legacycentral bbs

So I bought a '93 Turbo Legacy recently...

one of the things I immediately noticed was that one of the dash-light bulbs appeared burned out. The left and the middle of the gauge cluster were lit up, but the right side was dark. About half the speedo was lit, the right half of it was dark, as was the fuel gauge.

I figured the right-most bulb must be burnt out, so I didnt worry about it too much.

Well, last weekend I installed an amp and the dash-light mysteriously lit up! I dont know exactly what caused it, but I was a little dismayed that my problem was an electrical gremlin and not just a burned out bulb.

Anyway, the dash was working fine for about a week. I then read about the "grounding mod" that many people have done, and I figured I'd give it a try.

I ran a new 6gauge wire from the battery to the ground-bolt right above the headlight, ran another wire from the battery to the driver side strut tower, then ran a third wire from that strut tower over to the passenger side one.

I called it a night because it was getting dark and cold. I figured I'd do the last wire (to the engine block) the next day after work.

As I drove to work the next morning, I noticed that the damned dash light was out again! I figured it must have something to do with where it was grounded.

Just now I removed my stupid added ground wires (they did nothing anyway). I made sure to sand down each of the ground bolts and attach them firmly. It didn't make any difference though, because my dash light is still out!

Does anyone have any idea what might have happened? does it use one of the bolts on the strut towers as a ground? what about the one over the headlight? Think it was pure random chance and had nothing to do with my ground wires?

Is that bulb the only gremlin you've noticed?

Sometimes light bulbs actually kind of repair themselves after burning out. Current arcs across the filament's remains and welds it back together.

I doubt your ground wires had anything to do with it.

Yes it's the only issue I've seen anywhere. I'm thinking I must have bumped something... but... I didnt even work in the same areas when I installed the amp and when I installed the ground wires.

Damn. 5 good smacks to the top of the dash and everything is lit up now. Well, I guess I shouldnt look a gift horse in the mouth!

Works great for TVs, too!

Steve

The bulb in the passger side of the guages on mine goes out occasionally, and a little "I'm Rick James Beeatch(can't get enough of that )" and it comes back. I keep telling myself to wait until another goes out to fix it, and that it's not worth ripping apart the dash for one LED. But it's starting to tweek me out.

just take it apart and replace all of em

Mine did that too. I actually replaced the bulbs and it still flickered until i smacked the top of the dash, havent had a problem since. I think it has to do with the way the bulb connects to the power source. Thwas probably a little corrosion on the contacts.

Came across this site looking for a "K.I.S.S.-solution" for offchipping paint at the black painted chromestrips above the doors and those friggin'sun visors, which keep falling down whenever I drive over a pot hole. (Does anyune have good tips?) I read your story and recognised the problem at once with my '91 Legacy. It gets even better: at some sunny day the electrics suddenly decided that it would be cool to have the automat-gear lights (at the center of the dash) lighted permanently even when the contact is switched off. (Very annoying when parking your car at long term parking at the airport and discovering a flat battery at return. solved the problem by installing an extra mainswitch at the battery)

Coming back to your dash problem, I have found somehow a correlation between the outside temperature and lighting failiure; When it gets below freezing point my fuel gauge fails, when it gets even colder my speedometer light fails. I have accepted it as such and merely see it as a spring sign when the dash lights start working normal again.

To make a long story brief, my message to you is; One can spend months pondering the riddles laid out by the Subaru electrical engineers, but I think the best solution is to accept the small flaws of the early Lecacys and concentrate on the things that are good:... how the balance of the car is designed that it cuddles the curves and that one gentle push on the trottle makes the sound of the engine remind you why..

I am fully aware that this, as an answer to your problem, is probably a load of manure to you, but it helped me.
Yours,
Erwenjos

I don't think you people talk nicely to your cars enough. I never have these problems.

Steve