2009 Subaru Forester

bigfrank3

Congrats on you new vehicle!

It sounds like you are in Valet mode with the light flashing every 3 seconds. Look in your manual for "Activating and deactivating
the alarm system". Deactivating it is Valet mode. This is what it says in my 06 manual:

"Activating and deactivating
the alarm system
To change the setting of your vehicle’s
alarm system for activation or deactiva-
tion, do the following.
1. Disarm the alarm system (see “Disarm-
ing the system” in this section).
2. Sit in the driver’s seat and shut all
doors and the rear gate.
3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” po-
sition.
4. Hold down the UNLOCK side of the
driver’s power door locking switch, open
the driver’s door within the following 1 sec-
ond, and wait 10 seconds without releas-
ing the switch. The setting will then be
changed as follows:
If the system was previously activated:
The horn sounds twice, indicating that the
system is now deactivated.
If the system was previously deactivated:
The horn sounds once, indicating that the
system is now activated."

When my alarm is on the red light flashes twice every 2 seconds, but ONLY when armed. It runs off of the car battery but it would take a very long time without using the vehicle before the battery would be drained significantly, even in Valet mode, but you may want your alarm to work so you should check it. Quick flashes of that light use very little current.

Good luck!

pharmd718

So I had the car for a few days now and am getting to like it more and more. Its very comfortable and smooth. I highly recommand the limited because it comes with the 10 way power seat with lumber support which makes the ride much more comfortable. My father-in-law called to say that he is bringing his surf board so I got the Aero crossbars from subaru's web site. cost was $103 and it would be delivered in 1 day. I also have to get padding for the crossbars to protect the board from being scratched.
I have the tow hitch and need a very good 2 bike hitch attachment. Can anyone recommand a very good brand (it has a 1.25inch receptical)?.
My wife was making fun of me for getting the subaru because its such a "practical car that brainy nerds buy", but now she really likes it. She was really glad that I did not get the light green color because she saw many on the lot. Only one dark metalic was on the lot (it seems to change colors depending on the lighting which I found to be very cool)
Most of my co-workers went with the new G35X, BMW335i, and a few went for the audi A4. Now I am getting calls from them to go on Ikea runs cause they can't fit the boxes in their cars. :shades:

pharmd718

Pyewackett - The dealer stressed that the gas cap must be turned all the way when being closed. He said that you must be able to hear the cap click a few times to ensure that it was closed tight. Open your gas cap and put it back in. When turning it to shut make sure you hear lots of clicks.

If not closed properly your engine light will be on.

Seems that many of the newer cars have this fail safe now.

Good luck.

pyewackett

Thanks, Pharmd - but it's definitely not the engine light. It's the security indicator light.

The dealer had told us about the gas cap. Today was the first time we put gas in the tank and we turned off the radio so we could be sure we heard the gas cap turn all the way.

I'm still confused about the security system: armed vs. activated, disarmed vs. disactivated. The manual doesn't seem to connect the dots. Even my husband, an electrical engineer, is unsure about what is the new normal and what needs to be done.

Our current status: when we're not in the car and the car is unlocked (i.e., in our garage), the red security indicator light flashes once every 3 seconds. When we're not in the car and the car is locked, the light flashes twice every 2 seconds. Is this everyone else's experience?

We took the car out of valet mode (the whole "press the driver side unlock button for 1 second, open door while holding button, continue to hold button" sequence) and that activated the alarm system, which took us to the "twice per 2 seconds" flash. That seems worse, though, so we toggled back and put it to the original once per 3 seconds flash.

So I'm still confused. Of course, all this happens over a holiday weekend. Tomorrow I'll call the dealer and try to speak with a service person.

Does everyone else who owns an '09 have a constantly flashing security light when they're not in the car?

On the up side, today we took the car for a long drive and played with our iPod interface - fun stuff!! Despite the security light angst, I'm very glad we have our new pal.

rich505

Why are you worried about the flashing light? People used to pay thousands for security systems 20 years ago just to have a flashing light on the dash.

My cold light goes out after 1-2 minutes at 70 deg outside temperature.

phdhusky

"Today was the first time we put gas in the tank and we turned off the radio so we could be sure we heard the gas cap turn all the way."

You keep your car on while you fill the tank with gas?

pyewackett

Not on, but "Acc" - the first key position after Lock. When we pull up to the pump, we turn the car off entirely then move the key to first position. So we can watch the fuel gauge needle go up to full.

Both my husband and I have always done this. (I've never driven with anyone who hasn't.) We're in N.J., so we don't get out to pump. Of course, when we're out of state we're out of the car to pump, so all is off. We've done this for more than 25 years, and no explosions yet!

rsholland

http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2008/08/subaru-forester-diesel.html

kurtamaxxxguy

Interesting, but not here (USA) yet. Will take closer look once Subaru decides to bring it on over.

billwv

Hello All,

I am considering buying a 2009 Forester 2.5X with automatic. I have been reading these forums, since I like to have answers to my questions before I visit the dealer. The forums have been very helpful.

I do have two simple questions:

1. SportShift seems useful for holding a lower gear for engine braking on a steep decline -- can it be used this way? My understanding is it will lock out the upper gears but will still allow the lower ones -- is this correct?

2. Is the security system one of those that beeps the horn and flashes the lights to deter theft? I hate them! Can it be disabled?

Thanks for your help,

Bill Farmer

ateixeira

For my 1998 Forester I had the OE bike rack. Not sure who the manufacturer was, but it was pretty good, and folded out of the way.

You sure 2 bikes are enough? I always wished for a 3rd or 4th spot.

I would shop at a place like REI, compare several. Consider getting a 3 bike carrier even if it's only to mount your 2 bikes farther apart.

ateixeira

Let's extract some interesting tid bits:

* headlamp washers are standard, and we don't get them at all
* keyless go in standard, none here
* diesel block is semi-closed deck design, like STI's block, nice
* 4th, 5th, and 6th gears are all overdrives for the 6 speed manual

I bet highway fuel economy is phenomenal.

ateixeira

My minivan is in the shop so I drove the Forester around all weekend, which was a nice change.

One cool thing I noticed is when you mute the audio, it doesn't shut off suddenly. Instead, it fades, which is neat, just like the lights do when you close the door. I thought that was cool.

2nd, while my wife was driving, I deployed the rear cup holders and noticed the LED lighting there. Very cool! I had never noticed before, though I'm sure someone here has mentioned.

Odd that the rear cup holders are better than the front (square) ones!

mwasnidge

Regarding the mute button: I liked that too--noticed it yesterday!

Haven't noticed the LED lighting at the rear cupholders; in fact I have a toddler seat and an infant seat back there behind driver and passenger seat, so can't even fold out the cupholders or even get an adult in the middle there--bit disappointed by that actually. I don't know if my car seats are just ridiculously bulky or the back seats are really that cramped...not much more room than my hatchback focus it seems.

My other gripes are fading the longer I have it; The headrests are fine and I actually prefer them that way. The lumbar support is ok now I have the seat positioned properly. I even don't mind the square cupholders! My wife of course complained sitting so low in the passenger seat...she did look pretty dorky sat way down there! As others have said about the cold engine light, it's really no different than having a gauge and it warms up and goes out pretty quick.

All in all, the more I drive it, the more I like it. It really is fun to drive and you can really throw ot around like you would a smaller car. Can't wait for winter to try out my AWP and AWD!

ateixeira

Yeah, I like real gauges rather than idiot lights, but even I have to admit that I actually notice the low temp light, yet rarely do I pay attention to a temp gauge. It just catches your eye, so you know you should take it easy until it's warmed up.

As a gentle reminder, it works.

Plus, the blue hue is cool and it fits (blue=cold).

p0926

I don't know if my car seats are just ridiculously bulky or the back seats are really that cramped

Well given that the 09 Forester got a significantly roomier backseat with lots more legroom... my vote is that your car seats are just ridiculously bulky :P

-Frank

bikerguy3

Had a pleasant & unpleasant experience today with my '09 Forester...

I was pulling a utility trailer with a yard aerator & a thatcher that I rented
locally. The tow hitch (which is a Subaru OEM model that I installed myself)
worked out well. Though this was a fairly light load, the Forester (manual
xmission) pulled it with no difficulties and the power/handling of the vehicle
were great (as usual). Even the mpg only dropped about 3 mpg with the
trailer.

BUT - for safety reasons, I had turned on the headlights (so the trailer lights
would be on), and of course, when I got home I forgot to manually turn off the
headlights. After the yard work, I reloaded the trailer, went to start the vehicle,
and BINGO - dead battery. I haven't had this happen to me in years....I think
because every other vehicle I've owned recently either has auto-headlights,
or has a 15 min max timer which auto-shuts off the headlights if the engine is
not running. I suppose there was a warning chime when the ignition was turned
off with the headlights on (though I don't remember hearing it)?

So....attn Subaru design engineers...given all the technology available...surely
you can prevent the battery from going dead when a driver forgets to manually
turn off his headlights?

leo2633

Well, that's a change from our current and former Subarus (2001, 2002 and 2003 Forester and Outbacks), all of which have headlights that go off automatically when the ignition is switched off (if they were left on, that is).

Len

crashdavisfm

Well, I didn't get the color I wanted, but I should get my '09 XT Limited in Black delivered tomorrow.

I'm alittle sad, though, because I gave up an '07 STI Limited (which I LOVED, but I am middle-aged and female, so it was a little weird having that car), but I needed something more economical for the dogs.

They've made the cargo area just wide enough for two 20"W x 30"L crates, so I should be able to take two of the dogs to agility class every week in the Forester. I have a Chevy Express 3500 extended van completely dog modified which I use when going to a dog trial with all 3 dogs, but it's just too expensive to fire that up for local trips.

So anyway.... I'm back! Missed you forester guys -- my first Subaru was a '01 Forester which I had for 4 years... glad to see the regulars are still here

aj

ps.... btw, anyone find anything cool to put on the front bumper to cover up the holes? We don't have front license plate in FL, so it looks kinda odd. I had a nice one for my STI, but it doesn't look like anyone makes them for other models. Just curious....

buckhuntr

That's odd, because just last week I left the lights on in my 09 Forester, but the car started right up hours later, and the headlights came back on. Not the daytime running lights, either.

pharmd718

Regardless, the lights should turn off by themselves when left for a long time. I know that I tend to be forgetful at times and it seems like just a matter of time before I will leave the lights on and kill the battery. I am very surprised that subaru has missed this one.

On another note, I am getting the like the forester more and more each day. I noticed the led's in the rear cup holders as well and they look great at night (blue in color). My dad drove the car recently and was very impressed at how smooth it was.

I live in NY city and the avg. mpg shows 16.5 ............and I am driving the X-limited. I am still on my first tank from the dealer and am sure the numbers will improve greatly in a few weeks. I currently have 100 miles on the car.

kurtamaxxxguy

Odd... The '09 Forester XT I have does shut off its headlights when, once parked/engine is shut off, the key is removed from ignition (the first car I've owned which does this). Once you put the key back in the ignition, the headlights come back on again.

However, if you switch the exterior lights back on when the key has been removed, the lights will stay on until you turn them off again (or the battery runs down).

phdhusky

FYI, in the forester if you press the trip stick (the one that switches between odo, trip a and trip b) while the car is off the gaugues will move and you can see how much gas is in the car without having to turn it on.

ateixeira

Thanks for clarifying that. Ours turns the lights off automatically, too. My '98 did that and I loved that feature, so I'm glad it's still around.

aj: yes, I remember you, remember me? "juice" aka "juiceman" aka "A.J."? I had a '98, now my wife drives an '09 Limited PZEV.

volkov

Dra's 2002 Bug had the cold light. It would even give a short beep when the car was started up. The first time she drove it, she thought there was something wrong.

bikerguy3

I definitely didn't turn the lights back on after turning the car off...but
I think what happened is that when I turned off the car (with the headlights on),
I didn't remove the keys from the ignition...so the headlights did not auto-turn-off(?),
and the battery ran dead.

I'll need to test this theory...

Apparently the morale of the story here is to not leave the keys in the
ignition..even if the key is in the full off position. I suppose this is a bad habit I've
picked up, since I live in a secure suburban neighborhood...

ateixeira

Yep, the lights go off when you remove the key.

Here in DC your car would be gone before the battery was drained.

samiam_68

I don't think it was the headlights, I bet your trailer is the cause of the battery drain - did you turn off any trailer lights?

kurtamaxxxguy

Doing some testing I've gotten a better handle on the chirping the XT-L's HVAC is creating for me (and may bite others):

When outside temps are cold (below 60 up to 70 degrees or so):
start up the XT-L but have the HVAC fan __off__.
Drive it around for 10 minutes. Turning the vehicle generates no unusual sound.
Turn the HVAC fan on to a low speed (not Auto).
Continue driving for around 5 minutes
Then start turning left and / or right.

If your car's like mine you will hear a chirping sound when you turn the vehicle to the left. If you turn the vehicle really hard to the left, you may hear the chirp appear and disappear starting the turn, then appear and disappear when you are exiting the turn.

If you continue driving another 10 - 15 minutes, the chirping while turning may vanish all together.

Changing the speed of the HVAC fan does not change the pitch of the in-turns chirp, only its frequency.

If anyone else hears this oddity I'd appreciate knowing.

crashdavisfm

aj: yes, I remember you, remember me? "juice" aka "juiceman" aka "A.J."? I had a '98, now my wife drives an '09 Limited PZEV.

Of course I remember you Juice! I was happy to hear you upgraded to a new Forester. I also remember Frank, I think -- username used to be paisan or something close?

Anyway, I still haven't picked up the new ride yet, tomorrow at lunch. Now I'm actually more excited than depressed....

aj

p0926

I also remember Frank, I think -- username used to be paisan or something close?

I'm Frank (upgraded from an 01 Forester S to a 04 Forester XT), paisan (Mike) is still around also along with a number of others. You should drop in on the Subaru Crew forum and say hi

-Frank

ateixeira

OK, so I played with them last night to get the full scoop. Looks like we were indeed right about how it works:

* if on, they will turn off automatically when you remove the key
* put the key back in and it's on again
* if you turn the lights on after the key is removed, they will remain on

Makes sense to me. Basically the auto-off function works most of the time, unless you manually over-ride by turning the lights on intentionally.

sgloon

Oh, that sounds like a good little feature for the headlights!

Thanks for letting us know, Juice.

kurtamaxxxguy

That has been my experience as well with the lights.

one last thing on the clicking:
If you think you got it, open the glovebox and if it is what I reported, it will get a lot louder.
dat's all on dat...

204meca

BIKE RACK: Picked up this one for my 04 Forester & am very pleased with it. It took a couple of trys to get our two bikes fitted to it (very different height cross bars). It is relatively light weight, holds the bikes well & very solid at freeway speeds. It folds up into a nice compact package when off the car. Was about $168 from Amazon.

sgloon

I wanted to be able to switch off the map lights when I wanted. There is no switch for the map light (overhead front seat light) as there is for the dome and hatch lights. Was in to the dealer today and found that the "Programming" that is referred to in the manual only allows the dealer to change the time delay that it takes the lights to go off. There is no way to be able to turn them off or to not have them come on when any of the doors are open, so my dealer said.

Just letting ya all know. The dealer said it was a safety concern, but as I don't live in a big city, I would much prefer to be able to decide if I want the lights to come on or not.

crashdavisfm

I'm Frank (upgraded from an 01 Forester S to a 04 Forester XT), paisan (Mike) is still around also along with a number of others. You should drop in on the Subaru Crew forum and say hi

paisan Mike! That's the guy! Sorry, I had you two confused. I would love to stop by the Subaru Crew forum, as soon as I figure out how to find it. The forums now seem to have been organized by a schizophrenic (I apologize in advance for offending all the schizophrenics out there). Maybe it's just me....

Anyway.... I did finally get my new XT Limited (black) sans the Sirius radio and the front and rear bumper underguards. They are on order and I think they will really make the exterior pop.

So far, after about 15 miles driven, I really like what they've done with Forester. Maybe it's because I went from an STi to this, but seems BIG. It feels much more like the Pilot we used to have, more like a full-size SUV than a mini-SUV. Again, maybe my perspective is off. BTW, this is not a bad thing, just an odd feeling. Plus, the interior is as close to plush as Subaru has ever been. The leather is really *nice* and again, after the spartan STi (even with the STi Limited, it was a very simplistic interior) this is heaven.

I didn't even realize those square things were cupholders until I got in with my coke from lunch. I just thought there was ALOT of storage cubbyholes. Maybe that's the effect they were going for.

Anyway, so far I very happy. Anyone hesitating between the XT vs XT Limited -- it's really no contest. You just might have problems finding one. There were only two in FL and one was spoken for. I'm glad I got this one, since it would have been several weeks (Nov) before I could have gotten one ordered.

aj

p0926

I would love to stop by the Subaru Crew forum, as soon as I figure out how to find it.

Welcome to the "New & Improved" Town Hall. A while back Edmunds decided that it was difficult for newbies to search for info under the old format so they moved to a nybrid between forums and threads.

I've always contended that while it may be easier to find info now, it has become impossible for most of us to keep up with the ever expanding numnber of threads. So while more questions might get asked, more questions also go unanswered.

But to answer your question, just type Subaru Crew into the "search Forums" box .

-Frank

kurtamaxxxguy

appears to have been source of the odd clicking. Dealer identified it, has ordered replacement supposedly to arrive next Wednesday.
After end of next week I should know if new motor banishes clicking.

Driving the dealer's loaner Outback 2.5 I's does make me wish Subaru had put a little better trim inside their highest grade Forester.

tkay2

I 2nd. that Kurt. Seen the Japan model with the wood grain and it makes the interior look pretty classy. Asked Subaru if the dealer can install this as a option. Nope!!

ateixeira

That's a big complement because the Pilot is wide and roomy, and at least one size class bigger.

I like it because it doesn't feel cramped yet it is a lot smaller than our van, and of course much more fun to drive.

kurtamaxxxguy

head gasket failure
wheel bearing failure
timing belt failure

those seem to be Subaru Archilles heels.
Every auto has its own (Malibu/G6/Aura have weak front end suspension components, VW engines sludge, etc.).

Best line of defense, I guess, is rigorous maintanance.

p0926

head gasket failure
wheel bearing failure
timing belt failure

Head gastkets and wheel bearings were a problem prior to the redesigned in 03. I've never heard of a timing belt failure.

Regular maintenance is definitely the best defense against mechanical problems regardless of the vehicle

-Frank

pharmd718

So I had the forester for a week now and its been great. My wife's parents flew in from London and it was great fitting all the luggage in the rear without having to lower the seats. Previously I would fit 2 large suitcases in the trunk of my Q45 and everything else had to go in the back seat (rear seats did not fold down).
My father-in-law is an avid surfer so I ordered the roof rack. However, the racks have not arrived yet and today he drove to buy a new surfboard. The plan was to get a few bungee cords and a blanket for the roof. However, they seemed to have mananged fitting the 9 foot-in box surfboard in the interior of the car!!!
So now we know that the new forester can accommodate 3 adults and a 9 foot surf board :shades:

outpost05

Has anyone replaced the 09 Forester spare tire with a REAL spare tire? Does it fit in the spare tire well?

This winter I'll be driving in snow but not necessarily icy roads. Good thing since the page 8-11 of the manual says you cannot put chains on the tires due to not enough clearance between the tires and vehicle body. I don't think I've ever heard of that before on an "SUV".

sgloon

Yes, a full size spare will fit in the space. However, you will have to remove the large foam piece or you will not be able to lower the rear floor. The foam piece with the tools will fit in the full size wheel well.

FYI, if you do get a flat and have to use the "donut" smaller version. You will have to find space for that foam somewhere in your vehicle. So, if you are travelling, or otherwise packed tightly...you might not have room for the large foam piece amongst your gear...and I don't think it would do well on the roof rack.

I have heard from SOA that some dealers will swap out a full size tire for the donut for you...I don't know if they have come up with a different configuration for some alternate foam or not...at no extra charge.

YIKES!!! about the chains! Thanks for the heads up. Many use them in the mountains here regularly...not sure what that will mean. :confuse:

kurtamaxxxguy

two things to consider that might help:

1. S-series chains. These have extremely low profiles and might fit.
2. Auto Socks. Speciality-fabric based tire bands that fit over tires like chains. They are extensively used in Europe.

ateixeira

We did that for our 2002 Legacy - replaced the donut with a full size spare.

My wife got a lot of flats in her past, but ironically she didn't get a single flat tire in 7 years with that Legacy. Figures.

And it was just like you said - we just have to remove the foam piece, plus you will no longer be able to store the cargo cover under the cargo floor because the spare will use up that space.

I was going to suggest low profile chains but someone beat me to it. Or maybe some Blizzaks. Here's an idea - buy 4 blizzaks, and you could even use one of them as your full size spare. Then you'd only have to store 3.

volkov

Tire cables add almost no increase to the tire circumference. I can't believe that the room is so tight that they wouldn't fit.

leo2633

juice,

just be careful that those Blizzaks aren't directional, otherwise you'd have to hope your flat was on the side the Blizzak was mounted to run on, or wet road performance could suffer when using it as a spare.

Len