Subaru Battery Drain due to shutdown of 3G net

[ehsnils]

Later models of Subaru has the Starlink system using the 3G and possibly also the 2G nets by the telecom operators and it will start to drain the battery when those networks are unavailable. The offending module is the so called DCM (Data Communication Module) that's taking care of the telematics.

I actually got that info from here.

Service Bulletin:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2022/MC-10225770-0001.pdf

[ncted]

So, I can just pull that fuse and avoid this problem?  I never signed up for Starlink.  I don't want them gathering any data about my driving/location anyway.

[MoleMan]

On 3/19/2024 at 5:08 PM, ncted said:

So, I can just pull that fuse and avoid this problem?  I never signed up for Starlink.  I don't want them gathering any data about my driving/location anyway.

Dont pull the fuse.

 

Any not signing up for Starlink I dont think matters.  I have asked multiple experts on this as well and half said IDK and the others said it will still try to connect.  Who to trust on this IDK.  I dont ave a starlink subscription as well.  But i do think it loads regardless.

 

Subaru OEM batteries are shit right out of the gate.  Just upgrade the battery and you will be fine.  DSeveral discussions on that here.  If you drive the car daily it should not be a huge deal.  I mean I have driven my 3.6 once this year for four miles to the gas station and back.  I also start it once a week and force charge by turning the headlights on for 15 or so mins.  Never had an issue. And this car is outside in below freezing weather.

I have asked some local experts on this issue.  The system is not active when the car is off so they are trying to understand how it drains the battery.  I always seem to experience excessive battery drain when the car is locked and alarm armed.  And this is across 2 4th gens and one 6th gen.  So I honestly think the battery drain is coming from the alarm system somewhere.  But as mentioned its through two generations that are ten years apart so something is going on.   So I solved the issue by not locking the car.  No excessive drain at all.

 

But once again Subaru Batteries are shit and weak.  Change it out.

Edited April 4 by MoleMan
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