Electrical failures on 1994 Subaru Legacy wagon. Fusible link failure was diagnosed and replaced, car ran for two days and failed again. Dash lights don’t work, windows don’t work, etc. is this fixable, maybe by replacing the entire dashboard, or should I junk the car?mechanic is SOS automotive, 2501 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley CA 94704
Why not send an SOS to SOS and ask them what needs to be done to fix this? If you post their answer here, we’ll try to assist. Right now you’re panicking, and good decisions are rarely made under that condition
Old Mopar Guy has good advice. However, I will say this; I had a Legacy of that generation. Aside from the engine failing at 11K the car never had any big problems. However it had a LOT of medium sized ones (Alternator, heat shield, etc.) until we finally junked it. The last needed repair was a coolant leak. The mechanic took us aside for “the chat.” We loved that car, but it was always broken.
You have 1997 in your title, but 1994 in your question?
Tester
A fusible link failure is caused by an excessive current load due to a parts failure or short. I tend to think the former. If there was a direct short the car would not run for 2 days before failing.
I think replacing the dashboard is overkill. Without car in hand I can’t tell you where the problem lies. This is why the mechanic needs a factory wiring diagram and who then should sit down and understand the wiring before doing anything.
Just my opinion, but I don’t think this is serious. It just takes a little logic and testing before assuming the worst. Believe it or not, most electrical issues usually have a simple cause.
Check the condition of the fusible link contact connections. They may be loose or burned due to excessive heat due to the current load. I assume it is the link inside the panel under the that you are referring to. If the contacts are bad you may have replace the fuse panel.