The 2001 Subaru Outback is a vehicle renowned for its reliability and ruggedness, and a key component of its convenience is the key fob. This handy device allows you to remotely lock and unlock your doors, arm and disarm the alarm system, and even activate a valet mode. Understanding the features and functions of your 2001 Subaru Outback Key Fob is essential for optimal vehicle operation and security. This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of everything you need to know about your Subaru Outback key fob from this era.
Understanding Your 2001 Subaru Outback Key Fob Buttons and Functions
The key fob for the 2001 Subaru Outback, part of the ALPINE SYSTEM used from 1999-2004, features a straightforward two-button design. These buttons, while simple in appearance, control a range of functions that enhance your vehicle’s security and accessibility. The key fob design evolved slightly during these years, with early models (1999-2001) sporting plain gray buttons and later models (2002-2004) featuring colored buttons. Despite these minor visual changes, the core functionality remained consistent.
Here’s a breakdown of the buttons and their corresponding actions for your 2001 Subaru Outback key fob:
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Large Button (Lock):
- Locking Doors & Setting Alarm: Pressing the large button once will lock all doors. If your Outback is equipped with the optional alarm system and it’s in settable mode, this action will also arm the alarm. On 1999-2002 models, you’ll hear a horn honk once to confirm locking.
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Small Button (Unlock):
- Unlocking Driver’s Door & Disarming Alarm: A single press of the small button unlocks only the driver’s door and disarms the alarm system, if it was set.
- Unlocking All Doors: Pressing the small button a second time within a short period will unlock all the doors on your 2001 Subaru Outback. On 1999-2002 models, you’ll hear two horn honks to confirm unlocking of all doors.
Key Fob Audible Signals: Honks and Chirps
Your 2001 Subaru Outback key fob provides audible feedback to confirm commands, although the nature of these signals changed slightly over the years.
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1999-2002 Models (Horn Honks): These models use horn honks for audible confirmation.
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Lock: One horn honk.
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Unlock All Doors: Two horn honks.
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Door Ajar Warning: Three horn honks if a door is not fully closed when locking.
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Optional Audible Honk Feature: For 1999-2002 models, the audible horn confirmation could be toggled on or off. To change this setting, unlock all doors and press and hold both the large and small buttons simultaneously until the horn honks once.
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2003-2004 Models (Chirps): Subaru transitioned to a “chirp” sound instead of a horn honk for these later models. The audible honk feature was discontinued. If a door is ajar on these models, the system will chirp five times and the lights will flash.
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Alarm Chirp (Optional System): If your 2001 Subaru Outback is equipped with the optional alarm system, you will hear a chirp when locking the doors with the remote, regardless of the horn honk/chirp setting. This alarm chirp cannot be disabled.
Valet Mode and Alarm System Management
The 2001 Subaru Outback key fob also allows you to control the alarm system beyond just arming and disarming. Valet mode is a feature that disables the alarm system, useful when you are leaving your car with a valet or in a service situation where you don’t want the alarm to accidentally trigger.
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Valet Mode Indication: If the red security light on your dashboard (center display) is rapidly flashing three times, this indicates that the alarm is in “Valet” mode and is not active. The light will stop flashing once the car is started.
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Entering Valet Mode (Disabling Alarm):
- Unlock all doors on your Subaru Outback.
- Physically open the driver’s side door.
- Press and hold the UNLOCK (small) button on your key fob for approximately 2 seconds or more.
- The red ‘security’ light will then flash two times per second, indicating Valet Mode is active. This flashing will continue until the car is started.
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Arming the Alarm from Valet Mode: To re-enable the alarm system when it’s in Valet Mode:
- Unlock all doors on your Subaru Outback.
- Press and hold the UNLOCK (small) button on the remote until the security light stops flashing.
- Now, locking the doors with the key fob will arm the alarm, and the security light will flash intermittently to indicate the alarm is set.
What to Do if Your 2001 Subaru Outback Alarm Goes Off
If your 2001 Subaru Outback alarm is triggered, you have a couple of options to disarm it:
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Using the Key Fob: The simplest method is to press the UNLOCK (small) button on your key fob. This should override and deactivate the alarm.
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Manual Override (Without Key Fob): If you don’t have your key fob with you, you can manually override the alarm:
- Insert your key into the ignition.
- Turn the ignition key to the “ON” position and then back to “OFF” quickly, repeating this cycle three times.
- On the fourth turn to the “ON” position, you should be able to start your Subaru Outback, and the alarm should be deactivated.
Programming a 2001 Subaru Outback Key Fob
If you need to program a new or replacement 2001 Subaru Outback key fob, you can follow these steps for the Alpine system:
- Unlock all doors on your Subaru Outback.
- Cycle the ignition key quickly between the “ON” and “OFF” positions approximately ten times. Important: Do not turn the key far enough to start the engine, just to the “ON” position where the dashboard lights illuminate.
- Listen for the horn: After cycling the key, the car horn should honk one time to indicate that it has entered programming mode.
- Open and close the driver’s door.
- Press any button on the key fob you want to program. This should program the remote.
- Program Additional Remotes (Optional): If you have another remote to program, quickly open and close the driver’s door again and press any button on the second remote.
- Exit Programming Mode: Remove the key from the ignition. The horn should honk three times to confirm that you have exited programming mode and the remotes are programmed.
Troubleshooting Tip: If the horn does not honk after cycling the key ten times, it may take more attempts to enter programming mode. Try repeating the key cycling process, and ensure you are opening and closing the driver’s door and pressing the remote button promptly after the horn honks. Waiting for a short period (e.g., 10 minutes) before trying again can also be helpful.
Image: Example of the plain gray button style key fob used for the 2001 Subaru Outback.
Key Fob Battery Replacement
The 2001 Subaru Outback key fob uses a CR2032 battery. Battery life can be affected by usage and environmental factors, and a fading battery can reduce the key fob’s effective range, which is approximately 50 feet under optimal conditions. Obstructions like buildings and other vehicles can also impact range. When your key fob becomes less responsive, replacing the battery is a simple maintenance task that can restore its performance.
By understanding these features and operating instructions, you can maximize the convenience and security offered by your 2001 Subaru Outback key fob. Properly utilizing and maintaining your key fob ensures seamless access and peace of mind for years to come.
