Subaru Owners Registry

[Sasquatch SC]

I've heard you have to do a long press of the TC button. This is almost exactly what happened to me when I accidentally left TC on after going through a deep ice/mud puddle - as if I left the car in neutral. I had to double back through this puddle because the trail wasn't actually a trail, and dead-ended after this... so, I did a long press of the TC button, 10 sec or so, and had no issues going the opposite direction. I'd say I went the same speed, X-mode on, TC off; no issues like on my way in. Granted, this isn't a very scientific test, but it is an anecdote to consider.

I now make a conscious effort to do this each time I off-road. Even for that time I sunk in over 2 ft of mud and clay up to the grille - something no vehicle, Tacoma, Jeep, or otherwise, would've likely gotten out of under their own power - I could still spin wheels. Back were in ruts, front wheels were in deep mud/clay. Heck, a tractor got bogged in similar stuff nearby - and even then - in what I'd consider really nasty conditions - I could still spin wheels, no TC lit up, and I was able to move back and forth ever so slightly (just enough to hook up my hand winch and get myself out). Also, the AT TEMP light did come on at one point, but I still could've kept on the gas if I wanted to. I think when the TC flahses, you simply can't do anything?

Worst case scenario, if a long press doesn't work, you could wire a switch into a fuse tap, perhaps?

If I knew which fuse/relay to pull that wouldn't negatively impact anything else I would have no problem pulling that prior to starting the trail. I haven't ever had the AT TEMP light come on, but that sounds like the CVT might be about to melt down. Pretty sure the icy stream I was in the middle of was doing a pretty good job substituting as a transmission cooler. The stupid CVT is usually my biggest concern mechanically when offroad. I hate it, but it is a necessary evil because there literally are no other options. I don't know if the long-press on the TC actually does anything differently than just pressing it regularly. I know the crash avoidance button has to be held down to turn it off. The traction control button is deceiving, it doesn't seem to be an on/off switch but it is more like a switch that just slightly increases the wheel spin tolerance. I need to figure out how and if I can actually disable it for when I'm on a trail.

 

[Baipin]

If I knew which fuse/relay to pull that wouldn't negatively impact anything else I would have no problem pulling that prior to starting the trail. I haven't ever had the AT TEMP light come on, but that sounds like the CVT might be about to melt down. Pretty sure the icy stream I was in the middle of was doing a pretty good job substituting as a transmission cooler. The stupid CVT is usually my biggest concern mechanically when offroad. I hate it, but it is a necessary evil because there literally are no other options. I don't know if the long-press on the TC actually does anything differently than just pressing it regularly. I know the crash avoidance button has to be held down to turn it off. The traction control button is deceiving, it doesn't seem to be an on/off switch but it is more like a switch that just slightly increases the wheel spin tolerance. I need to figure out how and if I can actually disable it for when I'm on a trail.

I'm positive the fuse/relay option works for at least some Subarus. Just can't remember if it's our generation, or even the OB and not others. I don't love the CVT, but I don't really have any complaints with mine. Late model (2016+ seem to be reliable and not plagued with the problems of 2013/14/15 from what I've seen and read). Lower gearing would be nice though. If you really wanted to, it seems like you could put a MT in there - at least, it's been done with the WRX and someone on the Forester forums is doing it with a 14-18 Forester XT! :P At the very least, the CVTs don't seem too bad to rebuild, for those who've attempted them, and people seem to like their aftermarket torque converters (the part that tends to fail the most - not really the CVT itself).

I've found BKS Motorworks immensely helpful with CVT/transmission questions: BKS Motor Works LLP They actually work on these things day in day out, instead of posting on the internet about them.

 

[Sasquatch SC]

I'm positive the fuse/relay option works for at least some Subarus. Just can't remember if it's our generation, or even the OB and not others. I don't love the CVT, but I don't really have any complaints with mine. Late model (2016+ seem to be reliable and not plagued with the problems of 2013/14/15 from what I've seen and read). Lower gearing would be nice though. If you really wanted to, it seems like you could put a MT in there - at least, it's been done with the WRX and someone on the Forester forums is doing it with a 14-18 Forester XT! :P At the very least, the CVTs don't seem too bad to rebuild, for those who've attempted them, and people seem to like their aftermarket torque converters (the part that tends to fail the most - not really the CVT itself).

I've found BKS Motorworks immensely helpful with CVT/transmission questions: BKS Motor Works LLP They actually work on these things day in day out, instead of posting on the internet about them.

Okay, so here is what I found out. The car has to be on and in drive - but you can pull the 7.5A fuse labeled "STOP" from the interior fuse panel. It is at the center at the very bottom. Apparently pulling that would allow the wheels to spin and it would have probably given me a chance for my tires to scramble for a grip to have gotten out of there without the winch assistance. I'm going to have to figure out how to put a switch to it because for everything else on that fairly difficult trail was handled with ease and the X-Mode with hill control was definitely awesome on some of the slippery slopes. I'd like to be able to hit a switch and disable it when I get in a situation where the system nanny's are preventing me from handling an obstacle and then when I get over I would like to be able to restore it.

I haven't even hit 18k on the odometer yet - there is no way in hell I'm going to make any changes to the transmission until much further down the road. Ideally, I'd like to install a good transmission cooler and the TORQ auto-locker, but like I said before, I am not going to make any changes to that until I've ticked a lot more miles off.

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

Okay, so here is what I found out. The car has to be on and in drive - but you can pull the 7.5A fuse labeled "STOP" from the interior fuse panel. It is at the center at the very bottom. Apparently pulling that would allow the wheels to spin and it would have probably given me a chance for my tires to scramble for a grip to have gotten out of there without the winch assistance. I'm going to have to figure out how to put a switch to it because for everything else on that fairly difficult trail was handled with ease and the X-Mode with hill control was definitely awesome on some of the slippery slopes. I'd like to be able to hit a switch and disable it when I get in a situation where the system nanny's are preventing me from handling an obstacle and then when I get over I would like to be able to restore it.

I haven't even hit 18k on the odometer yet - there is no way in hell I'm going to make any changes to the transmission until much further down the road. Ideally, I'd like to install a good transmission cooler and the TORQ auto-locker, but like I said before, I am not going to make any changes to that until I've ticked a lot more miles off.

The issue with VSC/TC on all modern Subarus isn't a new one and it isn't limited to Subaru. It's been discussed here and all over social media for years, typically under the guise of a CVT complaint. My first experience with this was back in 2004 on my 2003 350Z so I was all over it when I bought my Outback new in 2015. I've yet to consider pulling the fuse but when you do I'd imagine you'd lose ABS which will take hill descent with it. It will also turn the car into a 2wd (1 front 1 back) freewheeler so you can forget it if you get crossed up on a hill. That said these issues off road are more common with the taller geared 3.6 off road since its easier to stall the transmission.

 

[Sasquatch SC]

The issue with VSC/TC on all modern Subarus isn't a new one and it isn't limited to Subaru. It's been discussed here and all over social media for years, typically under the guise of a CVT complaint. My first experience with this was back in 2004 on my 2003 350Z so I was all over it when I bought my Outback new in 2015. I've yet to consider pulling the fuse but when you do I'd imagine you'd lose ABS which will take hill descent with it. It will also turn the car into a 2wd (1 front 1 back) freewheeler so you can forget it if you get crossed up on a hill. That said these issues off road are more common with the taller geared 3.6 off road since its easier to stall the transmission.

I'm looking at just a switch for convenience to use as a last resort attempt before I have to get recovery gear out. If it gets me free, I fully intend on turning the car off, restoring the fuse and then restarting because the car is way more capable as-is... but sometimes just having the wheels scramble just a bit (even if it is only one front and one rear spinning) is enough to get out of that type of situation.

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

I'm looking at just a switch for convenience to use as a last resort attempt before I have to get recovery gear out. If it gets me free, I fully intend on turning the car off, restoring the fuse and then restarting because the car is way more capable as-is... but sometimes just having the wheels scramble just a bit (even if it is only one front and one rear spinning) is enough to get out of that type of situation.

I completely understand what you're saying. What I was saying is that this complaint is nothing new. If you've ever read a complaint about the CVT off road what you were really reading about was, in fact, this issue. Knowing how the nannies behave and when they're a problem has kept me from ever even considering a fuse pull. To me this is all part of learning how to drive a modern Subaru off road. If you want to wire up a kill switch that's all fine and good. If it were me I'd simply pull the fuse.

 

[Baipin]

I'm looking at just a switch for convenience to use as a last resort attempt before I have to get recovery gear out. If it gets me free, I fully intend on turning the car off, restoring the fuse and then restarting because the car is way more capable as-is... but sometimes just having the wheels scramble just a bit (even if it is only one front and one rear spinning) is enough to get out of that type of situation.

All very interesting. I might do the same. Easy to test if you've got a piece of sold copper wire to poke into the fuse holder, and a SPST switch in the middle. You're saying the switch should be opened (as if the fuse were blown) while the Subaru is running, you do what you need to, to get out, then turn the car off, close the switch, and turn on again?

 

[Sasquatch SC]

All very interesting. I might do the same. Easy to test if you've got a piece of sold copper wire to poke into the fuse holder, and a SPST switch in the middle. You're saying the switch should be opened (as if the fuse were blown) while the Subaru is running, you do what you need to, to get out, then turn the car off, close the switch, and turn on again?

That is the idea.

 

[Wawa Skittletits]

All very interesting. I might do the same. Easy to test if you've got a piece of sold copper wire to poke into the fuse holder, and a SPST switch in the middle. You're saying the switch should be opened (as if the fuse were blown) while the Subaru is running, you do what you need to, to get out, then turn the car off, close the switch, and turn on again?

Running AND in gear or the interlock will keep you from being able to shift.

FYI this is from a previous Subaru manual in regards to holding the button..

- When the switch has been pressed to deactivate the Vehicle Dynamics Control system, the Vehicle Dynamics Control system automatically reactivates itself the next time the ignition switch is turned to the “LOCK” position and the engine is restarted.
- If the switch is held down for 10 seconds or longer, the indicator light turns off, the Vehicle Dynamics Control system is activated, and the system ignores any further pressing of the switch. To make the switch usable again, turn the ignition switch to the “LOCK” position and restart the engine.

 

[Connor_Dobbins]

Those of you who have roof top tents on their Subaru Outbacks! I am going to be buying one very soon for my 2010 Outback however I wanted to hear your thoughts on the how to mount it to the roof. I have heard of a few people using the standard rails/crossbars but from what I can tell almost everyone has them on a different set of crossbars. Is it ok to mount a 120 lbs tent on the stock crossbars? or should I get better bars to support the tent? The standard bars are rated for 150 lbs dynamic weight so in theory it should be fine, right? Let me know your thoughts and if you ran it on the stock bars then switched why? Or why did you go straight to other crossbars?

 

[SanDiegoMatt]

So, don't have an Outback, but replying here because

Those of you who have roof top tents on their Subaru Outbacks! I am going to be buying one very soon for my 2010 Outback however I wanted to hear your thoughts on the how to mount it to the roof. I have heard of a few people using the standard rails/crossbars but from what I can tell almost everyone has them on a different set of crossbars. Is it ok to mount a 120 lbs tent on the stock crossbars? or should I get better bars to support the tent? The standard bars are rated for 150 lbs dynamic weight so in theory it should be fine, right? Let me know your thoughts and if you ran it on the stock bars then switched why? Or why did you go straight to other crossbars?

I don't have the Outback, but am replying here because nobody else has chimed in--hopefully they will. I have a 2018 Impreza with the Smittybilt Overlander Rooftop Tent. Used the OEM bars from Subaru (the ones that have towers included as I had no factory rack or rails on the roof). They are rated for 150 lbs each and the tent is a little more than 100 pounds. Been driving for about a year and haven't encountered an issue (yet!). My opinion is that the bolts and plates that hold the tent on are more likely to fail than the OEM racks (famous last words). I'm betting the 120 pound tent is fine for your racks... You might post/ask on the Mountain Roo Facebook group for another opinion if nobody else jumps in here...Hope this helps, man.

 

[Connor_Dobbins]

So, don't have an Outback, but replying here because

I don't have the Outback, but am replying here because nobody else has chimed in--hopefully they will. I have a 2018 Impreza with the Smittybilt Overlander Rooftop Tent. Used the OEM bars from Subaru (the ones that have towers included as I had no factory rack or rails on the roof). They are rated for 150 lbs each and the tent is a little more than 100 pounds. Been driving for about a year and haven't encountered an issue (yet!). My opinion is that the bolts and plates that hold the tent on are more likely to fail than the OEM racks (famous last words). I'm betting the 120 pound tent is fine for your racks... You might post/ask on the Mountain Roo Facebook group for another opinion if nobody else jumps in here...Hope this helps, man.

Yeah I figured it would be fine, however the more I thought about it I think I decided against a RTT and I am just going to pick up a Gazelle Tent. Thanks for your input though I will probably be adding a basket or some kind of rack system to my roof so your advice will not go unused.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

Yeah I figured it would be fine, however the more I thought about it I think I decided against a RTT and I am just going to pick up a Gazelle Tent. Thanks for your input though I will probably be adding a basket or some kind of rack system to my roof so your advice will not go unused.

The Gazelle tents are awesome. We have a T4 and love it.

Personally, I'm still a fan of the ground tent over the RTT, since I like the flexibility of being able to leave camp set up and go out exploring from there.

 

[Connor_Dobbins]

The Gazelle tents are awesome. We have a T4 and love it.

Personally, I'm still a fan of the ground tent over the RTT, since I like the flexibility of being able to leave camp set up and go out exploring from there.

Yup that was one of the major reasons why I think I am going that route. And the price, the Gazelle tent is so much more affordable compared to a RTT. Instead of spending $1500 on just the tent I am going to use the rest of the money I saved for other gear.

 

[Sasquatch SC]

Yup that was one of the major reasons why I think I am going that route. And the price, the Gazelle tent is so much more affordable compared to a RTT. Instead of spending $1500 on just the tent I am going to use the rest of the money I saved for other gear.

Like Jeffrey Dill said, the Gazelle is amazing. I can totally beat the 90 second set-up time, which gives me plenty of time to sit down, open a beer, and watch the guys with RTT's have to do acrobatics to get their tent set-up with all the poles and flaps and covers etc, etc.
IMO the only RTT's that wouldn't be a pain in the ass are the hardshell pop-up ones. Those cost more in the $3k range. I go out camping a LOT. Weather permitting I am usually camping 3 out of 4 weeks of the month and that still doesn't justify the cost of one of those things.
I use a Gazelle with a folding camping cot and it is comfortable as hell. During the winter it has plenty of ventilation for me to run a Buddy Heater to knock off the chill before getting in or out of my sleeping bag. During the summer the windows on every side keep it from getting too hot and even if it does, I have plenty of room to keep my cooler in there full of frosty adult beverages.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

Like Jeffrey Dill said, the Gazelle is amazing. I can totally beat the 90 second set-up time, which gives me plenty of time to sit down, open a beer, and watch the guys with RTT's have to do acrobatics to get their tent set-up with all the poles and flaps and covers etc, etc.
IMO the only RTT's that wouldn't be a pain in the ass are the hardshell pop-up ones. Those cost more in the $3k range. I go out camping a LOT. Weather permitting I am usually camping 3 out of 4 weeks of the month and that still doesn't justify the cost of one of those things.
I use a Gazelle with a folding camping cot and it is comfortable as hell. During the winter it has plenty of ventilation for me to run a Buddy Heater to knock off the chill before getting in or out of my sleeping bag. During the summer the windows on every side keep it from getting too hot and even if it does, I have plenty of room to keep my cooler in there full of frosty adult beverages.

Yeah, hardshell RTTs are a whole different animal – like @THorner 's sick Bundutec RTT.

 

[Sasquatch SC]

Yeah, hardshell RTTs are a whole different animal – like @THorner 's sick Bundutec RTT.

Tom's electric set-up hardshell RTT tent is next level... as is most of his rig. It's like someone handed him an overland gadget catalog and he just ordered the whole thing.
Jason's, @JButtress , has a hardshell from Roam that is gas-strut operated that is pretty slick as well.

 

[justinide]

Like Sasquatch said, the Magnuson-Moss Act will protect you if you're in the US. In Canada, I believe we have similar laws, although I can't recall specific names. With that said, I specifically asked my local dealership about tire size and the CVT. They said that isn't a problem, although as @Wawa Skittletits said, your mileage may vary.

Some dealerships are clearly less competent than others... All I wanted was an alignment, but I ended up with a dent and the mechanic chewing out the car for having modifications it doesn't actually have:

Chose your dealerships carefully!

What camera system do you have?

 

[Baipin]

What camera system do you have?

Nothing special, just one of those cameras that doubles as a rear view mirror. Bought on Amazon. I've heard that some dealerships disconnect the cameras, but they've never done that to mine... probably because they can't find it. :-P

 

[Sasquatch SC]

What camera system do you have?

I have a BlackVue cloud connected camera that I have wired in and mounted at the top of the windshield directly above the driver. It is super low-profile and you would never even notice it unless you looked right at it. I put it at the top so it wouldn't be in my way and I put it right above the driver so there wouldn't be any chance of interference with any of the EyeSight tech. I would rip into the dealership techs if they unplugged the camera while they were in possession of my car. I get a notification on my phone if the camera is activated while the car is parked and it also sends me notifications if it is disconnected.