Grendel Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Hi all - new member here. I don't have a Subie (I have an '04 Volvo V70R and an '06 MINI Cooper S convertible.) My sister was looking for a car she could afford as she and her husband just had a new baby - she wanted a Honda Element, and asked me (being a car nut) what I would suggest in that price range. I told her to look at a Legacy wagon with the manual. They went to drive it, and bought it. They absolutely love the car (and the sunroof!) - Its a white SE manual - they're moving to northern Ohio soon, so this will be the perfect car. She calls me yesterday to tell me that her husband called to tell her that he got in the car and started it while in gear, lightly hitting a pole in their garage - I would think this is impossible, as wouldn't an 06-07 legacy have a clutch starter lockout? I'm thinking he started it by pressing the clutch, then let his foot off the clutch thinking the car was in neutral. So to make a very long story short, do these cars have starter lockouts? Thanks - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emosound Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Short answer-yes, the Legacy has a clutch-starter interlock switch on the clutch pedal. Maybe the switch is bad, maybe it's not adjusted right, or as you suggested, he let off the clutch with it in gear. -Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grendel Posted July 14, 2006 Author Share Posted July 14, 2006 Thanks for the reply - I'm pretty sure that's what happened (didn't realize the car was in gear after starting it) - he hasn't driven manuals much, and tried to blame it on my sister for leaving it parked in gear , which is something I've always told her to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKB_SATX Posted July 14, 2006 Share Posted July 14, 2006 Always park a manual in gear (reverse is my personal preference) and use the handbrake if you're not in a melting/icing environment where wet cables and linkages are likely to refreeze and keep the parking brake applied even when you put the handbrake down. Just don't let unskilled drivers have your keys and it'll work out fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphyralph5 Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 This is my first manual tranny vehicle so please forgive this question: Why should you park and leave it in gear?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt_ltd Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 ^ so the car can't move even if the handbrake fails This Space For Rent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Th3Franz Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 And leave it in 2nd gear or higher when it's parked. One time I wasn't paying attention and with the car in 1st gear with the E-brake on it lurched half a foot. Since then I always leave it in 2nd when it is parked. -Franz The end of a Legacy http://www.youtube.com/th3franz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul G. Posted July 15, 2006 Share Posted July 15, 2006 ...or leave it in first or reverse to get maximum locking action and just pay attention when operating a motor vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grendel Posted July 16, 2006 Author Share Posted July 16, 2006 I always leave my manual cars in either 1st or reverse, as those gears give the most engine braking. And if tracking your cars after some hot laps, (as I did with my MINI yesterday ), or some spirited driving with lots of repeated high speed stops, I never put the parking brake on as (on the MINI's at least - not sure how the subaru parking brake works) the hot pads will glaze the rear rotors at the spot where they are sitting, causing warped discs. My Volvo R is the same way - the parking brake forces the rear pad onto the disc. Some cars have a separate drum within the disc, which won't warp the disc itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.T.Subie Posted July 16, 2006 Share Posted July 16, 2006 ...or leave it in first or reverse to get maximum locking action and just pay attention when operating a motor vehicle. Makes sense. Denial is your best friend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphyralph5 Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WRXGuyInVegas Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I only put it in gear if I'm parking on a hill. Level ground = Neutral + Handbrake They don't normally just "fail" unless they're worn out, or abused... "Insert Signature Here" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DKB_SATX Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I only put it in gear if I'm parking on a hill. Level ground = Neutral + Handbrake They don't normally just "fail" unless they're worn out, or abused... The handbrake isn't as likely to fail as the driver is. Being in the habit of setting both transmission and handbrake makes it more likely that you'll always have one or the other set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBT Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 I always leave my manual cars in either 1st or reverse, as those gears give the most engine braking. Yeppers. The way it's supposed to be. Some cars have a separate drum within the disc, which won't warp the disc itself. This is how the Legacy and every new generation Subaru is set up. SBT - Pro amore Dei et patriam et populum - Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OBieXT Posted July 17, 2006 Share Posted July 17, 2006 ....They don't normally just "fail" unless they're worn out, or abused... Not necessarily true. I parked my RX7 beside the house once and left it running while I went inside to get some stuff I was loading into it. When I came back out around 30 seconds latter.....it was gone! I live out in the country and there wasn't anyone around for about 1/4 mile, but I'm still looking around going 'Geez who the @()#$@ stole my car!" I walk down to the end of the drive way, and there it is, idling peacefully, about 50 yards down in the neighbor's corn field. Now our driveway is lined with pine trees at both sides. The mailbox is across the road at the end of the drive, and there a ditch about 1-1/2 feet deep to get into the field at that point. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how the car made it down through there without a scratch. I tried numerous times starting at the same spot and just letting the car drift down the drive from there without steering and it invariably head towards the trees on one side or the other. It turns out the grease on the parking brake ratchet had congealed somewhat and it being a cold day, didn't allow the latch to fully engage the teeth. Normally, I rely on the engine (1st or reverse) to hold the car in place and only use the handbrake if I'm on a steep hill. I was at work after lunch several years ago and one of my coworkers came in and said my old Audi Fox had drifted out of it's parking space in front of him. He said he pulled into the lot and the car backed out in front of him, so he's sitting there waiting for it to move out of the way. It doesn't move so he looks a little closer....and there's no one in the car. He drives around it and parks and comes back and just pushes it back into it's spot (he was a pretty big fella). I went out to check and I'd left it in 3rd instead of 1st. With 180,000 miles on the odo, it no longer had the compression for the engine to hold it in place. So, after my long rambling post, the short answer is put it in gear and set the handbrake if you really want to be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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