I am overall a happy owner of
I am overall a happy owner of the 2018 Outback 2.5i Touring with the 8" touchscreen navigation system. Suburu gets so much right with this car, but the Starlink / Audio / Touchscreen system has some problems...
Having the radio come on even when it was long-pressed off previously is annoying and a poor design choice. Why Suburu would think we want this is beyond me! I keep it tuned to XM radio channel 0, which has no sound, and this "solves" the problem, but my wife usually changes it to an FM station when she drives. Then, when I drive the vehicle after her, I have to change it back to XM, channel 0, then turn it off. The radio still comes on the next time I start it, but at least I hear nothing this way. The solution is for the system to never turn the radio on automatically when it was muted or turned off previously.
Even more annoying, I cannot get the two Vehicle Menu Settings for unlocking ALL doors with keyless access to work.
There is a setting to have the key fob unlock ALL doors when the unlock button is pressed the first time, or just the Drivers door (the default, which then requires a 2nd press done quickly after the first to unlock the remaining doors.) I want all doors to unlock on the 1st press from the key fob, but setting "ALL doors" in the vehicle settings has no effect.
From another menu setting, I was able to get all doors to unlock if I grip the driver's door handle, but the setting for keyless unlocking does NOT respond to the ALL doors setting.
I can get the doors to unlock when I switch back to park after driving, which is one of the options that I prefer.
Also, there is a keyless access setting so that opening the tailgate hatch auto lift unlocks ALL doors, or just the hatch. That setting also does not respond to the ALL doors selection.
Here is a scenario: I approaching the vehicle with other people and want to put something in back and let the passengers begin loading, so I press the Hatch open button so it will be open when we get there. But the doors are still locked! As it is by default, I have to press the center unlock button twice in succession, then the hatch open button. Too many steps!
I got the car as a CPO at the end of January. My head unit software was already updated in a earlier recall in January.
I am calling the dealer tomorrow to discuss. There is no point in me driving there if they are just going to try changing the same keyless vehicle settings I already did, or if they know about the problem but can't offer a fix.
By the way, I tested these settings by trying the keyless action from a distance, confirming the car is responding to the key press by the flashing lights and chirps, then leaving my key at a distance and not taking it with me to the car. I wanted to be the virtual passenger getting into the car from one of the other doors who would not, of course, have a key on them.
Cheers from Atlanta!