install inhibitor switch help!

[LisaDianne]

My friend(?) and mechanic insisted that I could install an inhibitor/neutral safety switch on my 1993 Subaru Legacy myself, gave me the part, and left town. HELP!!

I have found several unhelpful pictures of removed transmissions with the part attached, but I know he only removed some panel on the passenger side the last time he replaced it.

Can anyone walk me through this??? or at least tell me where to look for it, and what to watch out for?

Thanks ahead of time...

[kimokalihi]

This should probably be in the drivetrain section. What's the switch for? I'm confused what it's function is.

[Legacy777]

Welcome to the BBS.

I think your mechanic may be mistaken or may have the terminology incorrect. The nuetral switch is on the transmission. For the automatic transmission equipped cars it is part of the inhibitor switch which is again on the transmission.

I'm unsure what would be on the passenger side under a panel.

Any chance you could take a picture of the part he gave you?

What symptoms or problems are you having?

[LisaDianne]

Thanks for your help...I'm a machinist, not a mechanic so this is out of my area of expertise!

I got the name of the switch from googling the part number on the box he handed me, (1s5453 Airtex). I have no idea what it's for.

Basically, the car won't start. No turn over at all. He was certain this switch was the problem because he had replaced it before with a used switch he had on hand, which he knew wouldn't last very long (it lasted three years).

I can take a picture of it if that will help.

Thanks again!

[Legacy777]

Yes, this is the inhibitor switch, I did a search on google.

If this is the problem, you would need to get under the car and unbolt the existing inhibitor switch, pull the wiring out, bolt the new one on, and then route the wiring to the engine bay and plug in the connector.

It's not an extremely difficult job, but it's also not super easy because of where it is located and routing/fishing the electrical connector back up to the engine bay.

If this is something you think you could tackle, it should be pretty straight forward. If not, I'd wait and have your mechanic do the work.

[Legacy777]

If you look at this picture,

http://www.surrealmirage.com/subaru/ima ... P_3217.JPG

You can see the inhibitor switch is where the cable going backwards is mounted to, and there is an electrical connector that goes up towards the front of the transmission.