Flashing security light?

[Todd]

Hi All,

On my 2006 Forrester, I just noticed last night that when I press
the "lock" button on my key chain, that a red light titled "Security"
starts flashing on my dash below my odometer. If I push my "Unlock"
button, the security light stops flashing. I draw a blank in my owners
manual. How do I turn this thing off?

Many thanks,
-T

[Todd]

On 10/15/2011 08:30 PM, 1 Lucky Texan wrote:
> On Oct 15, 6:03 pm, Todd<T...@invalid.com> wrote:
>> Hi All,
>>
>> On my 2006 Forrester, I just noticed last night that when I press
>> the "lock" button on my key chain, that a red light titled "Security"
>> starts flashing on my dash below my odometer. If I push my "Unlock"
>> button, the security light stops flashing. I draw a blank in my owners
>> manual. How do I turn this thing off?
>>
>> Many thanks,
>> -T
>
>
> That is your vehicle's 'alarm' system. Most people consider it a
> desirable feature and not a problem. Unless you're saying the flashing
> or operation has changed recently. Sometimes the system gets
> accidentally placed in 'valet mode'. Your manual should cover this -
> or visit the dealer perhaps and they can disable the alarm system,
> maybe by just pulling a fuse or some other method. You didn't mention
> if it beeps when you press the buttons. Once for engaged, twice for
> disengaged I think.

Hi 1 Lucky,

Thank you.

I wonder if this light has been going off for the last three years
and I never noticed it. Hmmmmm.

My worry was that it would drain the battery if left parked for a
week or so.

And, when the lamp burns out, that would stop the flashing.

-T

[Chicobiker]

On Oct 15, 7:03.pm, Todd <T...@invalid.com> wrote:
> Hi All,
>
> . . On my 2006 Forrester, I just noticed last night that when I press
> the "lock" button on my key chain, that a red light titled "Security"
> starts flashing on my dash below my odometer. .If I push my "Unlock"
> button, the security light stops flashing. .I draw a blank in my owners
> manual. .How do I turn this thing off?
>
> Many thanks,
> -T

I suspect this has been flashing this way all along and you never
noticed it. I have a 2010 Outback and earlier this year I took some
friends camping, and I gave them one key incase they needed something
from the car in the middle of the night. I got up first and wanted
something from the car, and I didn't want to sound the horn by
unlocking the doors with the buttons, so I physically put the key in
the lock and turned. The horn alarm went off and attempted to wake up
the entire campground. (I actually had the Valet key, so no buttons.
I was standing there wondering how I was supposed to turn off the
beeping! I had to turn the ignition to turn the beeping off!)

So that's when I decided to learn how this works. It's in my manual,
and you can turn it off, and I doubt you will drain the battery with
it.

I'm not sure I agree with the logic of the system, but I left it as it
was (I turned it off for the duration of the camping trip!). If I
have an actual key, why does the alarm go off? If I am a thief with
an actual key, I can just push the button to unlock the car. The
alarm makes it impossible to silently open the car, although the one
beep from key fob is not a lot of noise.

[Todd]

On 10/15/2011 11:26 PM, Nobody > (Revisited) wrote:
> On 10/15/2011 10:58 PM, Todd wrote:
>> And, when the lamp burns out, that would stop the flashing.
>
> Highly unlikely, it's an LED.
>

And an LED is low enough power that it is not likely to drain
ones battery any time soon. Thank you!

-T