Driver's side window: The switch says, "AUTO." I assume that means it's supposed to do the "press up (down) and hold briefly and the window will continue up (down) even after letting go of the button" thing, correct?

 

It doesn't do it. Hasn't sice I've owned it. Is this a fuse situation? A relay somewhere? Is the cost/effort/hassle small enough to bother with trying to fix it?

 

It's rarely really much of an issuse, other than the occasions when I'm wanting to roll up the window while leaving the toll plaza while it's raining like hell and I have to shift gears while pulling away, but if it's a somewhat simple fix, I may as well try to do it.

 

Thanks.

I believe it's a relay, not sure where it is. Might be under the dash or in the engine compartment.

 

BTW-for safety it only goes down automatically, still have to hold it for closing.

It is auto down only, not auto up.

on my '91 Legacy Wagon, its auto up also umm i hadda change switch though, not too hard to do i think its rather that then a relay

Driver's side window: The switch says, "AUTO." I assume that means it's supposed to do the "press up (down) and hold briefly and the window will continue up (down) even after letting go of the button" thing, correct?

 

It doesn't do it. Hasn't sice I've owned it. Is this a fuse situation? A relay somewhere? Is the cost/effort/hassle small enough to bother with trying to fix it?

 

It's rarely really much of an issuse, other than the occasions when I'm wanting to roll up the window while leaving the toll plaza while it's raining like hell and I have to shift gears while pulling away, but if it's a somewhat simple fix, I may as well try to do it.

 

Thanks.

 

 

Switch has an "express down" feature only. FMV safety standards prohibit "express up" windows. Normal operation: press switch down gently and window goes down until you release it. Press switch down firmly and "express down" feature lowers window all the way so you don't have to hold the switch. You need a new master switch if you want the express down feature to work as intended.

When you press down, you will notice that there are two clicks in the switch. The first click opens the window until you release the button. The second click opens the window all the way.

Switch has an "express down" feature only. FMV safety standards prohibit "express up" windows.

 

What is FMV? Mercedes' cars for some time (since about 97 or so) have had express-up and down on all windows. There is a sensor that stops the window and then lowers it if you put your hand (or any object) in the path of the window. Our OBW and Forester both have auto-down only, and only on the driver's window. Another annoying thing is that the rear door windows don't fully retract into the door, but stop about 1/3 of the way down. Other makers cope with having doors arched for wheel-openings, so should Subaru.

I have auto-up on my 93 legacy. If it doesn't work, I'd assume it's a problem with the switch. That's what fixed mine when it stopped working. I got it used for like $10. It's held in place by three small screws and just plugs right in. You sort of have to take the door apart to get it out, though.

IF it's just the switch that controls this, could one (I don't know, maybe, say, me) go to the junkyard and grab the switch from the driver's side and put in place of the switch for the passenger side in the drivers door console? The goal would be, just for clarification purposes, to make so that the driver can one touch down either front window.

IF it's just the switch that controls this, could one (I don't know, maybe, say, me) go to the junkyard and grab the switch from the driver's side and put in place of the switch for the passenger side in the drivers door console? The goal would be, just for clarification purposes, to make so that the driver can one touch down either front window.

 

Well, all the switches are on one part. I suppose if you took two apart you might be able to get something to work. This is my old broken switch. The auto-up is broken, rear driver's up doesn't work, nor does passenger up work. There are broken off mounting tabs and pieces rattling around inside. Maybe I'll take it apart one of these days.

 

 

 

 

the reason the windows dont roll down all the way is for the child safety concerns, so children cant crawlout fo window while you going down the road, but on some cars i think you can disable it somehow.

 

 

 

 

~Josh~

the reason the windows dont roll down all the way is for the child safety concerns, so children cant crawlout fo window while you going down the road, but on some cars i think you can disable it somehow.~Josh~

 

I've seen cars where they go all the way down. On mine they physically can't because there isn't enough room in the door.

the reason the windows dont roll down all the way is for the child safety concerns, so children cant crawlout fo window while you going down the road, but on some cars i think you can disable it somehow.

~Josh~

The only window that is auto is the drivers window, and it is auto down only. An auto up would be nice sometimes, but would also be a good source for entries to 'America's Funniest Videos'.

On the Forester, the window in the rear door will not go all the way down thanks to the width of the window compared to the internal size of the door. There is no way to allow the window to go down any further than it does already.

What is FMV? Mercedes' cars for some time (since about 97 or so) have had express-up and down on all windows. There is a sensor that stops the window and then lowers it if you put your hand (or any object) in the path of the window. Our OBW and Forester both have auto-down only, and only on the driver's window. Another annoying thing is that the rear door windows don't fully retract into the door, but stop about 1/3 of the way down. Other makers cope with having doors arched for wheel-openings, so should Subaru.

 

FMV= Federal Motor Vehicle (Safety Standards). But you've got me on this one......obviously Mercedes has gone one better than all the rest by incorporating the design that stops the window if its travel is obstructed. I know that right now there's a big push by the DOT, which developes FMVSS, to incorporate this design as a standard feature into all vehicles with power windows. I didn't realize that Mercedes has used this feature for quite a while....

 

As far as the rear windows....look at other vehicles where the rear doors are arched over the wheel opening. It's hard to find a vehicle where the rear windows lower fully into the door because of that arched design. There's no more room inside those rear doors for the glass to travel downward any furthur......I'm trying to think of another 4-door vehicle (with arched rear doors) where the rear windows roll down ALL the way into the door......???

The only window that is auto is the drivers window, and it is auto down only. An auto up would be nice sometimes, but would also be a good source for entries to 'America's Funniest Videos'.

 

My auto-up (and down) window disagrees with you. Subaru probably got rid of it after 94.

 

Right click, save as. (2.6mb)

...I'm trying to think of another 4-door vehicle (with arched rear doors) where the rear windows roll down ALL the way into the door......???

 

On the smaller Mercedes models, the rear door windows are divided into two panes, and the main pane is sized so that it will roll down completely. While I know it's knit-picking, I like the design. The other day in parking lot I needed to hand my daughter something through the rear window, so I just keyed the window down (on my Mercedes you can roll the windows up and down and open/close the sunroof with the remote-key) and having the window go right down was nice.

 

When walking up to a hot car in the summer, I can completely open all four windows and the sunroof from the remote to cool the interior as we get in. Once the AC is blasting cold air, I just brush each of the window switches and all four "express" close. It's pretty handy.

 

Now, my Mercedes cannot do something the OBW did on the weekend: Took four guys, four packs filled with winter camping gear, four sets of snowshoes and poles, four sets of ice-climbing gear and other junk 480km's to the mountains and go up a terrible winter mountain road to the trail head. I could have bought a 4-matic MB wagon that would do the same, but for a comparably sized car I'm looking at a minimum price of about $55KCDN to about $90KCDN compared to about $40KCDN for an 05-OBW. The Subaru wins on value, hands down! We paid $20KCDN for our used 01 OBW Ltd. last January and I looked at a 2001 E320 4-matic wagon and the best price I could find was about $40K. Heck, we bought the OBW and Forester for less than that, combined!

On the smaller Mercedes models, the rear door windows are divided into two panes, and the main pane is sized so that it will roll down completely. While I know it's knit-picking, I like the design. The other day in parking lot I needed to hand my daughter something through the rear window, so I just keyed the window down (on my Mercedes you can roll the windows up and down and open/close the sunroof with the remote-key) and having the window go right down was nice.

 

When walking up to a hot car in the summer, I can completely open all four windows and the sunroof from the remote to cool the interior as we get in. Once the AC is blasting cold air, I just brush each of the window switches and all four "express" close. It's pretty handy.

 

Now, my Mercedes cannot do something the OBW did on the weekend: Took four guys, four packs filled with winter camping gear, four sets of snowshoes and poles, four sets of ice-climbing gear and other junk 480km's to the mountains and go up a terrible winter mountain road to the trail head. I could have bought a 4-matic MB wagon that would do the same, but for a comparably sized car I'm looking at a minimum price of about $55KCDN to about $90KCDN compared to about $40KCDN for an 05-OBW. The Subaru wins on value, hands down! We paid $20KCDN for our used 01 OBW Ltd. last January and I looked at a 2001 E320 4-matic wagon and the best price I could find was about $40K. Heck, we bought the OBW and Forester for less than that, combined!

 

 

Now I know what you're talking about--I forgot that some vehicles have that stationary glass in the rear doors. that allows the "main" glass to be straight on it's rearmost edge so that it rolls down all the way.....but isn't that design used only in "framed" door windows?

Just noticed that my girlfriend's VW Cabrio has auto down AND auto up widows. Perhaps the Germans aren't as concerned with safety?