Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

o4 outback continues running with key removed


Recommended Posts

Hi All; Went to look at an 04 outback for sale yesterday.  Had the strangest thing happen. Started the motor, 169,000 sounded great no smoke no noises, even though it hadn't been started  since winter .Went for a test drive, lots of power, 5 speed shifts great . Nice car, some cosmetic issues (like a deer crunched rt frt fender)  pulled back in the yard ... turned off motor ... REMOVED key ...look down and the  motor continues running !!!  the key is in my hand , steering wheel locked !  Been working on subarus since the 1980's never has this happened before...   Owner said this has happened off and on for years ?? Car will shut itself off after a short while??? I'm thinking maybe they spilled something sticky on the column ???  Or maybe an electrical (computer ?) issue ?? check engine light was on (didn't think to bring the scanner) the cruise light was flashing. Everything else electric seems good, other than a dead battery that we had to jump, to start it. yes battery connections  were clean and tight. Has anybody experienced anything like this before ?  I agreed to buy the car ,got the price down enough that I can afford to spend some time with it. Hoping someone out there has run into this before. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first suspect is the ignition switch sticking ??  coffee/ soda pop or just a bad switch. Car is still over in Idaho, I'll pick it up later this week.        Stelcom ; my first car was a 66 chevelle wagon in oh about 1975 or so. Same thing, key would come out no matter where switch was positioned , worn key worn switch ,.I think all the old GM stuff did it after 10 years or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My first suspect is the ignition switch sticking ??  coffee/ soda pop or just a bad switch. Car is still over in Idaho, I'll pick it up later this week.        Stelcom ; my first car was a 66 chevelle wagon in oh about 1975 or so. Same thing, key would come out no matter where switch was positioned , worn key worn switch ,.I think all the old GM stuff did it after 10 years or so.

Interesting, maybe a common GM thing - bought my '67 Caprice in 1974. I'd sometimes start it before letting my friends drive it and remove the key without telling them, It was funny to see their reaction when they tried to turn it off. 

 

At least the 04 Outback being a manual if you absolutely had to you could stall it out easily - but then is there still power being applied to various circuits? During the situation with the key removed is there power to the radio? I'd guess yes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's an update on the 04. I've had a little time to look into it. I drove it home yesterday.  Had to fill it with gas and it did its keep running thing after shutting the key off, but other than that it drove home flawlessly. Check engine light was on , cruise button was flashing and inoperative,  parking brake light illuminated and no day time running lights. Early this morning  I took it down into town. Just pulling out the driveway I noticed 2 things ...first  every third tap on the brakes made the car horn toot toot quickly ??  weird... next I notice that when the horn toots the illumination of the clock/temp , the odometer and the radio lights all go out ???  I try the ign. switch and sure enough when the illumination is off ,the car will stay running without the key ... in this condition if i tap the brake the car will immediately turn off... If i leave the key on and tap the brake pedal the illumination will come back on and the car will run, until it's shut off normally... really weird . After returning from town I have it sitting in the shop running, hood up and i notice that the master cly is on the low side ... hmm . after adding just a little fluid to bring it up part way,  I check and sure enough the park brake light is now working properly ...and the daytime lights are as well ! Next I check the codes on the computer,  6 of them all related to evap problems, the kind you would get if somebody forgot to hook up hoses in the engine bay... After writing down all those codes, I cleared them , fully expecting the check engine light to return before i could remove the scanner. Much to my surprise it stayed off !  With the C/E light off, the cruise button stopped flashing and the cruise worked normally !  Yes !! things are looking up . Sitting in the shop , running in neutral, with the park brake off  ... the car is perfect ! Tap the brakes all you want , no toot toot ... no lights going out and best of all the key switch is working like it should !!! Wow I'm sort of shocked that so little accomplished so much !  While i'm sitting there having a cup of coffee my partner arrives. I cheerfully explain the whole process to him how it all progressed and how its now all working normal   (SUPER MECHANIC ! )   LOL should have known better...  As i'm telling the story I decide that maybe... I should have the park brake on while its running in the shop.  I apply the brake pointing out how the brake light pops on and the running lights go off ...  All good right ... just what it should do... UNTIL I tap the brake .... toot toot aww crxp! sure enough , the illumination goes out , tap them again and they are back on !!!  If I leave the park brake handle released then all is perfect ... apply the brake and it all goes south again!   Guess I'll be looking at that wire harness after all...  I suspect an attempted stereo install,  we will see ...  I will post back as I learn more.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are 2 different issues.

First, whenever there is a CEL, the cruise control light will also blink and cruise will become inactivated.

Clearing the code will turn off the CEL and cruise will perform as normal until or if it throws another code.

I have gotten use to my blinking CEL due to persistent P0420

Your second issue is a puzzle to me. As others have asked, is there an aftermarket alarm system, remote starter or radio cut and splice.

Remove brake light bulbs and see if symptoms persist. Is there any corrosion in the bulb sockets?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, the check engine light & cruise are tied together .(wish I could change that ! )  Working on  clearing a 1443 evap code, replacing  the valve & hopefully clearing that code up. That will get the cruise working.  On the other issue, the brake bulbs have been checked , I did replace 2 of them but no undue corrosion.  I believe it is connected with the park brake light system as it works normal unless that light illuminates.  Been busy on other work and haven't had time to open up the dash and see what has or hasn't been done to the wiring.   I admit iv'e been driving this one about... might keep it and sell off the 01 limited ... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Update;  Its fixed !  Looked behind the radio first and found 2 quick connect wire taps ...  not currently hooked to anything but I knew I was on the right track. Also a mysterious lg connector  unplugged behind the factory radio with nothing to plug into... Next I pulled the panel under the steering wheel and there they were... quick connects tied into the main harness, that led to the lg connector behind radio.  The first one I picked to unplug fixed it !  No more running with the key off !  Sadly I was thinking of keeping this car , but after finding out its a calf emission car with drive by wire throttle ... its going up for sale as soon as its ready.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...