I've had a sporadic problem on my MY98 Wagon for the last year or so. The car will simply lose power and it seems like the engine has cut out, as the odometer reading disappears, although I swear there is no battery light and I can use the hazards and indicators to highlight my distress! It only seems to last between 1 and 3 seconds before things return to normal and the airbag light comes on temporarily in the same way you get on start up. I'm almost positive that the engine is still actually running, although there is no acceleration when the throttle is depressed.

It used to happen once every 3 months or so, then stopped for 6 months and now has happened 3 times in the last month, so getting panicky now as the 90k service is still 6 weeks away and the missus is due to drop the sprog before then. Running through the various threads here, it seems like the crank sensor could be a suspect and at the last service when mentioned it in passing, that was the Subaru Dealers best guess. Anyone able to confirm or otherwise?

Cheers

 

Seen something like this before. Turned out to be dodgy contacts in the ignition switch. Next time it happens, try cycling the key to "ACC" then back to "ON" and see if it sorts. If it does, you know the culprit.

 

The problem is electrical as mentioned. Check you earth's and it is most likely to be the ignition as mentioned because your lights should not go out from and engine sensor problem

 

Thanks guys.

Submannz - My sister is a NZ resident and lives in Palmerston North. Will be heading put there for a visit in the next year, so may be catch up with you when we tour the North Island!

 

Sure that would be fine, Palmy is quite a way away. I am over in Europe at the end of this year.