I thought this is the normal behavior of the alarm. If you locked it using your remote, it enables your alarm. Unlocking it using the key manually will trigger the alarm and pressing your unlock key on your remote will disable the alarm. So you have to use your remote to unlock whenever you lock it using your remote.

 

Hello, I just bought an 03 and a 04 forester and noticed the same issue. I also thought the key was to get in, when the fob is dead. I'm thinking this just how Subaru did it on these cars... But I'll keep an we on this post to see if I'm missing something too.
But don't feel alone

 

Yes, the key is used to get in, if your remote is dead. 3 on/off cycles of the ignition key will silence the alarm.

If you want to use the key to enter your Forester, without the alarm going off, you need to lock your Forester without arming the security system. :

Bobby...

['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]

 

If the driver's door is open and the power door lock button is pressed, when the door is closed the alarm will activate. Both my 03 WRX and 11 FXT display this behavior.

 

Your security system is working normally, as the key lock doesn't deactivate the armed security system.

If you want to use your key to unlock the door, without having the alarm go off, you need to lock your Forester without arming the security system.

Curious... why do you use the key instead of the remote/fob?

Bobby...

['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]

 

Curious... why do you use the key instead of the remote/fob?

Bobby...

Currently using the key because the key fob isn't currently working.

Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk

 

ditto, normal

 

You can also stop the alarm by turning the key on and off in the ignition a few times. I never remember how many times it takes; three I think. I just keep at it till the horn stops blowing. This is handy if you're using a spare key with no remote.

 

If you're okay with no active security system... as in the security system NOT being armed, then try this. :icon_eek:

First, if you use the electric door lock, then close the driver's door, you just armed the security system. You'll hear a chirp when the door is closed, indicating the system is armed. I believe Subaru calls this "passive arming".

To lock the vehicle without arming the security system:

• While sitting in the driver's seat, use the "electric lock button" to lock all the doors.
• Next, unlock the driver's door with the "manual lock/unlock button", get out of the vehicle. Use the "manual lock/unlock button" to lock the door & close the door.
• Now the vehicle is locked, but the security system is not armed. You can now open the door with the key & no alarm will sound.

► Disclaimer - Doing the above means the security system is disabled. Are you sure you want to do this? Test this to verify it works on your specific year, as there are differences & how the security system works... activates.

Bobby...

['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]

 

If you're okay with no active security system... as in the security system NOT being armed, then try this. :icon_eek:

First, if you use the electric door lock, then close the driver's door, you just armed the security system. You'll hear a chirp when the door is closed, indicating the system is armed. I believe Subaru calls this "passive arming"

To lock the vehicle without arming the security system:

• While sitting in the driver's seat, use the "electric lock button" to lock all the doors.
• Next, unlock the driver's door with the "manual lock/unlock button", get out of the vehicle. Use the "manual lock/unlock button" to lock the door & close the door.
• Now the vehicle is locked, but the security system is not armed. You can now open the door with the key & no alarm will sound.

► Disclaimer - Doing the above means the security system is disabled. Are you sure you want to do this? Test this to verify it works on your specific year, as there are differences & how the security system works... activates. :wink:

Bobby...

This works! Thanks for the tutorial, this will be nice until I get my replacement key fob.

 

My 04 WRX was the same way. When ever I would go surfing I would have to leave the clicker in the car and lock it with just the key and then when I unlocked it after surfing the alarm would go off. The way I fixed that was, in my car, under the dash there is a little black box where the red light flashed signaling the alarm was armed. Behind that little box was a button, I could press and hold for a few seconds and the light would turn on and stay on solid, this signaled the alarm was disengaged and could not be armed when locking the car with the key. Then to put it back follow same step.

hope this helps you.

 

Our vehicles park outside, so I lock my Forester this way in the winter when I want to warm up the engine with the doors locked.

I'm going to mark your thread "SOLVED!"

Bobby...

['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]

 

Just purchased a new (to me) '08 Forester and ran into this security/alarm thing on day one. Just like @JonnyWRX I go into the ocean with my key- as I've done with numerous (modern) cars I owned and while they all had factory alarms, none would go off when using the key to open the door. In fact, I'd use a non-chipped key cut at a HW store as I don't subject chipped factory keys to water, obviously. Unfortunately, my Forester doesn't seem to have the black box with a button he has in WRX.
The instructions above do indeed work, but then the system resets itself to default behavior. Is there a way to permanently allow the door to be opened with a key and not have the alarm go off?
What if I don't want to use the fob ever or the fob is lost/damaged/etc ? Shouldn't I be able to just use the key 100% of the time for everything like I've been doing with all my other cars? Not sure why Subaru is so different in this regard.

 

My 2010 Forester does this too. I wish there was a way to program it so the alarm won't go off using the key in the door

 

@JR197 welcome to the forum!

Are you good with not having the security system active? If so, you could set the system to "valet mode", which disables the security system.

May I ask why you prefer using the key over the keyless entry?

Bobby...

['07 FSXT Member Journal] ['03 X Member Journal]

 

Same with my 2010 Impreza. The only way was to either manually lock it or use the key to lock it if you wanted to use the key to unlock it.

If you are concerned with it beeping the horn when you unlock it via RKE the horn can be disabled so it is silent when locking/unlocking.

You'll have to look in the owners manual, as it was a bit of a process, and I haven't done it for over 8 years now, and haven't had the car for 2 years.

The lights will still flash though.

I am not a fan of the chirp everytime I unlock or lock the car, so I always turn that off.

The alarm will still go off if you lock it with the electric button or the FOB, and then use the key to unlock. There is no workaround that I know of for that.

It's just a Subaru feature. I asked about it when I had the Impreza in for the airbag recall, and the service manager said that's just how Subaru does it. It "remembers". how it was locked, so if something changes, it sounds the alarm.

The odd part is I could manually lock it, and use RKE to unlock, and it was happy. Just not the other way.