Just got a legacy on the cheap and was feeling pretty proud of myself for rebuilding the motor. Drove it from chico to the bay and the doors began to lock and unlock themselves at random.. Any suggestions as to a fix? Still new to these cars and would be happy to provide any info I can... Its a 97 with a ej25. Has stock alarm with the key-fob with four buttons. East coast car so alot of the grounds have corrosion. 

Remove door panel (driver side), leave the wiring harness attached and work the switch. The problem then should be obvious. Either some linkage needs adjusted or some previous owner installed a remote lock/unlock kit and it needs to be removed and tossed. 

1.  the switch itself can go bad.  unplug the drivers (and passengers?) side switches and see if that cures it.  if it does then it's the switch.

2.  the door lock timers on this particular year/model is prone to issues.  search for the thread with "timer"

 

here's a detailed thread about the door lock timer.  user 1-3-2-4 has good experience getting to it and pictures posted in one thread - maybe this one but i didn't look as im' on limited internet at the moment:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/109378-door-lock-timer-location-95-legacy/?hl=timer

It has a security system. The fob, has to be reset.

This will happen every time you lose battery juice.

see www.cars101.com under programming remotes.

Should also be a toggle switch/button under the trim panel on left side.

If this is inadvertently switched, the car will crank but not start.

 

O.

Start with something simple:

- take the battery out of the key-fob ((or take the fob a good distance away from the car)

1.  the switch itself can go bad.  unplug the drivers (and passengers?) side switches and see if that cures it.  if it does then it's the switch.

2.  the door lock timers on this particular year/model is prone to issues.  search for the thread with "timer"

 

here's a detailed thread about the door lock timer.  user 1-3-2-4 has good experience getting to it and pictures posted in one thread - maybe this one but i didn't look as im' on limited internet at the moment:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/topic/109378-door-lock-timer-location-95-legacy/?hl=timer

#2 gave me issues on my '95 Outback.. it was a WTF moment.. I ended up finding the lock timer by pounding on the dash on that model.. never knew what the issue was but swapping out the door lock timer did the trick.

I left the key fob home and thought that fixed the problem but  the locks started going berserk again today.  The car starts and runs great, but there is a poltergeist in the locks... Saw the info about the lock timer... Is mine in the same location? Mine is a 97 outback. Tomorrow i will disconnect both lock switches... might be the passenger side cause my mom was messin with it just before they went crazy. She thinks its hilarious.. Me not so much.

The door lock timer for your car is under the panel under and behind the steering column, it should say door lock timer with the FHI mark

Tx going out to disconnect the lock switches now.

Edited December 24, 201312 yr by subaru-ha-ha

Disconnected both switches and still had the problem. Disconnected the door lock timer and the problem stopped, but it looks like the timer had already been replaced with a generic unit.... which means something else is causing the timer to go bad? Or just a cheap unit? will replace with another and see if that is my fix. thank you all for your input. 

good job!

 

what?  you got to the timer that easily?  i've worked a bunch on mine and never even been able to find it!   GRRRRR!!  mine still has randomly locking doors.