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2004 Outback flashing cruise control light

11K views 28 replies 8 participants last post by  deeppowder 
#1 ·
I recently purchased a 2004 Outback that has the California emission package. I stopped to fuel the vehicle and on the 5 mile ride home the check engine light came on. When I got home, I pulled the gas cap and retightened it. When I started it this morning, the check engine light was still on and I noticed that the cruise control button was flashing (not sure if it was flashing last night) and the cruise control did not work. Is this flashing a code telling me what the problem is? I have access to a code reader and will get the guys at work to read the error code.


Just curious what the flashing light is? Maybe the flashing light is the cause of the check engine light? The flashing very consistent though. Not intermittent at all.


Thanks.


Jeff
 
#3 ·
I just read a few previous threads about the cruise light flashing. I should mention that the original fuel cap is missing and a replacement cap is in its place. I should also mention that the CEL is on steady. Maybe bad fuel as I just filled the car?


I had a previous 2004 Outback and I never saw the flashing cruise control light even though the CEL was on for 100,000 miles.


Jeff
 
#4 ·
a subaru fuel cap?

or a parts store "fits subaru" fuel cap?

Edit: and get the codes read and report back...free at a parts store,...just don't buy anything.
 
#5 ·
Flashing cruise control light may be an indication that front or rear hubs or bearings were replaced with non-OEM units, especially if you just got that car...

I've had that happen on my 05 LLBeaner (flashing CC light randomly) and it turned out that the front wheel hubs were replaced with non-OEM hubs by previous owner. He installed aftermarket hubs. After correct OEM hubs were installed by my dealer, the CC light stopped flashing....Engine Check warning light was a collateral error code...once cleared, it never came back....

Do you have a complete repair history of your 2004 OB that you have recently acquired? Check it out if any such work was done....
 
#6 ·
The gas cap appears to be a fit Subaru cap. I have my previous 04' back at the house now as a parts car. If that is the problem, I will swap them out.


Yes, I did get the car fax for this car. Some curious transmission info from about 60,000 miles ago but that's all that stood out. No hub work though.


I should say that I have had the car for 1,500 miles or so. First time for the CEL and/or flashing cruise control light has come on. Probably the 4th tank of gas?


Working on getting the shop guys to read the code.


Jeff
 
#10 ·
How do I know it has a 5U engine? We selected that option on the shop reader tool because the car has California emissions on it.


Nice work DP, the code came up as P0420- "Catalyst system efficiency below threshold"


Got the guys to reset the code, drove around the shop for a couple minutes, the code has not reappeared as of yet.


Bad gas after just refueling?


Thanks to all for the replies.


Jeff
 
#15 ·
Very unlikely that a P0420 code will reappear in a single day, as it is a "TWO CONSECUTIVE FAIL EVENT MONITOR". In other words, it will take two drive cycles (with a full stone cold cool down in between) for it to trigger if there is an ongoing problem.
 
#22 ·
The CEL did not come on during the 1 hour ride home after getting the shop guys to read the code and clear it. When I drove the car to work this morning, the CEL and the CC were acting as if normal, not lit and not flashing.


I tried using the CC on the drive. The light came on after pushing the button but I could not get the cruise to operate. I think after doing a search and reading a ton of threads, I came across one that said it might take a few run cycles for the cruise to work properly again?


Am I mistaken about that?


Thanks.


Jeff
 
#23 ·
I don't want to scare you but that is exactly how my cc was malfunctioning; I would put it on, it would work for initial setting but then it did not respond to commands/inputs. I had to stop the car, shut the engine off and re-start. Then again, I would engage cc, it would work until I tried either increase or decrease the speed with cc lever.
These episodes resulted in my front hub replacements...
 
#25 ·
It could be a whole new problem. The little CC control arm can set the cruise when you tap down on it but may not respond to the tap up to increase speed or the tap down to slow down. Try getting some tuner-knob spray (Radioshack, etc.) and squirt a little in above and below the stalk arm to clean the connections and get rid of 11 years of gunk that has built up in there.

Or it may be related to your current problem. Either way, $4 can of spray may fix it.
 
#26 ·
The problem is that once you shut the car off and re-start, it goes through the same "error" cycle; i.e. it works first and than it doesn't. In such scenario lubricating the control lever may not be the culprit, IMO...
 
#27 ·
Well, this morning the CEL and CC lights came back on.


I should add to all of this that just previous to purchasing the vehicle, the timing belt was changed. I am beginning to wonder if the timing was off because it seems when the RPM is in the 1500-2000 range and I get on the gas, the engine runs rough until the speed and RPM rise.


I noticed this morning when the engine was running rough, the CEL would flash. Then when it would smooth out, the CEL would stay on solid along with CC light.


I did just fill the car up yesterday at the same gas station that I did previous to the problem starting in the first place.


Jeff
 
#28 ·
The CEL is FLASHING because the engine is running rough! It's called a misfire indicator, and if you read the owners manual it pretty much declares this situation as 'crisis-mode'. In a misfire, raw gas is making it's way to your catalytic converter, and combustion of raw gas can overheat and cause a meltdown of the core ceramic. After the misfire situation ends, the CEL is on as a permanent reminder alerting you to do something about it! There is also freezeframe data there telling which cylinder and the conditions present at the time of the misfire.
 
#29 ·
Thanks Fibber2. It seems when it misfires, it is always when attempting to accelerate. I mentioned something about what the rpm's were when this is happening but after paying more attention to it, it seems like it occurs at different levels of rpm. After looking around the forum, it seems like I should get a look at the plugs, wires and those connections, air filter, pcv valve, anything else?


Its ok to give me a hard time, I reset the code by disconnecting the negative battery lead w/o reading the CEL code..........


Jeff
 
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