# 2017 Subaru Outback - Shuts off after remote

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** subaru\
**Created:** [October 20, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130 "2019-10-20T19:49:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DaveMontes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@DaveMontes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/DaveMontes)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/1 "2019-10-20T19:49:33Z")

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My Remote started Outback turn off as soon as I open a door. How do I prevent it from turning off.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/2 "2019-10-20T19:54:57Z")

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You don’t . That is a feature to keep someone from opening the door and driving off with your vehicle .

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/3 "2019-10-20T20:09:54Z")

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That is a lousy feature, all other manufactures allow you to open the door and switch on the ignition. If you apply the brake with the ignition off the engine will shut off.

> [@VOLVO\_V70](#):
>
> That is a feature to keep someone from opening the door and driving off with your vehicle .

Don’t they need the key?

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**Author:** ![PvtPublic](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/pvtpublic/32/13089_2.png) [@PvtPublic](https://community.cartalk.com/u/PvtPublic)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 8:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/4 "2019-10-21T08:37:44Z")

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I was going to say. RTFM, but we all know what good that will do.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/5 "2019-10-21T12:28:58Z")

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> [@Nevada\_545](#):
>
> That is a lousy feature, **all other manufactures** allow you to open the door and switch on the ignition.

Not true!  
My friend’s Rav-4 has the “factory” remote starter, and the engine shuts off as soon as a door is opened–and the engine then has to be re-started.

The OP’s remote starter is working exactly as it was designed to work, and it is very unlikely that it can be programmed to work differently.

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**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/6 "2019-10-21T14:36:44Z")

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Every remote start system I installed deactivates engine on the brake pedal press.  
This is quite logical as to engage gear you have to press on the brake, so nobody would “drive away” remotely started car.  
Opening door to shut down? Quite lousy by this standard.

My current Honda Accord has a factory remote start and it is not shutting down on the door opening too.

Cars with manual transmission are different, that’s where opening the door shuts it down, and for a good reason.  
The one I installed like that requires driver to leave car running when closing the door, then it shuts it down on its own, this way it can guarantee that startup will be “proper”.  
Open the door and next time the remote start will not work.

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**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 2:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/7 "2019-10-21T14:54:05Z")

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> [@Nevada\_545](#):
>
> That is a lousy feature, all other manufactures allow you to open the door and switch on the ignition.

That isn’t true. Hyundai does it that way. So does Lexus.

I don’t particularly like this “feature” as compared with aftermarket remote starts which usually keep it running unless you try to drive it without a key being present, but it’s what a lot of factories do.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/8 "2019-10-21T15:01:09Z")

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I don’t have remote start and don’t want one . But if the engine shuts off by opening the door or by pressing the brake pedal to put it in gear what difference does it make . You still have to restart the vehicle and it is not all that difficult .

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**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 3:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/9 "2019-10-21T15:23:47Z")

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Actually you do NOT need to restart it in a good system.  
Aftermarket ones: turn the key into IGN, press on the brake pedal and you transitioned into the normal running mode.  
My Honda factory one: get the key/transponder inside the car, press on the start, you are ready to go.  
The aftermarket systems I installed would also allow for the engine to keep running while you remove a key and make a quick run to the store: activate the start, turn and remove key, close doors and it will stay running up to programmed timeout, typically 15 minutes or so.

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**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 3:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/10 "2019-10-21T15:52:39Z")

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Aside from starting your car to warm up in very cold climates…

It’s long seemed to me like remote start is a solution in search of a problem. Seems to cause additional problems, too.

I’ll pass, myself.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/11 "2019-10-21T16:04:49Z")

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> [@thegreendrag0n](#):
>
> stay running up to programmed timeout, typically 15 minutes or so.

Some locations have what is called ( Puffing Laws ) and you can get a citation for letting your vehicle idle while not occupied .

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**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2019, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2017-subaru-outback-shuts-off-after-remote/151130/12 "2019-10-21T16:47:08Z")

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Where I live You can leave an unoccupied car running but the doors need to be locked, or you could be ticketed.
