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question about defrost buttons...


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I have a 2001 OBW that I recently purchased and I have a few questions (I don't have an owners manual). To the left of the steering wheel there are 3 button, a fog light button, a cruise control button and a defrost button. Is the defrost button for the rear window or the mirrors? I'm assuming that the other defrost button to the right of the steering wheel does whatever the other one doesn't, if that makes any sense....

 

Also what is the switch marked 'P' that sits right on top of the steering wheel, it's where the hazards are usually placed on a vehicle.

 

Also I bought this car for a riduculusly low price at an auction and was only able to test drive it around the block. I have noticed that when braking from about 75kmh to about 40kmh there is some pretty serious shuddering going on. Any suggestions as to what that might be? I haven't been able to take the wheels off and have a look as the locking lug nuts are on all 4 wheels and I don't have the 'key' to get them off. I'll be taking it in soon for a complete inspection but would like to know what might be causing the shuddering before I hear the mechanics version of what the problem is. Thanks for any help.

 

Wes

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I have a 2001 OBW that I recently purchased and I have a few questions (I don't have an owners manual). To the left of the steering wheel there are 3 button, a fog light button, a cruise control button and a defrost button. Is the defrost button for the rear window or the mirrors? I'm assuming that the other defrost button to the right of the steering wheel does whatever the other one doesn't, if that makes any sense....

 

Also what is the switch marked 'P' that sits right on top of the steering wheel, it's where the hazards are usually placed on a vehicle.

 

Also I bought this car for a riduculusly low price at an auction and was only able to test drive it around the block. I have noticed that when braking from about 75kmh to about 40kmh there is some pretty serious shuddering going on. Any suggestions as to what that might be? I haven't been able to take the wheels off and have a look as the locking lug nuts are on all 4 wheels and I don't have the 'key' to get them off. I'll be taking it in soon for a complete inspection but would like to know what might be causing the shuddering before I hear the mechanics version of what the problem is. Thanks for any help.

 

Wes

i can answer a few of these,the button marked P is your parking lights with ignition off,subarus wont let you leave your lights on because they go off with the ignition switch.the braking shudder is rotors that are warped,these can be turned and trued up if not too bad[may be cheaper to replace]the button on left side should be for rear defrost. hope this helps.
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i can answer a few of these,the button marked P is your parking lights with ignition off,subarus wont let you leave your lights on because they go off with the ignition switch.the braking shudder is rotors that are warped,these can be turned and trued up if not too bad[may be cheaper to replace]the button on left side should be for rear defrost. hope this helps.

 

That does help, thanks alot. Anyone got any suggestions for good rotors? whats a good price?

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forgot to add that the wheel lock adapter will most likley be in the car somewhere,maybe glove box or ontop of your spare cover.that defroster switch shoild have a light in it unless the bulb is burnt out,unless they have changed them they are not on a timer,which means it will stay on till you turn it off or the car is turned off.

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forgot to add that the wheel lock adapter will most likley be in the car somewhere,maybe glove box or ontop of your spare cover.that defroster switch shoild have a light in it unless the bulb is burnt out,unless they have changed them they are not on a timer,which means it will stay on till you turn it off or the car is turned off.

 

I've checked high and low for that bloody wheel lock. Nowhere to be found. Is is really neccesary to have a wheel lock on all four wheels on a Subaru? Who is stealing factory aluminum rims?

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On my 2002 Forester, that button to the left of the steering wheel, adjacent to the cruise and fog-light buttons, is for the Windshield + Side-Mirror Heaters.

 

You should be able to see the Windshield heater-wires, embedded in the glass low-down under the parked wiper-blades. In fact that is what they are for, to defrost the wiper-blades and unglue them from the glass.

 

The side-mirror heaters are not visible on my Forester; they must be bonded to the back of the mirrors. Anyway, they work!

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I have a 2001 OBW that I recently purchased and I have a few questions (I don't have an owners manual).

 

Look on ebay you can get the complete owners manual kit (for lack of a beeter term).

 

The wheel locks arent necassary. Take a rubbing of the wheel lock pattern and go to an autoparts store, im sure its a standard off the shelf lock. If not you need to buy 4 sockets that come close to the max diameter of the wheel lock pattern and hammer them into the lock, then use a breaker bar to remeove them. If it sounds too scary to do (ive never done it .. but have seen it done) a tire store can do it. Worse thin that happens is they break a stud. it really MUST be done b4 you get a flat

 

 

nipper

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look carefully for a sticker somewhere (mine is in the glove box - but don't neglect any manuals/paperwork and the toolkit - maybe you could contact the original owner somehow?) that will give you a code to order a socket. Likely Mcgard or something is the name. carry some Fix-a-Flat and cross your fingers till the replacement arrives. Otherwise - take nippers advice immediately.

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  • 7 years later...

1. Just for anyone coming to this now as I did: the button on the left is indeed mirrors/front wiper defrost, and the one on the right (ok, centre by the cupholder) is the rear window defrost. I agree the symbols are a bit ambiguous.

 

2. For the 1998-2002 models, does anyone know if the buttons by the front cupholder (4 way flasher and rear defrost) normally have lighting as do the ones on the left? Mine don't, and I haven't yet figured out how to get them out to check for burnt out bulbs.

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Holy bump from the past!

 

On my '02 the buttons on the left (cruise, fog, etc) and the buttons on the center stack (rear def, re-circ, etc) are all back-lit.

 

I'm not sure about the hazard button, for some reason I don't think it's back-lit.

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