do outbacks have any problems with door or window seals or heater core failure? my 02 outback was in my garage for over a month with the windows rolled down so that it would dry out and it did nicely that i could tell (it was parked under a tree for over a year when i picked it up) after i fix the issues that parked it in the first place, put it outside for the week and i go look t it today and all of the windows are fogged up.  

clogged a/c drain ?

 

maybe blocked cabin air filter?

 

have you checked your coolant level? look in the radiator - don't only trust the line on the overflow tank.

 

does the inside of the car smell sweet-ish, like toasted marshmallows? if so, heater core might be leaking.

Do the outbacks have a cabin filter and if so where?

I doubt the ac drain is clogged, it has been cold where I am so there has been no reason to run the ac, I'll check it anyway just as a process of elimination it is possible that I might have moved the heater core lines in a way it might have broken the flange seals

are there any homeless people in the area?

A/C will run whenever the defrost is on (typically, newer cars have a temperature shut off) but on an 02 the compressor should run when the defroster is on

 short answer is, they have a space for a cabin filter, but having it installed was an option.

 

 

cars101.com will have instructions for cabin air filter.

There is water inside that car somewhere. As others said it could be clogged A/C drain and the A/C does run when the defroster is on. Or it could be a leak coming in somewhere. It really doesn't take much- my Impreza had a very small drip inside the trunk in heavy rain, the water ran into the back seat padding which sucked it up like a sponge and the car would fog up like you wouldn't believe.

 

If you rule out the A/C drain issue you're going to just have to try and find the water. Check the lowest points of the cabin first- front and rear floorboards, under the trunk liner and inside the spare tire well. The best way is to just run your hands over it until you feel dampness. In the case of my water leak it was small enough where I couldn't even see the wet spots. Also if you have a sunroof, your sunroof drains could be clogged allowing water in through the headliner.

 

Water leaks are a pain- 99% of the repair is just finding out where the water is coming from.