2001 Outback - Tried “everything” help!

Asked by AtMyWitsEnd1986 Nov 23, 2020 at 08:53 PM about the 2001 Subaru Outback Limited Wagon

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Okay. So I’ve got a 2001 Outback that is
giving my mechanic and I a run for our money.

It overheats but ONLY when the heat is turned
on in the car, after driving highway speed,
then stopping. More granular details below.

We have replaced:

- Both head gaskets
- Thermostat (twice!)
- water pump & timing belt
- radiator

Here’s what happens.

Driving in the city, heat on - no temp change
Driving on the highway, heat on - overheats
when idling, not while driving
If I turn the temp to cold, the gauge goes back
to normal, instantly.

What the heck could this possibly be? And
yes, we have already vacuum sealed the
system so there’s no bubbles.

5 Answers

Cooling fans working! And yep, it’s a puzzling one. We’re going to try bypassing the heater core tomorrow to see if it’s clogged. If it runs fine, then we have our answer!

930

Unlikely to be clogged heater hoses, as they're un-valved and are plumbed inline continuously. Although clogs occur, they would affect operation all the time, as the heater controls operate air plenum doors only.

755

Is it actually showing signs of overheating or is it only the gauge saying it is overheating? Sending unit / gauge problem?

Your Answer:

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