[jfoo]

I have a 07 manual transmission with 192k miles on it. This morning I tried to start the car and nothing happened. No clicking, nothing. My mom opened the door while I still had the key on and suddenly all the accessories turned on. It still didn't start. I tested the battery and it read about 12V. Then the car started, I've driven it around today and no more starting problems. We are planning to drive across the empty southwest in a few days. About a month ago I got the valve covers and spark plugs replaced and then hit a deer. The car was repaired, but the spark plug wires were defective. The dome light also went "on the blink". I put in a new bulb, which stays on when on "door mode". The clock reset itself a few days ago. I got a new coil while the mechanic tried to figure out the problem with the wires.

If I bring it in, I think they will say they can't reproduce the problem and I'm out of another $100. Anyone have any idea if my car is going to catch on fire or not start when we are several hours walk from cell phone service? Could it be a fixable short or just a random fluke on a string of bad luck? thanks!

 

[taborekle]

Just a guess but I would look closely at the door switch. You describe three seperate issues that seem related to the door. "The dome light went on the blink", "My mom opened the door ... all the accessories turned on", "It stays on when on door mode."

Did you examine the light bulb you replaced and could you tell if the filiments in it where burned out?

My guess is you have a door switch that is defective.

Larry

 

[Saint J VT]

Who really knows?
If the car has never been in a wreck and if no one ever tampered with the original wiring, there may be little to no electrical issues. However, if the car was wrecked and if the wiring harness was damaged and just pieced-together, there is an open-circuit waiting to happen.

Where I live, in the brine country, the first things to go around here are ground and bonding straps. Suddenly a bunch of things don't work and the one thing they have in common is a grounding strap that has corroded to the point of failure.

If you can look underneath the vehicle on a lift would be best. Then you can shine a light around looking for loose ground connections or connections that are so corroded and rotted they are good for nothing.

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

possible intermittent neutral safety switch

possible intermittent cables or battery terminal corrosion.

maybe overlapping problems.

 

[Saint J VT]

possible intermittent neutral safety switch

possible intermittent cables or battery terminal corrosion.

maybe overlapping problems.

Exactly, when you get into "intermittent" problems, there is a REASON they are intermittent. They are poor connections, making a closed circuit one second and then an open circuit the next second. That is why, where I live, the first thing to suspect is rusted, corroded ground straps and any connection plugs or wires that are visible to the elements of the roads here.

However, ALSO add the possibility that the car had been wrecked and instead of portions of wiring harness removed and replaced with new, the wires were merely taped in hidden locations. Short of taking the ENTIRE CAR APART, how would one even BEGIN to find some kind of jury-rigging like THAT?? :28:

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

I doubt anyone here can do much other than offer general areas to inspect. If you feel the car is not reliable, I urge you to consider renting a car for your trip.

 

[jfoo]

I did hit a deer and probably got more repairs than the car is worth, put into it.

But the battery IS over 5 years old. The car died today after I drove it around, and is at the mechanic (not the body shop) now. I probably will decide to rent if they think it is just the battery. Renting costs less than all the fixing I've been doing and I don't trust the repairs anymore.

ugh.

 

[subiesailor]

I have a 07 manual transmission with 192k miles on it. This morning I tried to start the car and nothing happened. No clicking, nothing. My mom opened the door while I still had the key on and suddenly all the accessories turned on. It still didn't start. I tested the battery and it read about 12V. Then the car started, I've driven it around today and no more starting problems. We are planning to drive across the empty southwest in a few days. About a month ago I got the valve covers and spark plugs replaced and then hit a deer. The car was repaired, but the spark plug wires were defective. The dome light also went "on the blink". I put in a new bulb, which stays on when on "door mode". The clock reset itself a few days ago. I got a new coil while the mechanic tried to figure out the problem with the wires.

If I bring it in, I think they will say they can't reproduce the problem and I'm out of another $100. Anyone have any idea if my car is going to catch on fire or not start when we are several hours walk from cell phone service? Could it be a fixable short or just a random fluke on a string of bad luck? thanks!

Subaru's are very well known for being very picky about the type of plugs and wires used. NGK plugs are a must or you will have big issues very shortly after replacing them with something other than NGK. Wires are also a known issue they require very good high quality wires given they do have issues with the cheap stuff.

The starter link could be wonky tired ignition or as mentioned the neutral / park shifter position causing an issue. Always as in since the days of Automatics with cut off switches to prevent attempted starts while in gear - you always try the starting the car in Neutral if you run into an odd issue of no starter when in Park.