xntryk1

Yeah, he says it IS the correct part. So, in looking under the dash, there appears to be TWO switches at the clutch pedal. I already know that the lower one is for the cruise control. So the upper one must be the neutral safety switch - right? If so, how in the heck are you supposed to remove it??? Only one of the nuts looks accessible. The other one, not at ALL - without dismantling everything under the dash! Please tell me that's not the ONLY way to do it. Somebody?

I think this is the correct part number: 83281AA000. But all the eBay listings for that part say it's not compatible with my car!

Thankfully, it IS a stick shift. So that should make it a little easier. Not that there's that much room to move around down there...

Yeah, I still don't recall hearing that 'load click'. It's just like dead when you turn the key (except for the dash lights coming on). So most likely the safety switch. Or at least that seems like the first thing to try. Kinda makes sense, too. It's as if the switch is old and getting stuck and only gets un-stuck after a certain period of time (or period of driving, as was the case this morning). Now I wonder if there's a tutorial onsite somewhere about how to replace that safety switch...

I forgot to try that "bang the starter" thing when it happened again, this morning. Had to wait around until I could get some help pushing the car for a bump start. And then the very next time, it started right up (after I turned it off and restarted it a half hour later). Just crazy that it goes a few weeks working fine and then just up and stops for no apparent reason. Grrr....

Just thought I'd add a (hopefully) final note on this thread. Before I got around to replacing the ABS pump, believe it or not, it magically fixed itself! After 6 months (in my ownership) and a little over a gallon of brake fluid dumped in, the leak just suddenly stopped one day. And this happened a couple months ago. Ever since then, the reservoir level has stayed topped-off (by itself) and the brakes seem to work perfectly. So I dunno... it's the strangest thing. Leaks don't normally fix themselves. I'm not trying to look a gift horse in the mouth, but It makes me wonder what the heck was going on in that ABS pump? And what could have possibly happened to fix it? I haven't the slightest idea. But for the record, that's what happened...

Aha! I should have known there were such things out there. Thanks again, Fairtax4me!

Sounds good, 987687! Thanks to you guys and your wealth of knowledge, this job is looking more and more like something I might be able to tackle by myself - even with my limited tools and experience.

Thank you, Fairtax4me. I'll save those pics for if/when I ever get to that point. Also, you mentioned something about capping the ends of the brake lines after removing them from the HCU. What would I use to cap them with? Also, thank you 987687 for the tip on the brake pedal. I've also read that putting a 2x4 under the pedal will keep it from going all the way to the floor. Another stupid question - for bleeding the brakes at each wheel, will it require jacking the car up and removing each wheel? Or is there an easier way (hopefully)?

Ha! I can relate to that graphic. But as far as I can tell, my '95 Legacy L wagon doesn't have that kind of connector under the dash. More likely, I don't know exactly what I'm supposed to be looking for...

Thanks, porcupine73. Mine looks exactly like the ABS-2E unit pictured in that pdf. I believe this is the section you're referring to: Sequence Control Sequence Control is the name of a mode in which the system automatically runs the HCU pump motor and cycles the solenoid valves. The Sequence Control actions help to purge air out of the hydraulic control unit. To activate Sequence Control, proceed as follows: • With the ignition off, jumper both the “L” and “K” terminals in the ABS check connector to ground. • Turn the ignition switch to On and watch the ABS warning lamp. • When the lamp goes off, immediately press and hold the brake pedal. • The ECU now runs the pump and cycles all the solenoid valves. You will hear and feel this happening. • When you hear the pump stop, you know Sequence Control is done. • Release the brake pedal and turn the ignition to Off. When you have completed Sequence Control, bleed all four brake circuits again. Top off the master cylinder reservoir after bleeding each circuit. Then road test the vehicle at low speed. Apply the brakes hard two or three times to make sure the brakes are working properly. That doesn't look TOO complicated. But my first question would be, where is the "ABS check connector"? And how do I "jumper" those 2 terminals to ground?

The leaky ABS pump on my '95 Legacy L wagon needs to be replaced. I've already got the part (Nippon 26731AA200) and now I'm wondering if this is something I should tackle myself or leave to the so-called 'experts'. Looking at the Chilton manual, it doesn't seem as easy as simply replacing the part and bleeding the system. There's a whole 12-point list of instructions for "bleeding the hydraulic unit" that involves "applying AV electrical signals to the solenoid", etc., etc. and so on. My question is, is all that really necessary? the unit shown in Chilton is different from mine. Has anybody replaced one of these units and if so, how big of a hassle was it? I can handle relatively simple repairs. But when it starts getting into esoteric electrical stuff, I'm out of my element...

At the moment, it's back to starting like it should - even though I did absolutely nothing that could have fixed it. That kinda crap always drives me crazy! Anyway, I'll update with what kind of clicking there is, if/when it decides to start playing games, again. Meanwhile, thanks for all the input, folks!

I don't know about automatics. I think I read somewhere that they have something similar to a NSS, but it's called something else. And it's located down by the transmission (instead of behind the clutch pedal). Don't quote me on that. But my '95 Legacy L wagon definitely has one. Plus, it also has a cruise control switch that's activated by the clutch pedal...

Yeah, I'm constantly dragging the carpet out from under the pedals (you'd think I'd do something about that, but noooo). But that didn't seem to be the problem, this time. I'm wondering if the absence of my little rigged-up dime stopper for the cruise switch may have thrown the neutral safety switch adjustment off just enough that it wasn't making contact? I read in another thread ("neutral safety switch" Jan 16 2010) that the NSS can be adjusted. If that's what the problem was, it's just weird that replacing that stopper didn't seem to fix it immediately. Only after I came out later and tried it again, did it miraculously decide to start...

Interesting. I just went out to refresh my memory as to how many clicks I heard when turning the key and the car started right up. Even though it hadn't the previous few dozen times I tried. The only thing different from before (when it wouldn't start) was, I had re-taped the dime I'm using as a stopper for the cruise control switch that's also on the clutch pedal. It had fallen off a couple weeks ago and I just now fixed it back up again. But I tried the key right after that and still nothing. So I figured that didn't have anything to do with the starting problem. Now, I'm starting to wonder...

OK, here's the scenario: came out this morning, started the car and drove to an appointment. After the appt., came out, turned the key - nothing. Well, almost nothing. The usual lights and radio came on, like they always do when I turn the key to "on". But absolutely nothing from the starter. It's a 5-speed (1995 Legacy L Wagon) and luckily I was on a slight incline, so I was able to bump-start it and get home. When I got home, I checked the battery, it's fully charged. No warning lights came on the dash, so I'm sure the charging system is still good. Does this sound like the neutral safety switch suddenly decided to die, out of the blue? Or are there any other possible culprits I should investigate? As always, any help greatly appreciated. Thanks!

What crazyhorse001 said worked for me. I had the exact same problem. A gentle tap on the relay turned both the buzzing AND the ABS light off. So far (a week later), the problem hasn't returned...

No kidding! Very annoying. Now I'll be curious to see how long it stays OFF, after that 'tap-on'the-relay' fix...

Thanks! I'll do that (the classified/car-part.com thing). In the mean time, is there any major safety concerns with disabling the ABS? The car will still stop, won't it?

Found the relay. Applied a "fix" found elsewhere on the web - a light tap on the top of the relay turned off the buzzing noise AND the ABS light. Not sure how long that 'fix' will last, but I welcome anything that buys me time...

With that in mind, a couple other questions. Is it possible for me to "confirm the trouble code" myself? Or is that something that only Subaru can do? And where might I find the "ABS Hydraulic Unit Motor Relay" in order to replace it?

I think I may have found the answer (buried in another thread): ABS Relay Sticking Author: Subaru NUMBER: 06-28-96 DATE: 06-11-96 APPLICABILITY: LEGACY, IMPREZA AND SVX EQUIPPED WITH ABS BRAKES SUBJECT: ABS RELAY STICKING Should you encounter the following condition(s) please follow the trouble shooting chart as shown. 1. The ABS Hydraulic Unit Motor continues to run and/or buzz when the ignition key is turned to the off position. 2. The ABS warning light comes on and a trouble code "52" for a faulty hydraulic motor and/or motor relay is stored in memory. Note: It is possible for this condition to occur intermittently. Under these conditions the symptoms may not always be duplicated. Troubleshooting Steps: 1. Check if the ABS Hydraulic Unit Motor is running or if you can duplicate the condition. 2. If the Hydraulic Unit Motor is running, does it continue to run with the key in the off position? 3. Confirm the trouble code, if any, and trouble shoot according to the Diagnostic Chart in the corresponding Service Manual. 4. Replace the ABS Hydraulic Unit Motor Relay with a modified one. The new part number is 26735AA012. The new relay can be identified by a white line under the word Japan on the relay case. Note: Always check the part number supersession for any changes. 5. If the wiring harness is at fault repair and/or replace as necessary. The new ABS Motor Relay has been changed in production begining with the following VIN's. Legacy (SIA built): Sedan: T*206647 S/W: T*308128 O/B: T*374098 SVX: T*100004 Impreza: Sedan: T*510065 S/W: T*810189 Coupe: T*410116

OK, so the ABS pump on my '95 Legacy L wagon has had a very slight leak ever since I bought it 3 months ago. Since I can't afford a replacement pump, I've just been refilling the brake fluid as needed (maybe once a week). No big deal. But this morning, the ABS light came on and stayed on. Then, when I stopped the car and turned it off, there was still a buzzing noise from under the hood. I checked and sure enough, it was coming from the ABS pump. Had to disconnect the battery, so it wouldn't get drained. In searching the forums, I see this problem mentioned in several posts. However, I'm not really finding a solution to it. At least not an easy and/or cheap one. What I'm wondering is, would it be OK to just yank the fuse for the ABS pump (in order to shut off the buzzing and save the battery)? Or is that not smart for some reason? FWIW, I live in SoCal with NO snow (and hardly any rain), so I really have very little need for ABS. As always, any and all thoughts and suggestions appreciated.

I promise, I DID check the fuses - at the very beginning (when I just had high beam on the LH side and no low beam). But then I didn't check them again, until the very end. Sorry to waste everyone's time trying to diagnose something that had such a simple fix.