Outback doesn’t respond to electronic key

[Chris Heath]

2012 outback. Suddenly just stopped responding to either electronic key. Batteries changed in keys within the last few weeks but when the fault developed I changed them again just in case. Still no joy. Holding the fob against the start button makes no difference. I can obviously open the car with the manual key but that just triggers the alarm and I can’t start the car. Complicating factor is that the car is in France and the Subaru dealer there hasn’t managed to sort it out in 4 weeks! I can’t believe I’m the first person to have had this problem. Can anyone offer any advice. The car is second hand but unless the original owner changed the keypad code I have the code. Only learnt about the keypad after I’d left the car in France so not sure if using this will help. So…any advice gratefully received.

[Justin Time]

8 hours ago, Chris Heath said:

2012 outback. Suddenly just stopped responding to either electronic key. Batteries changed in keys within the last few weeks but when the fault developed I changed them again just in case. Still no joy. Holding the fob against the start button makes no difference. I can obviously open the car with the manual key but that just triggers the alarm and I can’t start the car. Complicating factor is that the car is in France and the Subaru dealer there hasn’t managed to sort it out in 4 weeks! I can’t believe I’m the first person to have had this problem. Can anyone offer any advice. The car is second hand but unless the original owner changed the keypad code I have the code. Only learnt about the keypad after I’d left the car in France so not sure if using this will help. So…any advice gratefully received.

If our in-house Subaru experts can't help you could also try posting on this forum.  Vast knowledge and lots of lovely Subaru Outback geeks. https://www.subaruoutback.org/

It's largely north American based, but some Australian and European/UK contributors too, so there may be a big time difference (that's code for maybe they're all in bed in the US at this time 🙂 ).  Best of luck.