forester2002s

From the underside of the head, you'll need to turn the spark-plug clockwise to get it out. An easy-out may not work, as it will only grip in the counter-clockwise direction.

If it's leaking at the bottom of the timing-belt cover, then it's most likely coming from the front-crankshaft seal.

"Leaking profusely"? I would first check the oil filter. Is it screwed on tight? Is it leaking through the seal? If it's not the filter, then I would suspect the crankshaft seal. These tend to leak oil, which then drips out at the bottom of the timing-belt cover. Could also be the oil-pressure sending unit, located on top of the block.

Blocked fuel filter?

The warning lamps in my 2002 are all mounted on the printed-circuit board of the cluster. There are no wires going to each lamp, as they connect (screw-in) directly to the PCB. It's a bit time consuming the get at the PCB, - there are quite a few items to remove to get at the back of the cluster. Your 1990 may be different.

Your rotors may have been overheated at some point. Yes, they are designed to get hot, but too much heat for too long can alter the metallurgy of the steel. Sometimes, this causes a discoloration of the surface; other times it might cause the 'cracking' or 'crazing' that you describe. Overheating can also cause the rotors to warp (sideways). It doesn't take much of a warp to cause the steering wheel to shake when braking.

Try pushing hard on the door itself, whilst unlocking.

I watched the video. I recommend cleaning the old grease off of the CV rollers and the inside of the cup, before adding the new grease. I was surprised that this wasn't done in the video.

I've used a flat-blade flexible paint-scraper. It's thin enough to get into the joint just a bit. Leave it in there and then get a small flat-blade screwdriver into the partially-open joint. Then a slightly larger screwdriver next to the smaller one. And so on, until the joint is open all the way around.

These green connectors are meant to be disconnected for normal use. When connected, the ECU goes into a diagnostic mode, and various components (eg fans) are tested, and various warning lights are activated. IIRC, the ignition should be OFF when connecting the two green connectors. Then with the ignition in the ACC (or is it RUN position?), the diagnostics are activated. Don't try to start the engine with the two green connectors connected.

Thanks for the tip about a caulking gun as a clamp. It never occurred to me to use one for other than caulking. I am going to try it out next time I have to glue wood or plywood together.

Have you tried rotating the brightness adjustment ring? It's probably located on the same switch-stalk as the headlight-switch. That adjustment ring allows you to vary the panel lights from zero to 100%. Maybe a flakey contact?

or leave the antenna extended?

My first-aid kit includes a roll of 1"-wide white adhesive-tape. I've used the tape as a temporary fix on split hoses. Doesn't seal completely, but it has got me out of trouble.

I saw this recall on the TV news the other night. The story about the 2016 Legacy recall aired just before a commercial break. A few seconds later, the first ad came on the TV; guess what? it was an ad extolling the virtues of the 2016 Legacy. Talk about bad timing!

I have read about a technique used to dry out wet cell phones etc. Apparently, if you put the item in a sealed plastic bag with uncooked rice, it will dry out. The rice is hydroscopic, and will absorb the moisture. I've never tried this myself, so I don't know if it really works. It might just be one of those urban myths.

Are you actually losing power-steering fluid? Or are you losing engine-oil? These questions are relevant, because (for some engine models) a leaking head-gasket can cause engine-oil to drip down and accumulate on that small gearbox at the bottom-end of the steering wheel. What year/model/engine do you have? Check for a head-gasket leak at the lower-rear corner of the head (on the steering-wheel side). If that location is wet with oil, then it may be that your supposed steering-oil leak is actually from the engine above. Just a thought.

I wonder if the remote fob is faulty. What happens if you take the battery out of the fob? Do you still get rogue locking?

Do you have a lock/unlock door switch (usually found on the inside of the driver's door, with the window switches)? If so, activating that switch, and then closing the doors, might just do what you want.

I think that the problem is with the design of the dipstick. I've always had problems getting an accurate reading of oil-level on my 2002 Forester. What I have found is: - I have to prep the dipstick each time by wiping it completely dry. - Cannot get consistent reading when engine is warm. - Cannot get consistent reading until engine has been off for several hours. - Best reading is in mornings, with engine cold. - Even then, I sometimes take a couple of readings, each with a dry dipstick. I have never had any problems reading oil-level on my many other cars, only on this Forester.

My 2002 Forester came from the factory with the filter-box in place, but with no filters installed. The filter-box is black plastic, located under and behind (forward) of the glove-box. The filter-box has a rectangular access-door on its lower side, held in place by 2 steel clips. It's not the easiest to get to, but if you have one, it should be obvious.

I doubt if it's anything special. Probably just a regular-grade metric bolt. You just need to find one of the correct length. Any auto-parts store should have one.

How to undo the nut on the end of the piston rod? You'll need a 'go-thru-socket', similar to one in this set from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/21-pc-sae-metric-go-thru-socket-set-62305.html These sockets are turned by a special wrench which fits on the outside-surface of the socket. That allows you to insert the allen-key into the top of the piston-rod. I also puzzled over this a couple of years ago, but a forum member came to my rescue.

+2 to WoodsWagon

How long since the fuel-filter was changed?