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2002 Forester Keyless entry not working


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I just picked up an '02 Forester S - my 7th Subaru. What a great car - I love having a manual transmission again! The key FOB doesn't work - replaced the battery from the same type of FOB from my Outback, still n/g. Seems like the LED is erratic - sometimes it will stay on, blink or is dim. Assuming the FOB may be defective I thought I'd try the Outback FOB - tried the instructions to program the FOB by turning the ignition from Lock to On 10 times within 15 seconds...etc, no luck. After the 10th turn the horn should beep to indicate it's in the programming mode - mine does not. I wonder if some other way could the system be disabled - I read how it can be if an alarm system is installed and placed in the 'passive' mode but I don't think that's the case. I wonder if a certain fuse is in line with the system - the overhead clock doesn't work either. Probably not related - but will refer to the manual for any other possibilities. Any other reason it may not be going into programming mode?

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I think there's a button of some kind you have to push buried in the wiring under the dash somewhere. I don't recall exactly.

 

the overhead clock doesn't work either. Probably not related -

Nope. That's a common problem. Broken solder joint on the PCB.

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f77/oh-no-my-clock-doesnt-work-3350/

If you're not comfortable with a soldering iron, there's an ad in the classified section where one of our members has some already repaired clocks for sale.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Haven't fooled with the keyless entry but bought a new battery for the remote. Took the clock apart - checked continuity ok in a few random places. Thanks for the link to the repair - I'll need to check the connection to that component carefully. I verified constant 12v and 12v ignition on at the connector. If I have no luck - how does one get to this classified section in this forum?

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Thanks everyone! I started looking at the clock more carefully - component 510 in particular (a resistor?). I touched the solder joint with a screwdriver and the whole resistor fell off. I soldered it back on, now the clock works! I was kind of surprised because the tip on my soldering iron isn't very fine and I probably worked on surface mount components only once before.

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That is a resistor. I think it is a 1 watt, 51 ohm, if I remember correctly. The biggest thing about resoldering them is making sure the contacts of the PC board and resistor are clean and using a minimum of heat when resolding it. As far as I know no one has had any further problem with that resistor connection after if was worked on.

 

It sounds like there may be a problem with the keyless entry module since you say the LED is acting a little strange. I suggest you verify it is getting a good connection to power before doing anything else with it. The LED should pulse when the system is in the armed mode.

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Sorry for the delayed reply - I've had a lot of trouble getting on this board lately - keep getting 'Database error'. I installed a new battery in the keyless remote - as suspected the remote itself seems bad since the LED will sometimes stay half lit after pressing the orange button. I'll try programming the remote from my Outback again. In the mean time it's nice having a clock again - I like where it's mounted. Reminds me a bit of the compass in a Plymouth Grand Voyager I had many years ago. I do really enjoy driving the Forester with the 5-speed. Although the same engine as the Outback I traded in - it is a distinctly different vehicle. I'm impressed that I can comfortably stay in 5th gear most of the time in hilly terrain.

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  • 1 month later...

Finally tried again to program my old keyless entry remote - this time it was successful. Not sure what I did differently - maybe didn't turn the key on/off quick enough before. Luckily I forgot to turn it the 2nd remote for my Outback when I traded it in - but just as well since the one I received with the Forester was defective. I now have intermittent trouble with the clock - I got it working a while ago but occasionally it'll reset to 1:00. Resoldered the suggested resistor, still happened. Don't think it's an interruption of constant 12v - the radio doesn't lose it's presets but maybe it has an internal backup battery, and once it happened while I was driving.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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