winterhawke13 Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 Greetings: I am a new user of this site and a recent new owner of an old (1990) Subaru Legacy. She cost 800.00 at a used car lot and that was all that I could afford. However, she drives like a charm, when she starts! Alas, she has been very abused in her lifetime as many things are broken/or missing on her--light switches broken off, steering column cowl missing, passenger visor gone...etc etc. And, of course, no owner's manual to see what the different buttons are even for. I bought her some months ago and soon after the electrical system seemed to become possessed by some electrical demon! Sometimes things work, sometimes not, everything seems to fluctuate. One day the trunk won't open then a week later it will. Now, the passenger power window will go down, (using the master switch, or the pass. door switch) but it will not go UP! Now, starter number 2 seems to be going out and I just had it replaced (junkyard part) about 2 months ago. I am at my wits end. But, don't get me wrong. I love this car. When she starts, she runs very nicely and the motor is so quiet that, sometimes, I can not even tell if it she is running or not. However, I am very low-income and so have to do the work myself etc. but do not even know where to start on her with this supernatural electrical malfunction. Checked all the fuses, the battery terminals, etc. If anyone can give me some pointers or websites with info etc. I would be most grateful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rao Posted March 5, 2010 Share Posted March 5, 2010 You need to take the systems one at a time. The first thing to do is to check that the ground straps are in place - if they are missing or corroded it can cause some mysterious things to happen. You should check out the local library for the service manual for the car - it will have wiring diagrams that can be helpful. You can also search online, odds are that you can find one there also. Rob IF YOU CARE ABOUT YOUR CAR YOU SHOULD NEVER DRIVE IT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted March 6, 2010 Share Posted March 6, 2010 Also pay a visit to all junkyards in your area and ask if they have a manual for around that model year. And you should be able to get missing parts relatively cheap. But I agree on corrosion/grounding issues. A large can of WD40 and a lot of patience would help. You may also need to disassemble doors and make sure that the mechanics for the windows are in decent shape and lubricated where they should be lubricated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterhawke13 Posted March 7, 2010 Author Share Posted March 7, 2010 Thanks Rob. You were most kind to reply. I shall do some investigating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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