Just bought a 2005 Outback 3.0 RN. I've owned 2 Legacy Estate Turbos and 2 Forester Turbos in the past and loved them. Have had time off Subarus for the last 2 years with a Lexus IS300 Sportcross and have now got Lexus out of my system, feeling the need to get back to 4WD. Drove the car back to Hampshire from Yorkshire and have now got a disco light show going, with the Multifunction, Vehicle Dynamics Control lights staying on and the SPORT indicator flashing. It's a lovely car, but I'm wondering if I've bought a dud!

Welcome to the Subaru Owners Club

best bet would be to get it stright on to a diagnostics machine and see whats going on.

Did you buy it from a garage?

Nothing as simple!! Hopefully, it'll just be a sensor, although the last time I had a sensor failure was on an import - the last Forester - and it cost a fortune!

Just had the Outback on a diagnostics test. Previous owner had done an oil and filter change - oil leaking into belly pans and the dipstick was 1cm over-filled. All disco lights now cancelled and I am breathing again!!

Thats good news mate.. wallet can now relax :)

Disco lights back. Have had the car into an auto gearbox specialist, who has traced the fault to a switch in the gearbox. Subaru will only supply the switch as part of a valve body (even though it is separate) and this will cost £1100. Is this company just a bunch of crooks?

Did you get the car from a dealer ? I'm guessing not with the distance, I'm guessing private sale.

Do you know the name of the part your after ? I would ring some autopart places up yourself, and ask for some prices seem's alot to me for a part, unless the cost is fitting also. And if that fale's I know it's a new car you have but Check ebay see if anyone is breaking one or see if maybe an older model part will fit and again look at ebay for anyone breaking one down. Sorry about the bad news mate I know how it feel's. And sorry I could not be of anymore help then that. :(

It was a private sale, but I don't think that the fault occurred with the previous owner, as I drove the car down from Yorkshire with no lights showing. It was only a couple of days later that it started. It's not a gearbox problem per se, but a faulty switch. The gearbox man says that Subaru won't sell the switch separately and £1100 is the part only! I'll just have to get used to driving with a constant fault light showing and put up with having no cruise control, which is disabled automatically when the lights are on. This is my 5th Subaru and I've loved the previous 4, but it'll be my last unless Subaru come up with a solution. I'm writing to Subaru Japan, as Subaru UK seems to be just a bunch of charlatans.

I understood it's not the gearbox but they will, I'm guessing need to take that out to get to the switch if it's inside. and thats not a small job hence why I asked if it was with fitting. And if you knew what the part was I would look into it a bit more. And see if you can get the part on it's own. Subaru main dealer's when I have dealt with them have been fine with me, like when I was after a hub. But they might sell it as a joblot, or do as you have found out.

I would try place's like these.

http://www.camberleyautofactors.com/home/index.php

But you will need to know what the part's called, or a part's number. And again would look on ebay. Until I have check every possible alternative I would hold off paying that much for any part. But either way hope it's resolved soon, and not to costly :)

Thanks for the advice and I'll certainly try CAF. I've had some experience of the cost of Subaru parts before, as a Japanese spec Forester that I had needed a new sensor. That cost upwards of £180, when the electronics involved must have been worth less than a fiver! This model is going to be frustrating, I know, as to fit an aftermarket audio, I have first had to source an adaptor for the dash (£240 plus £60 to the VATman and Parcelforce!). It's a nice drive, though, so I'll stick with it for now.

Welcome to the Subaru Owners Club!

Thanks for the advice and I'll certainly try CAF. I've had some experience of the cost of Subaru parts before, as a Japanese spec Forester that I had needed a new sensor. That cost upwards of £180, when the electronics involved must have been worth less than a fiver! This model is going to be frustrating, I know, as to fit an aftermarket audio, I have first had to source an adaptor for the dash (£240 plus £60 to the VATman and Parcelforce!). It's a nice drive, though, so I'll stick with it for now.

Not a problem at all. Just hope you can get it sorted for less pennie's :D And I know what you mean about having to spend money to get other items your adding to the car to work, was putting a revclock in one of the car's and found out you can't fit them the same way you use to be able to. So going to cost me another £90 with item tax and delivery as i can only seem to find them in America. So what was a £25 clock to add to the dash is now £110 later :D But I don't mind when it's something I'm adding and not needing to repair ;)

Mr gearbox has cleaned a load of gunk from the switch, so hopefully the warning lights will stay off! He tells me that the switch is just a component of the valve body, but is integral, so the only way round it is to replace the lot. A brand new gearbox is apparently £3400, so it seems a bit steep to want about a third of that price for such a small item. Ho hum......

Picks one's self up from the floor.... Ouch!. And finger's crossed for ya that the clean up has done the job. Did he clear any error codes as well ?

I'm sure he did.

Yes, he's cleared the codes and just said that, if they should return, drop by and he'll clear them again. I should be thankful that there's no functional problem with the 'box, I suppose! I'm tempted to buy a brand new 'box that's on offer on Fleabay for £999....

Wow that is steep - fingers crossed its done the trick, would it be possible to mod you own gearbox to have the component removeable / serviceable?

A lot of money after buying the car, but looking at the cost of what you could be paying I tend to agree. It might be worth it in the long run. But I think I would see how it goes for now. :D

All lights back on, so it's giving me plenty of value for money! Shall just have to get used to driving with warning lights on. Other than this, it's a great car - loads of room, loads of oomph and the sure-footedness I expect from a Subaru. I almost wish there was something wrong with the transmission!!

Gutted for you mate. Can't belive you have had so much bad luck :( Like you say might just need to get used to it foe now. And you said the power's still there wich can only be a good thing :D