Hi

2009 Impreza with a Subaru remote car starter installed at dealer, It's been -30 the last few days and when I tried to start the car with the remote car starter the headlights and tail lights flashed on and off 5 times with a few second in between and the car didn't ever try to turn over and then it didn't try again to start. It has done this the last few days first thing in the morning and after using the car later in the day the remote car starter works fine.

Any ideas on what is happening user error or a problem with the car?

 

I press the remote button twice and the car beeps twice and then should beep a third time and start but I don't get the third beep just lights flashing.

If it was installed "at the dealer", it is unlikely to be an actual Subaru-branded remote start system. There are some aftermarket systems available that use OEM remote cases, so be sure of what you have.

 

If you still have the Subaru key fob, you probably have an aftermarket remote start that uses the OEM fobs (pretty common). If you have Non-Subaru key fobs, then check to make sure the system is not "Valet" mode.

It works later in the day and now that the weather is a bit wormer it works fine, just the 3 days -40 I had the problem.

 

I have the orginal key fobs and then I have a small remote car starter fob that says subaru on it with one button.

Check to see if they installed a switch on/ near the hood. It could be making the remote start think the hood is open in extreme cold. Or, (I'm not sure if 09 Subies have one) the passive anti-theft system may not be getting bypassed correctly.

 

My suggestion- move. What the hell are you living in -30* temps for?!?!?

It sounds like you have one of the "Dealer Install" systems in place. At this point, we're getting into an area that I simply cannot troubleshoot over the internet. What I might investigate is whether or not you can hear the starter relays click when it exhibits this behavior. If not, it could be that the relays are getting cold and need more current than the brain can deliver.

 

I'm spit-balling here, but I've seen stranger things.

I opened the hood as a test to see what happens and the car beeps twice with the hood open so i don't think it is the hood switch causeing the problem.

 

When the lights flash 5 times I hear a click noise at the same time as the lights flashing so I just asumed that was from the lights turing on and off.

If the relays are too cold and not getting enought current would that be a something that is fixable or something I have to live with when it's that cold out.

If the parking light relays are going, then the starter relays should go, too. Unless the installer did something stupid like put the starter relays under the hood.

 

Don't know what to tell you at this point. I'd need to see it. Sorry.

The 5 parking light flashes are probably some sort of trouble code. You have yet to tell anyone what brand of r/s you have. The two hood beeps could be a 'hood ajar' code for the factory system. I would love to help, as I installed mobile electronics for 8 yrs. previously, and enjoy a good challenge. However, these things are hard to diagnose over the 'net.

If you want to research it yourself, punch the make/ model of the staretr into google. Once you get to a manufacturer page, look for an owner's/ installation guide. It should have the 5 flashes as a trouble code in the troubleshooting guide. Or, you could just look in the manual the dealer gave you.......

I'll get the model number of the remote car starter for you.

Ok so this is the latest news, the car has been starting ok for a week or so with the remote car starter and today it didn't work again. I went to start the car with the remote car starter and just got the five flashes of the head light/tail lights with no start, so I tried again right away with the remote car starter and this time the head/tail lights flashed 3 times and then the car started. So i'm thinking that the head/tail lights arn't error messages.

 

I don't know if this info makes any difference of trouble shooting it.

Ok so this is the latest news, the car has been starting ok for a week or so with the remote car starter and today it didn't work again. I went to start the car with the remote car starter and just got the five flashes of the head light/tail lights with no start, so I tried again right away with the remote car starter and this time the head/tail lights flashed 3 times and then the car started. So i'm thinking that the head/tail lights arn't error messages.

 

I don't know if this info makes any difference of trouble shooting it.

 

Did you ever resolve your starter issue? I have a 08 outback and have had the same problem for 3 winters. as soon as it is -20C the remote won't work. The starter was dealer installed in Chicago and rebells against cold weather in Canada.

no I still have the same issue how about you did yours get fixed?

Update, I just noticed the other day with the hood open and pressing down the hood switch so the car would remote start with the hood open I here a clicking noice which I think is the starter maybe moving the gear but not trying to turning over.

remote start part #H001SFG000

Could be a loose connection somewhere too. With the extreme cold, it could cause some wires to shrink due to the cold and cause them not to make contact, causing it not to start. Really strange considering it takes it getting SO COLD to cause the problem.

 

Are you able to check the connections that the dealer installed? I would start there and just verify that everything looks secure and connected. Apply the KISS principal to this one

Update last night -40, so i decided to unlock the doors and relock before trying the remote car start and guess what it started right away. Remember when I said when it's really cold out the first time you try and remote car start the alarm would go off the first time trying only. I need a few more cold days to verify this wasn't a fluke.