mwatt

If you really do run the A/C in the recirc mode all the time, that is the cause of the odor problem. You must let outside air get thru the A/C evaporator and heater core. And the reason you have to run the A/C all the time to prevent the windows from fogging up is because you're using the recirc mode. Every so often, you see a car with the windows all fogged up on a cool, damp day. That's because the driver has left the A/C system in the "recirc" mode so humidity keeps building up and up inside the cabin. You probably already know this, but "recirc" should be used only with the compressor running and then only during extreme heat and humidity. I realize that you're trying to prevent outside objectionable odors (like other vehicle exhaust fumes) from coming into your car, but using recirc all the time is creating the foul odor because bacteria and mold growth favors those nice damp, dark conditions (with no fresh air) inside the evaporator plenum under the dash. Let fresh air get in there. Run the blower continuously, no matter what season. On both of our Subarus, we've never had an odor problem from the HVAC system because we keep fresh air moving thru the system all the time.

There are two small orange dots (same color as the rear window defrost grid lines) visable thru the black ceramic coating on the inside of the base of the windshield. The one on the passenger side is approx 2 inches (stay with me here) from the left end of the passenger-side wiper blade. The dot on the driver's side is approx at the left end of the driver's side wiper blade. That's the only obvious sign (from outside the car) that the windshield is heated. BTW: original equipment windshield has the word "Lamilex" and a Lexus-like letter "L" at the lower driver's corner of the glass

I'm not in complete agreement with Nipper's idea of spraying Lysol into the cowl air intake---that'll end up making the interior of the car smell more like a bathroom. However, the air intake he's referring to is right beneath the area where the passenger-side windshield wiper parks. If you turn the A/C blower on hi and make sure the "recirc" switch is off, you'll hear the blower motor pulling air in thru the cowl air intake. Use Frigi-fresh. It's one of those BG products and sometimes you can find it at auto parts stores. You spray the product into the air intake while the blower is on medium or hi speed. In both of our Subarus, we keep the blower running continuously, no matter what season or outside temperature. Not only does that keep fresh air flowing thru the car, it keeps air flowing across the heater core and evaporator core, preventing moisture build up and mildew odor.

Make sure the cowl drains are clear. Use a garden hose to soak the area where the windshield wipers park--right at the bottom middle of the windshield--- you should then see water draining out of the bottom rear edges of both front fenders. If water doesn't start draining immediately, the cowl drains are probably plugged up.

There is no factory-installed cabin air filter in a 1999 Legacy--whether it's a base model or an Outback Limited.

Cruise control monitors upper stop lamp (AKA center hi-mounted stop lamp)-----make sure it lights up when you press the brake pedal because if that bulb is out you'll have no cruise control.

Replace the alternator, it's failing.

When I worked at a GM dealer about 5 years ago, every so often a customer with a full-size Chevrolet pickup, Suburban, or Tahoe would come in complaining about a "thump" that was felt after the vehicle had been brought to a complete stop and was sitting there for 15-30 seconds with the brakes applied. Technicians used to lubricate the rear driveshaft splines (where the driveshaft enters the transmission) to solve the problem. They referred to it as "driveshaft bind"

Oh, but no---the original Vacation movie used a 1984 Ford Country Squire. I know. I drive one. (but not very often---my Legacy GT looks a little more up to date)

Try to get a small pair of Vise Grip pliers to lock tightly onto the screwdriver shaft, and use the pliers to twist the screwdriver back and forth---see if that will back it out. That small pair of Vice Grips might also work to clamp tightly onto those roll pins so you can twist them out, too. Of course, your gonna' destroy the roll pins in the process but they're cheap compared to the axle assembly. On the passenger's side of the vehicle, it's probably easiest to work from underneath. Once you've managed to extract the pins and the screwdriver, you can slide the inboard side of the axle shaft onto the transmission output shaft---but if you are working from underneath, you'll be able to see right thru the two holes if the splines line up exactly. Just make sure the chamfered hole on the axle shaft slides over the chamfered hole on the output shaft. Go to Sears. Buy that set of extra-long punches. You'll be able to drive the roll pin in properly from under the vehicle with the right punch.

The pin should be a tight fit--you need to use a hammer and a correct size punch to drive the pin in properly. I purchased a set of extra long punches from Sears and it made the job much easier. Also---did you match up the chamfered surface of the hole in the transmission output shaft with the chamfered surface of the hole in the inboard end of the axle?

Are you trying to install the inboard end of the shaft into the transmission after you have bolted the outboard end of the shaft into the hub? If that's the case, unbolt the outboard end of the axle from the hub. You'll find this job much easier if you slide the inboard end of the shaft into the transmission first (before sliding the outboard end into the hub) and tap the roll pin into position, then use a bar to pry the hub assembly outward slightly---that will allow you to glide the outboard end splines into the hub, then install the 32 mm nut on the end of the shaft.

1999 Legacy GT wagon--automatic--130K miles. Has anyone ever had a rear axle shaft CV joint fail? I'm getting a "clunk clunk clunk clunk" (once with every revolution of the axle) at the left rear when making right curves---like exiting from a hiway--at approx 30 mph. Sounds like the same noise my wife's '98 Outback was making in the front of that car when it's right front inboard joint was failing. I'm just thinking this through---if it were a hub bearing failing, that would be a "roaring" or howling noise, right??

Check to see if the nuts that secure the wiper arms to each wiper "shaft" (the part of the wiper linkage that protrudes thru the cowl) have loosened, allowing each wiper arm to "slip" where it attaches to each shaft.

It is likely that the power antenna assembly itself is failing. Same thing happened on our '98 Legacy Outback. Antenna would periodically just stay up. Attempted to disassemble and repair it (it's really not meant to be disassembled or repaired and you wouldn't believe the amount of dirt that builds up inside one over the years) but that didn't work. It's a throw-away world we live in---if you want to fix it and be done with it just replace the entire assembly. Purchased ours from 1stSubaruparts.com for substantially less than local dealer. Removal and installation is really very easy once the left rear luggage area trim is loosened and pulled back.................

I'm sorry, Jamie, buts that's not "um.. yeah.." always the case. Take, for example, the spark plug wires for my 1999 Legacy GT or my wife's '98 Legacy Outback. The original spark plug wires that came on both of those 2.5 DOHC engines were red, and each plug wire carried a separate Subaru part number: 2 of the wires were the same number (22451AA750); the other two are (22452AA660) and (22452AA670). These are OEM Subaru part numbers---they exactly match original appearance and fit, and they're still available from Subaru--but they don't come as a set---they must be purchased separately. There is a Subaru of America plug wire set available for these vehicles as well, but their appearance and fit is NOT exactly the same as the originals. I wanted the ORIGINAL spark plug wires because they lasted over 100K miles the first time on both cars. Perhaps there are some Subaru of America parts that are "OEM" ; I still maintain that most Subaru of America parts are a lower cost alternative (and sometimes the ONLY replacement part available from Subaru) to OEM. I've been disappointed with SOA parts in the past---little stupid stuff like wiper blades that were plastic junk compared to the original factory blades, and BOTH tubes (upper and lower body colors) of SOA touch up paint that no-where near matched the original 1-year old finish on my wife's '98 Legacy Outback Call me crazy if you like; but I'll stick with OEM Subaru part numbers (ones that don't begin with "SOA") whenever possible.

Chances are that this is a price for Subaru of America plug wires. Subaru sells plenty of "SOA" parts as a lower-cost alternative to OEM parts.

Did you use their "on-line catalogue" or did you speak to a real human? I found out something interesting from one of the parts countermen there: the on-line catalogue that we see when we log in to the website is created/maintained by some other company (TradeMotion). It was explained to me that for this reason the on-line catalogue is often incomplete. It might be best to call the toll-free number listed and speak to someone there instead. When you call the toll-free number (during normal business hours) the actual Subaru dealer switchboard receptionist will answer----just ask for "1st Subaru Parts" and you'll be connected with the parts department.

Well, of course the tires are gonna' be rolling whether you're turning or driving straight--so if the noise is there only when turning, I'm doubting that the tires are the cause. I'm still betting that a CV joint is beginning to fail. The symptom you're describing is exactly how it began on my wife's '98 Outback....and it gradually got worse to the point where you could hear constant clunking---once with every revolution of the right front axle---even when driving straight. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I made the mistake of replacing torn CV boots (and not simply replacing the entire axle assembly) 6 months before the noise began, so I sort-of just knew where the noise had to be coming from on our car. If, over the next couple of hundred miles, that noise on your car gradually worsens to the point where it's occuring while driving straight, there really isn't much else that it could be....

Maybe I misunderstood your first post. When you said it goes "Wum wum wum wum wum.... It goes away when I'm traveling straight" I thought this meant that your noise might be occuring once with every revolution of an axle. Can you relate the noise on your car to a "once with every revolution of an axle" kind of "thump thump thump" ?? Can you get it to make the noise if you turn the steering wheel with the car sitting still (engine idleing) or is the noise occuring only when rolling at low speeds?

Make sure the cowl drains are clear. The cowl is the area where the windshield wiper arms attach to the wiper transmission (those nubby things that the wiper arms attach to) on both sides. If you let a garden hose run over the windshield, you'll see that the water drains into the cowl at the base of the windshield. The water should then be seen draining out of the rear, lower edge of both front fenders. The cowl drains can become plugged with leaves, pine needles, etc. If the cowl area doesn't drain properly, you'll have flooded front floor(s).

Just went through this with our '98 OBW. It began as a "whump whump whump" sound at the right front---once with every revolution of the axle---only on low-speed turns. Over a few weeks, it gradually worsened and became almost constant while driving, not just when turning. Look carefully at the passenger-side inner CV boot--they're the first to fail because they're located right over the catalytic convertor. If the boot is torn, replace the right front axle as a complete assembly. Don't make the mistake that I made and replace the boots only. I did that on our car in April '05 (thought I was "saving money"). In November '05, our noise began, and I ended up replacing both front axles with reman assemblies from Subaru. Don't let your local Subaru dealer try to tell you that "remanufactured axles aren't available from Subaru." They are available from Subaru---just check with 1stsubaruparts.com -- those guys know their stuff and are a pleasure to deal with. (Reman axle assemblies are available from many auto parts suppliers, but I still like to use "genuine Subaru" if possible)

I'm sorry to hear about the problems you've experienced. One question that I want to ask you, however: you mentioned "the brakes disintegrated without warning". By that, do you mean they were suddenly metal-to-metal and grinding?

Obviously, diagnosing the "whine" noise on the passenger side without being able to actually hear it is rather difficult. Any whining noise on the passenger side of my Legacy GT, however, is usually my wife. Unfortunately, that whining is "normal operation." All kidding aside, all A/C systems "hiss" slightly when the compressor is engaged. On a Subaru, you are hearing refrigerant "hiss" thru the expansion valve (at least I think your '03 uses an expansion valve) Some other vehicle A/C systems use an orifice tube to "meter" the refrigerant thru the evaporator core under the dash. You may even hear the "hiss" continue for a moment after the A/C system is shut down, as it depressurizes. You have checked for obvious vacuum leaks or disconnected hoses, right?

Soak an old piece of cloth with silicon spray and wipe it on the window opening surround weatherstrips. Silicon grease can also be used but it has to be applied sparingly because it'll make a big GD mess and being "greasy" it will also attract dirt if you use too much.