My car just fell apart in 5 minutes

[Apex3]

wtf happened?

Driving home last night and within 5 minutes my driver side headlight goes out(probably unrelated), speedometer goes out, and check engine light comes on. I just checked the codes and I'm getting coolant temp sensor(21), oxygen sensor(32), speed sensor(33), and atmospheric pressure sensor.

I feel like this all has to be related somehow, I'm not that unlucky. O2 sensor could have been an old code though, but any ideas what could have happened with the others?

My friends are saying they think it's a bad ground, any ideas where to start(or how?)

[rallyak]

Speedometer cable malfunction would trip code 33 and the others may be old codes.

[Apex3]

I should also note that it randomly died on the way to work this morning, started right back up and it was the only problem I've had, but still, it happened.

I'm fairly certain it's the main ground, I went to unscrew it and clean it up and the bolt sheered right off, leaving the rest of it in what seems to be a very rusty hole. Gonna have to take care of that tomorrow, hopefully that'll do it, but both of my headlights are now out(though I replaced a bulb prior to that and it worked fine until I messed with the ground). guess I'm driving the M3 to work.

But I reset the codes, and all of them came back, so it's not just the speed sensor.

[rallyak]

Fix the ground and clear codes but if speedometer don't work the vss code will come back.

[kimokalihi]

By "speedometer goes out", do you mean just the light or the speedo quit working? If the the speedo cable breaks (pretty common to break the tip off that sticks into the tranny) then you will get a bunch of codes and the car will run in limp mode and run like crap.

[Dominator]

^^ If it's that, it's a pretty easy fix. Parts are still available from your Subaru dealer parts dept. If you don't have a signal going to the speedometer gauge, you will have a code pop up. There is a VSS built into the speedo gauge. You've been on here long enough that you probably already know that. But it's helpful to others reading this thread later on.

[Apex3]

Sweet, I will look for that, it runs fine but I've been in several situations where something was supposed to make my car run bad but did nothing(o2 sensor I'm looking at you). My speedometer doesn't give a speed, needle just sits there.

I am derp though, my headlights were out because I had my high beams on, which I already knew don't work(unrelated problem, don't know what it is, don't really care much, but it's been going on for a while.

[Dominator]

I replaced the bottom adapter piece on mine. To check it, I took the transmission end of the cable loose, and hooked up a drill (counter-clockwise rotation I believe) to the rod inside the cable, and the speedometer showed movement. So the problem was in the trans side of things. The base adapter piece breaks sometimes (pretty common). I took that out in pieces, make sure you get the rubber piece and the washer piece, I used a magnet to fish it out, then a needle nose pliers to remove the broken chunk of aluminum from the end of the adapter side. (I think it's aluminum so it breaks first rather than screwing up the speedo gear inside the trans. Just my though on that.)

Screw the new speedo adapter base in, and connect the cable to it, making sure it's seated all the way and the wire clip is attached correctly, and you're good to go.

Here's the part numbers for the speedo cables

The manual trans is 2 piece cable, and the part numbers are:
37410AA061 Speedo Cable T/M
37410AA181 Speedo Cable Gauge Cluster Side

Here's the bottom part of the Manual Trans cable.




The automatic is a one piece cable, and an end that screws into the trans.
737411752 Speedo Adapter
I can't find the auto cable number at the moment.

Talk to your local Subaru parts counter. That's where you'll have to get the pieces anyway.


Josh has a photo of the adapter already, this is all I replaced on my 91 Auto trans, and it fixed my problems.

[kimokalihi]

Same here except I replace the whole cable and the brand new one broke in only a few thousand miles.

[Apex3]

I'm kinda weirded out that when I went to the speed sensor page in my manual there was a troubleshooting receipt from Autozone from 2009 saying a Legacy had a bad speed sensor. I have never had Autozone troubleshoot anything

I think I'm just gonna order a sensor, might as well replace it if I'm gonna take it out to check it anyway. Where exactly is it located on what I assume is a NA manual AWD transmission(it was swapped in)?

[Dominator]

It's on the transmission, passenger side. You can see it looking from the top, between the turbo and the pitch stop mount. It's on a flat section of the case. It will have an orange dust cap on the cable. If in doubt, trace the speedo cable til it meets the trans.

[Dominator]

^^ on an Automatic. I am not 100% on a manual trans.

[Dominator]

Here you go, I had a picture that showed it pretty well. I circled it for ya.

[Apex3]

Well, I found it and took it out, and it seems to be in tact, I'm thinking about just buying a new assembly just to see if that fixes it since it seems to be about $36 if I'm looking at the right part...

One problem though is I'm not entirely sure what transmission is in the car...

[kimokalihi]

Doesn't matter. Just buy one for a 90 legacy. First install it again and remove your cluster. Pull the cable off the back and see if the cable inside the jacket spins freely. It shouldn't. If it does its broken. Or its possible the gear inside the tranny is broken. Maybe instead of putting the tranny side back in have someone hold the rectangle shaped end of it while you sit inside and try to turn the other end. That's what I would do. If it isn't broken then its either the gear inside the trans that's broken or its the speedo or quite possibly its just not seated completely in the back of the cluster. Its happened to me before. Its a real bitch to get it to seat all the way.

[Apex3]

Well for $36, and something that commonly goes bad, I'll just buy one, it's clearly not new, so F it. The cable does spin freely in the bottom section of the cable, the foot or so that goes into the tranny. It also seems like the connection between that cable and the long section is pretty loose.

But thank you though. You're saying that any transmission that fits the car should use the same speed sensor though? It was auto to manual swapped in case you missed that.

[kimokalihi]

Should be the same. Just buy the 5mt one if its even any different. There's probably a picture with part number in my build thread somewhere but it would take a while to find it.

[Apex3]

Alright well I'll look around, I called subaru and they can't find it

[kimokalihi]

Those guys don't know what they're doing half the time.

[Apex3]

Okay replaced both cables and now it works. But now I gotta figure out why my blinkers aren't working.

Every time I do something on this car I'm reminded of how shittily thought out every little bit is. Now I get to take it all apart for the third time, hooray!

EDIT: Not sure what I did but it all works now(and yes my emergency lights were plugged in already).

[rallyak]

You forgot to plug in your hazard light switch that's all.

[rallyak]

I didn't read far enough nice it worked it self out.

[Apex3]

That was the second of my three times taking it apart no idea what fixed it but it works so I don't care.

Did some work on my M3 today too so now both of my cars are running better

[Dave_J]

Grounds are #1 in most automotive electrecal failures. Intermittent grounds are a pain in the rump to find. Thats why you should doubble up all grounds or do a "Round Robin" loop ground. Just some #10 AWG or better yet #6 AWG with crimp lugs split and recrimped over the copper wire. I use the large "YELLOW" crimp lugs, pull the yellow plactic peice off, split the crimp open, then skin the ground wire back enough to slide the crimp connector over, recrimp and soldier.

You all would not beleif how much better things work with a solid ground network. It only costs $10 and about 1/2 hour. DO IT!!!

I had a loose ground on my 65 Cuda and guess where the engine got its ground? Thru the transmission and up the speedo cable. The speedo cable melted.