A friend of mine has a 2006 Subaru Forester that needs a new battery. I’ve warned her not to let anyone disconnect the battery until she checks her owner’s manual for information about a radio security code.
Does she need a code for the radio in her car?
Every make of car has somewhat different radio models installed at the factory, depending upon the level of “luxury” of that vehicle. The low-end model will have a more basic audio system, and the more expensive models will usually have a more upscale audio system. We don’t know what level of equipment might have been offered on this particular Forester. Thus, this is very hard to know from a distance.
I can tell you that on my '02 Subaru, I have the most expensive audio system that Subaru ever installed–a McIntosh–and it does not utilize security codes for the radio. However, things could have changed in later years. As you implied, her Owner’s Manual should have this information.
Thanks for the info, VDCdriver. I didn’t know Subaru had a McIntosh audio option. That’s rather impressive. It must make long trips more enjoyable.
The manual for my '96 Legacy doesn’t mention a security code, nor does my Haynes manual, but the Forester in question is ten years newer.
The person who owns this Forester, like many others, is, sadly, not inclined to read the manual, and the car is too far away for me to check. Her vehicle is the base model as far as I can tell. 2.5L non-turbo engine, automatic, steel wheels, radio w/single CD player. Nothing fancy.
Actually, it wasn’t an option. It was standard equipment in '01 and '02 (possibly in '03) on the VDC model, and it was one of the reasons why I decided to bite the bullet and spend the big bucks for this model. The sound quality is so impressive that I know I will probably never again have a car audio system that equals it.
But, to return to your topic, if that Forester is the base model, I really doubt that the radio would have a security code. But, if you make your friend/relative aware of the possibility of the existence of a code and the problems that could result from this issue, maybe you can use this as a motivating factor to get her to read that manual.
Almost any situation can have a postive outcome in some way, and getting her to read that manual would be a positive outcome!