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Comments
1) Hold both buttons on the remote (panic button) for 15 seconds
2) Pull the 2 small connectors on the 'black box' behind the fusebox in the cabin (leave large connector and medium connector).
Neither of these things worked. Anybody here know how this can be done correctly (without cutting the speaker wire)?
Thanks
-mike
- Hutch
Getting rid of the arm/disarm noise is handled by changing a dip switch position on the main alarm head unit. It's a bit tricky to get under the dash and access the unit, but I did it in less than an hour with taking my time.
Check out the following link on how to do it:
http://www.scoobymods.com/mods/ impreza/rsalarm.php
http://www.scoobymods.com/mods/impreza/ silentarming.php
Ken
Price is good but their service is awful.
-juice
Is the consesus that with a 2002 Subaru Forester S
one would be better off using snows as opposed to the Yokohamas it came with? And if so, which ones would you recommend(size and where best to buy)
Thanks in advance.
I live in upstate NY and the winters are not terrible but not mild!
If you don't have a good local tire dealer, Tire Rack (tirerack.com) has wheel & tire packages for competitive prices as well as good info to shop by. Good luck and enjoy your new Forester.
-mike
Greg
-mike
Just kidding,
Dave
I just signed the paperwork today for 2002 Forester L. They are trying to sell me environmental package for $599 and extended warranty for $1300. Live in Syracuse, NY, car in garage overnight.
Any thoughts?
I've seen warranty quotes as low as $900. Yours is the highest I've seen, to be honest. If you want one, keep haggling, you should at least be able to break $1000.
-juice
He said to turn it a few clicks and the light should shut off in a couple of days. If not I should bring it in. Has anyone heard of this happening. I'm concerned that it is something more serious. I only have had it 4 mos and have approx. 4700 miles on it. Thanks for any info.
If you wax and garage the car, its environment will be OK. + Scotchgard the seats every year or two; $6.00 at K-mart.
I do recommend a couple of other expenditures:
- If you know a top alignment shop, pay them to check the front and rear alignment early - and adjust it if necessary. The dealers seem to be sloppy about this. My car came misaligned and roughed up the tires early on until I got it realigned. The dealer just didn't acknowledge the problem. $50 well spent.
- Buy takeoff rims and snow tires. They'll extend the life of the OEM tires, which are only fair in snow. And your Forester will be able to go through VERY deep snow and stop better on ice. I live near Albany, so I know what sort of winter you're up against.
Enjoy your Forester!
John
Ross
-mike
If your CEL doesn't go out by itself after a few days then have the dealer look at it. It could just need resetting but there's a possibility that you could have a bad oxygen sensor (another frequent culprit for the CEL).
-Frank P.
Please be patient for a little bit more. I think it will be next month that more information with a fix (no parts from what I understand) will be available.
We appreciate the feedback we received here. Hopefully, all will be well within a couple of weeks for those of you annoyed by a particular brake noise in these models. I'll post more as soon as I have it.
Patti
If you really want the warranty, negotiate for a price of $900 or less. Or, you can look at aftermarket warranties. Some are better and cheaper, and you can get them OR the Subaru extended warranty up until the original warranty runs out. So, don't let them pressure you.
Apparently this scary phenomenon is not uncommon across a wide range of ABS system and car manufacturers. In the WRX, the sport-tuned suspension and weak tires might have something to do with provoking the situation.
So here's my question - Has this ever happened to anyone in their Forester? Or other Subaru products? The Forester is on my short list for a spring purchase (as is the WRX) and safety is a concern.
Thanks - Jim
-Frank P.
Ross
My question is two-fold. Part one - is the CRV Realtime 4wd system (a "reactive" system) as effective Subaru's AWD system (an "active" system) in the fluffy white stuff? Part two - does it really make a tangible difference?
I floated this balloon over on the CRV board and got a fairly unbiased reaction. I'd like to hear from Subie fans, too.
Thanks - Jim
Since there is power already being applied to the non-main drive axle, it can compensate quicker. Also both the Isuzu TOD and the AT system on the Subies uses not only the ABS sensors to detect slippage, but they also have weight sensors that detect if the front or rear axle has more weight on it, and shift more power to that axle. For instance on a hard launch, you have more weight on the rear axle of a subaru, that 80/20 split may become 60/40 at that time because your rear wheels have better grip. On my Trooper I actually have a guage that tells me (in a range format) how much power is going to each axle at any given time. I notice when offroading and i'm nosing down a steep incline, it shifts around 40% power to the front axle from the std. 15%, when I'm towing, the power rarely goes to more than 15% to the front axle, since the rear has extra weight on it from the axle tounge and they get more traction from this.
So my some-what unbiased opion is that you should go with a system that puts at least some power to both axles at all times. Toyota has a good system on the TLC and Sequoia that does this as well as does the MB ML series.
-mike
My post over in the CRV area was one of the "fairly unbiased" responses you referred to. I try to be as "balanced" as I can be over on the CRV board, as to not to upset the folks over there too much. I've been down that road, and it's not fun, if you get what I mean...
Over here, and amongst friends, I tend to be more passionate. In my "very biased opinion," I believe the Subaru to have the better system, for the reasons I mentioned over there, and I agree with what Mike just expressed too.
Bob
The initial 3.5k oil change was done by a dealer and they used Castrol 15W40, I don't know what brand Subaru OEM's as filter.
Good luck,
Greg
15W40 sounds way to heavy for our engines. The manual recommends 5W30 and I'd use that given the cooler weather coming up.
As Greg mentioned, you can buy a Purolator oil filter for the Forester -- they're virtually identical to the OE one. Just remember to use a new crush washer everytime.
Ken
For the oil change, I have some photos and tips here. It's a 17mm crush washer, IIRC.
CR-V has a small edge in ground clearance and approach/departure angles, but the Forester's AWD system is superior, IMO. It's full-time, proactive, and offers an optional rear limited slip diffy. Both diffys are wide open on the CR-V. Subaru's ABS is a 4-channel system, while Honda uses a cheaper 3-channel system, not to mention it's standard on all Subies and available only on the EX and above Hondas.
-juice
After much research my wife is the proud new owner of an '01 Forester S w/premium package. I don't think there is a vehicle out there with which she'd be happier. We do have one question: does anyone have a recommendation for a dog guard/compartment divider to go behind the rear seats? Subaru sells one, but it seems a bit steep (our dealer's price is $181). Any and all suggestions are welcomed.
Charles Livaudais
P.S. Juice, we may see you on the Outer Banks one day. We'll probably be in our truck, however, since we typically carry about 150 lbs of windsurfing gear with us when we head out there.
Try subaruparts.com for a price quote on the dog guard. You may want to get their phone number from the web site and call, for better service.
What about custom fitting a cargo net? You could get one for $25 or so, and then just figure a way to install the anchors. Would that hold them in? How big are the pups?
-juice
-Frank P.
Doing some checking on the internet, I found a Subaru dealer in Mass. that sells the same Subaru Added Security warranty at a 40% discount. When I asked about the 75% return, thay said that was NOT a Subaru policy.
Any ideas of what is right? Has anyone gotten this deal? What sounds better?
Thanks!
Alan G.
It's a warranty from the company that takes care of car sales/distribution in the New England States. That is why the cars cost more up there as well.
-mike
My 2001 Forester S has the seat heaters, which are a treat on the rare cold day here in Texas. But I also want extra 12v power up front, so I would like to install the dual power outlets which are available as an option for the L.
Obviously, there is a conflict since the power outlets and the switches for the seat heaters are meant to occupy the same space -- an either or situation.
So here is my question, for anybody who may have the answer. If I can creatively overcome the location conflict, will the electrical system safely support both devices?
Cheers,
Scott
Alan G.
How much are they asking for the policy? (FYI: you can usually get the Subaru plan for around a $1,000)
Is it for sure Subaru's own plan?
Is the refund policy transferable if you decide to sell your Forester?
If it's the real deal, then it might not be a bad idea to get and use as a kind of insurance policy. You'd pay for any small repairs out of pocket and only invoke the policy if something major broke.
-Frank P.
Thanks,
Jon
The second thing is I noticed recently was that the back wheel wells are finished off nicely with a rubber stripping all along the metal but the fronts have the painted metal and some holes which appear as if something should have been put there. I looked in the lot at the dealer thinking they had forgotten mine but all of the Foresters were like that.
Hmm, anyone add any electical gizmos? You could just get one of those splitters, but I'm not sure how many accessories the lighter could power.
I drove an Outback Sport earlier this year, for the fun of it. I felt that acceleration was about the same, no better, than my Forester. I was a bit surprised, as I thought the OBS would be quicker.
Edmunds just reviewed one, but the auto took 10.3 to reach 60mph:
http://www.edmunds.com/reviews/roadtests/roadtest/47676/article.html
Forester autos have been clocked faster than that, with both the Washington Post and Motorweek hitting 60 in just 9.1 seconds. Could be a green engine in the OBS, though.
I don't see a significant difference, though. Let your test drive preferences decide which you prefer. Forester offers more space and ground clearance, while the Outback Sport is a little more nimble and sportier.
-juice
CU says that you can take the money you would have spent on the warranty, save it at interest, and use it to pay for any repairs that come along. Lately, I have begun to question this.
Although Foresters have been reliable, there are several problems that could have been potentially costly for owners. I had both the clutch problem and rear bearing failure problem, plus several oil seal failures. The clutch would have cost over $700, the oil seal failures several hundred, and drive shaft and related parts over $650, if they had not been covered under the original factory drivetrain warranty.
On a previous car (not Subaru) that had been quite reliable after some initial warranty problems, I had an air conditioning failure that would have cost over $700. Some Forester owners have reported that the clutch and bearing problems have recurred after being intially repaired.
If 2 or 3 of these happen in the lifetime of the car, it could make an extended warranty very worthwhile. The problem is, most have too many exclusions and are too short for me because I keep cars a long time.
I had ben considering the Warranty Gold Diamond plan that runs 5 years and 150,000 miles. If you wait to buy until the factory warranty is nearly expired, it could be a good deal, because the 5 years begins at the time of purchase. Of course, the price goes up each year you wait.
But, I have heard that there have been problems getting the warranty honored. Does anyone have any information their performance?
-mike
-Frank P.
If you go with the Subaru warranty, you'll most likely get the best service. For $1000, if you are concerned about sudden expenses, and would rather just pay a little more per month instead of a big bill down the road, it may be worth it.
Murphy's Law - if you get it, your Forester will never have a problem in its lifetime! If you don't, you'll have 1-2 problems within the warranty period.
Two key issues - how long is the warranty term? 5 years B2B? 10 years powertrain? The other issue is what deductable would you have to pay.
-juice
Another odd note: the Outback Sport actually has smaller diameter tires, so gearing is effectively shorter. Perhaps an extra shift is required just before 60mph? I don't know...
-juice
I replaced my Geolandars at 30,000 miles with B.F. Goodrich Touring T/As and I have been monitoring the tread wear since. I did NOT do any alignment since I bought the Forester.
At 54,000 miles (24,000 on the new tires), the tread wear is absolutely even across the tread to the extreme outer edge. The tires are 60% worn, however tread wear slows down as the tire ages, so I expect them to last around 50,000 miles.
So, I have to conclude that the premature wear was a design or manufacturing flaw in at least some of the Geolandars. These were made exclusively for the Forester and are not supplied as original equipment on any other vehicle, so no comparison can be made.
The wife and I are looking at purchasing a mini-SUV/wagon/whatever you want to call them...
Facts: Live in Pittsburgh. Mostly will be the wife's car. No children, but we're 'almost' ready. No need for off-road -at least not intentionally
We've tested the Forester and liked it very much. Good power on a pretty steep hill - with the AC cranked up. Controls well laid out. ABS worked well (we didn't intentionally try this - a deer ran in front of us!! Roads were wet.) Stereo was not the best and I'm no audiophyle. Back seats could have used a little more room. Those cup holders suck! (We're leaning toward this)
Tested the CRV. Roomy. Conrolls well placed (I own a 99 Civic, and the cabins are almost identical). When we tried to go up a steep hill (no AC this time) the tranny just couldn't find the right gear.
XTerra - Too big for us. Too much $ for us. Very nice, though.
Testing the Tribute tonight...
Never really looked at the Outback. Should we? What are the differences between the Forester and OB? It seemed like the Forester had more cargo space, but does it? I guess we'll be heading back to the Sooby dealer...
Thanks for letting me rant. Any imput is greatly appreciated.
Chris