Why 1996 Subaru legacy starts intermittently?

Answer 1

There are a number of reasons why your Subaru Legacy might not start all the time. If you're having problems in the cold, it might be that your battery doesn't have enough cold cranking amps to turn the starter. In that case, change the battery. If you haven't replace the battery in a while, it's a relatively inexpensive quick fix that if it doesn't solve the problem, just extends your battery life for the next go around. If you're stuck, turn off everything (radio, rear defrost, headlights, blower fan, etc.) and try starting the car to see if the starter isn't getting enough amps. Beyond that, it could be that your alternator isn't charging your battery properly. If this is the case, you'll see the headlights dim as you turn on and off other electrical equipment when the car is running. Check the voltage across the battery when the car is running. It should be around 13 - 14 volts if the alternator is putting out enough charge. If the alternator and battery are not the problem, the starter could be going out, or the ignition switch could be going bad, or the switch that determines if you're in Park or Neutral (assuming it's an automatic) could be bad. When the car doesn't start, try switching the car into Neutral and see if it starts there. If wiggling the shift lever fixes the problem, replace that switch. If your headlights stay on when you attempt to start the car, it's probably something with the ignition switch. If the headlights go off, it could be the starter.