Subaru Forester: Alarm system

The alarm system helps to protect your vehicle and valuables from theft. The horn sounds and the turn signal lights flash if someone attempts to break into your vehicle. The starter motor is also interrupted to prevent starting the vehicle without a key.

The system can be armed and disarmed with the remote transmitter.

The system does not operate when the key is inserted into the ignition switch.

Your vehicle’s alarm system has been set for activation at the time of shipment from the factory. You can set the system for deactivation yourself or have it done by your SUBARU dealer.

System operation

The alarm system will give the following alarms when triggered.

- The vehicle’s horn will sound for 30 seconds.

- The turn signal lights will flash for 30 seconds.

If any of the doors or the rear gate remains open after the 30-second period, the horn will continue to sound for a maximum of 3 minutes. If the door or the rear gate is closed while the horn is sounding, the horn will stop sounding with a delay of up to 30 seconds.

The alarm is triggered by:
- Opening any of the doors or the rear gate
- Physical impact to the vehicle, such as forced entry (only vehicles with shock sensors (dealer option))

NOTE
The alarm system can be set to trigger the illumination of the following interior lights.

- Dome light (illuminates only when the dome light switch is in the “DOOR” position)
- Map lights (illuminate only when the door interlock switch is in the “DOOR” position)

The notifications regarding the dome light and the map lights are deactivated as the factory setting. A SUBARU dealer can activate the system. Contact your SUBARU dealer for details.

Activating and deactivating the alarm system

To change the setting of your vehicle’s alarm system for activation or deactivation, do the following.

1. Disarm the alarm system. Refer to “Disarming the system”.

2. Sit in the driver’s seat and shut all doors and the rear gate.

3. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position.

4. Hold down the UNLOCK side of the driver’s power door locking switch, open the driver’s door within the following 1 second, and wait 10 seconds without releasing the switch. The setting will then be changed as follows.

If the system was previously activated:

The odometer/trip meter screen displays “AL oF” and the horn sounds twice, indicating that the system is now deactivated.

If the system was previously deactivated:

The odometer/trip meter screen displays “AL on” and the horn sounds once, indicating that the system is now activated.

NOTE
You may have the above setting change done by your SUBARU dealer.

If you have accidentally triggered the alarm system

To stop the alarm

Do any of the following operations:
- Press any button on the remote transmitter.

- Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position.

Arming the system

To arm the system using remote transmitter

1. Close all windows and the moonroof (if equipped).

2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.

3. Open the doors and get out of the vehicle.

4. Make sure that the engine hood is locked.

5. Close all doors and the rear gate.

: Press to Disarm the system.
: Press to Arm the system.

Type A

Type B

6. Briefly press the “” button (for less than 2 seconds). All doors and the rear gate will lock, an electronic chirp will sound once, the turn signal lights will flash once, and the security indicator light will start flashing rapidly. After rapid flashing for 30 seconds (standby time), the security indicator light will then flash slowly (twice approximately every 2 seconds), indicating that the system has been armed for surveillance.

If any of the doors or the rear gate is not fully closed, an electronic chirp sounds five times, the turn signal lights flash five times to alert you that the doors or the rear gate are not properly closed. When you close the door, the system will automatically arm and the doors will be automatically locked.

To arm the system using power door locking switches

1. Close all windows.

2. Remove the key from the ignition switch.

3. Open the doors and get out of the vehicle.

4. Make sure that the engine hood is locked.

5. Close the doors and the rear gate but leave only the driver’s door or the front passenger’s door open.

6. Push the front side (“LOCK” side) of the power door locking switch to set the door locks.

7. Close the door. An electronic chirp will sound once, the turn signal lights will flash once and the indicator lights will start flashing rapidly. After rapid flashing for 30 seconds (standby time), the indicator lights will then flash slowly (twice approximately every 2 seconds), indicating that the system has been armed for surveillance.

NOTE
- The system can be armed even if the engine hood, the windows and/or moonroof (if equipped) are open. Always make sure that they are fully closed before arming the system.

- The 30-second standby time can be eliminated if you prefer. Have it performed by your SUBARU dealer.

- The system is in the standby mode for a 30-second period after locking the doors with the remote transmitter. The security indicator light will flash at short intervals during this period.

- If any of the following actions are done during the standby period, the system will not switch to the surveillance state.

– Doors are unlocked using the remote transmitter.

– Any door (including the rear gate) is opened.

– Ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position.

Disarming the system

Briefly press the “” button (for less than 2 seconds) on the remote transmitter. The driver’s door will unlock, an electronic chirp will sound twice, the turn signal lights will flash twice. The flashing of the security indicator light will then change slowly (once approximately every 3 seconds from twice approximately every 2 seconds), indicating that the alarm system has been disarmed.

NOTE
After disarming the alarm system, briefly press the “” button a second time within 5 seconds to unlock all other doors and the rear gate.

Emergency disarming

If you cannot disarm the system using the transmitter (i.e. the transmitter is lost, broken or the transmitter battery is too weak), you can disarm the system without using the transmitter as follows.

- Turn the ignition switch from the “LOCK” to the “ON” position with a registered key.

Valet mode

When you choose the valet mode, the alarm system does not operate. In valet mode, the remote transmitter is used only for locking and unlocking the doors and rear gate and panic activation.

To enter the valet mode, change the setting of your vehicle’s alarm system for deactivation mode. Refer to “Activating and deactivating the alarm system”. The security indicator light will continue to flash once every 3 seconds indicating that the system is in the valet mode.

To exit valet mode, change the setting of your vehicle’s alarm system for activation mode. Refer to “Activating and deactivating the alarm system”.

Passive arming

When passive arming mode has been programmed by the dealer, arming of the system is automatically accomplished without using the remote transmitter. Note that in this mode, DOORS MUST BE MANUALLY LOCKED.

To enter the passive mode

If you wish to program the passive arming mode, have it done by your SUBARU dealer.

Arming the system

In passive mode, the system will automatically activate the alarm but WILL NOT automatically lock the doors. In order to lock the doors you must either lock them as indicated in step 4 below or with the key once they have been closed.

Failure to lock the doors manually will result in a higher security risk.

1. Turn the ignition switch to the “ON” position.

1) ON
2) LOCK

2. Turn the ignition switch from “ON” to “LOCK” position and remove the key from the ignition switch.

3. Open the doors and get out of the vehicle.

4. Before closing the doors, lock all doors with the inside door lock levers.

5. Close the doors. The system will automatically arm after 1 minute.

In the passive mode, the system can also be armed with the remote transmitter or with the power door locking switches. If the remote transmitter or power door locking switch is used to lock the vehicle, arming will take place immediately regardless of whether or not the passive mode has been selected.

Disarming the system

To disarm the system, briefly press the “” button on the transmitter.

Tripped sensor identification

The security indicator light flashes when the alarm system has been triggered.

Also, the number of flashes indicates the location of unauthorized intrusion or the severity of impact on the vehicle.

When the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position, the indicator light will light for 1 second and then flash as follows.

- When a door or rear gate was opened:
5 times
- When the ignition switch was turned to the “ON” position: 3 times
- When a strong impact or multiple impacts were sensed: twice (only vehicles with shock sensors (dealer option))
- When a light impact was sensed: once (only vehicles with shock sensors (dealer option))

NOTE
Any of the above indicator light flashings will recur each time the ignition switch is turned to the “ON” position.

Rearming the alarm system cancels the flashing.

Shock sensors (dealer option)

The shock sensors trigger the alarm system when they sense impacts applied to the vehicle and when any of their electric wires are cut. The alarm system causes the horn to sound and the turn signal lights to flash for a short time when the sensed impact is weak, but it warns of a strong impact or multiple impacts by sounding the horn and flashing the turn signal lights, both lasting approximately 30 seconds.

If you desire, your SUBARU dealer can connect them and set them for activation or deactivation.

NOTE
- The shock sensors are not always able to sense impacts caused by breaking in, and cannot sense an impact that does not cause vibration (such as breaking the glass using a rescue hammer).

- The shock sensors may sense vibration as indicated in the following examples and trigger the alarm system.

Select the settings of the alarm system and shock sensors appropriately depending on where you usually park your vehicle.

Examples:
Vibration from a construction site
Vibration in a multistory car park
Vibration from trains
- You can have the sensitivity of the shock sensors adjusted to your preference by your SUBARU dealer.