I'm having a love hate relationship with my first Subaru. It's a 2014 and I love most everything about it except the dash. There is a visor that extends out over the dash that creates a dark shadow in low light and overcast conditions. Sure I can turn the headlights on to get the dash to light up but why should I have to turn the headlights on in the middle of the day just to see the dash? Then there is that speedometer. Besides being poorly lit, it is difficult to make out how fast your are going and how much fuel you have left. I have to look a couple of times to check my speed and fuel level. I like to keep my eyes on the road. Then there are the turn signals. I'd like to meet the genius that designed them. For one thing, at 6'3" I can only find one position for the steering wheel where it doesn't block the in dash, turn signal indicators from my view and that is at the very top of its swing. It is not at all comfortable there and I can only just barely see the indicators. On top of that the indicators are rather dim and to make it even worse, I have hearing loss and can't hear the audible blinker sound. That may not seem like a big problem but if someone pulls out in front of you because you accidentally left your blinkers on, it's a big problem. Lastly, what's with the red dash lights? My smarter brother said that it was similar to airplanes, so you didn't get night blindness from the lights. Night blindness? I'm not flying into a dog fight. The oncoming car with it's headlights on high beam is what I'm worried about. I want my instrument panel to look like an instrument panel, with normal lighting. How can you tell when a red warning light goes on? Evey thing is red, oh, except for the blue, cold engine warning light. I can see that. Why do I need to know my engine is cold? I know it's cold, I just started it up. The rest of the car is great but if I ever meet the guy who designed the dash, I have a few choice words for him.
If anyone has figured out a work around for the blinkers I'd like to know. I saw one outfit selling a turn signal light that went in the door mirrors and were viable by the driver but there would have to be turn signal wires in the mirror itself and I don't think the Forester has that option. You used to be able to replace the turn signal relay with one that made a louder noise but I think the 2014 Forester has a relay switch, it's handled by the cars computer now. I might have to run some wires of my own from under the hood and adding some extra turn signal lights on the dash.
If anyone has figured out a work around for the blinkers I'd like to know. I saw one outfit selling a turn signal light that went in the door mirrors and were viable by the driver but there would have to be turn signal wires in the mirror itself and I don't think the Forester has that option. You used to be able to replace the turn signal relay with one that made a louder noise but I think the 2014 Forester has a relay switch, it's handled by the cars computer now. I might have to run some wires of my own from under the hood and adding some extra turn signal lights on the dash.