[Bede5man]

I've had my 2008 2.5i Outback for just over 2 months now...

Funny thing; sometimes (like every few weeks or so) I will hear a single electronic "bing" from the car. There is no warning annunciator lit, or any change in drivability or anything.

Is this a normal thing designed to draw my attention to something (like fuel level or OAT or whatever)?

Maybe it has happened other times when I had the radio up and didn't notice it...I don't know.

Doesn't seem to be a problem.

 

[BlueCorn]

That is likely either:

You've been driving for 2 hours and it's telling you to take a break

or

The outside temperature is 37F or lower and it's telling you to watch for ice.

When you hear that chime, take a peak at your display.

 

[subiesailor]

When you turn the key to the on position do all the various dash indicators light up? If they do and your not seeing any then could be the ice indicator. If some of the lights on the dash seem to be missing - you might have some burnt out bulbs and an indicator thats not showing when you hear the bing.

 

[Bede5man]

I knew about the temp thing but...

...I thought it was at lower temp. Isn't the display supposed to flash, too?

Are you serious about the 2 hour thing (wouldn't surprise me)???

All the annunciators illuminate at the start-up test.

 

[plain OM]

My 07 "bings" repeatedly when a seat belt is unbuckled with someone in the seat, or when the key is left in the switch when the driver door is opened. It will also "beep" when I use the keyless entry fob, or if I use the driver's master lock switch. (There might be other instances . . .)

But I am not aware of any sound the car is supposed to make when a combination meter warning light is activated, when the outside temperature is around freezing, or even based on driving time. Do any of your Subaru's "bing" in these circumstances?

Bede5man: Can you provide a better description of the "bing", comparing to other sounds that the car does make? And when it happens, are you driving, or stationary, engine on or off, etc?

 

[Bede5man]

A single "bing" that sounds electronic...not a repeating thing. Not exactly like the seatbelt chime, though.

The only times have been while the engine was running, and moving. The moving part may have been incidental.

 

[plain OM]

Unless there is, in fact, additional audible warning signals ("bings" "dings" or whatever for other functions such as warning lights), or someone recognizes the problem from experience, I think this will need more observation to try to narrow it down, for example, detailing when it happens, type of driving, road conditions, passengers in the car, engine fully warmed up or not etc. And then look for conditions that seem to be the same each time it occurs. Intermittent symptoms are always a challenge.

 

[cardoc]

Did Subaru program a timer in the turn signal? I know a lot of European cars will ding at you if you travel a good distance with the turn signal on. I also notice it in Dodges, but that's Daimler anyway. Could just be a "Hey, your turn signal is still active and you've either forgotten to change lanes or forgot to cancel it." Maybe you could try a long stretch with the turn signal on and see if it happens.

Just a thought.

 

[Bede5man]

It's only happened maybe 3 times in 2 months; it may not have even been a sound from the car...I mean it sounded like it was a faint electronic "bing" but I dunno.

Is it possible that is was a tone over the radio? I always listen to the exact same station...maybe an encoded time set tone on the broadcast?

 

[Bede5man]

Mileage Alert?

Is there some audible tone when the AVG MPG hits a new high or when the trend reverses or something?

 

[plain OM]

I'm not aware of any audible tones that would function as described. Some of the ideas are certainly interesting; I can add another one, for example, a "binging" signal when the fuel level gets low.

But it seems to me that a single, faint, "bing" isn't going to catch much attention if, for example, the turn signals have been left on for a long time. I think that would need a really loud "bong"!

This isn't to say that perhaps there can't be something that will signal in this way, but it might be in some hidden ECM/TCM/BIU program that isn't normally set-up to function in North American Subarus.

If you're always listening to the same radio station, then the next few times you hear the sound, note the time and program to see if it's always the same.

There's always the possibility that it's not electronic, but mechanical. For example, a heat shield. This isn't uncommon -- they bing and bong and tinkle for quite some time after the car is stopped. (I still get this when I park my 07, but admittedly, I don't hear it when driving.)

 

[Bede5man]

You know, the more I think about it, I am wondering if it was my cell phone receiving notifications.

This time of year I don't have it clipped my belt but rather carry it in the cargo pocket of my flight jacket, because I'm always wearing one.

I got the car the last week in October about the time that I quit carrying the phone externally. I wonder if that's it...?!?

 

[plain OM]

Sounds quite possible. Most cells will allow you to play the various tones (and select them). Perhaps see if any are the same as the sound you were hearing.

Please let us know . . .

 

[Bede5man]

Well it turns out it was my cell phone after all.

My wife found it. She happened to be in the car with me when I heard the sound again. Ha ha!

 

[cardoc]

And I was hoping to find a Gremlin.

 

[Jam_s160]

I sometimes get a random audible "ding" when my laptop or shopping bag is on the passenger seat and I go over a bump while out driving. The extra force / weight sets of the seat belt warning sound momentarily etc...