[diem]

Hi all,

I was surprised that a forum search didn't turn up an answer to this, but since earlier today the 'security' light on the dash of my '07 OB has been on permanently, whether the car is running or not. Before I go into any more detail, what do y'all think that indicates?

The manual says that this'll happen if a counterfeit key is used to start the car. Now I recently purchased a spare key and keyless entry fob from my local dealer which the programmed for me (at great cost!), and I've used it to start the car successfully before today without issue. Today the only difference is that for the first time I used it having started the car with the remote starter. Surely if the key had been considered counterfeit it would have shut down the engine? And the key/fob still opens and starts the car. For all these reasons I'm not convinced that it's the newish key that's the problem, but am keen to hear what you think (and your suggestions for clearing the light - it's bugging me!).

Thanks for any suggestions or advice,

Ian

 

[diem]

Really no-one? Well that's a first for me here - getting no replies at all!

Ah well, good news is that after a few days and a few trips the light went out by itself. I guess it was some sort of software glitch relating to using the new key and the remote starter; I'll post here if I figure out exactly what happened.

yan

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

look thru your owner's manual for 'valet mode'.

not sure, but on some systems, if you accidentally enter valet mode, I think it turns that light on solid.

 

[diem]

Thanks man,

Yeah I'd seen that in the manual and discounted it, though I can't now recall why.

This morning though, I used the same remote starter and the light was on when I got to the car, and has stayed on since. Will do some more testing now that I've narrowed it down to the one remote starter fob, and will check the manual again re. valet mode.

Thanks again,

yan

 

[Shadow 1100]

Don't have a Remote Starter but maybe it's telling you your battery is low in the remote. Or one of your buttons is stuck.

 

[diem]

Don't have a Remote Starter but maybe it's telling you your battery is low in the remote. Or one of your buttons is stuck.

I checked the batteries and both cells show 3V, so I don't think that's it. The surface mount button seems to operate nicely and flashes the LED so I don't think the button's stuck.

@1 Lucky Texan: I re-checked the manual and apparently on my model in valet mode the Security light will flash once every 3 seconds, so it's not that in my case.

My current hypothesis is that the dealership messed something up when they reprogrammed the complete key set when I got the replacement key. They told me that there was nothing they'd do to the remote starter fobs but one of them doesn't illuminate the Security light and one does

It's tricky to troubleshoot because once the light's triggered it takes a couple of days before it goes out, but if I get a eureka moment I'll post back here.

Thanks for all the input folks,

Ian

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

there may be instructions to 're-register' or w'ever it's called, the fobs to the system at Subaru Research Site- specs, prices, options, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009.. Outback, Legacy, Forester, WRX, STI, Impreza, Tribeca, BRZ, XV Crosstrek

might be helpful but ????

 

[diem]

There is! Could come in handy - thanks man :29:

 

[canubaru]

i would talk to the dealer. you bought the item there and they did the work AT GREAT COST and it does not work right.

 

[diem]

i would talk to the dealer. you bought the item there and they did the work AT GREAT COST and it does not work right.

Yeah I think you're right. I followed the instructions at cars101.com for re-registering the remote, but it turns out that doesn't clear the fault code so the light stays on regardless.

I spoke to the dealer and indeed the remote starters are linked into the immobiliser (I guess this should be obviously really!) and could cause the solid Security light. I've booked it in on the promise that if their programming mistake caused the issue then they'll not charge me a cent. Will post back in a week after the appointment...

 

[diem]

So then, the dealer spent 3 hours on the car and got nowhere!

They checked EMU codes, reprogrammed all the keys, remote fobs and remote starters, checked the remote starter wiring harness and all relevant fuses and found nothing wrong whatsoever.

On the basis of the coincidence that they programmed a set of new keys before this happened they didn't charge me for this investigation session, but they want to for their next 'fishing expedition'.

So what next?

Well, I recall that when the light first came on, it stayed for a couple of days then on the third day was dim, then went out later that day. I didn't see when the light brightness changed nor when it came on and went out; I simply noted it's state whenever I got in the car to go somewhere. I think it is significant that the light went dim - smells like a grounding fault inside one module or another.

Now the 'only' info I can find in any manual or online regarding this light being on permanently is when the wrong key is used to unlock the car (i.e. it doesn't seem to suggest a fault in the immobiliser or alarm), and the alarm does sound at the right times, so for me it seems the only problem is that the light itself is on when it ought not to be, which I'm now thinking is down to a fault inside one of the electronic modules. Since I don't want to throw money at this indefinitely and nothing is actually non-functional (not yet at least!) I think I'm just gonna put up with the light being on.

Thanks for all your input along the way folks, and perhaps this thread will be useful if anyone else gets the same symptoms. According to the service manager at my dealership he's seen this issue only once ever in his experience, and it took 5 hours of fault-finding to identify the culprit!

Ian

 

[jogosub]

It's a long shot (not sure if you or the dealer have done this before) but try to disconnect and re-connect the battery.... sometimes things work out on its own.. LOL...I had a similar issue on my Benz few years back ....

 

[diem]

Thanks for the suggestion, however on the basis that the clock was wrong when I got the car back I think they did that at the dealer. I'll try it again for the heck of it though

 

[jogosub]

yep - if the clock was off that would indicate that the battery was disconnected... oh well... you will have to "live with it"... I guess.... that is really bizarre....

 

[BHoll]

Just curious, is this a factory auto start you have or after market?

 

[diem]

It's the factory auto start.

Since I'm posting, the latest info is that once or twice the light has flickered off for a couple of seconds, and once was off (or rather blinking normally) and when I started the car it flickered in time with the engine cranking and then stayed on once the engine was running.

I'm therefore now convinced that it's a bad connection or unintentional earth somewhere. Have had a poke around under the hood with a flashlight but couldn't see anything obvious, so I'm thinking it must be at the electronic rather than electric level, putting it beyond my fault-finding ken. Since it's not affecting the operation of any system nor is it draining the battery (the Montreal winter will kill a weakened or earth-leaking battery in no time!) I'm just gonna put up with it as is.

 

[Shadow 1100]

Just for ****&giggles try locking and unlocking with a fob key to see if that resets not the remote, just the key!

 

[diem]

Just for ****&giggles try locking and unlocking with a fob key to see if that resets not the remote, just the key!

Thanks Jim but I think it's way beyond that now

New/changed symptoms. The Security light now is off permanently (doesn't even flash when the car's locked) and the clock unit now flashes "Acc" rapidly which then changes to a solid "Err" when I lock the car

I know it's a wiring issue but what?? where??

 

[diem]

Latest update, for those who're following along

So I found word on the 'net that some cars have the TPMS harness fitted even if they don't have the feature, and that it terminates in a plug under the drivers seat; if this corrodes it can cause these symptoms. My car's a Canadian spec '07 which doesn't have TPMS, so (given that it's minus 15 centigrade here) I had the dealer expend $125 to discover that the '07 no longer has the harness if it doesn't have the feature. Struck out

So here we are four days later, and bam! Today the failing systems are (deep breath):

- rear defroster
- front wipers heater
- rear windscreen wiper
- central locking
- airbag light on
- daytime driving lights
- auto box park interlock (have to use the manual override)



Needless to say, my hand is forced and the car's booked in tomorrow at the dealer for a good electrical going over....

 

[Novablue]

Latest update, for those who're following along

So I found word on the 'net that some cars have the TPMS harness fitted even if they don't have the feature, and that it terminates in a plug under the drivers seat; if this corrodes it can cause these symptoms. My car's a Canadian spec '07 which doesn't have TPMS, so (given that it's minus 15 centigrade here) I had the dealer expend $125 to discover that the '07 no longer has the harness if it doesn't have the feature. Struck out

So here we are four days later, and bam! Today the failing systems are (deep breath):

- rear defroster
- front wipers heater
- rear windscreen wiper
- central locking
- airbag light on
- daytime driving lights
- auto box park interlock (have to use the manual override)



Needless to say, my hand is forced and the car's booked in tomorrow at the dealer for a good electrical going over....

Wow. Sounds like you got loose rodent under the dash or something.

Don't all those items go to the same fuse panel?