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Subaru Forester Electrical/Lighting Issues

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Comments

  • 82ncmarine82ncmarine Member Posts: 6
    thanks i will check that out. do you think it could be the multi-functional switch for the headlights, because when you turn the switch to the parklights position, this disengages the shiftlock. also, when you turn on the lights, the taillights and third brake light all are on. when you step on the brakes, the lights all get brighter as if functioning well except for when you release the brakes the third brake light stays on along with the taillights.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I don't think so....the behavior you describe is too bizarre.
  • 82ncmarine82ncmarine Member Posts: 6
    well there must be a short to cause the multi-functional switch to trigger the shiftlock release. there must be a common thread between them. anyone with any ideal please let me know. much appreciated.
  • budman94budman94 Member Posts: 2
    2003 forester drivers side dim headlight, not the bulb , any ideas why?
  • 82ncmarine82ncmarine Member Posts: 6
    not sure, but check to see if there are separate relays for the headlights. if so the relay could be going bad. just a guess, it happens on other vehicles.
  • vlcowleyvlcowley Member Posts: 2
    I'm not sure about the 2003 models but many of the earlier subarus have a seperate fuse for the left and right headlight. If the fuse for the driver side headlamp is blown then the lamp on that side would not go out completely but would be very dim.

    Hope this helps.
  • danispiesdanispies Member Posts: 1
    So, my forester and I got out for a nice drive in snow. Tons of fun! However, backing out of a friend's, we stop to let a car go by, and we get stuck--their drive is on a bit of a hill, and my front wheels are on her drive, and the back ones on the street--and underneath the car, a ton of snow. We get stuck. I turn the car off, shovel out a bit, get back in and drive home, however--now my ABS light is on. Is this serious? More importantly, is this expensive?
  • paisanpaisan Member Posts: 21,181
    My guess would be that you got some of the ABS sensors wet while sitting on the snow. Give it a few days. If it doesn't disappear on it's own, then have it checked out, you may have torn one of the abs sensor wires while stuck in the snow.

    -mike
    Subaru Guru and Track Instructor
  • johnydiijohnydii Member Posts: 1
    2001 has fuse under hood, on drivers side.
    My freind owns it and she has a dim headlight on pass. side.
    We changed fuse and new fuse blew as soon lights were turned on.
    Still toubleshooting that's why I am here.
  • jjuliejakejjuliejake Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2004 Subaru Forester and the cigarette lighter and heated seats quit working simultaneously. The problem was not fixed when I changed the fuses -- anyone have any idea? Are they connected issues?
  • mpkcmpkc Member Posts: 2
    I am a first time poster. My car only has 40K on it. A week ago the AT Oil Temp light started flashing when I started the car. This has never happened before. I drove to several stores and when I started the car after each stop the light did not flash. I did not use the car for about 8 days & now the car will not start. The electrical system does not work - there is no keyless entry, etc, I work from home and often do not drive it for 1-2 weeks. I replaced the original battery mid 2007 when it died. I know the battery is dead but what could have caused it and what is my best course of action. Thanks in advance.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Probably the alternator, which charges the battery. Have that tested.
  • subaruloversubarulover Member Posts: 1
    I have the following issues

    Couple of years ago, the clock on my 2002 forester L went out. I ignored it. Then my gearshift (automatic transmission) light went out and I ignored it. Then my cruise light went out and I ignored it then my dashboard lighting on the speed gauge went out and now my head lights are having an issue. When I turn them on, they are dim. When I pop the hood and tap the driver side headlight, the driver side is at at full power but my passenger light goes out and when I put my high beam on, my driver side light comes back to dim. Any ideas of what might be wrong and how to fix it will be greatly appreciated. The dealer is asking $100 just for diagnosing the issue.

    Thanks :confuse:
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    A while ago I saw a discussion about a "single point ground" modification for Subies. It may be worth investigating.
  • xyoojaxyooja Member Posts: 1
    I wonder if this is a larger issue on these 2006 Forester models. My wife owns one and just this past 6-9 months, we've experienced the same issue described here. First, it was the front passenger door lock that wouldn't operate with the remote or the lock feature/control in the car. This was fine since my wife could always get in from the driver's side and unlock for any passengers. A few months later, this same problem happened to the driver's side door. The kids now had to manually unlock the front doors from the back for us. Just this past week, the passenger side, back door lock stopped working too. We have one working door lock now!

    We've taken the car in to the dealership when the two front door locks stopped working. Basically, the little motors that operate the locks need to be replaced (at about $600 for the two doors!). It's been a great car for the last 60K miles but this sort of electrical failure is just ridiculous. We've owned older cars (two Acuras and two Toyotas) with a lot more miles and have never experienced this kind of problem. I forgot to mention that we've had issues with the lock on the trunk/hatch door too but that was covered under warranty.

    Kind of disappointed. I hope the Legacy GT I just purchased will be better constructed.
  • littlebrolittlebro Member Posts: 4
    I drove it to the corner store and when coming out 20 minutes later, the car just would not start. All lights are fine, I still tried jumping it that did not help. There was no engine-trying-to-start sound when the key was turned. Searched this forum and found a post of "Battery fine but won't start" last year that looked mighty similar, I wounder how it went. Your advices are greatly appreciated.
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Sounds like every symptom of a bad starter.
  • 06xtforester06xtforester Member Posts: 1
    Hey. I have been bringing my car into the dealer for some time now - it is the turbo which I guess drives different than regular. Sometimes if you turn the corner, it will increase power in a jerky kind of way.

    Sometimes, if I am driving, it feels like the power of the engine wanes and then sometimes even starts to feel like it is going to stop but doesn't and then will jerkingly kick back in. They have looked at it about 10 times now - this has been happening for some time.

    Then today, I was driving and it started to do that jerky in and out feeling again - almost like you hit the gas hard fast and then dropped foot off and then back on - weird. So, anyway, today I start hearing the volume of a cd I had in go up and then back down. I was like, hmm cd must be messed up. But then it did it again and I looked at the stereo and sure enough it was not on the cd xxx track display - instead it said VOLUME 7 then went down to VOLUME 6 then 7 and 8 I think - as if someone was actually holding the knob changing the volume back and forth.

    I started to think the in and out engine power feeling that comes and goes was linked to bad gas and figured it was he** gas because it seems to happen worse whenever I go to that gas station - I get premium everywhere as recommended for turbo. The shop did an air filter change a few months back and it seemed to solve the problem for a while - they did something else too - with thee pressure or something. So, the in and out like I am gonna die to ok I am back again feeling just started coming back but now with the radio, I am concerned.

    If I were to have hit wires under the driver side, would that effect the radio - could it? Also, the light where the shift column is (for P D N R) went out a few months ago and they replaced the bulb. But, they had not put the center console piece back on totally right. Could they have done something replacing that bulb? Or could my foot or whatever have messed up a wire under driver side? If so, is that dangerous?

    Also, anyone have problems with 06 foresters driver window getting scratched when you put it up and down? For some time we hear scraping a little when we put window up and down but of course dealer never hears anything. So, recently we noticed after washing it, it actually has scratches going up and down the glass.
    Lovely. I said, hey we brought this to your dealership and asked about this 3 or 4 times and now that we have had it over 3 years and the warranty is up, we have to be responsible because that isn't right - he said yes but they would see what Subaru said. You've got to be kidding me - you complain and say something is wrong while UNDER warranty and they look into it say ehh it's nothing then it causes damage right after warranty is up and I might have to pay?

    Ugghhh what is wrong with my car? :cry:

    :) thanks
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    I might be completely on the wrong track here, but have you checked the grounding connections on the car? Perhaps it is having problems with sufficient electrical flow.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • lefty_wrenchlefty_wrench Member Posts: 1
    I was helping my son-in-law get his forester running after going through some water which had stalled out his car. We got the car running but the rpms won't go above 1500. It idles around 800 but won't go above 1500. I've never worked on a Subaru before so I don't know how to read the codes etc. HELP
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    If it suffered from hydrolock, who knows what sort of damage was done to the engine internals.

    A group of us used to go to the Pine Barrens for some off road fun, and a V6 Trooper hydrolocked, and it bent a rod. Stopped it dead in its tracks.

    The odd thing is that it runs at all.

    Does it throw a check-engine light? If so a good OBDII scanner can read the codes.
  • bubba2003bubba2003 Member Posts: 2
  • bubba2003bubba2003 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 99 forester, that I replaced the head gasket on. The car will start and run fine beside the O2 sensor and Speed sensor that I need to replace. Now when I put the key in the on position The fuel pump relay, ac relay, fan relays, and pressure switching solenoid kick on and off like every second or two. The CEL starts to flash immediatly and constantly. When I drive the car it does the samething. All these circuits are on the E/G ign Air bag fuse. When I check the ECM voltages the pins for Injectors, sensors, power supply ,and Igition system grounds all have .5 volts or less. The line end check 2 pin should have 5 volts and it's 0. I have no clue what that is. So before I go nuts checking and finding that ground does anyone have some pointers.

    Thanks
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    How long before this problem developed did you replace the head gasket? If it was immediately or very soon thereafter, I would suspect a loose or improper connection.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • hthshths Member Posts: 1
    i have a 10 month old Forester. It's just dead after parking for a week. no power at all. even keyless control doesn't work. I tried to jump it. But, it didn't work. I cannot even the dashboard light come on. Now, it was towed to the dealer. I was told they were able to jumpstart the car without any problem. They didn't get back to me why there is no power in the first place yet. But, i would like to ask whether this happens to anybody else. And, what might be the problem? I am going on a 1500miles trip next week. Afraid it will be dead on me during the trip.

    thanks...
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Must be either a bad battery, or a bad alternator not charging it.

    Have them do a load test on the battery after a long drive to the dealer (next time it starts, obviously). By then the alternator should have charged it up.
  • grammalexisgrammalexis Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2006 Forester that has begun to show a problem with the turn signals. The right is ok, but when I step on the brake with the left signal on, the dash flasher stops (stays on weakly) and the signal bulbs stay on, both front and back. With the foot off the brake, the left signal functions properly. Since all bulbs come on at some point, it can't be a bulb or fuse problem. Not sure what else to check.
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Well, it *could* be a bulb if one filament broke and is touching the other, but it could also be a rubbed wire. I would go for the easy approach first and just put new bulbs in all around (they're cheap, it is easy, and the car was been on the road long enough that it one or more is likely to burn out soon anyway).
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • grahampetersgrahampeters Member Posts: 1,786
    G'day

    A logical starting point is the harness for trailer lights, if fitted. YOu may be getting some sort of weak connections across pins between the left turn indicator and brake

    Cheers

    Graham
  • henryalberthenryalbert Member Posts: 1
    edited August 2011
    Looking for some info on which is the fuse for the odometer/tripometer, speedometer, & tachometer? The owner's manuel I have does not address this question. The owner's manuel does say that the tripometer will lose it's reading if the battery of fuse is lifted.

    Thanks for any help,

    hyat
  • amkmeco90amkmeco90 Member Posts: 17
    Hey guys. I have a 2010 forester and and I loved it so much. my question is that I want to replace the headlights for xenon ones (HID) to look more sporty like the BMW headlights. Has anyone any experience about that?
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    I think (don't quote me) that Foresters in Canada offer HIDs, so maybe call a dealer there.
  • 2c2no2c2no Member Posts: 1
    Hi Kane1.

    Im seeking an answer to the same problem for a 2001 Forester. Its not the parking light switch though, unless there is something wrong with the switch itself.

    For almost a week now, the exterior lights will not turn off when the car is off. I've had to disconnect the negative battery cable when I park the car for the night to get the lights to go out. Any ideas?
  • xwesxxwesx Member Posts: 16,747
    Just the running lights and not the headlights? It most likely is the parking switch on top of the steering column. If that is not making a difference, perhaps it has gone bad by some unfortunate fluke? Better that than a worn wire in some inaccessible body panel some where, but still obnoxious nonetheless.
    2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100, 1976 Ford F250
  • colonialladcoloniallad Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 Subaru Forester S that has developed a problem in the lighting circuits. I have all sidelights, indicators, hazard flashers and high beam working and all internal lights. However, the regular headlights and fog lights are not working. Fuses are good and all bulbs are good. Power is, obviously, getting to the headlights as the high beam works. The switch for the fog lights does not show the 'on' light when I press it. The circuit seems to be dead. Both fog and regular headlights ceased to function at the same time. All other lights are good. Anyone with any ideas? Thanks
  • ICollins99ICollins99 Member Posts: 1
    Hey all!

    Ive got a 1998 Subaru Forester L, and I’m looking to do a full LED work up, but I’m not sure what could happen if I change out the interior lights. I know the turn signals could be a problem, but I’ve heard tales of electrical gremlins caused by interior lights. 
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