Subaru - Legacy :: 1996 - Suddenly Loses Power While Driving
Mar 9, 2013
My AWD 1996 Subaru Legacy Station Wagon suddenly loses power while I'm driving......
View 3 RepliesMy AWD 1996 Subaru Legacy Station Wagon suddenly loses power while I'm driving......
View 3 RepliesMy mercury Monteray 2004 model, suddenly loses power while driving. This has happened both on the freeway and on the local roads. I then have some how driven it to the shoulder. After stopping for couple of minutes when I restart the car it works and I have been able to drive it. I have taken it 3 times to the dealer and he has not been able to identify the problem. I am extremely scared of driving the vehicle. We even had flight recorder from the dealer on the vehicle and recorded the incident 3 to 4 times and still the dealer has not been able to figure out what the issue is. They say that they have tried several times and have not been able to recreate the issue. They say that they have tried to recreate the issue with a computer attached so they can record the issue when it occurs. But apparently they have never been able to recreate the issue. Other wise the van is in excellent condition. What could be the issue? We have not been able to use the van for over 6 months and do not know what to do with it.
View 3 RepliesThis evening I drove our Subaru Legacy Wagon (1999) about 3 miles or so to the gym. When I pulled into the lot, I noticed my radio (tuned to NPR, no less) had gone off. Curious! A few seconds later, dashboard lights come on (ABS, maybe others). After that, engine goes quiet, car is dead -- turning the key does nothing at all, and the car is completely without power. Only the dome light works, and barely. I get a jump, and eventually the car starts back up --- but it took a while, and several tries, before I could get the engine going.
On the way home, I kept a careful eye on the RPMs -- when I was close, I noticed the ABS light pop back on, and the RPM needle go down to zero. I tried my best to keep the RPMs up by staying in first, and managed to park. Of course, the car was unresponsive when I immediately tried to restart it. Some quick internet searches suggest alternator, bad connections to the battery, and some other ideas. We've never had this problem before. The twist is that we're literally on the brink of selling this car -- we've got one more than we need. Thus, we'd be pretty bummed if we had to put much, if any, cash into the car just so we can get rid of it days later.
Today I had a flat tire. Noticed because the warning light was on. Fixed flat. Tire pressure light is off. Now the brake light is blinking. The cruise indicator is blinking. The skid control light is on and the check engine light is on.
View 3 RepliesI own a 1996 Subaru Legacy (2.2L), and when I was almost home, my car died. I was going about 30 mph, and without any warning, I lost power to my headlights, my gauges, my power steering - everything. I lost all power to my car. When trying to start it again, nothing happens when I turn the key - no lights, no fuel pump...nothing. It has to be something electrical (obviously), but I would like to know what it is before I send it off to the mechanic.
View 9 Repliesevery 2 to 3 weeks the car will stall while driving and acts like it's out of gas. 3 tows and no mechanic can figure out what the problem is and the car starts the next day.
View 1 RepliesWe bought a 1996 Subaru Outback Legacy Wagon a year ago. It has a salvaged title with some back-end damage that doesn't seem to effect the overall ride of the car. The car really seems to run fine, but the main problem is it randomly won't start. We can drive it short or long distances. It will start just fine 5 to 10 times in a row and then - BAM - we go to leave somewhere and it won't start. It makes a sound like it is trying to turn over, but it just doesn't have that last spark to start...until you wait approximately 10 minutes, then it starts again like nothing happened. We changed the fuel filter thinking it might have a blockage, but to no avail. We live in Portland, Oregon, so we get all four seasons of weather. The temperature does not seem to be of any consequence.
View 16 RepliesI recently replaced the brake pads on my 1996 Subaru Legacy. I can hear a grinding noise when I stop. I checked the brake pads again but could not see anything.
View 1 RepliesI have a 1996 subaru legacy (2.2L) wagon. A couple of years ago, we had to replace the engine after a head gasket issue. A couple months after this replacement, this issue developed. The car would be idling normally, and just quit. No rough idling, no warning lights - just on / off. It only occurs with the engine idling (stop lights, parked, etc.) and will occasionally be proceeded by a rough feeling transmission shift while driving (especially between 40- 55 mph), though I do not know if it is related.
This issue is intermittent, and does not seem to occur until the engine has been running for at least some time. Normally the car will restart immediately, with a flashing A/T oil temp light that will disappear after a few seconds; however, sometimes it requires more attempts to restart, lately. I have taken the car in a few times, but, unfortunately, the subaru dealership could not replicate the issue. It is beginning to happen more frequently now, and I am about ready to take the car back in. What it could be.
I have cleaned the MAF sensor per instructions already - that seemed to work for a few weeks. I was thinking of attempting to clean the idle air control valve or replacing the fuel filter.
Sometimes my 96 Subaru Legacy will not turnover unless the brake pedal is pressed. Other times starts without my foot on the pedal. It seems to need the brake pedal addition more often if it has sat a couple hours or more without being started.
View 5 RepliesWe have a '96 Subaru Legacy Wagon with about 175K on it. Bought used. Ran OK for 2 years and suddenly we get this: going up a hill, even a slight, steady grade for more than a block or two, the car starts shuddering...power ebbs...car slows...check engine light flashes madly...it turns into a cartoon car with tongue dragging out, then dies if you don't pull over and let it pant like a dog. If it dies,one can restart it in half a minute or so.
Our excellent mechanic cleaned engine, valves, checked fuel-related stuff, replaced things, even worked on it for free because he was so stumped. Consulted w/worldwide Subaru experts. Conclusion: some cylinder/valve or something has sort of carved itself a new notch and so doesn't seat properly, evinces itself under pressure of grade or hill, would cost 2-3K to fix...an amount we simply don't have.
I'm doomed to drive this thing for the next 2-3 years, finding grade-less routes in my hilly Northwest city--not an easy task, but got to keep it chugging. Works beautifully on the flat (should I move to Kansas?). Will happily charge up a one-block hill as long as you then go sideways on the flat for a block or two. Big Sigh Here. Whether it could be some other problem? One website yaks about catalytic converters breaking up and blocking lines.
i have a Subaru legacy rs 1996 twin turbo, about 6 months ago now i replaced both front outer CV joints and boots due to a grinding when turning at slow speed e.g a car park. the grinding had gone and its was all fine until now the same grinding as come back. its it normal for the CV joint to wear out that fast or could there be a different problem?
View 5 RepliesToday leaving work my 2009 Mazda Tribute suddenly lost all acceleration after pulling out of the parking lot. Didn't die but was running like it was about to. Pressing the gas pedal had no effect at all. When I turned the car off and started it again, it did start -- with trouble but it started. It ran OK for a few miles but suddenly lost acceleration again. Same thing. The car ran but the gas pedal had no effect. Shutting off and restarting got it going. In the 30 mile trip home it did it a total of 3 times. Each time shutting off and restarting. When I was able to accelerate, it seemed to accelerate OK, but at the same time felt weak and .... laggy. That last part could just be in my head though. Just wondering where to start to fix this.
View 13 RepliesJust bought a 2013 Subaru legacy sport. Within a week the car stopped 5 times while I was driving. There were no dash lights and all gauges were on zero. Had to restart the car each time. I Had it towed back to the dealership. They had the car 4 days and said they drove it 25 miles highway and stop and go. They said the car never just stopped while they were driving and they are giving it back to me tomorrow. I am afraid to drive this car. I will be driving highway to get home.
View 5 RepliesSitting in my living room I noticed that suddenly my headlights on my 97 Subaru ob turned on. First thought was someone was stealing my pos. Knife in hand I went to investigate. No one there. The keys were in the car, in the off position. The headlights all of a sudden turned off. I noticed that the dash lights were flickering on and off. I removed the keys yet the dash lights remained on. Not wanting my battery drained I disconnected the positive cable, which obviously corrected the issue for the time being. When I was disconnecting the battery I heard a mechanical whirring noise coming from the passenger side of the car just behind the headlight. Have never heard this noise before. NOT the intake fan or the AC. Did not investigate extensively due to darkness, wind and rain.
View 11 RepliesI have a 96 outback which all of a sudden has no awd. The rear differential looks as though it has leaked some. I don't know if it has a bad axle, or if this loss of fluid is the culprit..... Where to start?
View 4 RepliesHave a 1997 Subaru Legacy 2.2 liter. Having stalling issues after 20-25 minutes of driving. Will restart but gets shorter and ashorter intervals between stalls and then stalls right after start every time until in has sat a while and cools down. Changer ECU.
View 4 RepliesI drive a 96 Subaru Legacy. What does it mean when one of the high beams is dimmer (less light output) than the low beam? I am using a brand-new bulb. It's not an adjustment issue because I was looking at the bulb when it was outside of the housing and it clearly gets dimmer when you switch to brights. However, they are equally bright when on low-beam, so I don't think its just a crossed wire.
View 2 RepliesI have a 2011 Legacy Sedan with 40K miles. Three weeks ago, I drove the car 25 miles in 90+degree heat on the highway. I parked at a store, did not use the electronic parking brake and when I returned to the car 5 minutes later and started it, the dashboard BRAKE light was flashing. The brake was not engaged. I tried to engage and release it, but it would not engage, when I pushed the button the car 'chirped'. I drove the car home and garaged it. The next morning (after a cooler evening) the light no longer flashed. At that time I was able to engage and release the electronic parking brake and it worked as designed.
A similar sequence has occurred on four different occasions. When I start a cool car, no light. When I start the car after it's been run for a while, I'm getting the flashing light.
I've checked the brake fluid and it's fine. I've checked the OBD and it shows no codes.
Mr Squeaky is a 2003 Subaru Legacy
Here are the signs and symptoms that my car wants to die. The car makes sound like grinding metal after I drive it for a good 10-15 miles. It starts up when I turn to the right. It does not seem to matter how slight the turn to the right is but it seems to not start up until I head in that direction a little bit. Once it gets going, it does not stop, and squeals incessantly. I can make it stop by putting my foot on the brakes but the noise almost always starts right back up as soon as I take my foot off the brake. Speed of travel seems to have no effect on this noise. If I park my car for 5 min and then drive away, again the noise normally goes away. My heat gauge never goes into the oh crap zone, and my mechanics swear my brakes are good.
What would cause the vechile to die randomly, while driving? have check all ground wires, coolant, spark plugs, air filter, and changed fuel filter. no check engine lights come on.
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