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HELP! Brake Light Fllashes, No Cruize but NO CEL or Codes. Anyone seen this problem?


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My car is a 2010 LGT. Besides the suspension, the only modification is an Invidia turbo back exhaust.

 

My local Mechanic is baffled and so is the dealer.

 

In addition to the flashing brake light and the lack of cruise, the indicator of on the dash showing what gear I'm in has gone blank and the parking brake won't automatically release. There is a significant loss of power.

 

Sometimes while driving, everything will go back to normal for a few minutes, then the symptoms all come back.

 

I get these same problems when I get a CEL, but this is with no codes from the transmission or engine.

 

The dealer found a collapsed duct to the throttle body, but repairing it did not help.

 

Last year when I got these lights but no CEL, it threw a code that the sensor that tells it if you are in neutral had failed. Replaced the sensor and that seemed to solve it.

 

These cars are so rare, the techs at the dealers here in New Mexico have no experience with them. Folks on this board seem to know more than they do, so PLEASE HELP.

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Are you tuned for your TBE?

Can you post a data log?

Is your DP catted or catless?

 

The catted Invidia was installed 3 or 4 years ago and was custom tuned an hour later by Cam Tuning in Albuquerque. He's the best we have around here. It has caused no problems since then. I don't have a Cobb, so no log. I don't think its a problem with the tune. If it was, I'd expect to see a check engine light.

 

Something is telling the car's computer that something is wrong, and its doing it intermittently. Today, 30 minutes into a 3 hour drive, the gear indicator suddenly showed I was in 6th gear. The cruise started working, and the car ran perfectly. For half an hour. Then the cruise stopped working and the gear indicator went blank and the power disappeared.

 

Thanks for your offer of assistance. I'd really appreciate any other thoughts.

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The car still starts, right? Sounds like it could be the clutch pedal switch (the one that tells the ECM when the pedal is all the way up, not the stroke sensor that inhibits the starter unless the clutch pedal is pressed) flaking out, or possibly something with the wiring to that switch. The gear indicator only lights up when the clutch pedal is all the way up, and the automatic parking brake release only triggers when that switch closes. Could also be that the mounting nut is loose and the switch is fine, but you'll know that when you see it. I believe this is the correct part, though: https://parts.subaru.com/p/Subaru_2010_Legacy-25L-TURBO-6MT-4WD-GT-Premium-Sedan/SWITCH-ASSEMBLY-CLUTCH/49294020/83281AA000.html

 

That doesn't explain the loss of power, though, unless maybe the ECU is smart enough to limit you to wastegate boost pressure when the clutch pedal is depressed? It would do that if you're in limp mode for other reasons, too, just spitballing ideas.

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If its not the clutch switch like he suggested, I'd start to think about it being CAN related. The ECU should set a code if there is a problem with the bus, but it may not if its getting intermittent messages.

 

There's a way to read body trouble codes on the instrument cluster that may help, can't remember how to get there though.

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For the $20 it'd cost for a new switch, this is one of the very few times I might actually advocate throwing parts at a problem as a first line of defense. You might be able to simulate a "good" switch by jumping the terminals on the harness first, though, since the car would just think you were trucker shifting and shouldn't throw any codes- the clutch stroke sensor sits inline with the starter relay and doesn't talk to anything else, so having those two switches disagree wouldn't make the ECU angry.
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Is the parking brake dragging all the time?

 

Have you jacked up the back of the car and tried to spin the wheels, with both rear wheels off the ground?

 

The parking brake is not dragging and never has. Normaly, when I take my foot off the clutch and start driving, the brake automatically releases. It does not release unless I have the seat belt on. But now, even with the belt on, it does not release. It does the same whenever I get a CEL. But now its doing it with no codes.

 

There was a recall on the brake on manual transmission cars. the dealer just performed the recall, but it did not fix this problem.

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The car still starts, right? Sounds like it could be the clutch pedal switch (the one that tells the ECM when the pedal is all the way up, not the stroke sensor that inhibits the starter unless the clutch pedal is pressed) flaking out, or possibly something with the wiring to that switch. The gear indicator only lights up when the clutch pedal is all the way up, and the automatic parking brake release only triggers when that switch closes. Could also be that the mounting nut is loose and the switch is fine, but you'll know that when you see it. I believe this is the correct part, though: https://parts.subaru.com/p/Subaru_2010_Legacy-25L-TURBO-6MT-4WD-GT-Premium-Sedan/SWITCH-ASSEMBLY-CLUTCH/49294020/83281AA000.html

 

That doesn't explain the loss of power, though, unless maybe the ECU is smart enough to limit you to wastegate boost pressure when the clutch pedal is depressed? It would do that if you're in limp mode for other reasons, too, just spitballing ideas.

 

Spitball appreciated. I will run this idea past my mechanics. I am asking the dealer to consult Subaru, since they clearly don't know whats up.

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If its not the clutch switch like he suggested, I'd start to think about it being CAN related. The ECU should set a code if there is a problem with the bus, but it may not if its getting intermittent messages.

 

There's a way to read body trouble codes on the instrument cluster that may help, can't remember how to get there though.

 

I do not know what CAN related means. Please explain.

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CAN is controller area network, which is the language the various computer modules in cars use to talk to each other. I'm not convinced this is that, though, based on what you're describing- I'd start with the clutch switch and go from there.
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  • 1 month later...

If the dealer has it and can't figure it out, they need to open a techline with Subaru and get help. Have you had the parking brake actuator replaced, yet (this is an active recall for our cars)? Could be the board is fried and that's what's giving the problems (it's on the CAN, so it could be causing the issues - one thought would be to unplug the module and see if the related problems go away)

 

 

If the CEL is on, pull the codes (current and pending) - that should give some direction.

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  • 2 months later...
I’m getting the same issue. Park Brake recall has been addressed. When I check codes I get a P0420. I have yet to replace the O2 sensor and Cat Monitor. But other than the code I have no reason to believe I have a failed Cat (bone stock car and no foul odors from exhaust). When I get a chance I’ll pull ALL the codes that populate throughout my system and post them for you to mull over
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With that bit of information... would burned out fog light bulbs toy with the system?

 

No, the car could care less about fog lights. Brake lights however are a safety issue, I beleive the BIU will alert you if they aren't working or something of that nature, and LED resistance is too low to work without resistors either added after the fact or through the use of canbus leds.

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If brake blinking with no check engine and vdc then have to reaf errors from brake control unit. May be a need to recalibrate parking brake strength sensor (which strengtens the parking brake cable). Have to read eror code first. It may show issue with parking cable or issue with electric motor which pulls the brake cable. Errors can read with ssm (subaru select monitor) only
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