ammcinnis

3 hours ago, Beamercub said:

... how involved is it to get to that circuit board.

Read the entire thread at the link I posted. I haven't done the repair myself (yet), but those who have report that it's pretty simple. You do have to remove the shift knob, but after that only a few tools are required ... beyond a  couple of plastic pry tools for trim removal.

The indicator light assembly consists of an LED soldered to a small printed-circuit board, plus an optical lens/diffuser to distribute the light. The most common failure mode seems to be cracks developing in one or more solder joints on the PCB. Over on the Outback forum, several owners have reported successful repair by simply reflowing the solder joints using a low-wattage, fine-tipped soldering iron. (A steady hand is also required; blacksmiths need not apply.) YMMV.

https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/gear-shift-indicator-light-out.473017/page-5#post-6452992

A crack is visible at the lower left of the image below:

On 4/26/2024 at 8:36 AM, silverton said:

According to GCBC; more Outbacks were sold in 2023 alone than Legacy's over the last five years combined... basically 6-7:1 every year.

According to Subaru of America PR, in calendar year 2023 they sold 161,814 Outbacks vs. just 25,510 Legacys. That's a ratio of 6.3 to 1. The only lines with fewer sales than Legacy were all niche vehicles: WRX (24,681), Solterra (8.872), and BRZ (4,188). The Legacy accounted for barely 4% of Subaru's total U.S. sales for the year.

Subaru_December_2023_Sales_FINAL.pdf

For the first three months of 2024, the numbers were even worse: a whopping 35,213 for Outback vs. 4,398 for Legacy ... a ratio of 8:1. Legacy represented only 2.9% of total U.S. Subaru sales. Only Solterra and BRZ sales were below Legacy' dismal numbers.

Comparing year over year numbers, Subaru's total sales were up 6.7% for the first quarter of 2024, but Legacy sales were down 13.1% ... continuing a grim multi-year trend.

Subaru_March_2024_Sales_FINAL.pdf

Given recent production/sales numbers, it seemed inevitable.  R.I.P. Legacy.

https://media.subaru.com/pressrelease/2165/1/subaru-announces-legacy-production-end-2025

2025_Legacy_Discontinuation_Release_-FINAL.pdf

There is an entire chapter of the FSM devoted to Power Seat Memory (PSM) diagnositcs. (See attachment.) Some PSM faults will set a DTC, but it's not clear whether or not a basic scan tool can access them if set.

One possible fault is low battery voltage, so that would be something simple to eliminate before going any further. Next, I would replace the fob battery with new, just to be sure, to eliminate that as a possibility.

6.19-PSMdiag-Power_Seat_Memory_Diagnostics.pdf

On 3/7/2024 at 7:34 AM, abody said:

I ... was told if I put a 225/55/17(winter tire) that it would burn up the awd system and ABS. Does anyone know if this is true? 

NOT TRUE ... as long as all four tires are identical (same brand, model, and size) and the measured circumference of all four tires is within 1/4 inch (or measured tread depth within 1.3/32 inch). It should go without saying not to mix summer and winter tires (i.e. on the same car at the same time); it has to be one or the other.

FWIW, both 225/50R18 and 225/55R17 were OE tire sizes for MY 2015-2019 Legacys, depending on vehicle trim level. The 17 and 18 inch OE wheels and tires are interchangeable, as long as all four match. If in doubt, consult the Owners Manual.

1 hour ago, Rod702 said:

can u share the procedure ...

Refer to page 3 of the TSB I posted a link to.

4 hours ago, Rod702 said:

im asssuming it’s the same electronic steering rack as the Forster. 
...

what do u guys think?

I think that's not a good assumption. Similar? Maybe. "The same"? Probably not. (I'm not about to go out chasing part numbers for you to compare.)

You can replace the "tension spring" that's at the heart of the problem yourself for less than $100 ... including the cost of the special tool required. Or you could pay a good independent shop (or even the dealer) for an hour of labor to replace it for you. That's what I would do ... but it's your car, your choice.

3 hours ago, Rod702 said:

My wife 2018 forester is also electric rack ... and it doesn’t make that noise.

If you read the TSB, this specific problem is limited to Legacy, Outback, and WRX.  I agree that the rattle can be annoying when driving over irregular road surfaces.

A reminder: Subaru doesn't design or manufacture the Outback's steering rack. They source it from KYB.

See: Subaru TSB 04-17-17R 08/20/19

It is important to note that Subaru states "the condition is NOT detrimental to the operation of the [Electric Power Steering] system" ... i.e. it is safe to drive.

FWIW, my 2016 Outback has developed the steering rattle, while my 2015 Legacy has not. YMMV.

6 hours ago, Ohjai said:

Could this device be a connector that is used as a single grounding point?  In other words a groud connector for 5 wires?

I think that's correct. You could open it up to be sure. Also, the FSM has diagrams showing the physical layout of the car's wiring harnesses, including the approximate location of grounding blocks.

3 hours ago, silverton said:

I believe that is a ground junction for the ECM itself ...

Nope. He said it's on the driver's side, near the battery.

On 2/21/2024 at 6:58 PM, paulbuck77 said:

... I did install one of those multi-vaned LED lights in my garage a while ago.  I will take that out and see if it makes a difference.

Bingo!  FWIW, the installation instructions for my Chamberlain garage door opener specifically caution NOT to use an LED bulb, for just the reason you experienced. Apparently, the driver circuitry in some LED lamps generate lots of electrical noise at radio frequencies ... and the bulbs in most garage door openers are within inches of the receiving antennas.

You can download a legal copy of the Factory Service Manual, which contains detailed and complete wiring schematics, and a whole lot more directly from the Subaru Technical Information System (STIS) web site: https://techinfo.subaru.com. The last time I checked, cost was still only $35 for 72 hours full download access.

"Half a block away" is an unrealistic expectation for Homelink; it's not designed to work at those distances. Most likely, something has recently been installed by one of your neighbors that is a source of (permissible) electrical interference in the shared, and often crowded, frequency band assigned to Homelink. Be happy that your garage door opener works reliably from the driveway.

Do you see "timing chain" mentioned anywhere in the Subaru Schedule of Inspection and Maintenance Services for your 2015 Legacy? Your answer is there. You can also consult the 2015 Legacy/Outback Factory Service Manual for additional information.

On 12/13/2023 at 5:20 PM, CamaroMan79 said:

My 2015 never had one and I bought this car new.

My 2015 Legacy and 2016 Outback "never had one," either. (That seems a strange way of saying that.) As others have already posted, I don't believe any MY 2015-2019 Legacys and Outbacks had the blue light; the factory installed real coolant temperature gauges instead.

On 12/8/2023 at 4:51 AM, theonlyBuster said:

Should I still be aimed to get a Group Size 25 battery or am I best to get a Size 34? ... Just trying to make sens of this so I can move forward with replacing the battery.

As stated previously in this thread, the following three BCI battery sizes are suitable "drop-in" replacements for the OEM battery in 2015-2019 Legacys (and Outbacks):

• Group 25 ... OE equivalent
• Group 34 (NOT 34R) ... higher capacity than Group 25
• Group 24 (NOT 24F) ... higher capacity than Group 25

In that case, the next step is to use a scan tool to check for Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). According to the Subaru Factory Service Manual, there are more that 120 different DTCs unique to the airbag system. Checking the DTCs should allow you to significantly narrow your diagnostic search. Since the airbags are part of a critical safety system, perhaps this diagnosis and repair is best left to a (competent) Subaru dealer.

Which "air bag indicator light"? If you mean the indicator in the overhead console, that may be normal operation. The passenger-side front airbag is enabled only when sensors detect substantial weight in the right front seat, and the light in the overhead console reflects its status. The purpose of this arrangement is to disable the airbag whenever: 1) the seat is unoccupied, or 2) the seat is occupied by a small child who might be injured by its deployment. Unfortunately, placing even moderately heavy articles in the right seat can also enable the airbag. See your Owners Manual, Chapter 1,  for more information.

20 hours ago, LegacyManCT said:

Thoughts? I feel like jumping off Subaru when I get my next car. I also had to replace the spring in the steering rack assembly at 65k miles.

Thoughts? That yours may be a case of unrealistic expectations. Premature wear of a Subaru axle shaft is neither "normal" nor "common," but it does happen occasionally. It may or may not be related to the service history of your particular vehicle. That said, I would probably seek a second opinion from a competent independent shop, preferably a Subaru specialist, before having an axle shaft replaced.

FWIW, Subaru does not design or manufacture their own steering racks. That is a KYB OEM product.

19 hours ago, silverton said:

Your current ride height is fine ... stop trying to make a problem.

Quoted for truth.

Another option is to replace the rear shocks and/or install new rear springs, both of which may contribute to rear sag as they age.

Reality check: Please edit the thread title.

4 hours ago, jessb_55 said:

The issue ended up being a bad ball joint! 

Thanks for following up. I'm glad to see you finally solved the problem.

6 minutes ago, m sprank said:

A NASCAR truck has been tested at 0.489cd. But what about the lift coefficient? ... The NASCAR truck was -0.815.

Impressive.

8 hours ago, silverton said:

And finely, ... is this thing a brick, what ... wind tunnel was this tested in??

The published drag coefficient (Cd) of the Gen 6 Legacy is 0.29, which is pretty respectable. Not so long ago, that was racecar territory. In fact, the published Cd for my 1969 Porsche 911S was 0.29, and it was considered remarkably low at the time. Of course, the Gen 6 Legacy has a substantially larger frontal area than the early 911s.