HOW TO FIX THE CABLE RELEASES FOR FUEL/TRUNK

[dscoobydoo]

For both of the wagons/sedans and most subarus, the fuel and trunk release latches and cabling are all the same.

So, if you ( or someone else ) broke the tabs, or the levers or the release itself, it is a cheap and easy fix.

Both of the cables run from the lever ( at the driver's hip mounted to the floor of the car) down the side of the car. They turn 90 degrees and run under the rear seat to the far side, then up behind the seat belt extractor, through a small bulkhead into the rear trunk. They follow a wiring harness on the upper passenger side of the trunk. The fuel cable then turns 180 degrees and runs on the BACK side of the car facing forwards into it's slot on the left side of the fuel door assembly. The trunk cable continues down the passenger side of the car and turns left and runs along the back of the trunk where it hooks into the mechanism.

There are a series of zip ties and cable stays that keep both cables secured to the vehicle.

( Pictures will follow)
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Starting from the front:
Remove BOTH the front and rear driver's side door sill trim pieces with a flat bladed screwdriver.
Remove the rear seat lower portion with a 12mm socket.
Pull from the car.
( At this point, if you can,also remove the front driver's seat as this will make things much easier)

Using a small phillips screwdriver, carefully remove the plastic screw holding down the front part of the plastic cover piece over the lever assembly.


Then using a small regular screwdriver, pry up the tab on the back of the plastic trim piece and remove that phillips screw.

There will be tabs on the lower right side of the plastic cover piece, so pull to your right and forward as you try to pull up on the cover piece.

after the trip piece comes off, you will need to release the four plastic tabs that hold the carpet to the floor. Then peel back the carpet so you can get to the bolts that hold the lever assembly.


you will notice two 10mm bolts on the left side that attach the lever assembly to the floor. remove them.

Now, do not get into a rush and try to disconnect the cables from the levers. They are secured to spots on the floor of the vehicle, and you will not be able to do so until you get some slack.

[dscoobydoo]

There will be plastic cover pieces on the driver's side that you will need to remove to access the cables.

Carefully remove them.

In the middle of the back seat, the cables will be sitting in slots attached to the floor.

Carefully pull the cables up.

You will have enough slack now to return to the lever and free the cables.

Take a flat screwdriver and carefully pry down on the cables so they release from the slots that hold them to the lever.


You will need to pull on the cables and bring them down 90* so they can be pulled from the levers.

Now that they are free, carefully feed them back through the hole in the floor to the rear seatwell.


The cable should now be free up to the passenger rear seat.

There are three zip ties that keep the cables secured to the wiring assembly.

One just above the seat floor on the passenger rear side, one behind the seat belt actuator ( the hardest to get to) and one in the trunk just before the cable goes 180 back to the fuel door.

You will need to cut these to get the cable out.

Once you do that, reach behind the fuel door and grab the head of the cable. You will need to turn it about 20 degrees ( to the left I think) and it will come free.

[dscoobydoo]

reserved for more pics/writing