Damn, that was a painfully easy diagnosis... As a dealership technician myself (not for Subaru, mind you), this kind of stuff makes me REALLY upset. I really put my heart and soul into my work (for better or worse) because I want to be proud of my work, and I want the customer to be happy just as much as I want to get paid, lol. So when I see shitty work done by other dealerships or service shops (or even worse, my own co-workers), it just pushes me to do better. Sometimes I'll even go out of my way to correct someone else's poor work, even if I won't get paid for it, nor will the customer ever notice.

I'm pretty sure they arrived at their diagnosis through sheer laziness.

The hell with the official “Subaru Master Mechanic” tittle! Ur a master mechanic in our books. 👍🏾

Thank God there are people like you who actually care about others. You really are a wizard.

Really helpful video for diagnosing electrical problems. It is also proof that taking the car to a dealership does NOT mean you have the best techs/mechanics. Independents have almost always been better in my view. Otherwise, going to a dealership where you know the mechanic is experienced with Subies and not just a computer jock is the best alternative.

I had a draw on my 2009 Outback, I turned off the alarm system, problem solved.

Good works! Hard to believe the Dealership could not make this simple diagnostic test to isolate the parasitic drain. I am not a auto tech, but an Electrician and your root cause diagnosis was brilliant and straight forward. Using a $58 Amp Hound. Thanks!

Fantastic! Very clear description/definition of parasitic draw! Ths is a great instructional video! I am a retired teacher, having worked in a vocational school for over 20 years. You are a gifted teacher! We need teachers like you!

Boston: "Drawr" South Carolina: "Drow" Brooklyn: "Dorahh" Texas: "Drah, godangit"

Great, informative video, Sir. Please keep 'em coming, we certainly appreciate them!

Did the dealer's janitor diagnose the car? WTF?

You're damn right. I'm skeptical of techs at dealerships and costs are unreasonable. But it's not ez to find trustworthy mechanics like you.

I’m surprised they didn’t sell that customer, blinker fluid.

Great video!! I’m impressed that you took the time on a car you’re not planning to keep and even went the extra steps to get right down to the exact cause and backed it up with a valid verification afterwards. I am impressed with your level of care and thoroughness and attention to detail. Those old CD players sometimes get jammed in the eject mode and continually draw trying to spit out a jammed CD. Thx again MrS

That was a super easy one! The tech at that dealer sucks!

Oh yes!! I am watching your video again and decided to get the Amp Hound as I'm typing this. I screwed around with trying to diagnose a .87 amp draw on my truck the old fashion way this morning. Pain in the rear!! Unhooking the side terminal, pulling fuses and walking back and forth to the multi meter was frustrating. Some of these KZfaq videos are frustrating to watch. You Sir, are very well spoken and explain things in very easy to understand terms. Thanks again!!

No parasitic draw on mine yet, but awesome instructional video for the future ! I always appreciate local independent mechanics, the dealer failed to diagnose a clicking/clunking noise when turning to the left. Took her to an independent mechanic, who said my CV axle was just about to fail ! I even asked the dealer if that could be the case at the time of the visit. I don’t know, sometimes I think maybe the morale at the dealers are pretty lousy right now !

Excellent video. I had a 2018 Legacy limited. Ran into this problem which was mis-diagnosed by the dealership resulting in 2 battery replacements. I knew it was a parasitic issue but nobody could diagnose the source. Your meticulous assessment needs to be viewed by every Subaru mechanic. This calculated stepwise approach was invaluable. Thanks.

10/10 Tutorial. I feel like I could now diagnose gremlins that leave most dealerships stumped. Awesome video!!

I appreciate your diagnoses!!! I have the same problem with my 2001 Outback,,hunter green,old trim...cant believe i have the exact same car exact same problem!

Great work! Easy way to fix taillight condensation is to pull the housing out and drill a couple 1/8" holes in the lower back of the housing.

Awesome video as always. Thankfully I’ve never had this issue but this will be a great help if it does ever happen

This video really helped me diagnose the real problem with my 97 outback. Thank you so much Very much

Thank you very much for uploading! Well done! The main dealership issue sounds the same throughout the world - miss diagnosing and way overpricing.

I remember when I took my 03 Outback to a dealer and they said my car need a “full overhaul” the car at the time had close to 200k and leaked a little oil otherwise ran perfect and no check I’m engine light. The list: full engine reseal(4087$), steering rack and pinion(1653$), front axles(1391$), rear lower control arms(735$), rear sway bar end links(252$), rear stabilizer arms(219$), rear shocks(932$), brake flush(229$), front and rear brake job(796$), wiper blades(60$). For a grand total of 10680$ aka 5x or more of the cars worth. Dealers are clowns. I got the brakes done my self under 200$ and 30k miles later she still runs good.

Wow!! Thank you so much for that diagnostic tip Sir! I'm all over getting that tool!!

Spot on, Dealers aren't always the best place to go & cost here in the UK is frightening. Great & informative videos always.

Thanks for all the great info! Technique and conclusion!

Thank you sir,need more ppl like you in this world

And there is the difference between a mechanic, and a parts changer, folks.

Thanks for the great tutorial. Thought I’d share my parasitic draw adventure. 2016 Outback Premium 2.5 CVT. Have changed the battery a couple times already. Used. a Fluke 325 and clamped the negative cable off the battery and measured a pretty consistent 670 mA draw. Used the Amp Hound (thanks TONS for that tip BTW), and found the draw on the fuse labeled 7.5A DCM (in the engine compartment). I didn’t get really far into troubleshooting components because I removed the fuse and reinstalled it, and now my measured draw has dropped to 60-90 mA. I don’t know what that fuse protects, nor do I know why it went away by doing what I did…but it did. Hopefully I didn’t F something up, but everything works and the draw is gone. Get an Amp Hound. Well worth it! Thanks again!

Thank you thank you thank you! I've gone through four batteries in the past two years -all before their warranties ran out, thank heavens! I cannot believe that Subaru has never done a recall on this issue. It's an absolute pain in the ass, and I'm very very happy you explained thoroughly both the issue AND a reasonable solution. You da man1!

Buddy, you are awesome, thank you so much for making these videos. I love to fix my own Subaru problems and you help a lot by sharing your knowledge. God Bless.

thank you for your diagnostic work. Good teachable demonstration.

Sir, thank you ever so much for the valuable info. I too am experiencing identical issues - l drove my '15 Legacy about 80 miles the other day ( my alternator checks fine, battery is about 1 1/2 years old and also checks fine.) Went out 2 days later and completely dead - no lights left on. I will be ordering one of these testers and have at it myself. Thank you very much ! Howard

Great content. :) What strikes me is that the car manufacturers do not care much about the quality of repairs made by the dealerships. Many clients with this sort of experience will just leave the brand all together. Especially that most people do not use CDs anymore ;)

Excellent video explaining steps to diagnose and some of the pitfalls. Got a video on repairing/diagnose for the RAB on a 2021 Forester?

Nicely done Mr. Subaru! I have been considering buying a 2018 Subaru WRX. I have viewed many of your videos and have learnd much about the WRX. Excellent videos and very informative.

Auxillary supplemental standalone piggyback cd player...LOL Good job troubleshooting👍

What a great tool .I shall and try and hunt one down . Hope I can find one here in Tassie Australia. Cheers.

In all my years of being an internet troll, I’ve never seen tail light condensation cause a parasitic draw.

i have been using an infrared camera the last few years to locate draws. It works great.

This was very well explained. Your content is excellent. You should start a Patreon with more thorough tutorials.

Bro...this is GOLD!!!! Thank you !

I had a parasitic draw in the environmental controls on my 2015 Outback . Specificity, the backlight of the controls was on continuously, and would drain the battery in about a week. I fixed it by localizing it to fuse 26 (interior), and cutting that power pin on the connector to the environmental controls. Lights now go off when key is off. I lose clock setting, but I can live with that.

Here we have a garage that specializes in electrical and tune ups. They do other repairs as well but they are always booked up with electrical repairs. They have even taken in repair work that should of been done at the dealership but they couldn't figure out the problem. One car went in to the dealership 7 times for the same thing. It took once at the independent garage. They are dam good! I work at a Goodyear store right across the road from them.

This video is Old as heck but it's still informative. Not many channels can claim that. This gen of Outback is my favorite and any thing I can learn about them is great.

Another option for tracking down electrical issues is a clamp type multi-meter that will read DC amps.

Dealer don’t want to pay a good mechanic like you, cheap labour is more profit for them! Very well explained. Thank you!

2019 Outback parasitic draw due to DCM. I've been told there's a way to jumper the fuse so that DCM is powered only when ignition is on. Looked through your videos and haven't seen anything regarding this... although you've convinced me to pick up an amp hound.

Great vid. I love these outcomes. What has always baffled me is how Joe Citizen can get taken for such a ride and pay for effectively little more than their time being wasted. It’s a shame the industry works like this. I work In mining and I assure you the contracts and T&Cs that get written ensure that if you get screwed, or get no outcomes, then you don’t pay.

Was that cd player from factory? Great video by the way. Thank you for your diligence.

I’ve had troubles with my dome light not shutting off with the switch on door on my Forester, but that was an easy fix lol just shut it off

You are the best. Please move to OH and open a workshop here🙂...

What an awesome video. It's great watching the proper diagnosis of pproblems.THANK YOU!!! Ivan at Pine Hollow Automotive Diagnostics also does great job diagnosing. Thanks again!!

I think this may have been a known issue as I had a 2003 Outback that had it's CD player head unit replaced under warranty for reasons that the Subaru service department at the dealership could not explain. The guy who sold me the car at that dealership told me that their service department sucks and I could understand why.

Yeah, another great video from our favourite mechanic youtuber :-)

I solved my parasitic drain on a 2001 Legacy GT by adding a thicker grounding wire and removing my aftermarket security system. Never had a problem after that.

You are amazing. I wish you lived in our area to service our Forester.

They call it a Stealership for a reason.

you are the man this info is priceless

Here in the UK the dealership’s pull your pants down and go in without lube ! , really useful video and great mechanic.

I am having the parasitic draw problem on my 18 Forester XT, I did swap the head unit since the OEM was lacking. However, with only 67K KM on it, I have changed 4 batteries in its time. I will try your method on trying to fix the issue. If not, do you have any other suggestions? The Android head unit does not have a CD piggyback as its just a one-piece. Hope to hear form you soon, I love your content as its really easy to understand. Thank you for your hard work

Like I said earlier, the CD player. It fixed mine.

Awesome video as always.

Boy. This brought up memories. Ex mother-in-law (no jokes... a lovely person) had a Ford that kept dying like this. After three trips to the dealer and paying the GDP of a small country, turned out, it was the glove compartment light. The kill switch went wonky.

You, sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

Totally wish you were here to diagnose my 99 legacy... I been trying unsuccessfully to figure out my rough idle p0170 ... Car will run fine but once it gets warmer it will off and on get the dipping idle and eventually throw a code or if it doesn't I'll be driving on the freeway and seemingly at random it'll throw the p0170 code ... This doesn't happen every time either but if it does can be hard to restart if I just getting off the on ramp and the engine spins down and then just dies... Idle sensor in tranny no... Cleaned iac body nope Replaced that solenoid on there too nope... Checked air box..fine ... Friend checked pin outs on maf plug if they backed out ...no... I do get a smell of rich exhaust when I start the car which I was thinking I had a exhaust leak but shop tested my exhaust and said no problem... But was thinking change my exhaust manifold gaskets and retorque the header just to close that off as yeah one doesn't want an exhaust leak or fumes getting into the cabin... Boy wish you were here 😞

I had a major parasite draw a few weeks ago, battery so flat doors had to be opened with key. My Alsatian's head kept switching it on during her barking sessions when she spots another dog. Simple fix, removed bulb. Conclusion : dog faulty.

12:21 The circle game.... you get a punch in the arm!

Great video and as others have stated in this video, it was probably sheer laziness on the dealership's part is diagnosing the problem. However, I just bought a new Outback Wilderness this week and upon taking delivery of the vehicle, the battery was dead, apparently due to a dealership prep worker leaving an interior dome light on. They supposedly replaced it with a new battery and I have read also that Subaru alternators are not constantly engaged charging the battery, due to the drain on the engine and resultant drop in EPA mileage ratings, by engaging the alternator all of the time. This morning when I got up however, the battery was dead again. I got a battery charger from Auto Zone and just finished charging it, but do you think this new battery is fried now and needs to be replaced again?

Wow! Good Video - The previous owner should have taken the car to Mr. Subaru & paid him the money to properly diagnose, then repair the problem. While they were at it, they could have also done the crucial repairs from the other video. Then they would still have a car - To smoke in!... I don't trust the local Subaru dealership for my old Subaru - 2003 Outback 4 cylinder with 154 K. I recently took it in for the airbag recall. I told them not to test drive it or wash it after the repair. They were real sarcastic because I have an older model (that is paid for). I told them that my insurance didn't cover any other drivers... Yesterday, I had to swap out the coil pack. I ordered one from Advance , then picked it up in the afternoon. They sold Me - an Intermotor Coil Pack , Made in Poland for $77.10 ...

Love your videos and your diagnostic. Do not own a Subaru but have been looking to buy a new or slightly used crosstrek have the head gasket issues been resolved on the new models?

Excellent diagnostics. Need to change your name to Dr. Subaru.

Hey Mr subaru thanks for your content.... Am asking about the impreza G4..... Which version of that car is good or has a good reliable engine....i see it even has a 1.6liter 2WD version

Eric O @southmainauto would be proud!...always follow your gut and do what you know. Dont just guess and thorw out a diagnosis and see if it sticks.

sweet diagnosis, Need to get me one of those amp hounds!

Great! Now can you tell us why the infotainment system in the 2020-21 Outback keeps failing?

Thank you for sharing. I just changed my battery from the dealer today and I am not convinced so I want to search for answers and found your video. I’ll buy an Amp meter. can you show us how your measuring the Amps? What if i just disconnect the fuse from whichever has the current drainage? Is that possible?

Excellent demonstration. You made that look very easy to diagnose. Did you check any other fuses in case there are other parasitic discharges? I suppose the exercise in leaving the vehicle for 48 hours more or less confirmed not I guess.

My 2019 forrester has the battery draw but hatch works fine. I tucked a $20.00 battery maintainer under the fender well and just plug it in after driving like a EV. Yes it's plug is setting in the wiper blade trough driver side and rain wont bother it in the rain since it's not plugged in but I haven't had to jump start it in 6 month's. Those that don't have a garage no problem either just keep the plug covered and it will be fine. Wal-mart everstart trickle/maintainer

Awesome diagnosis. Not something you would suspect right away!

Have a friend with an Acura, had a CD player problem and a blue tooth module that wouldn't turn off. I thought it might be radio or CD player too. Amp hound - thanks.

Thanks for another fantastic video! I can’t disagree more about you said at the end! Seen that, been there… 😆

Hoping to read this and can help, when you were taking apart the paneling to get to the radio did you disconnect the negative terminal for safety of not setting off airbag? If so is it safe to reconnect when I have the radio out and I pull the plug on the back of it?

man when i get the chance to i may have to pick one of those tools up.

Excellent video!

I was LMAO!! When you discovered that the parasitic draw was from the CD player and NOT the Tail lights... Oh man!!! Stealerships... They're called that for a reason, to take money, and NOT have the best interest of their LOYAL clientele.

I love your videos!

Great vid!

My 2017 Subaru Outback battery died again today. I am on my second Subaru battery and it’s only 20 months old. I will likely get another free replacement Subaru battery today or tomorrow. Is it my Subaru battery or do I have a parasitic draw? I like my Subaru Outback, but battery issues and the CVT sword of Damocles over my wallet are concerning. I am seriously considering a 4Runner in 2021 or 2022.

My wife has a 2021 outback onyx edition and its on it's 3rd battery. The only way to keep it charging is to always have the headlights running. With the headlights on, the charging circuit goes up to 14.5 volts. Without the headlights on, it stays right at 12 and sometimes dips a little low. So the act of just driving the car without the headlights on, will kill the battery.

Great Video TY ... I am ordering an AMP hound now. Is there no way to test the fuses with the meter tho? Or do they sell a meter with AMP hound built in it?

So what is the best way to get the best service? I feel like the best service would be from the self and people like you empowering others to save themselves. Right now I have almost the exact Subaru as that and believe I need a new A/C compressor. Have you done a compressor replacement video or diagnosis video so that I can figure out the best way to either replace the compressor or figure out what is wrong?

Fordtechmakuloco did an except video on why you don’t test for parasitic draws by just pulling fuses or testing voltage drop on fuses.

Very nice....thank you

Question. I have a 2005 subaru outback ll bean edition with the 3.0 h6. Has 254k on the clock. Got it in feb. Shortly after getting it the car stalled a few times and threw a p0230. First car I've seen give fuel pump CIRCUIT codes. Thoughts? When it's running, pump pressure is within spec, but randomly quits, pressure slowly drops are eventually stalls the engine

Dealers can be the worst mechanics. Know that from experience. Get to know your mechanic and take nothing for granted. I prefer to do the work myself. They're all human and some are better than others. A Gregories repair manual and a reliable KZfaq mechanic make life easy.. ;)

Please let this be the issue. The subaru (01 outback same color and everything, currently 266000) was my dad's before he left it to anyone who wanted it. I needed a vehicle as mine had been stolen two months beforehand. Drove it from my first home Colorado back to Arizona. Have put so much time into this vehicle, not having an owners manual does NOT help.. but.. I love her so much, being really the only thing I have left of my father. One of the first things I did was get her a new A/C relay after being told my compressor was the issue (lies) and haven't looked back towards a thought of mechanics excluding catalytic converter replacement to pass emissions. But recently.. Since late last year I have been having issues getting her started. My friend had installed his duralast gold positive terminal post connector because the heat from Arizona had literally snapped my OEM one in half at some point during a shift prior to this. I figured that had to be the issue, right? Wrong. Terminal connector was fine. No corrosion like I used to have. Brand new battery in March 22. Its November. It has to be the alternator. Run the old school test. Wrong. Had replaced my crank and camshaft sensors, dissasembled my entire dash to replace the missing bulbs leaving me blind speeding at night (kindof funny, kindof terrifying), knocked out dents in front quarter panel on driver's side, neutralized rust around the windshield seal, engine and air filters, the engine cooling fan, radiator flushes, oil changes, transmission mount, brake pad and cv axle replacements... WHAT DID I DO AND HOW DO I PUT IT BACK? This is January 23 im beginning to realize i probably screwed something up BIG TIME because it's started to cause issues at work with being late and not having reliable transportation. I CREATED A PARASITIC DRAW??! It hit me like a ton of bricks just mid-late April. My dad had like 3 or 4 random connectors ran from under the backseat on the passengers side just sitting on the weather mat in the cargo area... What are those?? Go into best buy and I realize.. Oh my God. They're amp and subwoofer connectors... It took me. 6. Hours. To figure out. It RAN. ALL THE WAY BACK THERE. TO ALL THE WAY UP TO MY BATTERY. Why? My friend just connected the red wire for the amp and sub I DIDN'T HAVE to his positive terminal connector when replacing mine.. WITHOUT A SINGLE THOUGHT OTHERWISE 🤦🏼‍♀️ THIS IS WHY I DON'T LET ANYONE TOUCH MY CAR GUYS. Its almost ten at night. I finally got the entire aftermarket amp/sub wiring (as far as I am aware of) ripped out of my radio, through the firewall, out from underneath my feet and through my FREAKING FLOORBOARDS having redissassembled EVERYTHING I HAD ALREADY... She turned over without a hitch. Its May now. She's not starting again. And she's had a slow start when I've turned the key in the ignition the last 3 days. I remove the battery terminal cables from the engine bay and battery entirely. COMPLETELY redo them with minimal tools because I have NO IDEA what is wrong with my car so obviously not prepared to be an electrician for it. Reinstall the cables, connect the grounds, tighten everything up. She roars to life. It's one in the morning and I'm squealing like a pig outside my house in joy. This was two weeks ago.. And here we are. Shellie sits out front with her hood open and I'm inside literally losing my sh*t trying to keep my car alive (aka daddy issues at bay). Because this time, she clicks. Just once. Has the parasitic drain now destroyed my starter? Fried my solenoid because it's now the only thing pulling the power to drain and was the worst of any/all of it so now it has a direct line straight from the source? I really am learning on the job and tonight, despite telling myself that I'd sell my soul before this car to anyone for any price imaginable, I told myself I was giving up. That it wasn't worth it anymore and I can't sacrifice my health for something that isn't providing enough stability to allow any kind of health in the first place.. But my car is already in pieces so I might as well try one more thing before going back to public transportation until I can afford something else. Thanks for the help. Thank you for keeping my faith alive. For Shellie. And for Dad. Sorry for the novel. Been a really rough couple months with her. She wasn't very well maintenanced prior to me receiving her. So. I'm doing my best. Thanks for making it a little bit easier.

Great job 👍🏼