I am tried of climbing in my car every time I want to start it espicially in the winter and I was thinking about wiring in a spring loaded toggle switch that could be used to manuely bypass the clutch switch. Then I can just reach inside the car hold the switch and start it. I know there is an interlock really and two confirmation switches on the clutch, I'm just not sure what I would have to do to make the switch bypass the clutch switches.

The switch you're interested is the one that gets actuated at full clutch travel. The other switch disengages cruise control if you push the clutch a tiny amount, the other switch you want will only let the engine start if the clutch is all the way down. If you poke your head under the dash, you can see which is which.

 

There should be two wires to that switch, the wires either get connected or disconnected when the clutch is pushed all the way in, I'm not sure which. Take a multi-meter on the ohm setting and find out.

 

If the switch makes contact when you push the clutch, wire in a switch in parallel, when you turn the switch it'll make the car "think" the pedal is down.

If the switch breaks contact when you push the clutch, wire a switch in series with one of the wires, this will break the contact when you push the pedal, letting it start.

 

 

I don't have a subaru at my disposal at the moment or I'd go out and check really quick, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Edited December 12, 201510 yr by 987687

The only problem is eventually you'll forget to take it out of gear, reach in and whoa!

 

O.

Eh, my GL didn't have a clutch safety switch and I never bothered pushing the clutch to start it (I know more wear on the starter blah blah), and I never once tried to start it in gear....
 
The bigger safety concern is loaning the car to someone who may turn the key in gear and cause damage to your car or other property. HOWEVER, mikaleda said he wanted a momentary pushbutton or returning toggle switch. If you have to push an extra button it'll remind you not to start it in gear.

 

I say go for it, it's an easy mod with functional use. 

The only problem is eventually you'll forget to take it out of gear, reach in and whoa!

 

O.

Exactly why I wanted a spring loaded switch so you have to consciously move the switch to bypass the clutch. No different than hitting the clutch.

I got the idea from the newer Toyotas that have an interlock button that does this.

 

It sounds pretty straight forward, I will give it a shot. I'll post pics when I'm done.

Toyota put a "clutch cancel" switch in the pickups into the early 2000's, not sure when they stopped. Seemed like a liability to me, but they got away with it.. I had a '91 4x4 pickup. Used the switch exactly once to see if it worked.

Okay here is the switch I'm going to use.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0061GQUS8/ref=mp_s_a_1_40?qid=1450025438&sr=8-40&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=toggle+switches&dpPl=1&dpID=41YrEsOW89L&ref=plSrchI couldn't find any of my spring loaded switches so I figured let's make it look cool.

 

Toyota put a "clutch cancel" switch in the pickups into the early 2000's, not sure when they stopped. Seemed like a liability to me, but they got away with it.. I had a '91 4x4 pickup. Used the switch exactly once to see if it worked.

I don't see how its a liability, you still had to hit the switch to start it. Its really no different than having to hit the clutch, its basically just a reminder.

Edited December 13, 201510 yr by mikaleda

In the winter I like to just reach in my car, hit the key and go back inside for 5 minutes. It's totally a lazy thing, but I understand the point here...

Just checked out the clutch switch and its connected when fully depressed so I just have to run couple small gauge wires in parelel to the switch and I should be good to go. They even left plenty of extra wire so it should be a really easy mod.

Got the switch and got it installed working good. I'm having a problem uploading my photos to photobucket at the moment, but I'll get them up later.

all i had to do was drill a 1/2" hole in the plastic plug in the dash and once i installed the switch i just ran a couple small gauge wires down to the clutch switch wired it in parallel and it works like a charm.