Get rid of the Pursuit Alarm! Daddy there's a Subaru!

[gcleeton]

It's easy to disable a stupid Pursuit alarm - as was fitted to my 'new' Subaru Legacy Sedan 98 - which would not start after the battery discharged and was re-charged and re-connected - the car flashed its lights and also for good measure disabled its starter. I had set it in Valet Mode but it re-energized itself when the battery discharged - so I decided to rid myself of this ridiculous device. I am so poor that I only have 3 cars and no valuables to display inside them.

Undo the screws holding the cover plate under the steering wheel. Near to the alarm module there are two fuses in the wiring - a blue one and an orange one. Remove them BOTH and you will be free of the wretched device and its remotes. The key will then only lock the driver door, but if you press the interior master lock switch before you close the doors then all the doors will be locked, hopefully with your key outside.

Incidentally I am very pleased with this car as an addition to my 96 and 99 Legacy Wagons - it is quieter inside, probaby due to the acoustics of the sedan body interior, the steering is lighter and it is even harder to swing its back end. It came with 4 spare steel wheels fitted with new Winterforce snow tires for 4800 (a bit more than the 4300 I paid for my 99 with 4 spare tires). My daughter to whom I gave it as her first car, spotted it at night on the side of the road and said 'Daddy, there's a Subaru for sale!'

Gil

[gcleeton]

This only worked for a day then the car wouldn't start. I heard the starter solenoid click but it no turn! It was towed home Oh the shame of it! The next morning it started and worked all day but failed again in the evening and more shame!

So I can't understand it? Unless the relay which inhibits the starter has a mind of its own?

Watch this space! Help! 'Daddy there's no Subaru'

Naturally my wife has Grey Subaru and daughter has Red one so I have been 'marooned' all day.

[johnceggleston]

it may not have anythin to do with the alarm. my 97 obw has an intermitten starter problem. between reading here and fiddling with it i have concluded it is in the electric in the steering column. was hoping for starter contacts, but i don't think so. i think mines in the column.

 

good luck. let us know what you find.

 

edit: i've had pretty good luck geting it stared by turning every thing off, lights, radio, ac, and then trying again. not perfect but helpful.

 

This only worked for a day then the car wouldn't start. I heard the starter solenoid click but it no turn! It was towed home Oh the shame of it! The next morning it started and worked all day but failed again in the evening and more shame!

So I can't understand it? Unless the relay which inhibits the starter has a mind of its own?

Watch this space! Help! 'Daddy there's no Subaru'

Naturally my wife has Grey Subaru and daughter has Red one so I have been 'marooned' all day.

[mjreilly]

I have a similar intermittent starting problem that was solved with a "hard start" relay at the starter solenoid. I figure the ignition switch contacts are worn/corroded to some extent. Would almost always start after much fiddling with the key. I installed a relay at the starter so the ignition switch triggers just the relay which in turn triggers the starter solenoid.

 

good luck,

 

matt

[gcleeton]

Thanks Matt and John

I have ripped out every physical part of the alarm now so we shall soon know if I hear 'Daddy the car won't start'.

I will keep you informed.

Gil

[johnceggleston]

I have a similar intermittent starting problem that was solved with a "hard start" relay at the starter solenoid. I figure the ignition switch contacts are worn/corroded to some extent. Would almost always start after much fiddling with the key. I installed a relay at the starter so the ignition switch triggers just the relay which in turn triggers the starter solenoid.

 

good luck,

 

matt

matt, what kind of relay, where did you get it, where did you mount it , and which wires did you splice into to do the job??????

 

i was thinking about just a pushbutton for the starter, but a relay sound much better.

 

thanks, john

[mjreilly]

This is the post I used when I installed mine.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=410405&postcount=6

 

I bought the 20 Amp automotive relay and inline fuse holder at Radio Shack.

 

When I was searching through to find the post that helped me I was reminded of some other things to check: bad grounds/battery cables. I had replaced mine and still no go so I put in the relay. It's turned over every single time since.

 

good luck,

 

matt

[johnceggleston]

thanks for the post and info. i'll try it .

 

last week when i changed my plugs and wires, i checked my battery acid level. (champion battery, new this year). it was a little low so i added some distilled water, at least 12 oz. maybe 16 or so total for 6 cells. much more than i expected, i filled until the water reached the "depth gage"(?), mayb just a little more.

 

yesterday when i got in the car i noticed a spot on the pavement, popped the hood and found the top of the battery (just a little) and the battery tray wet.

 

so i guess i should have my alternator checked. if it's over charging my battery, that's not good. what else, if anything, should i check? and can i do it with a multi meter or should i got to autozone?

 

thanks , john

 

 

 

This is the post I used when I installed mine.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=410405&postcount=6

 

I bought the 20 Amp automotive relay and inline fuse holder at Radio Shack.

 

When I was searching through to find the post that helped me I was reminded of some other things to check: bad grounds/battery cables. I had replaced mine and still no go so I put in the relay. It's turned over every single time since.

 

good luck,

 

matt

[mjreilly]

The tests I could perform with my $15 digital multimeter were, according to Haynes, check battery voltage with car off, should be ~12, check voltage at battery terminals with car running, should be ~14. Mine was 13.9 so I have the alternator tested at autozone and it passed. This was after changing the battery, starter and battery cables.

 

As I said in the previous post, the hard start relay has solved all my problems. Even though it passed, I have a feeling my alternator might be slightly borderline but I'm getting by right now so I'll wait.

 

matt

[johnceggleston]

This is the post I used when I installed mine.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showpost.php?p=410405&postcount=6

 

I bought the 20 Amp automotive relay and inline fuse holder at Radio Shack.

 

When I was searching through to find the post that helped me I was reminded of some other things to check: bad grounds/battery cables. I had replaced mine and still no go so I put in the relay. It's turned over every single time since.

 

good luck,

 

matt

last week on an unusually hot day i had terrible starting problems, so i went to autozone, bought a relay, a fused lead wire, some connectors and FIXED my car, using the above link/thread. it couldn't have been easier. the connector on the starter was the same size as the relay, 1/4", so ididn't have to cut the original wire. just unplug it from the starter and slip it on to the relay. if thr relay ever fails, i can just move it back the way it was. the fused wire from battery was easy, so was the ground wire, and it started right up and hasn't missed since.

 

the only thing i would do differently, my ground is red and i didn't get any kind of connector for the end, just copper wier wrapped under an exsisting ground screw, and i didn't have any zip ties. both are easy to correct.

 

if oyu have an intermitten starter problem give this a try. 5$ relay, 5$ connectors, i had the fused lead wire but they cant be much. east fix.

 

thanks for the link matt.

 

john