Flashing CEL on '98 Ltd OBW w/Auto, Is this a common problem?

I was enquiring about a used '98 Ltd OBW w/Auto with 68,000 miles, when the salesman said there was a story with the car. He said it has a flashing CEL, and lots of people have taken it to check out, even to a Subaru dealer to test/check, but no one can fix it. The car is for sale at a VW dealer. He says we can take it anywhere we want to have it checked, and that it seems to run perfectly fine as is.

Is this a common problem? Is there a known cure?

Should I just forget about this one and keep looking?

Father Guido ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ I plan on living forever... so far, so good

Reply to
Father Guido
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A flashing cel is not a good thing. The cel is a diagnostic tool and is trying to tell you something. These do come on when there is a problem OR sometimes when there is not. Most Subarus I have owned the light is solid...check the owners manual and see what a flashing light means. Sometimes you have to work at the problem to fix it, may take a couple trips to your mechanic but it can ALWAYS be fixed. I would be worried that it has not been fixed because the repair is too expensive (Catalytic converter?). What code/codes do they retrieve? If they can't tell you this and provide an explanation of why it hasn't been fixed I wouldn't even consider it. TG

Reply to
TG

I could be wrong, but I thought a flashing CEL meant stop the car ASAP and a steady CEL meant fix it when you get a chance.

If you live in California, you can't pass smog with a check engine light. I presume that you don't because it's the seller's job to do the smog check.

In any case, get the trouble code(s) read out and see what the computer thinks the problem is.

Reply to
Jim Stewart

WHEN WE PREPARE FOR DEALER INVENTORY A VEHICLE, THERE IS A SET OF GREEN CONNECTORS, (98 LEGACY MODELS WERE NEAR THE INSIDE FUSEBOX) IF THESE CONNECTORS ARE TOGETHER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL FLASH.

IN ALL OTHER INSTANCES THE LIGHT WILL BE SOLID. IT MAY COME ON AT START-UP AND THEN SHUT OFF... BUT A CODE WILL BE STORED. IF THERE ARE NO CODES, AND THE CAR RUNS FINE, GETS 22-27 MPG AND PASSES EMISSIONS, THEN IT MIGHT BE THE ECM.

converter?).

Reply to
marc

Thanks for the replies guys.

I decided to pass on the 'deal'. Supposedly the car had been seen by a Subaru dealer so you'd think they'd have figured out the flashing CEL. Anyway, I'll keep on looking.

Thanks again!

Norm

Father Guido ¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯ I plan on living forever... so far, so good

Reply to
Father Guido

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