90 Subaru Help?

Hi, Ron,

This is going to sound crazy (and it is) but check your brake lights and any other item that you can think of that could be related to the brake or safety system. I kinda doubt a '90 Subaru has the complicated control system that more recent cars do, but my 2001 Saturn cruise control quit working and it wasn't until I replaced both rear brake lights (both were burnt out) that it came back to life. I suspect this is part of the safety programming in the Body Control Module.

I Googled '1990 subaru cruise control problem' and got some results. Some of the forums say that a vacuum line on the CC actuator could be loose or not pulling proper vacuum. Others say there's a linkage of some kind involved. If your mom's vehicle has this line maybe you could do a vacuum check.

In my case, having the electrical diagrams didn't really help, but you might have better luck if you could get a copy of a Chiltons or similar repair manual, or even try asking a Subaru dealership.

Lastly, there are some good forums on the Internet. One that I've had success with is 2carpros.com. I'm sure there are others that are just as good, though.

Good luck!

This was done by a Subaru dealer? If just a local mechanic he might have failed in some step.

Suggest you source a subaru manual from online and look-see.

Hi Ron

Does the rev counter still work on your instrument panel. If not it is most likely to be the tacho sensor which is located on the gearbox. If this has failed it throws up all sorts of weird problems. Maybe the mechanic just forgot to re-connect it whilst changing the gearbox.

Hope this helps.

Brian

In all probability the CC was not reconnected. First check if the replacement transmission was equipped with CC: it is usually a second speedometer cable that goes to the CC box. If the replacement transmission was not equipped for CC you are out of luck. Insist the shop that replaced the transmission fix the problem. If you have already paid them the best bet is to buy a repair manual for that car and trace the connections.

If you source a circuit diagram and perhaps a maintenance guide for the cruise control.

A maintenance guide should lead you through the diagnostic steps relevant to that vehicle.

There is a very good Subaru owners forum with an active American branch. They've helped me with a couple of things. I can't find the address just now but will post it when I get home in about 8 hours.

Legacy/Outback forum scroll down the page a bit to find your area.

I am a firm believer in "The last one that touched it screwed it up" Check for any cables that are attached to the throttle. If this was adjusted because someone thought it was a kick down linkage, it could be the problem. Look and see if there was a cable connected before that does not seem to be connected now. There must be a speed signal for the CC system to attempt to match for the system to work. Mechanical, or electric? I don't know You will need to determine that. Good luck.