rcoaster

That must have been one heck of a pothole. Are you sure it was a pothole, not a sinkhole? :-\

I don't think rack and pinion systems have a steering yoke.. A steering box uses one, but I can't think of a Subaru that uses a steering box. Maybe you're talking about the universal joint from the steering column shaft to the steering rack?

Your filter is built into the fuel pump. You will need to pull out the carpeting from the cargo area to expose the access panel, remove the access panel to expose the top of the gas tank, and your fuel lines and fuel pump, and gauge sensor assembly should be right there. The pump assembly is on the passenger side of the tank. Attached is the pdf file how to replace the filter. I haven't found the section to remove the pump assembly. Once I do, I will post the PDF. MSA5T0400A85300.pdf

Not those. the pad clips are those metal things where the groove of the brake pad slides on. They have little springs on them to keep the pads from rattling around.

the difference between my old 1996 Outback with the 2.5 and my current 2004 Outback with the 3.0 H6 was 1 mpg. Am I complaining? Nope. I've seen the MPG ratings of other AWD cars and Subaru gets better MPG.

What about the mini stalk that goes onto the steering wheel? The one that lets you set, resume, cancel and tap up and down your set speed?

Subaru has the wiring "backwards". What this means is that there's a single positive wire and two ground wires. Just get a multimeter and find out which one is which.

2004 Outback 35th Anniversary Edition here.. On the driver's side, the seat heater on the bottom is not working properly. What happens is that the element on the right side heats up, but the one on the left does not. The dealer did replace the unit, and the problem still persists. I'm not sure how the system is set up, but I do know that there are thermostats wired into the elements. Are they a separate unit, or are they integrated into the unit itself? I'm taking it back into the dealer on Wednesday when they install the missing engine cover bolt that they forgot to reinstall during the 30K service and check it again. Any other ideas? I'm thinking that there's no power feeding the left element. All the other elements work fine. RCoaster

Uh, guys, you are behind on the technology with the new Legacies and Outbacks. Starting with 2005, there is no throttle cable. The accelerator is now "fly by wire". What this means is that on the accelerator pedal is a potentiometer (think of it as a dimmer switch) that tells a servo motor to open and close the throttle. It is wired through the ECU. It is also controlled by the cruise control system as well. I don't know how exactly it works by returning the throttle back to closed. Meaning, if it has a spring that returns it closed, or if it use the servomotor to return it closed. My 2004 Outback uses a servo motor as part of the cruise control system, and there is a clutch on the motor that disengages when the cruise is either turned off or cancelled. I don't know if they used the same design as the cruise control servo for the throttle servo.

That's normal. The 4 way flashers uses the same amber bulb as the turn signal, so if you use the 4 way flashers, using a turn signal won't do anything since all the "turn signal" bulbs are flashing. If you need to use a turn signal, turn off the 4 way flashers. On some cars that uses the same bulb for brake lights and turn signals, pressing the brake will cancel out the 4 way flashers until you release the brake and then they will return to normal.

I had a 96 Outback, and the remove and install instructions are here: Remove the pop-out cupholder and then remove the 2 screws behind it. Remove the upper trim with the center vents and hazard light switch. Open the center armrest / storage space and then remove the two screws. Set the parking brake and then pull up the trim surrounding the parking brake. If you have an automatic, shift the selector lever out of Park to "1". Remove the smaller trim around the selector (the one that you remove to get to the access hole for the emergency release if the shift-lock fails. Remove the ash tray (or small cubby hole) and then remove the two screws underneath. Remove the trim around the shifter lever. Pull the trim around the radio and then disconnect the cigarette lighter / power outlet. Now you can remove the 6 screws that hold the radio cage in (4 on front, two on the sides further back). Pull the cage forward and then disconnect the harness from the back of the radio. Remove the cage and then remove the screws that hold the radio and CD player in place. As for installing the new radio, it is probably a single DIN, so you will need to go to a dealer and get a storage box to fill the hole left behind by the CD player unit. Installation is reverse of the instructions above.

After 6 years of reliable service, I no longer have my 1996 Outback. I traded it in for a 2004 Subaru Outback 35th Anniversary Edition. It's in Regatta Red, with an H6 engine. God.. I love the power! Will post pictures soon...

Give it time. I installed one in my 96 Outback and did get the power boost, and did get an slight improvement on MPG. You will need to let the ECU adjust to the new filter.

I have Rain-X washer fluid in my car. It works great, and it was the winter mix. Since I filled it up last winter, I haven't run out of the fluid yet! It does a great job keeping the windsheild clear. When the Rain-X looses its effectiveness, just a quick squirt on the washer fluid and a few wipes later it's back to normal. Any recommendations for cleaning the inside of a windshield? I got some grime built up on it, and it produces a haze that shows when driving towards the sun in the morning. I want something to clean off the grime and have anti-fog properties for the winter time as well. RC!

I disagree. I compared similar cars against the Outback, and in order to get everything the Outback has in another car, you would have to spend more money and the final cost would wind up being between $3000-5000 more than the Outback. And the other cars have a lesser AWD system that the Subaru's have. You are still getting good value for your money- it's just that others are offering options in a wider range of trim levels compared to the Outback. I mean, come on- MP3 capability ONLY in the VDC?!?! A Honda Civic EX even offers navigation capability and MP3 playback capability.

The top 3 complaints are: fuel economy, no aux input for iPod's, and the seatbelt chime. Many of them have said that it is a great car in the snow and rain.

I beleive so, yes. I think it is only the Legacy and Outback where there are different headlight assemblies for 2000-2004.

I once put in a aftermarket CD player in my 96 Outback, and somehow shorted out the dimmer wire. The result was no dash lights. Turned out to be a blown fuse, and simply replacing the fuse helped. Also, check to see if the dimmer switch is faulty. RC

[mods- don't know where this belongs, becuase it's a different kind of engine with a subaru badge]. I was walking in Home Depot and saw this power washer by Ryobi with, get this- a Subaru Engine! Here's a website that shows the power washer and claims that it has a Subaru engine. I did some checking and found out it's made by Robin Subaru, which is an american company whose parent company is FHI. Now you can have a lawmower with a subaru engine! Hmm.. maybe you can get those small gokart kits and slap a Robin Subaru engine on it. -RC!

From what you are saying is that you have to roll the car backwards downhill into a car port? All you have to do is put the car in reverse, and start backing up. Once you hit the downhill part, put the car into neutral and let out the clutch. Just use your brakes to maintain a steady speed and let gravity do the rest. Once gravity stops working, then put the car back in gear and finish up the job. It's simple as that.

I think you used the wrong list mode, here's what each item goes with the letters in the picture. (A) well-stocked toolbox ( jack stands © pirate sword & baseball hat (D) grease & caulking gun (E) homebrew-stocked kegerator (F) valve compressor (G) frosty, chilly tap (H) parts washer (I) torque wrench, penetrating oil, impact drivers, taps & dies, grease, various parts from the car you’re working on, cordless drill (works great for driving Jeep jack), kitty litter, puller set, and battery charger (J) Honda CBR1100 (K) Fire extinguisher, screw, nut, and bolt collection (L) Oh, yeah…pint of homebrew

...tune in tommorow when Xoomer accidentally bumps the hood prop and it looses its hold! You should have someone get it on tape and you'll make a killing on selling the DVD's....

Also, it mentions about draining some of the coolant out since the bolt extends into the cooling passages. Is this true?

I know the AC cycles on and off via a temperature sensor in front of the condensor inside the car. When the air becomes cold enough, it will cycle off, and then when it becomes warm enough it will kick back on. I guess it has been so hot that the air passing through the condensor hasn't gotten cool enough to cycle off the AC. When it is really hot out, try hitting the recirculate button to recirculate the cabin air and see if the AC cycles on and off.

Wow. You beat me. I have a 1996 Outback, with only 130,000!