Car security on Imprezas

[Captain Stubing]

I had to look at a '02 Subaru STi the other day (been knocked off). Everytime I opened the door the alarm went off for half a minute (didn't get set off again till I slammed one of the doors shut a few hours later!).

I organised for the dealer to send me the keys, and when I got them I got a covering letter explaining the security system.

After it was explained how to deactivate the alarm, I was told that one of the features of the system, was that if a door was opened while the engine was still running, the system would shut down the vehicle, and the vehicle would have to be towed to a Subaru Dealer to be re-coded. What???

I couldn't start the car, even with the PIN code, so it must be true! How many ****ed off Impreza owners are out there, pull up at the kerb to drop someone off, or pick up someone.... and the car dies? out:

Has anyone heard of this?

[Stav]

I have been doing alarms to cars since 1991 that feature sounds a bit wrong.Insist on an alarm which disables the car when a thief tries to steal it not when we drop off someone to church!!!

[Captain Stubing]

I was looking at this car in my work role... don't think I'd buy one! I thought it sounded like a stupid security feature.

Its a anti carjacking feature on the Sti

[whippet_zetec]

Originally Posted by useless

I have been doing alarms to cars since 1991 that feature sounds a bit wrong.Insist on an alarm which disables the car when a thief tries to steal it not when we drop off someone to church!!!

while it sounds like a good idea how do you tell the difference between dropping someone off and someone trying to steal your car????

I reckon I would go with the Dukes of Hazzard style, climb in and out the window (or at least make my passengers)

[RED_EL_XR8]

Originally Posted by whippet_zetec

while it sounds like a good idea how do you tell the difference between dropping someone off and someone trying to steal your car????

There are ways to tell! Both with sequence of events and ID detectors. :

[kooky]

Being the owner of an 01 WRX, its a great imobiliser but can be annoying, I would rather be annoyed a couple of times a month than find it knocked off.

The alarm will imobilise the engine if you start the car then open the drivers door only. Its the Anti-Hijack mode, which incidentally can be turned off.

No, after it has gone off as you mentioned it does not have to be re-coded.

To start the car you have to turn the key to ON, at this point you enter your "user code" (4 digit number on the keypad) then you can start the car.

The only time the code needs to be reset is if you flatten the battery in the car and the battery in the Brant keypad dies as well (normally around 24 to 36 hrs). You then need a "master code" to restore the memory in the keypad. They will tell you at subaru that you need to have the car towed to the dealership for "re-coding" they will charge you around $98 for them to ring head office and confirm details and enter the master code. <---Yes this is bullsh!t, go to your dealer with your rego papers licence to proove ownership and get them to give you the "master code" then you can start your car.

How do I know all this? It happened to me on boxing day (sunday), I had the car towed home then had to wait untill Wednesday for a dealership to open........ not happy at the time but all is well now.

PM me if you want any more info

[Captain Stubing]

The car I was looking at had been stolen. The keypad had been unplugged from the 'smart box" (?). I found one wire cut under the dash, but I wasn't able to start it, even with the correct code.

[Psycho Chicken]

It's true. Every Subaru with Brant installed (WRXs and STi) goes into hi-jack mode when the driver's door is opened while the engine is running.

We've had dipshit salepersons get out of the car on a test drive with the engine running, then have to go get them because they forgot the code.

If memory serves me correctly, after 15 seconds the engine misfires, after 3 seconds the alarm beeps and engine misfires again, at 50 seconds it starts beeping, at 60 seconds the engine cuts out.

BTW, PM is about to be sent on the starting issue.