Sensative Remote on your early '05 Legacy?

A fix to be released shortly from SOA. I'll post as soon as it's official, the change has already been implemented in cars produced after Dec. 2004.

Is that when you clicked your car alarm on and you walking away and hear it click unlock because of the remote in your pocket. I get this sometimes.

Wow, they really start with the big stuff first. Maybe the studdering problem or the HVAC should be on their list too. My Legacy was made in June 2004 so I guess this fix will apply to me. All joking aside, the buttons are too sensitive.

Oh nice- thanks Opie!

I can hardly wait! Glad they came out with a fix before I had to go and hack up my remote

hmm... i hadnt noticed that they were that sensitive.

I've tried to be extra careful, I now keep my keys in my coat pocket which seems to help. Not sure what I'll do in the summer though. They are sensitive enough so I've acidentally set off the panic button when trying to unlatch the trunk, I hate that!

So is it a recall or do we have to fork over money to buy new remotes from Subaru?

Mine's pretty sensitive...and the buttons have often been pressed accidentally when in my pocket. My concern is that I might be doing something in the house or my office at work and will be unlocking my car all day long without knowing it.

 

Are they releasing new remotes? Or will this be a fix in the car itself, I wonder?

<chanting> O-P O-P O-P O-P

 

Mad love!

 

(and he got his wife a Legacy too - what a guy)

So is it a recall or do we have to fork over money to buy new remotes from Subaru?

 

It won't be a recall (as it isn't a safety concern) it will be a service bulletin sent to dealers, if a customer complains about this to them they will use the steps in the bulletin to address the problem.

 

From what I understand, it involves replacing the button springs in your current remotes with a "heavier" spring to make the buttons less suspectable to accidental triggering.

 

I also guess it will also include a list of VIN#'s eligible for the "fix". Once I see the official TSB I will let everyone know.

Opie,

 

Thanks very much for keeping us all informed.

 

I look forward to getting this fixed!

 

Car Dude

I'm glad this is happening- I was in Radio Shack the other day and a guy came in to get a new battery for his remote- I almost asked him for the dying battery

When I read the section in the LGT manual about the "car locator" feature on the remote (when you hit Lock 3 times and it honks the horn), it gave the range of something like 10 meters....and I actually laughed out loud because at such a short range if people had to use that feature to find their car from 10 meters, they had bigger problems to worry about. But afterwards I started noticing that the range was much more than this. One time I walked halfway down the block and was able to lock my car in my carport. It was not line-of-sight, through a couple townhomes and trees....but I probably was 500+feet away and could still hear the lock beep.

From what I understand, it involves replacing the button springs in your current remotes with a "heavier" spring to make the buttons less suspectable to accidental triggering.

 

If that's the case, I guess they won't be addressing the long range issue then. At first I thought the long range was kind of cool...then when I figured out the buttons were so easily pressed in the pocket, it started to worry me. So hopefully this will help solve the issue.

I wish they would just give us the JDM keys with the buttons in the key.

 

Oh well, at least they're addressing the problem and fixing it.

 

tom

Yea, that would've been nice....especially since the key is already so darn big!

Should I return my modded key fob back to OEM specs so I can get the official factory fix? What to do, what to do!!

Should I return my modded key fob back to OEM specs so I can get the official factory fix? What to do, what to do!!

 

trseeley,

 

What did you do to mod your key fob? (just curious)

Now watch, those who were comlpaining about the key fob being too easy to work. Will now complain it's too hard to press.

 

What did you do to mod your key fob? (just curious)

 

Just a variation of a variation of a mod suggested in this previous thread.

 

Basically, instread of individual "bumpers" (the ones I picked up were too thick and wouldn't allow me to activate it at all) I just put a piece of foam tape over the circuit board, with holes punched in it for the individual buttons. I quickly got tired of inadvertantly unlocking the trunk, and triggering the auto door locks.

 

Some would claim that it was due to my carelessness, but I rarely had problems with other remotes I've kept in my pants pocket. So far, no unintended triggers in the few weeks since the mod.

I wish there were a way for us to have the switchblade key like VW's have. Those are just cool- and compact!

Thanks for the tip (used the rubber technique)... works great.

 

I was going crazy with inadvertent button activations in my pocket... made me paranoid when I parked the car, thinking that I might unlock it by accident.

 

This is my fourth car with OEM keyless entry and it is, by far, the stupidest transmitter/key design I've used. The key itself is unecessarily long and pointy (uncomfortable in the pocket). I much prefer the VW / Mercedes switchblade key with integrated transmitter... it won't poke you when it's in your pocket and it's one unit instead of two.

 

Thanks, again.

"Is that a Subaru key in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?"

It was not line-of-sight, through a couple townhomes and trees....but I probably was 500+feet away and could still hear the lock beep.

 

500 feet?? 8-O Does your remote have an unusually large antenna?

I can hardly hear the lock beep from the rear of the car, much less from 150+m away.

 

I admit I handle my car key with extra care when I'm in the proximity of the car - the range of the remote is greater than that of the feeble beep (IME). However, unless I am dreaming, the car does indeed lock itself if no door is opened within 1 min of unlocking it.

 

Dragos