Turning off a Subaru security alarm

I just had to tell this story...

I left my 2003 OBW (H6-3.0) at the local Subaru shop yesterday afternoon for the cruise control recall and a couple of other, trivial things. They were really busy, the parking lot was almost full, and it was near closing time, so I locked the car before I left. (I didn't know if they would take the time.) I gave them a key, of course.

This morning, I got a call from the shop. They claimed I'd locked the car with the remote (true), but I'd left them the valet key so they couldn't move the car (false). They said when they opened the door, the alarm sounded and the starter was disabled. It's a 60-mile drive from here and a time-zone difference, so they just wanted me to know I'd have to drive over there and unlock the car before they could start working on it.

What's funny about this story is:

1) They just assumed that, because the key I gave them didn't include a remote fob, it must be a valet key. 2) They didn't know how to turn off the security alarm in a Subaru. (Put the key in the ignition and turn it on-and-off three times.)

I told the service rep we'd left a *regular* (duplicate) key, and she protested that the key did not work--using it triggered the alarm and disabled the starter. I told her we use that key all the time, and it works fine (except it *does* trigger the alarm if I've locked the car with the remote). She argued that the key did not work--it would not start the car. I asked her if she had tried turning the alarm off before starting the car, and she didn't know what I was talking about. I had to explain it *twice*--"while alarm is sounding, put key in ignition, turn it on then off three times...and then the car will start"-- before she agreed to try it. She said the mechanic hadn't said anything about that.

Of course, this is the same place where, 3 years ago, the same Subaru mechanic *insisted* that the climate control buttons on my '98 OBW did not have lights behind them. He said the buttons were solid, black plastic and weren't designed to be lighted. (We all know about that one!).

C. Brunner

Reply to
C. Brunner
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I suspect that is the same guy who has been telling everyone that their faulty climate control system is operating per Subaru design. Some places need to have their 'dealership' lifted, in my opinion.

Reply to
GTT

I agree with some dealerships needed to be lifted.

I had a lose tensioner bolt on my australian delivered 1993 gx liberty, so loose that it would rattle when backing off the throttle, so not knowing what this rattle was, I took it in for a service and they claimed it was the exhaust heatshields and charged me for tightening the heatshields

not long after, i noticed the same noise and called a mate with a 93 GT Legacy, he managed to spot the problem in about 2 minutes.

sad when heatshields were never loose and had never been touched

I could have lost a belt :/

they also tightened all the nuts on my wheels much tighter than the desired 45nm, i couldn't get them off even with an extension, it only suceeded in moving the car backwards, a mate and his old man tried aswell.

i wrote a letter detailing everything and documented and the service rep, read it a few times and groaned and said bring the car in tomorrow morning and we'll adjust these things while you wait. it'll take 10 mins.

i went in and they had my car for 45 minutes, mechanic came out and said in a loud voice infront of everyone OH, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT and handed the keys to the service rep who gave me a blank stare.

truely sickened that this happened at a subaru dealership.

GTT wrote:

Reply to
jeff

they also put the oil cap on so tight I had to use multigrips to remove it with more than 45nm of torque :/

they must have g> I agree with some dealerships needed to be lifted.

Reply to
jeff

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