paloma Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I have an outback legend auto 3 litre h6 2002(does that sound right? Now exhausted technical knowledge ) i inherited her early with a known fault that dads local garage couldn't resolve. ...although ive seen it on many forums. Basically the speedo and rev counter stop working. Fuel guague shows full and clock picks a random time to display. I have had her a month and she hasn't played up but tonight this happened after two days of a check engine light plus vdc off light (which was why i joined the soc today) I dont think they are linked as havent occurred together before but has anyone else solved the dashboard histrionics? Do i need to go diagnostics re the vdc light or can i really just disconnect the Battery for twenty minutes and drive around in blissful ignorance (similar to current state). Any advice gratefully received and hopefully understood. I am near a subaru garage in ashford but also have a friendly local guy who doesnt rip me off who has a diagnostic bloke that he works with. Many thanks liz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Wotcha and welcome - This could be a dodgy earth it could also be a partially broken connection. Unfortunately if it was me I would have the dash apart checking the loom routing and the connection into the ECU making sure no dodgy or broken connections - as the dash works normally sometimes I would say that is fine but the supply to it is corrupted somehow. A member recently had electronic gremlins and traced it to the connector block plugging into his ECU. sorry I cant be more specific 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paloma Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thanks for that, at least I have a vague idea what the garage should be looking at :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hi welcome to soc. Sorry to hear the subarus playing up. I'd just add its worth looking for any damp too around the floor of the dash I'm wondering if maybe water's getting in and getting on the wires. Of the clocks or even around the ecu. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majik_thighs Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Where are you located paloma? Sent from my Galaxy S6 edge using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenmamba Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Electrical gremlins can be brought about by dying Battery, poor earth/ground points and all sorts of dodgy connectors. A CEL light on will log a fault code which can be read by Subaru - they could charge £60 just to read it via the OBD port. I use a Windows based programme FREESSM (free programme) connected via my laptop to the cars OBD via a eBay-sourced cable costing about £15. You need to get the code read then we'll have something to go on. Meantime, might be good housekeeping anyway to check the tightness of Battery connections and check that the cables are as clean as possible. Any half decent Kwikfit-type of garage can test the Battery and charge rate of the alternator, usually free. Careful not to get suckered into buying a new Battery immediately they say it is no longer serviceable, however. It might just need a good charge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Easiest way I've found was getting the OBDII dongles from eBay and the Torque pro app on mobile not as good as a garages equipment but for less than £10 I wouldn't expect it to be :) but does allow you to read the codes and clear them. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenmamba Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 I don't have a smart phone, hence have to use my old laptop. Works just the same (I guess), still can read and clear codes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paloma Posted May 19, 2015 Author Share Posted May 19, 2015 Thanks for all the advice and info folks, the dashboard is working again today - which is obviously a longterm gremlin. So the VDC off light has returned! I am in Faversham Greenmamba. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Did you have any heavy rain or was the car before it stopped. Wondering if its dried out a bit and working again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Welcome. word of warning, if the dash isn't working the alternator wont be working so a risk of it dying due to lack of electrical pwoer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountainclan Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Easiest way I've found was getting the OBDII dongles from ebay and the Torque pro app on mobile not as good as a garages equipment but for less than £10 I wouldn't expect it to be :) but does allow you to read the codes and clear them. :D Gambit, how does this set up work ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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