For some reason (mostly when VERY cold), my trip odometer will say ILL.4 (or some random number)...and then it will revert back to whatever the real trip odometer reading is...I can only get it to do it when it's very cold out and the dealer tells me there is nothing wrong because of course it doesn't do it while it's in the shop. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks!

define very cold. LCD displays are liquid, and act funky in cold weather. In defense of the dealer,hes right. Best thing to do is leave it overnight at the dealership on a very cold night next day, leave a note on the sterring wheel saying specifically what the problem is, and to make sure they ses it, put a peice of tape over the ignition switch. Normal human nature is to start the car first and read any notes second if it is that cold outside. This will make them slow down (hopefully ) and read it.

 

 

nipper

I'm talking cold like 25-30F or less....and I did leave it at the dealer just for this purpose on a very cold night for 2 nights but they didn't see it and now I am noticing the display is doing it even when it's 45-50F and not just in the mornings now.

thats a good thing then, take it in again.

 

 

nipper

Could swear I saw something in the owner's manual about trip odometer flashing as you describe. As I recall, it has something to do with neglected maintanance, disregarded warning lights or security system malfunction.

 

I'll pull the manual next time I'm in mine and take a look.

 

Jess

Bad LCD...it happens with electronics when subjected to temperature extremes...sometimes they last a long time and others are duds.

Could swear I saw something in the owner's manual about trip odometer flashing as you describe. As I recall, it has something to do with neglected maintanance, disregarded warning lights or security system malfunction.

 

I'll pull the manual next time I'm in mine and take a look.

 

Jess

 

Thanks Jess...My maintenance is ALWAYS up to date....and there's been no warning lights and as far as I know there is no security system malfunction. I HATE HATE HATE going back to the dealer, it's out of warranty now and I don't get a rental and I just know it's gonna be the same old story..."we can't find anything wrong" or "it doesn't do what you describe"

if its an 05 how can it be out of warrenty?

 

nipper

ummm because i drive a helluva lot...and have 53K miles on it..i did not purchase the extended warranty

hehe well i would make an issue out of it .. call the area rep. Dashboard shold not be affected by milage, should be by the clock.

Whne was the first time w you showed them this malfunction, if it was before the warrenty was up you should be covered.

 

nipper

Could swear I saw something in the owner's manual about trip odometer flashing as you describe. As I recall, it has something to do with neglected maintanance, disregarded warning lights or security system malfunction.

 

I'll pull the manual next time I'm in mine and take a look.

 

Jess

 

I took a look at my '05 OBW manual. A couple minutes of reading and here is what I found:

 

When you turn /adjust the brightness level of your insrumentation/display panals using the small wheel under the remote mirror adjusting knob, the trip odometer will display the illumination (ILL) level from 4 to 7 for a short period of time. Thus, ILL.4 tells you the dash/display illumination is at level 4. Maybe you are bumping it when you turn on the wiper heaters or something.

 

There may be something deeper going on but someone would have to pull out/up an actual service manual. Still, I find it amusing that your Subaru tech wasn't aware of this. I'd say take your car soemwhere else from now on. He/she obviously doesn't know what time it is.

 

Juan

that almost makes sense .... can you ask them to show you another car if possible, see if it does that as you play with the dimmer, could als be you have a bad dimmer switch?

 

nipper

For some reason (mostly when VERY cold), my trip odometer will say ILL.4 (or some random number)...and then it will revert back to whatever the real trip odometer reading is...I can only get it to do it when it's very cold out and the dealer tells me there is nothing wrong because of course it doesn't do it while it's in the shop. Any suggestions or ideas? Thanks!

It is NOT the cold! My 2005 Outback LLBean edition has the same problem. I live in Florida and it's been doing this all year! My display flip-flops between actual mileage and 0LL.6. Perhaps, related, the light on my speedo/rev counter is so dim it's almost unreadable. It is ok when ignition is on, engine is not. As soon as engine starts it dims. 2500 miles on clock, serviced 2 weeks ago. I think it's a bad display - like a calculator when it's worn out.

May want to check out www.legacygt.com/forums There's some issues with some of the electronics and stuff.

I took a look at my '05 OBW manual. A couple minutes of reading and here is what I found:

 

When you turn /adjust the brightness level of your insrumentation/display panals using the small wheel under the remote mirror adjusting knob, the trip odometer will display the illumination (ILL) level from 4 to 7 for a short period of time. Thus, ILL.4 tells you the dash/display illumination is at level 4. Maybe you are bumping it when you turn on the wiper heaters or something.

 

There may be something deeper going on but someone would have to pull out/up an actual service manual. Still, I find it amusing that your Subaru tech wasn't aware of this. I'd say take your car soemwhere else from now on. He/she obviously doesn't know what time it is.

 

Juan

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to look this up, when I looked I found nothing! I don't ever adjust the brightness or anything, so I don't think that is it, it just does it while driving, sometimes while idle. My Subaru dealer SUCKS rocks big time, I didn't even buy the car where I get it serviced because they were so ************ty to me when I tried to buy the car, it was like they couldn't be bothered with me...but where I bought it is like 90 miles 1 way so I serviced at the dealer closer to my home. These are the same folks that keep trying to sell me a RECTANBLE air filter (because that's what the book says) when it's CLEARLY a SQUARE filter....they are such idiots, I hate to even talk to them! There really isn't another Subaru dealer to go to either and I talked to them early on when I got the car about this issue and I know they will make a MOUNTAIN outta this issue and not help me, I can just feel it. I'll get the "it's not under warranty" or "we haven't seen this before" or " we can't make it do the problem again"...crapola! It's so frustrating!

hehe well i would make an issue out of it .. call the area rep. Dashboard shold not be affected by milage, should be by the clock.

Whne was the first time w you showed them this malfunction, if it was before the warrenty was up you should be covered.

 

nipper

 

thanks nipper -- being that the dealer is just a waste of time for me (they are so ignorant)...last time I called I asked for Subaru service and got the FORD service dept 3 times!.....see what I'm dealing with?

time for the area rep.... and DO share that little peice of info with him. i am sure subaru would love to hear that.

 

 

 

nipper

Well ya won't believe it....this morning when the display was showing the ILL thingy I adjusted the dimmer and yup...the ILL said ILL.1, ILL.2 up to ILL.6...so I guess you were right it has something to do with the illumination display but what is still puzzling to me is that it switches by itself off and on but it DID change when I adjusted the dimmer.....thanks so much to the poster for pointing that out to me...I can't believe that the DEALER of all people didn't know what it meant...do you still think it's a problem that it goes back and forth between the ILL and trip odometer?

 

 

Nipper -- I really don't feel like contacting Subaru, the area rep or whoever, it is so damn frustrating and I always feel like I get the runaround and they are gonna screw ya outta money before they admit the error was on their end....I hate dealing with dealerships....I haven't even told you about the 3 yes THREE radios I had installed in my NEW car....this is my 1st Subaru, bought it on a friend recommendation....I do like the car but it's got some quirks but then again all cars do....but ya know I drive a bunch of miles a year so I wanted a car that will LAST...

The 05 legacy does have some quirks it seems with the illumination control and radio.

 

The radio and climate control system is all tied together. I've got a friend who has one, and has very similar issues. I'd defintely check out the legacygt forums. I know there are people on there that have gone through the gammit, and may have some ideas.

 

I'd personally try and get subaru to fix things.....I'd probably try and contact them directly, since the dealer doesn't sound too competent.