Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to FWD.
I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn off the
AWD if I get a flat.

What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say after
they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the AWD
system.

How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires is a
problem or not?


Thanks a lot.

Mel

On Jun 24, 2:24 pm, spamTHIS...@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Jun 23, 1:36 pm, "Mel" <NS_...@texas.net> wrote:
>
> > Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to FWD.
> > I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn off the
> > AWD if I get a flat.
>
> > What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say after
> > they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the AWD
> > system.
>
> > How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires is a
> > problem or not?
>
> > Thanks a lot.
>
> > Mel
>
> The fuse location is usually under the hood, there should be a covered
> fuse panel. This is only on automatic transmission cars, however.
> Manual trans and you have to stay below 50mph or something like that.
>
> Subaru says the tires have to be within 1/4 inch in circumference to
> prevent damage to the AWD system.
>
> There are 3 options when you have tires with some wear and you need to
> replace one:
> 1) replace all of 'em
> 2) Buy a new tire and have it 'shaved' to match (usually must be done
> before any driving is done on the tire)
> 3) Find a used tire the right size. Same brand and model, or odd
> handling may occur.
>
> Dave


Oh, option 4, only an option if you don't have a limited-slip
differential:
get 2 new tires, put one in the front, and one in the back on the
opposite side.

Odd handling is a (remote, IMHO) possibility.


Dave

Mel wrote:
> Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to FWD.
> I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn off the
> AWD if I get a flat.
>
> What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say after
> they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the AWD
> system.
>
> How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires is a
> problem or not?
>
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
> Mel
>
>
Hi,
No owner's manual?

I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it would
be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the job.
I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. I would
prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
change to FWD when it is needed.

Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?


"Tony Hwang" <dragon40@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:8Uh8k.28384$Jx.13251@pd7urf1no...
> Mel wrote:
>> Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to
>> FWD. I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn
>> off the AWD if I get a flat.
>>
>> What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say
>> after they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the
>> AWD system.
>>
>> How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires
>> is a problem or not?
>>
>>
>> Thanks a lot.
>>
>> Mel
> Hi,
> No owner's manual?

On Jun 25, 8:42*am, "Rodney Lake" <rod_l...@netzero.com> wrote:
> I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it would
> be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the job.
> I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. *I would
> prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
> change to FWD when it is needed.
>
> Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?

No, a marketing reason. Subaru trumpets the benefits of full-time AWD
(versus the 'on demand' systems that many other manufacturers use). So
why would they then allow you to switch between 2WD and AWD?

Dan D
'99 Impreza 2.5 RS (son's)
Central NJ USA

Rodney Lake wrote:
> I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it would
> be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the job.
> I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. I would
> prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
> change to FWD when it is needed.
>
> Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?
>
>
> "Tony Hwang" <dragon40@shaw.ca> wrote in message
> news:8Uh8k.28384$Jx.13251@pd7urf1no...
>
>>Mel wrote:
>>
>>>Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to
>>>FWD. I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn
>>>off the AWD if I get a flat.
>>>
>>>What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say
>>>after they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the
>>>AWD system.
>>>
>>>How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires
>>>is a problem or not?
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks a lot.
>>>
>>>Mel
>>
>>Hi,
>>No owner's manual?
>
>
>
There was a long discussion over at www.ultimatesubaru.org on methods
to create just such a switch. You might try a search there.

Carl


--
to reply, change ( .not) to ( .net)

On Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:49:28 -0700 (PDT), Dano58
<dan.dibiase@gmail.com> wrote:

>
>No, a marketing reason. Subaru trumpets the benefits of full-time AWD
>(versus the 'on demand' systems that many other manufacturers use). So
>why would they then allow you to switch between 2WD and AWD?

What other cars (not trucks!) can turn off AWD?

On Jun 25, 8:42 am, "Rodney Lake" <rod_l...@netzero.com> wrote:
> I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it would
> be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the job.
> I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. I would
> prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
> change to FWD when it is needed.
>
> Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?
>
> "Tony Hwang" <drago...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>
> news:8Uh8k.28384$Jx.13251@pd7urf1no...
>
> > Mel wrote:
> >> Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to
> >> FWD. I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to turn
> >> off the AWD if I get a flat.
>
> >> What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say
> >> after they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking the
> >> AWD system.
>
> >> How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the tires
> >> is a problem or not?
>
> >> Thanks a lot.
>
> >> Mel
> > Hi,
> > No owner's manual?


A switch is perfectly possible, but the MPG gain will be quite small
(if at all) since all the drivetrain will be spinning anyway.

Also, the solenoid that dumps the pump pressure (allowing the front/
rear clutchpack to spin free) is not made for a 100% duty cycle. It
will likely eventually fail if always energized.


Dave

Rodney Lake wrote:
> I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it would
> be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the job.
> I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. I would
> prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
> change to FWD when it is needed.
>
> Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?

Why did you buy a Subaru if you don't need the 4WD? Anyways, Subarus
usually have 3 or 4 different AWD systems that they use. One version
goes on low-end manual transmission versions, which is all
fluid-mechanical -- it can't ever be turned off.

Then there is one that goes on low-end automatic transmissions, which is
basically an on-off system. It acts in FWD mode most of the time, and
then switches to AWD when it detects some slippage in the wheels. This
is likely the system that you have, and this is what the fuse is for, it
prevents the wheels from ever going into AWD mode. For the most part,
when you are not driving in anything slippery then you are already
driving only in FWD mode. So why would you want to disable the fuse on a
full-time basis? That fuse is there for specific situations like when
you're being towed. Otherwise, the car is already deciding to keep you
in FWD mode anyways.

Then there are two more sophisticated high-end AWD systems. One they use
on the high-performance STI car. The other one they use in the high end
cars with VDC (vehicle dynamics control). I don't think they apply to you.

Yousuf Khan

<spamTHISbrp@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:674477b1-632d-464e-be91-8ebf14e5bf7d@e53g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
> On Jun 25, 8:42 am, "Rodney Lake" <rod_l...@netzero.com> wrote:
>> I know where the fuse is that converts to FWD, but it seems to me it
>> would
>> be better if Subaru had just put a toggle switch on the dash to do the
>> job.
>> I seldom need 4WD and I am smart enough to know when I do need it. I
>> would
>> prefer to drive most of the time in FWD and the switch would allow easy
>> change to FWD when it is needed.
>>
>> Is there some technical reason why this is not possible?
>>
>> "Tony Hwang" <drago...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
>>
>> news:8Uh8k.28384$Jx.13251@pd7urf1no...
>>
>> > Mel wrote:
>> >> Where is the fuse on a 2003 Forester that converts the car from AWD to
>> >> FWD. I am getting 4 new tires, and I want to make sure I know how to
>> >> turn
>> >> off the AWD if I get a flat.
>>
>> >> What do you do if one of tires goes bad and needs to be replaced, say
>> >> after they have 30,000 miles on them? I am concerned about breaking
>> >> the
>> >> AWD system.
>>
>> >> How do I know if the difference in the size (due to wear) of the
>> >> tires
>> >> is a problem or not?
>>
>> >> Thanks a lot.
>>
>> >> Mel
>> > Hi,
>> > No owner's manual?
>
>
> A switch is perfectly possible, but the MPG gain will be quite small
> (if at all) since all the drivetrain will be spinning anyway.
>
> Also, the solenoid that dumps the pump pressure (allowing the front/
> rear clutchpack to spin free) is not made for a 100% duty cycle. It
> will likely eventually fail if always energized.
>
>
> Dave


The possible solenoid failure makes sense and rules out a switch.

I bought this forester in 07 because I had owned several subarus prior to
1990 before they had full time AWD. These were sturdy cars with good gas
mileage. the salesman who went with me for a test drive seemed like a nice
sort and I made a lowball cash offer to keep his boss happy. They accepted
it so now I have one. It seems like a nice car but the problems associated
with different tire sizes and the timing belt mean that I will probably
trade for a toyota in a couple years. I don't see any advantage to AWD
since most of my driving is on dry pavement.