rcoaster

Correction- Subaru has said that 92 Octane is recommended. The did not say it was required. When I first got my 04 H6, I used 92 Octane for a while, then when the gas prices skyrocketed, I switched to regular. The car ran so-so for a while then once the computer adapted to the lower octane rating, it ran fine. It only stumbles a bit if you floor the throttle quickly from idle. I figured out that if you start out gently, then give it gas quickly, the car will accelerate quickly without any hiccups. One thing I've realized is that it's not the engine and gas you use, it's how the computer handles everything, and it's not as good as the AC Delco computers. The AC Delco ECU's have excellent response time.

Or for a little extra money, and without playing Russian Roulette wether you will get HG issues or not (my previous car, a 96 Outback with the 2.5 didn't have any HG issues at 136,000 miles before I traded it in for a newer one), do what I did- I went for a H6.

I don't think that's really a fuel filter. More of a tank sediment filter to prevent the pump from picking up large particulates. I think with the 2005 and onward, they use a filter cartridge that goes onto the pump body. If you can't find an inline canister in the engine bay, usually mounted on the strut tower near the brake master cylinder, then they might have moved it somewhere else.

When they first came out, the local dealer did a lot of promotions on the car - test drive and get a 25 gift card and enter a drawing to win one. I test drove one, and didn't like it. The engine was underpowered, would rather go for the 5 seater instead of the 7 seater, and thought the dash layout was poorly designed. When I put my hands on the steering wheel, they are at the 10 and 2 o'clock positions, and my thumbs were actually blocking my line of sight to the fuel and temp gauges. They were placed too low. Aside from the poor dash design, the inside was very nicely laid out and that was the only good thing about the Tribeca. I see far more Outbacks and Forresters around here. I saw a few Tribecas when they first came out, but then they kind of went in hiding. At the dealer where I take my car for servicing there are only 2 Tribecas on the lot, and about 12 Outbacks and 12 Forresters on the lot. It seems that the Outback and Forrester are the top sellers at the dealer. I hope with the re-design, the Tribeca will sell better. I'm hoping for a Subaru with a higher towing capacity than the measley 3000 pound limit. The Tribeca would become a full SUV, while the Outback would hold the cross-over market.

Check the IAC valve. It might be just dirty and can't meter the correct amount of air into the intake.

Actually, they reccommend premium. I've been getting away with regular gas, and the car runs fine. You will like the H6- more power, and a very refined engine.

Either your mechanic is wrong, or the other shop removed more stuff than necessary to replace the rotor. I've replaced the front rotor on my former 96 outback (before I traded up to a 2004) and the rotor replacement is super easy. It was just loosening the two big rusted bolts that holds the caliper to the spindle assembly was the hardest part. The rotor is simply held in by your tire! The rotor is actually a separate peice from the hub itself. I've heard some common problems is that the rotor gets somewhat stuck on the hub due to rust. A few taps with a rubber mallet is all it takes to break it free. For my car, it was just a firm tap with the palm of my hand and the rotor freed itself from the hub and the rotor slid right off. The abs teeth are on the hub itself. No axle nut to remove. I would suggest that you buy a Haynes manual for your car. You will be suprised at how some stuff are easy to replace on your Subaru. If you still want to have a mechanic do it for you, at least you are armed with information how to replace things and you will be able to tell if your mechanic is right, or trying to milk money from you.

Replace the bulbs first. It might be something as simple as that. If that doesn't work, the next step would be to check the relays. They're located on the fuse block in the engine bay next to the battery.

I would recommend getting ceramic pads. Napa's Ceramix pads are excellent. I have them on my 2004 Outback and they work great!

What about the engine temp sensor? I've heard that this sensor could cause difficulty starting.

When you say electronic, do you mean a digital readout for temperature? If there is, check for a motor that operates a mixing door that allows air to bypass the heater core. See if it is functioning or not. Also, check to see if the venturi tube that allows air to pass over the sensor so that the door will compenstate. Try turning up the heat all the way up and see if the mixing door will activate. Also, when you turn up the blower does the blower spin up and down? If it does, you may have a blockage somewhere that is preventing the flow of air. If the blower doesn't spin up and down, then there might be something wrong with the resistor pack or the electronic control unit that activates the blower. Worse case scenario could be that the control unit could be faulty and may need replacing.

Congrats. You are no longer a Subaru Virgin. Now, don't feel so violated!

You can run regular gas on a H6. Subaru "recommends" premium, but I've been running regular and the only thing I noticed was a hestitation when the engine is cold and a very small power loss, but it runs fine. With a turbo, you must use premium. The engine is more smoother and refined.

Just wanted to point out that I used to have a 1996 Outback with the 2.5L, and at 136K it didn't have any headgasket issues at all! I think the majority of the complaints come from 97-99 where the engine was tweaked a bit compared to the 1996. I really haven't heard from anyone who has a 1996 2.5 complain about headgasket issues. -RC!

Huh?