I have a bit of an oddity I am trying to figure out. My gear head friends are conflicting with advice I have received from dealerships. So after reading a few threads on this forum I figured I would give you guys a shot.

 

Its a 2001 Subaru Outback with 170K miles. Love this car, its seen more snow, mud, dirt and off road than just about any truck.

 

Symptoms:

- The ABS light comes on as soon as or shortly after the car start moving.

- The Check Engine Light is on.

- When the car is off and I put my foot on the brake, all the dash light come on.

- When the headlights are on, the cruise control does not work.

- Error code p0703

 

I am not ruling out the possibility this could be multiple problems. My friend things its a wheel speed sensor they dealership thinks its a ABS speed sensor on the transmission. The error code sounds like a brake position switch.

 

Help!

 

Chris

Sounds like you have a short to me. :-p

 

P0703 is brake switch B input circuit.

 

Exactly Which lights come on in the dash when you hit the brake pedal?

sounds like you have a short to me. :-p

 

p0703 is brake switch b input circuit.

 

Exactly which lights come on in the dash when you hit the brake pedal?

 

 

+1

The lights behind the gauges and all down the center console, including all the back lights to the radio (which is all stock). The running lights on the exterior also turn on.

 

If everything else worked I would all this a feature.

Woah... That's a big problem for sure.

 

I hope you have a multimeter. You're gonna need it.

 

Do you have any aftermarket equipment installed in the car? Stereo system? Fog lights? Alarm? Extra horns? Anything at all?

 

Start looking under the hood, and behind the lower kick panel on drivers side of the dash, for evidence of mice. Chewed up bits of paper, insulation, feathers, insulation chewed off of wires. Mouse turds are a dead giveaway.

 

This might not be as bad as it seems, but at the same time it might be more of a problem than you think.

No aftermarket anything.

 

I have not seen anything that would indicate my car being a home, thats not to say its not there. The car has never been garaged and has been moved just about every day of its life.

 

Any thoughts on where I should start with the multi-meter?

 

Chris

These are not scary issues, and in fact may all be independt of each other.

 

The light issue, check your tail light bulbs and brake bulbs. This is a common problem when the brake filamint in the bulb shorts out against the parking light filament. Replace the bulb that is bad.

 

CEL- Get the codes read.

 

ABS light - Get the codes read (this is NOT done with an OBD reader, there are procedures somewhere on the site on how to do it). Typically it is a broken tone ring or a dying wheel speed sensor.

 

Cruise not working - Code 703 Bad Brake light switch (replace it).

 

Has this car ever been in a flood?

 

Also check your alt output at 1800RPM with everything on.

 

 

nipper

The light issue, check your tail light bulbs and brake bulbs. This is a common problem when the brake filamint in the bulb shorts out against the parking light filament. Replace the bulb that is bad.

How does that work?

How does that work?

 

Happens all the time. You apply the brakes, the power backfeeds through the parking light filament and makes the dash lights glow.

 

nipper

In addition to Nipper's suggestion about shorted bulbs backfeeding , do you by any chance have a trailer hitch connector added to this car? If so, follow it back, check it for shorts and disconnect any adapters which might be present.

 

Good luck,

 

Nathan

Also, check all grounds. An open or high resistance ground can cause backfeeding which could account for most or all of your symptoms.

Nipper,

 

I replaced a broken tail light. Fixed the dashlights problem.

 

The car has never been flooded. Although I have been known to drive though some deep puddles.

 

hankosolder2,

 

This car has never had a trailer hitch.

 

 

I am going to go get codes read again