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AWD to FWD override


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I just put in the fuse to override my AWD, try to get a mileage bump. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Neither the Owners Manual nor the Haynes service manual cover this. I'm worried that it might do some long term damage. I only really need the AWD in the winter.

 

Any techs, or anybody have any info on this? :confused:

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Why is it different on the newer models ???

 

On the GTs you have to pull a fuse out (EAWD) - red 10 A and then flip the vanity mirrors on both sides at the same time 20 times... in one minute. This will reprogram the car to go into FWD mode. If you do it 30 times in one minute, the car will become RWD. To go back to AWD you have to reflip them 25 times.

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Musta missed the mirror thing. I just stuck in a 60a fuse while hopping up and down on one foot, facing East, murmuring "there's no drive like FWD, there's no drive like FWD and the little FWD lite on he dash came on. Well, a 10 a fuse really, but the little light DID come on....
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scoobynooby - Disabling AWD is to be used for emergencies or towing only.

 

You're not going to save any significant gas mileage since the rear-section of the drivetrain still needs to be moved.

 

STOP DOING THAT NOW.

 

Why do people do sh!t and then ask whether it's bad or not after the fact. What The Frack!!!!!!!!!!! :icon_mad:

I keed I keeed
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if you only need AWD in the winter, than why didn't you buy a beater AWD and get a f/rwd for the rest of the year:icon_ques :icon_ques
258k miles - Stock engine/minor suspension upgrades/original shocks/rear struts replaced at 222k/4 passenger side wheel bearings/3 clutches/1 radiator/3 turbos
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scoobynooby - Disabling AWD is to be used for emergencies or towing only.

 

You're not going to save any significant gas mileage since the rear-section of the drivetrain still needs to be moved.

 

STOP DOING THAT NOW.

 

Why do people do sh!t and then ask whether it's bad or not after the fact. What The Frack!!!!!!!!!!! :icon_mad:

 

 

agreed!

 

if u want awd some of the time buy a truck. and put it in 4wd when needed, and still complain about fuel milage because your driving a 4wd truck.

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I just put in the fuse to override my AWD, try to get a mileage bump. Anyone have any experience with this?

 

Neither the Owners Manual nor the Haynes service manual cover this. I'm worried that it might do some long term damage. I only really need the AWD in the winter.

 

Any techs, or anybody have any info on this? :confused:

 

Dude . . . you totally got the wrong car if this is what you want to do. Just my 0.02

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The short answer to your question is yes.

 

You will break your car, void your warranty, make baby Scooby Jesus cry, as well as lose several IQ points for turning your Suby into a FF car.

 

Okay, actually only one of the above is true.. you figure it out.

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On the GTs you have to pull a fuse out (EAWD) - red 10 A and then flip the vanity mirrors on both sides at the same time 20 times... in one minute. This will reprogram the car to go into FWD mode. If you do it 30 times in one minute, the car will become RWD. To go back to AWD you have to reflip them 25 times.

 

Please tell me you are joking about this....lol

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Please tell me you are joking about this....lol

 

 

NO, the one thing he forgot is you have to honk the horn 10 times while saying: "I'm an idiot!!":lol:

258k miles - Stock engine/minor suspension upgrades/original shocks/rear struts replaced at 222k/4 passenger side wheel bearings/3 clutches/1 radiator/3 turbos
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scoobynooby - Disabling AWD is to be used for emergencies or towing only.

 

You're not going to save any significant gas mileage since the rear-section of the drivetrain still needs to be moved.

 

STOP DOING THAT NOW.

 

Why do people do sh!t and then ask whether it's bad or not after the fact. What The Frack!!!!!!!!!!! :icon_mad:

 

Holly shit...I didn"t think people would take my post so seriously ! There"s no electronic AWD on our cars to effectively make it a FWD car you have to remove the axle from the gearbox to the rear differential. There"s no fuse to unplug...certainly not on the manual GTs... Bottom line is...I don"t even know how to disable AWD - I don"t even think it is possible. All I know is that the car cannot be towed...it must be moved on a flat-bed truck.

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For the non-VTD automatic models (Active AWD), the AWD system is operated through an electronic clutch pack. You can remove a fuse to disable to clutch pack and keep it in FWD only mode.

 

However, the vehicle wasn't designed to run that way so I believe it's reserved only for short distances or emergencies (ie. towing).

 

I don't believe you gain much in terms of fuel economy since the Active System isn't always on anyway. The 80/20 or 90/10 split (depends on who you ask) is probably just being caused by drag through the transmission.

 

Ken

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Let me get this straight: there's actually an option for us Legacy owners who need the car towed to use just a regular tow truck (front or rear lifted). Simply removing a certain fuse somewhere will disengage AWD? How can one tell that AWD has actually disengaged? Would removing the battery's negative terminal achieve the same effect?

 

Note that my curiosity in this matter is strictly academic. It might be useful info should I one day find myself in some backwater country and the only tow service is a one-end lift.

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Let me get this straight: there's actually an option for us Legacy owners who need the car towed to use just a regular tow truck (front or rear lifted). Simply removing a certain fuse somewhere will disengage AWD? How can one tell that AWD has actually disengaged? Would removing the battery's negative terminal achieve the same effect?

 

Note that my curiosity in this matter is strictly academic. It might be useful info should I one day find myself in some backwater country and the only tow service is a one-end lift.

 

I'd hope they would have wheel dollies to put under the other set of wheels if that were the case.

 

Frankly, I wouldn't want to take that chance. Tow it with all the wheels off the ground, or not at all.

258k miles - Stock engine/minor suspension upgrades/original shocks/rear struts replaced at 222k/4 passenger side wheel bearings/3 clutches/1 radiator/3 turbos
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Let me get this straight: there's actually an option for us Legacy owners who need the car towed to use just a regular tow truck (front or rear lifted). Simply removing a certain fuse somewhere will disengage AWD? How can one tell that AWD has actually disengaged? Would removing the battery's negative terminal achieve the same effect?

 

Note that my curiosity in this matter is strictly academic. It might be useful info should I one day find myself in some backwater country and the only tow service is a one-end lift.

 

1.) No, you put the fuse *in* to engage FWD. No fuse leaves it in AWD.

2.) I believe there is a light that tells you on the dash

3.) No

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This actually does exist... no joke.

 

This only works on 2.5i AUTOMATIC versions with the subaru version of Haldex. It simply disengages the clutch pack and you get FWD.

 

All other models have real full time AWD and cannot be disabled.

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:um: thanks for the replies. I suppose. Appreciate the candor. I suppose.

 

We have a tendancy to give people their come-uppins in short order around here. Especially it seems on this topic in particular. The FWD switch in our cars was not meant as a way to bypass the AWD system for using the car as full time FWD.

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Apparently. Just an FYI, I put the fuse in to see if it would disable the AWD, as neither the owners manual nor the Haynes manual covered it. Thank GAWD Allmighty I didn't take that drive 'cross the country I was a-plannin'.

 

I'd again like to thank those of you who gave me my "comeuppance", as it were, with reasonable, intelligent well thought out replies. They were very helpful.

 

For some of the remainder of you , if I wanted a Mazda 6, and the accompanying monster car payments, therefore causing me to work 3 jobs instead of only 2, driving the vehicle even less and forcing me to correspond on the MADZA forum, thereby losing ADDITIONAL I.Q. points, and looking like every other car on the road, I would have done just that. Wow, was that a long sentence, or what? Also, I already have a beater truck. Where do you think I keep my dawgs n shotguns n empty beer cans n such.

 

So there!

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