Washing a 2023 Outback

[TheNewGuy]

What would be a good workaround for this (annoying) problem?

I hand wash my cars. Just got this new Outback and both times I've washed it, I continually have the doors locking and unlocking as I pass my hand over the door handle and even with the hose spraying water on the handle. In addition, the rear hatch continually opens when I'm directly behind the bumper and washing the hatch. A quick fix would be to lock the car and put the FOB in the house, but you need to wash out the door jambs etc., and I prefer to open the doors when I want, not when the smart car wants it. I've never had a car do this before.

 

[Ecmbuster]

Faraday cage - the remote fobs communicate with the vehicle at all times.
That is how these devices stop thieves from reading keys from outside the home or in your pocket.

 

[TheNewGuy]

I have no clue how this is an answer to the above question? The FOB is not the issue, certainly not in the rear gate moving - that is the silly wave your hand opening solution. No car that has a FOB ever locked and unlocked with the water from the hose!

 

[Ecmbuster]

My humble apologies, I don't know what I was thinking.

 

[Dcook]

You can turn off the auto hatch opening function.

 

[TheNewGuy]

how

 

[Dcook]

how

To the left of steering column, lower area. Three buttons. One on the right has the hatch icon with “ off”. This turns off the hands free option.

 

[TheSix]

I've had this happen with other vehicle brands...Question though, why not unlock the vehicle so you can move in/out as you've noted whilst cleaning and either leave the fob in the garage (20ft+) or in the house? Problem solved, no?

 

[TheNewGuy]

Thanks Dcook

 

[Joskoh]

What would be a good workaround for this (annoying) problem?

I hand wash my cars. Just got this new Outback and both times I've washed it, I continually have the doors locking and unlocking as I pass my hand over the door handle and even with the hose spraying water on the handle. In addition, the rear hatch continually opens when I'm directly behind the bumper and washing the hatch. A quick fix would be to lock the car and put the FOB in the house, but you need to wash out the door jambs etc., and I prefer to open the doors when I want, not when the smart car wants it. I've never had a car do this before.

I just put my key fob in sleep (or off) mode while I wash the car. I also turn my key fob off every night to protect against key fob relay theft. To turn your fob off press and hold the lock button and then press the unlock button twice. You will see the little light flash 4 times and your fob will be off until you press any of the buttons. You can test it by walking up to your car with your key and you will notice it will not unlock if you've done it right. Hope this helps.

 

[TheSix]

I just put my key fob in sleep (or off) mode while I wash the car. I also turn my key fob off every night to protect against key fob relay theft. To turn your fob off press and hold the lock button and then press the unlock button twice. You will see the little light flash 4 times and your fob will be off until you press any of the buttons. You can test it by walking up to your car with your key and you will notice it will not unlock if you've done it right. Hope this helps.

While I can see this as a viable solution, I still don't grasp why you simply don't leave the fob in the garage (~10ft away or thereabouts) whilst washing...car unlocked, but fob kept at a distance

 

[Joskoh]

While I can see this as a viable solution, I still don't grasp why you simply don't leave the fob in the garage (~10ft away or thereabouts) whilst washing...car unlocked, but fob kept at a distance

Well for me I found this useful when I wash the car at a self serve car wash bay. Can't really get rid of your fob in that situation...

 

[TheSix]

Well for me I found this useful when I wash the car at a self serve car wash bay. Can't really get rid of your fob in that situation...

Ok fair enough if not washing at home, but I assumed OP was washing his vehicles in his property....in any event, just odd IMO

 

[TheNewGuy]

All great advice. Yes for the most part my question was at home. I had not thought about the away washes. I will attempt to "de"program the FOB. Turning off the hatch works great, but the main doors and mirrors still lock when the hose water hits the handle.

As a side note, I tried the option of just placing the FOB away from the vehicle while washing. It worked great as I simply set the keychain with the FOB on my wife's trunk. She was going nowhere that day so it was a great spot - until she decided to go somewhere. The keys and FOB went for a ride never to be seen again. I walk every morning and the following day, I walked the entire route she drove. At about the 5 mile mark I found my FOB (which I had encased in a LeatherBrut FOB cover). The cover was ripped to shreds, but the FOB was like new with not even a scratch. My two keys were found 20' away and both broken and scraped. I believe she lost it in the middle of a very busy intersection and they ended up getting driven over 100's of times. It is quite a testament to LeatherBrut covers. The first cover was ~$50, the replacement was billed out with a 10% discount for my story! What a product to protect a fine piece of electronics like it did here. The case and FOB are only a couple moths old. The cost of the case was worth not having to replace the FOB. Next time they go on a shelf!

Here is the guys website should anyone be interested. In addition to working, they look really good too, many colors of leather.

https://leatherbrut.com/