:mad:Why did subaru switch to vacuum lines in 3rd gen subies??? This is my 3rd loyale to have the same problem, no heat to the windshield or the floor. So here comes another winter of cold feet, and wiping the windshield. They all seem to crap out at around 100,000 miles. Time to break out the wire and have to mannually pull the shutter flaps open and closed, yet again.

a: did you make sure you have vacuum to them? double check the lines from the engine to the accumulator on the passenger side strut tower.

 

b: don't mess with strings or anything. if you've got vacuum to the switch, and they don't switch, it is the switch. pull it out, and go to an auto parts store, and buy a vacuum "T" fitting. with some experimenting, you can have it always on Heat and Defrost. done!

If they don't switch, it's usually because there not getting any vacuum. Mine always switch... but I think the accumlator or check valve is bad, because if I really floor it going up a hill, it looses vacuum and switches back to default.

Yes - this is typically a vacuum supply or switch issue. The actuators and the lines inside the dash generally do not fail..... I have never seen it anyway - and that goes for all the EA82's and all the Legacy's I've owned - dozens of each.

 

Although secretly I do like the EA81 rod controls better as there is never a switch or vacuum supply issue with them

 

GD

I'll try monkeying around with it, my main point is the older the car the more simple it is. The newer the car the more over complicated they make them with more and cheaper parts to fail. I'll take a radio w/ 2 knobs anyday over a radio that you need a degree from MIT to get it to work.

I've never seen an actuator fail on the loyale/GL's. NEVER!

 

you have a vacumn line off under the dash, or the one coming from the engine to the vac canister to the heater actuator.