smallhagrid

Thanks !! So all I need to figure out is the correct length & pick up a #2 or #4 AWG cable - then figure out how to get that 2nd, smaller one connected. Looks like tomorrow I'll be slicing off that swaddling...

It appears that the + terminal has 2 separate connections at the battery, 1 of which goes to the starter & both are bolted on - can you tell me if the cable to the starter is just a straight shot, as one would expect ?? (Those on the car are originals, still swaddled in the OEM coverings...)

Looked around some & made several calls for a + cable. Seems like it is a generic one for the 2011 - any recommendations for a replacement, please ?? Thanks.

Thanks for the great & helpful replies Folks !! The situation here has gotten just a wee bit stranger IMO... I walked down to the corner lot today (now that it isn't a lake anymore) & tried starting the OB - no change - so I lifted the hood & had a good look at the terminals & battery cables. All still quite clean & tight - so I felt the cables up & down to check for any brittleness & found none - then just for the halibut - tried it again - here comes the punch line=> It cranked right over & started right up !! Wow. Let it run a bit & came back to the house to see if I could find a spare battery terminal or 2, with no luck, sadly. Until that all happened I was pretty much resigned to having it transported for service by our indie - but now I've ordered some good terminals (and spares) which should arrive 11/21 - at which time I'll change out the negative terminal & check it's cable for interior rot. Since the other one is about 10x as sturdy it is my hope that it & it's cable remain OK...time will tell. Sure does feel like having fallen into a DEEP rabbit hole !!

This is about our 2011 Outback. We’ve had a very strange couple of days with it & now it is parked where the towing service put it - and will go no farther until it can be fixed somehow. Monday 11/14 it started & was used to get to work with zero problems - then after work its battery was suddenly too weak for it to crank. (No interior lights or anything were left on during work time.) After having a co-worker offer a jump, it did crank over & start. It got home OK (~20 miles) - and again had not enough juice to re-start. Oddly, the battery read 12.7V on the DVM...so it was put on to charge for ~3 hours with our 10A charger - after which it was still too weak & again still came up with 12.7V somehow. The next day that battery was totally flat - as if there had been something draining it all night. Later a spare, used battery was installed & it started right up with no problems & no trouble lights of any sort. Since that battery was years old & marginal at best the OB was driven ~45 minutes away to go buy a new battery - again - no problems indicated. Came out with the brand new battery - swapped it into the car - and that is when the troubles began... Attempting to start it had the dash lighting up normally, but when cranking was attempted all that was heard was a very quiet relay type sound seeming to be on the passenger side - but zero cranking. (Sort of like what happens when cranking is attempted with just a plain steel, unchipped key...) Thinking the new battery was weak somehow, the booster pack was attached - same result. Swapped the old battery back in - no change. Our OB has the genuine Subaru remote starter - so the car was locked & that was tried - it made 3-4 attempts with just the same results & quit. Being totally baffled - the OBD reader was attached & showed 1 code, for CPS bank A as I recall. At that point, after trying what I could, AAA was called to tow it home. While waiting, I spoke with a friend who is a trained mechanic (though only seldom works on Subarus) & he said that to his knowledge there was no super secret decoder ring or other arcane stuff needed - just swap the batteries, and all SHOULD be well. He also commented that most likely the CPS code should not have prevented it from cranking normally - whether it could then start, or not. At this point all the above has created concern & of course confusion as doing such a simple thing should have been just that - simple - but turned out so badly. Hopefully someone here can shed some light upon this situation before the OB has to be towed in for service. Thanks for any helpfuly replies !!

My query was intended as exact - because she wants to KEEP the cassette player as-is, but gain MP3 playing ability, etc. I have already got a single DIN unit picked out, thanks - hence my exact query. The '98 Outback is assuredly rust free as it came to us from a dry climate & even its underside has all the original paint everywhere. Something could have worked loose, sure - but really I'm hoping to hear from someone here that has gotten through these same problems with a same or just about same car. Also - this stinker of a site keeps logging me out - refusing my password - then locking me out despite my choosing the 'remember me' option. Repeatedly resetting my PW is really quite excessive !!!

Thanks. Yes, the OBD reader confirms it is an evap code. Checked all around nothing found yet...all of what I posted in the OP remains a bit problematic. As to the evap code - it only seems to relate with when the fuel level gets below 3/4 full - it goes on consistently after that. The dome light fuse turned up fine & the light does a flickery thing now & then when doors open/shut that is only visible at night as it is so quick & every so often the key in thing will make a quick squawk too. As to the remote I pictured above, my partner's prior Outback was also a '98 & that is exactly why we have the leftover remotes as pictured in the OP from that, so maybe they are not what is 'sposed to be used, but I suspect that the system itself is somehow offline because none of the programming methods make for any response and this car DOES have the original factory stickers on it saying that it has the security system. Adding a 4th item to my list=> This car has 2 single DIN OEM audio components - the top being what seems to be the head unit radio/cassette player & the bottom being a CD player - which has died & no longer loads CDs. Will someone here be kind enough to 'splain to me if the bottom unit alone can be replaced, perhaps with a more modern MP3 unit & somehow routed through the top unit - or must they both come out for that to happen ?? We'll greatly appreciate any helpful replies, thanks !!

Thanks for the replies folks !! I didn't know how to read the OBD code properly - but now that I do - it shows PO440 #E1 generic. As to the rest - once it stops pouring here I'll get into things a bit. Right now my biggest concern is that as soon as we get the final stuff from the DMV it'll need to pass inspection, so it'd be great to get through that without having to worry about the CEL coming on & messing it up. Thanks Again.

Hi Mike 104 and Thanks !! Dome light bulb tested fine; it doesn't show 'dorr ajar' a'tall. I didn't see a number or whatnot on my cheapie code reader - but I'll try agaain & see if it'll give me any... Thanks !!

Hi Folks. Previously my partner had the same year & model & though we're in Vermont where cars rust to bits, we got lucky enough to find another which came here from CA. & got well treated before rust could set in. We're very happy with it but for several things: 1 - The dome light doesn't come on at all; 2 - It throws an evap code every so often; 3 - It has the central locking system & the alarm stickers - but came with no remote(s). I'm guessing it uses the same ones as the other '98 did as it has no button near the OBD plug - and we have good remotes left over from when the other car went for parts. They are the Alps 88036ae060 & look like the pic here: image ?? But, when trying to get the car into programming mode it is 100% unresponsive - leading me to think that system was disconnected or is otherwise messed up. I tried the programming steps from the couple of different alarm types I found & none of it made any difference. Since the alarm must also use door switches I'm guessing these may be related somehow... In my searching I've read a bunch of stuff about fuses & different systems & I remain uncertain of how to proceed. I will appreciate any guidance in these matters very much !!