# Suburu outback **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** outback, subaru\ **Created:** [January 16, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619 "2010-01-16T02:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asanti220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@asanti220](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asanti220)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/1 "2010-01-16T02:10:11Z")
I am driving home Outback’s brake and battery lights go on, then the power steering goes dead. I wrestled the steering wheel to turn into the drive way. What kind of repairs will I expect? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/2 "2010-01-16T02:13:01Z")
Have you considered opening your hood to see if a accessory drive belt has broken? ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/3 "2010-01-16T02:16:14Z")
I would be willing to put some money on the likelihood that your serpentine belt snapped, thus causing your alternator to stop charging the battery and leading to no power assist for the steering. I hope that you did not drive very far once all this happened, because your water pump also stopped at that point. If you drove more than a short distance, you may have overheated the engine, and Subaru engines do not usually take overheating without damage to the cylinder heads and possibly other components. The car is not driveable in this condition. Call for a flatbed (the car CANNOT be towed without causing very big repair bills) and have the car transported to your mechanic. Hopefully it will only need the serpentine belt. ---
**Author:** ![asanti220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@asanti220](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asanti220)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/4 "2010-01-16T02:21:14Z")
I was so pissed I couldn’t even look at it. This is our second Suburu and if it’s the belt I am done. ---
**Author:** ![asanti220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@asanti220](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asanti220)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/5 "2010-01-16T02:22:26Z")
I was afraid of this. Thanks for your responses. I will to face this in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![asanti220](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@asanti220](https://community.cartalk.com/u/asanti220)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/6 "2010-01-16T02:32:48Z")
Can a regular person replace the serpentine belt? ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2010, 12:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/suburu-outback/42619/7 "2010-01-16T12:26:42Z")
Anyone can replace a serpentine belt. It is a wear item and relatively easy on a Subaru. Subaru are nothing special to work on. The only exception is diagnosis for driveline issues leave mechanics stumped when they fail(rarely).