[bonnerj]

Hi! I recently noticed this rectangular plastic piece affixed at the top of my windshield right behind the map light cluster. There's a wire tucked under the headliner, extending across the driver's side into the A pillar. I haven't had a chance to trace where it goes, but I have a photo of the piece itself:

Does anyone have any idea what this might be? It doesn't have any markings on it that I can see.

Thanks!

Joe

 

[FozzieBalou]

looks like it would be either something to do with an aftermarket alarm or GPS unit.

 

[bonnerj]

Thanks for the quick reply! I'm going to have some time this weekend, so I'll see if I can trace where the wire leads to.

 

[Canuk]

Our 2011 outback had something similar on the windshield…top passenger side. It was the antenna for satellite radio.

 

[Splitfyre]

Is there an opening on the other side for a connector? It could be an antenna or a shock sensor of some sort.

 

[FozzyX3]

IIRC there was a port/dealer-installed XM upgrade kit for the lower trim levels on the SH. Higher trims had XM capability from the factory and an AM/FM/sat radio antenna on the roof.

 

[bonnerj]

@Splitfyre, I didn't notice anything on the passenger side, but I'll take another look next time I'm in the car.

 

[bonnerj]

@FozzyX3, that's interesting. The car came with the OEM radio/CD player. I just upgraded it, but didn't notice any extra connectors or harnesses. I'm planning to install the external microphone that came with my new receiver, so I'll take a closer look.

 

[donkpow]

Mine had a remote start system that had an antenna on the driver's side.

 

[bonnerj]

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I have a remote starter for this car, too.

 

[Mr.AC]

What does the other side of that block look like? Can you see it from the outside?

 

[Raymond77]

Should be an antenna or a sensor

 

[JohnCNA]

Do you have remote start? On one of our older cars, we had an after-market remote start added and the 'antenna' was a similar box attached like that. In our case it was placed at the top, behind the rear view mirror.

 

[BajaPaul]

Thank you! That makes a lot of sense. I have a remote starter for this car, too.

I have been having a remote starter put in every car since I moved to New England . my first one was in a 1996 Subaru Legacy L It had an idiot remote, just one button . I had one installed in my 2003 Baja , 2003 Legacy , 2010 Forester, . they all had the little box up near the rear view mirror . When I had the remote starter installed in my 2014 , Forester touring, my 2020 Forester touring and my 2020 Forester Sport it looks like the system is already wired in the harness. no Little box?

 

[bonnerj]

@Natedog: Unfortunately, I can't see the other side of the block from outside the windshield. It's affixed with some double sided foam, plus the frit (I think that's what it's called) is blocking my view.

@JohnCNA: I do have a remote start, but it appears to be an OEM fob (it's got the Subaru logo on it).

I popped the side trim on the driver's side dash to run my external mic and tried to trace the wire, but it goes deep into the under-dash area, so I can't really tell where it leads to.

Thanks for all the suggestions. At this point I'm leaning toward remote start receiver.

 

[mpnret]

Wrap it with tin foil and see if it reduces your remote start range.