My 2001 does that as I mentioned in another post. I have been locked out of my car a few times and had to call for lock-out service. There are times when I had the keys in the ignition with it running and just wanted to check under the hood. The moment I close the door, the car locks and you get that sick feeling in your stomach. The last time I called for lock-out service, the guy broke the manual unlock mechanism but I didn't find out about it for weeks later. The remote works, but if I have to unlock the car manually, I have to go through the passenger door.

This is a very aggravating security feature. I always try to have a spare key and now keep one hidden outside the car. I also roll the window down before I check under the hood. A couple of times of being locked out with the engine running and you soon learn.

I'll probably defeat the auto lock feature. I believe the procedure to do this is in the owner's manual.

 

That's an interesting thing to happen. I've been looking into getting a 2012 and have been perusing the owners manual. The version they have online has no mention of this phenomenon, and actually states:

"The system does not operate when the
key is inserted into the ignition switch."

This is the the 2012 Legacy/Outback manual I'm reading...

Perhaps the 2011 is programmed differently? But you say that it's only happening to one of your 2011's and not both?

 

I'm paranoid so I NEVER leave my keys in my car in that situation. Unfortunately, Peggy uses her Outback differently than me and has had this happen occasionally. (Whenever I try to repeat the experiment with either car I can't.) However, she was definitely locked out of her car today in the driveway in the situation I described below.

Your comment about the owners manual certainly applied. When I tried to use my key fob while her key was in the ignition there was no activity.

The only thing I can think might be happening is that somehow a stray signal is being sent to the car to lock the doors. There is an interesting article on "hacking" the Subaru at Vehicle Remote Starting and Door Unlocking Can be Hacked - Market Trends - Automotive Fleet or you can just google search.

I do recommend the Outback. We have 35k on hers and about 15k on mine and this is the only issue to date.

 

wow...didn;t know abt this.... I'm another paranoid guy that always wind the window down a bit(EVen if it is zero degree outside and/or raining) whenever I have the car running and I need to get out.

 

Given that the doors are not supposed to lock that way, and that you cannot repeat the symptom when you want to, there might be another explanation.

Perhaps the manual lock/unlock button on the door is being inadvertently pressed toward "Lock" when opening the door and getting out. This then sets the locking system to lock all the doors when the door closes. The manual lock button on the door is not disabled when the key is in the ignition; only the keyless entry remote on the key doesn't work. Others have reported inadvertently locking themselves out this way.

 

Yes, it is true that it could be operator error (just like those brake vs gas pedal issues). However, if the car is locked from inside the car first, when the car door shuts there is the audible beep and signal light flash (when there isn't a key in the ignition). With the key in the ignition and the car door open, the car will not allow the lock to take place when the button is pressed, that is, it automatically will unlock the car door.

 

Here is what is happening. Key is in the ignition. You pull the door latch to open the door and at the same time accidentally hit the manual lock button (by the latch, not the lower buttons on the arm rest). You now close the door and it is locked and the key is still in the ignition. No beeps, no flashes. Remote unlock doesn't work, and shouldn't, because the key is in the ignition. The only way to open it is with your other key. I bet if you and your wife swap cars the problem will all of the sudden switch to the other car.

 

Skynet! It all starts with spontaneous glitches in the machines. Where's my old '70s era Dodge Colt?

Andrew

 

I currently do not have this feature but when I got my outback, I asked my dealer and auto starter mechanic about it. They told me they could program this feature in, but its not recommended since it is easy for you to get locked out of the car even if the key is in ignition.

 

Freedom1789:
Are you the original owner?

 

Yes, we are the original owners of both cars.

 

mpnret:

You may have the solution. I was able to replicate the lock-out situation as you suggest. However, neither one of us "locks" the car when we drive or prepare to do so. In other words, the normal state is for the OTHER doors to be unlocked. If she accidentally hit the manual lock -- the other doors would still be unlocked! However, at least you have hit upon a solution that does not premise an electrical malfunction -- Thanks!!!

 

As long as you are sure the other doors were unlocked my theory doesn't hold. But I was thinking it goes more like this: You approach your locked car in a parking lot and press the unlock button once on the key to enter (twice would open all the doors). This only unlocks the drivers door. Then you drive home pull into the garage, leave the key in the ignition, pull the door handle to open the door and your hand hits the manual lock button as you release the handle. You now close the door and all the doors are locked. Good luck and be sure and let us know what you find.

 

Another good point! Hopefully, that scenario took place and there is no other issue!

 

The 2010+ interior handle and lock lever appear to be on the same shaft as seems to be the case with my 07. When I pull the handle out on my 07, the manual lock lever moves -- not far, and there's no apparent binding -- but I wonder if the lock lever in Freedom1789's case might be binding, either on the shaft or against the door handle, and is being pulled out when the handle is pulled, but doesn't go back in when the handle is released. Just a thought . . .

 

I took a quick look from the outside, I'm not seeing any movement. I'm still going with user error...