My 1995 Legacy with an automatic transmission, has some starter issues. The battery terminals are clean and there doesn’t seem to be a bad connection.

sometimes when turning the key there is a slight hesitation before the starter does anything. Twice it has acted like the battery was dead but the battery was fine. Today it happened again and it was several minutes before the starter returned to normal. 
 

Any suggestions on what the problem might be?

Install a relay for the starter solenoid instead of running full solenoid current through the ignition switch and inhibitor/clutch relay, etc. 

GD

if you whack the starter a few times with a piece of wood and it consistently starts better afterwards - you need to rebuild the solenoid. kits are available.

maybe investigate the battery cables , they can be corroded under the insulation.

Bad connection somewhere.

Like these guys said, could be in the circuit up to the ignition switch, a heavy duty relay  would take the load off of that, or the contacts in the starter are wearing (or both, one can cause the other).

You can always try starting it in neutral, could be the neutral safety switch.

My 92 same deal and all we know from history ( as you guys mention ) for corrective action and still does not work.

 

Its not a start solenoid issue. 
 

GD has the solution I’d guess. But at this point I’m about to let the car go soon. 
 

Seems to happen only during the winter as best as I can tell. 

Ours is also an automatic. Sometimes it’s just a second , sometimes more seconds , and other times I keep trying , keep the voltage going and re-try ignition. Most of the time it’ll then send enough juice but then there’s times I just say screw it and go for another car. 

5 minutes ago, moosens said:

My 92 same deal and all we know from history ( as you guys mention ) for corrective action and still does not work.

 

Its not a start solenoid issue. 
 

GD has the solution I’d guess. But at this point I’m about to let the car go soon. 
 

Seems to happen only during the winter as best as I can tell. 

Ours is also an automatic. Sometimes it’s just a second , sometimes more seconds , and other times I keep trying , keep the voltage going and re-try ignition. Most of the time it’ll then send enough juice but then there’s times I just say screw it and go for another car. 

Uber on speed dial?

 

On 1/12/2021 at 9:00 PM, Ravenwoods said:

My 1995 Legacy with an automatic transmission, has some starter issues. The battery terminals are clean and there doesn’t seem to be a bad connection.

sometimes when turning the key there is a slight hesitation before the starter does anything. Twice it has acted like the battery was dead but the battery was fine. Today it happened again and it was several minutes before the starter returned to normal. 
 

Any suggestions on what the problem might be?

solenoid contacts or the power issues described by GD.  do both for good measure. 

replace the starter solenoid contacts and clean everything up on reassembly.  it's really easy and the contacts will be all black and burned up. 

these may or may not work in your car but I think these are for many older subaru automatics and i used them in a 2002 outback:

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0031HMS7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

hmmmm....seems like I have read of the starter's commutator needing cleaning?

 

quick search found this;

 

Edited January 20, 20215 yr by 1 Lucky Texan

On 1/12/2021 at 6:00 PM, Ravenwoods said:

My 1995 Legacy with an automatic transmission, has some starter issues. The battery terminals are clean and there doesn’t seem to be a bad connection.

sometimes when turning the key there is a slight hesitation before the starter does anything. Twice it has acted like the battery was dead but the battery was fine. Today it happened again and it was several minutes before the starter returned to normal. 
 

Any suggestions on what the problem might be?

Does it click when you turn the key? Mine used to click, but not spin, I would whack it with a rubber mallet and it would work fine. I replaced the starter and didn't have the issue anymore.