rocco1109 Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I was at the store today and noticed the Legacy parked next to me had the parking lights on. As I came out of the store, the owner of the car was loading her groceries (older woman). I told her that her parking lights were on and she looked at me like I had a third eye. So I showed her where the parking lamp switch was located and told her to make sure it's not inadvertently switched on. Her reaction was one of overwhelming joy! Seriously, she acted as if she had just won the lottery. She went on to tell me that for the past 5 years (FIVE YEARS) she was having issues with her battery dying and no mechanic could ever figure it out (from the look of the car, it's doubtful she ever took it to a Subaru dealer). Every night when she goes home, she disconnects the battery. When ever she goes any where for more than an hour, she disconnects the battery. Did I mention she's been doing this for FIVE YEARS! Can you imagine? Crap design on Subaru's part. I was a victim of this once when the guys at the car wash switched it on and I didn't notice. Dead battery. http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l7/rocco1109/37D6BED6-A731-4B99-A26A-3D729CFB6E31-11013-000006E4898D46AC.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Everyone knows about the Subaru dead battery switch. http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/13690798/images/1296235343997.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocco1109 Posted January 7, 2013 Author Share Posted January 7, 2013 Everyone does now. I think this little old lady was the last to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitetiger Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 its just one of those subaru quirks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 One of the many things I like about my Subes is that switch. It is a JDM carry-over, one of a very few that make it to the USDM Subarus. Only external F/R parking lamps, no interior dash lights at all. The other "light" feature I like is that no matter where the headlight switch is set (headlamps or parking lamps), they go completely off when the key is "off". No way to leave the lights on inadvertently from the headlight switch. We were walking our dog one evening and noticed that a neighbor's Forester, up the street, had its parking lights on. On the retun leg, we noticed the wife standing with the driver's side door opening and trying everything to turn off the parking lamps. She was unsuccessful, so I asked her if I could show her how to turn it off. She too was very grateful. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nolmers06LGT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 If it is the worst design ever, its shared by a LOT of other cars.. I can't count how many cars I've seen with the parking lamp switch in that position. On one of my previous cars it was impossible to remove the dash panels without tripping the switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kred Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Why would anyone even keep a car for five years if it had a "serious" electrical problem that nobody could figure out? Having to reconnect and disconnect the battery before and after every drive, I would have gotten rid of the car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosAngelesLGT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Mind = blown. Just dumb enough to be truth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 Just how grateful was she ? Double Award Winning Legacy GT Wagon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06silvarubiLGT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I had a customer whos husband would disconnect the battery everynite in his subie, he then had a kill switch installed. She was talking to me about it one day when she was in with her car and I told her about the dead battery switch. Next day she came back with a $20 bill and told me it was worth more telling her husband he was wrong, I thought that was priceless, and got coffee for the week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosAngelesLGT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 One of the many things I like about my Subes is that switch. It is a JDM carry-over, one of a very few that make it to the USDM Subarus. Can someone more traveled than me chime in... Do most cars in Japan come with such a switch? Ive never been so I have no idea. Also, if its a standard JDM thing, what do they typically use it for? Requirement in the rain or something or just one of those cool things? Always been curious. Inquiring minds and all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06silvarubiLGT Posted January 7, 2013 Share Posted January 7, 2013 I believe in JDM market the have seperate running lights in front and rear housings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Can someone more traveled than me chime in... Do most cars in Japan come with such a switch? Ive never been so I have no idea. Also, if its a standard JDM thing, what do they typically use it for? Requirement in the rain or something or just one of those cool things? Always been curious. Inquiring minds and all... I don't know if this is still the case, and it may just be a "legacy" (era) thing, but when we lived in Japan, whenever you came to a traffic light, you turned your headlights off and left the parking lights on. Ostensibly, this was to preserve the battery and as a courtesy to other drivers. The parking-light-only switch was also designed to keep the battery-draw to minimums when the car was parked, because parking lights needed to be turned-on if stopped along the roadway - as opposed to a parking spot. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berzerklo Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I think the way Subaru does it is far superior to 'standard' design. I think it makes far more sense to have the lights turn off when you take the keys out of the ignition than to have them stay on and have a buzzer/chime yell at me every time. Plus its how Subaru trolls newbs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocco1109 Posted January 8, 2013 Author Share Posted January 8, 2013 I don't know if this is still the case, and it may just be a "legacy" (era) thing, but when we lived in Japan, whenever you came to a traffic light, you turned your headlights off and left the parking lights on. Ostensibly, this was to preserve the battery and as a courtesy to other drivers. The parking-light-only switch was also designed to keep the battery-draw to minimums when the car was parked, because parking lights needed to be turned-on if stopped along the roadway - as opposed to a parking spot. Interesting. That explains it then. I guess it's not crap design after all but a hold over from the Japanese market. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJ60 Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 My wife is probably only vaguely aware that her Passat has memory seats and power folding mirrors. Reminds me of the time I was helping my sister look at a Prelude. I asked if the moonroof worked and the seller proceeded to move the sunshade back and forth. When I specified that I meant the glass he told me that it doesn't flip open. I hit the switch and the moonroof opened. I'm amazed it opened being that the dude had the car for 5 years and didn't know it had that feature. [FONT=Comic Sans MS][B][I]"Sweep the leg!" - Sensei Kreese, Karate Kid [/I][/B][/FONT] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wang Lung Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Nope. You were right the first time. Dumb idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
__raj Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I like the feature. I find it beyond annoying to turn on/off headlights. I like Subaru's simple feature or the Auto version of headlights (our Acura MDX). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LosAngelesLGT Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 because parking lights needed to be turned-on if stopped along the roadway - as opposed to a parking spot. OH I GET IT! Because I am from Los Angeles where everything was designed around the car and they are driving cars in areas often designed before cars and in a much tighter space so they use the parking lights to park where others might drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOneDoubleN Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Who's dumber? The company that designed the switch, or the driver that didn't realize for 5 years that her parking lights were on and never questioned it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laz Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 I always though the switch had to do with Subarus being negatively switched so with the ignition off there was no power to turn on the lights. Thus having this one switch for parking lights was mandatory. And it is not so much the switch, but where it is placed that makes it a "kill" battery switch. 5th gen do not have it, but it does have automatic lights. I never turn my on or off X --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheOneDoubleN Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 so with the ignition off there was no power to turn on the lights Whaaa? Car is off, switch lights on with turn signal stalk light switch, lights come on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 One of the feature removals I don't like about the 5th gens. - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oregon OBXT Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 Not that different than BMW where you can turn the street side parking lights on with the stalk. Uses half the battery of all parking lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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