97 Subaru legacy GT sedan sliding too much in snow normal?

Hi there fellow Subaru owners I was wondering if you could help me with a question I have. I own a 97 Subaru legacy GT BD sedan I love this car but for some reason it doesn't seem to do very well in the snow for example I'm going real slow when it snows just to be safe but when I tried to stop at a stop light or stop sign my car decides to do a 180? Is that normal for all wheel drive cars especially Subarus oh, don't get me wrong I know just because it's all-wheel drive doesn't make it bulletproof every cars going to slip and slide but doing a complete 180 when I'm trying to slide going not very fast at all doesn't seem right, could there be something wrong with my all-wheel drive? Could my all-wheel-drive not be functioning properly I would think my car would handle powdered snow better than that. Any feedback or answers would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like there is a problem with your rear brakes being too strong compared to the front. When the rears are too strong you loose traction in the rear and then the not sliding fronts make more drag than the back so the ends swap.

 

That assumes you don't have tires that were done before last year.

 

If your AWD is failing in some way you would loose traction under acceleration.

I have brand new tires on my car, high quality tires. Don't think that is the issue and about a week ago, honest to God I just had all my brakes checked, while the mechanic was installing a new water pump n alternator, every sense I had my front CV axel and boots replaced my ABS will not go off. Could that have something to do with it? Or.... Could it be something to do with my Duty C Solenoid, Transfer Clutch Pack or clutch hub being bad Edited January 14, 2020 by Legucygt

Sounds like your new axles don't have a tone ring, therefore eliminating the ABS. Without ABS and not being prepared for no ABS I could see odd steering occur. Also, tires designed to last more miles tend to be harder, leading to less cold weather traction.

 

 

Another thought, did you hook your front sway bar back up? On my 96 GT I have no front swaybar and if I hit the brakes hard while turning I can get the back end to step out a bit on dry pavement. The situation would be multiplied on ice.

 

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I took it back to the people that replaced my front boots and front axle three different times because the light will just not go off and they can't figure out they say everything checks out on their computers as far as the ABS is concerned so they have no idea why the ABS light is on I took it to Les Schwab not too long ago to have them look at it and their was a metal piece of Debi's on my passenger side brake that they thought was problem of to why my ABS light was on, they told me you should clear itself in a couple days but it never did. I never did have them check the tone ring to see if that was the problem. As far as me slipping 180 degrees as far as I know my sway bar is hooked up on my car, my car has never been wrecked and I've never done any body work type stuff like that for me to have to take off the sway bar. Do you think it could be my duty c solenoid or maybe my clutch pack or the clutch hub causing me to slip like that?

If your ABS light is on then I'm sure that is the problem. Everything can not possibly check out ok with the ABS computer if that light is on. There is at least one code in there. I would get another opinion from a different shop.

I have brand new tires on my car, high quality tires. Don't think that is the issue and about a week ago, honest to God I just had all my brakes checked, while the mechanic was installing a new water pump n alternator, every sense I had my front CV axel and boots replaced my ABS will not go off. Could that have something to do with it? Or.... Could it be something to do with my Duty C Solenoid, Transfer Clutch Pack or clutch hub being bad

 

What tires tho?? Could easily be a tire issue vs mechanical issue. As far as ABS, that could effect traction, could take it to a dealer to diagnose. I would look into tires first and head from there. Ive had shit all season tires on my 2005 Legacy GT making the car absolute shit in the snow. I personally stick with Cooper or Falken tires all seasons all year round for the weather here in NY. Drive hard, fast and can get the tires to last almost 3yrs before wear indicators.

Edited January 17, 2020 by HellsDisciples

slide pins like to lock up and act funny on the breaks, pull the calipers and re-lube them with brake lube, remove the rubber boot on the pin if torn or swollen, order another or run it without its up to you.

 

one is probably grabbing/ engaging faster and causing the slide, if i were you i'd be down shifting first until you get this sorted, but you cant always in emergency situations.

 

also corporate repair shops (ie discount tire, big o tire, les schwab) will offer free alignment checks could be worth looking into

sounds like garbage tires

You shared good information. Thanks

acgih

Edited January 30, 2020 by rozita

I'm thinking the lack of working ABS is causing your brakes to lock up too quickly at which point your pretty much lose control of the car when braking on ice or snow.

what tires? how many miles?

what brakes pads? how many miles?

what brake pads? how many miles?

what brake fluid? how many miles?

 

have you pulled codes with an abs reader? Abs light on means someone made a mistake. Whoever put on your axles is most likely culprit because abs sensor ring is easy to mess up.

 

have you pulled the wheels off and checked the brakes, pins, pads, disks?

Know anyone locally who has a 2nd gen and can walk you through the brakes?

reading all your posts, you only post these concerns in the winter and have had them since at winter 2016.

 

So what have you done to the car since then? Did you ever take it to the dealer for diagnostics? what dd they tell you?

 

Have you changed your shop? cause if the same shop can't find the problem in 4 years, they're never going to find it.

Sorry for the lack of responses guys. Just working and stuff alot plus moving into a new apartment, taking up alot of my time, but I'm planning on taking it to the Subaru dealership to get it diagnosed when I have some extra time on my hands. Hopefully figure out why my ABS light is on, is pretty scary when the light is not on the dash because my passenger side front locks up and causes my car to not want to stop correctly, just jerks like crazy if the ABS light is (NOT ON) if the ABS light is on however it doesn't act like that, but it's just annoying to see it lighting up your dash ya know. Plus when it does decide to turn itself off.... it is a hazard so I have to keep my eye on the dash. Edited February 1, 2020 by Legucygt