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Changes for 2009 Impreza?

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Comments

  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    For a small amount of money you can have them made red via a translucent covering. I've seen it done real classy and it fixes the issue.

    Those who dislike the DRL LEDs on the Audis also should not they are also found on the Porsches....

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • gettingwrxgettingwrx Member Posts: 7
    Does anyone know if the 09 wrx has a center differential? I don't think it does. I wonder if the driving characteristics will be much different between the older model with the differential and the new WRXs.
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    All 5MT Manual Cars produced by Subaru have a Viscous Center Differential splitting the torque approximately 50/50 between front and rear axles.

    Since all 09 WRXs are 5MTs they do have a viscous center diffy as have all manual trans wrxs up to this point.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • gettingwrxgettingwrx Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for the education.

    What are 5MTs?

    Also, would you say that generally speaking the all-wheel-drive system in a 09 WRX will be as good as the all-wheel-drive system in my 08 Legacy?

    I don't want to unintentionally take a step backwards.

    Thanks
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,202
    What are 5MTs?


    5-speed manual transmission

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  • gettingwrxgettingwrx Member Posts: 7
    Are the differentials different in automatics vs. sticks?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    Yes the center differentials are different between Autos and Manuals. They are also different between different year/model automatics as well.

    What do you have in your 08 Legacy? 5MT or 5EAT (5 Speed Electronically controlled Automatic Transmission) or 4EAT?

    If you have an 08 Legacy w/5MT, then the center diffy is the same on the 5MT 09 WRX.

    -mike
    Motorsports and Modifications Host
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    We're in for a lease of an '09 Impreza 2.5i basic Hatchback. This car would be driven by a young woman, getting out of a lease of an '06 Civic sedan, which we all found to be a cute but underpowered and a bit noisy TOY.....

    I need to make a quick decision, so really don't have the time to go over hundreds of messages, sorry.... I want to know what kind of issues this car have.... I already know the engine is a bit noisy (sporty car, I know), but other than that, being a revised model, and/or having AWD, are there any problems, recalls, or things to pay attention to?...

    Thanks in advance!
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    Nothing to worry about, other than gas mileage will be a bit less than the Civic's (larger engine and AWD). It's a great car. Enjoy it.

    Bob
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    The car we test-driven at the dealership had no automatic lights. When we shut off the engine with the lights left on there was a beep to warn us of the lights left on.

    The car we actually got a week later, the same '09 hatchback (basic), just a different color, but it seems to have the Auto-Lights feature.... The lights shut off when the engine is off, and there is no warning beep..... Which, of course is very welcome here (I've been driving cars with automatic lights for years now...)....

    I checked the manual and the window label, but there's no mention of Auto-Lights.....

    ?????
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    All Subarus have this feature, and have for years. When you turn the engine off, the headlights go off as well. No worries about a dead battery, because you left your lights on. :)

    Bob
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Wow.... Good...

    The question is, when we test-drove the other, comparable car a week earlier, we got that typical beeping sound when shutting the engine off with the lights left on? Or was the beep telling us something else?
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    The question is, when we test-drove the other, comparable car a week earlier, we got that typical beeping sound when shutting the engine off with the lights left on? Or was the beep telling us something else?

    Not sure? Are you sure it wasn't the car locking? If you hit the master door lock button on the driver's door as you exit, when the door closes, it will beep and the lights will flash.

    Bob
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    No, definitely not connected with locking the doors.... As much as I remember the repeated beep we noticed when we turned the key off, while leaving the lights on...

    I don't have the car with me, my daughter drives it (and she called me asking about it), but I sure will test it when I lay my hand on that car.....
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    I have no idea then. I would ask the dealer.

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    The lights do not turn off until the key is removed from the ignition. If the key was in the ignition (in the off position) and you open the door, the car will beep at you. But, the beep is to remind you to remove the key, not to turn off the headlights!

    Also, with the key in the ignition, the remote entry/lock system is disabled. It is actually quite difficult to lock yourself out of the car. If you try to lock the car with the auto-lock feature on the door, it will immediately unlock itself. The only way to "trick" the car into being locked with a key in the ignition is to get in, close the doors, lock the car, then manually unlock the driver's door only, get out, manually lock the drivers door, then close it. Yes, more than you wanted to know, but handy if you live in a cold climate and want to warm the car (without leaving it unlocked) without having an auto-start system installed. The one caveat? You better have the spare key handy! :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Thanks, xwesx. Car beeps when the key is left in the ignition while the lights are left on and the door opens.... This makes much sense, and seems like what happened when the car was beeping.... But as I promised, I will test it next time she comes for a visit.....

    BTW, you mention locking yourself out of the car.... Last time I had to drive an hour to save my daughter's [non-permissible content removed] was when, with her previous car, while loading the trunk with groceries she left her keys inside the trunk and then, when finishing loading, she shut the trunk's lid...... If your car doors are still locked, and you use your remote to unlock the trunk only, and then slam the lid close, then without your remote and/or keys -- you can't open it again, do you.... See, if that's the case, I'm offering here an excellent way to lock yourself out of your car ;) ....

    As to asking the dealer? I have been solving issues with my new cars by posting questions here and on other forums, not asking the dealers, who are usually quite IGNORANT about the cars they're selling.... We all know that....
  • rshollandrsholland Member Posts: 19,788
    As to asking the dealer? I have been solving issues with my new cars by posting questions here and on other forums, not asking the dealers, who are usually quite IGNORANT about the cars they're selling.... We all know that....

    Depends on the dealer. My most recent WRX purchase was from a Subie salesman who was very knowledgeable about Subaru products.

    Bob
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    I'm offering here an excellent way to lock yourself out of your car

    Haha! That's for sure! It sounds like, in your daughter's case, the car needs an auto-unlock proximity feature wherein the car is unlocked anytime the key and/or remote are within, say, a body's length of the vehicle. Fool-proof the fool. :P
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    I was trying to be funny (and I guess I succeeded), but seriously (again the car is not available to me for any experiments at the moment), if you use the remote to unlock only the trunk, once you close the lid again it would be locked again, right?

    But then if you first unlock the car doors, that also unlocks the trunk and it can be also opened, right? Then, if you close the trunk lid, you can still open it again from the outside, pushing that little pad (I love it...) under the handle, right?

    So, in other words, it's safer for my daughter, loading stuff into the trunk (not much room there, heh...), to use the remote to unlock the car doors, not use the trunk lid opener. Am I right?
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,762
    Well, is this car a hatch back or a sedan? If it is a sedan, then yes, the trunk will be locked again when it is closed, as it only opens via key or using the electronic release on the remote. If it is a hatch, I think it has a handle on the outside; at least, they once did. I am forgetting whether my last two Outbacks (07 and 08) had handles.

    It is probably best if she hangs onto her keys. Although, if she did unlock all doors first, it could be a good learning experience for her to have to crawl through the car to get her keys out of the trunk! :)
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    The car is a hatchback. It has a small black rubber pad under the handle which you press to open the lid (must be electronic). Since hatchbacks are usually regarded as 5-door cars, I'd expect the lid to unlock with the rest of the doors. That's why I believe it's better to use the fob to unlock the car doors, not the trunk. That way if she has another "accident" -- she can open the lid again.
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