pressure.

We must have been due for one.