Went to start the car this afternoon after not using it for a week and the battery was totally dead. Phoned Subaru assist who sent someone to start it within 15mins (excellent service).

However surely it should be possible to leave the car for longer than a week before this happens. A trip to the dealer seems to be in order.

I believe that other people have also had this problem, was your dealer able to sort it out? was it as simple as changing the battery?

Hi.

It took two battery replacements to sort my problem out. My dealer said it was a problem with the battery not the car. I'd seen Subaru assist 6 times prior to getting the damn thing sorted! Best to call your dealer a few days in advance to let them fully charge the replacement before fitting it. Good luck!

Hi.

It took two battery replacements to sort my problem out. My dealer said it was a problem with the battery not the car. I'd seen Subaru assist 6 times prior to getting the damn thing sorted! Best to call your dealer a few days in advance to let them fully charge the replacement before fitting it. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, I will phone the dealer on Monday. Hopefully a new battery will solve the problem. The machanic who started the car said that there was too much charge going into the battery which apparently damages it. Glad to hear that your's has been sorted.

Loads of Scoobs have this problem but it is usually sorted with a replacement battery :)

Left mine for 3 days when it was snowing and it went dead as well!!

What a a joke. I just recharged the batt and got it working. But will get back to my deler to get a new batt

happened twice to me now ... new battery on monday with 30k service.

How bizarre, my STI7 was completely dead when i went to fire it up yesterday morning!! Been stood since late Sunday night so only just over 5 days...

Service due in a fortnight, so might see if I can get a new one under warranty!!

I recently had the battery replaced on my 03STi (4.6k) It never actually went flat, and the car always started no problem, but the alarm would occasionally "chirp" when starting, indicating that the voltage was dropping quite low. My dealer (Wilsons) changed the battery without question. Make sure you don't get the same make as the original! Mine is now a "Varta" and appears fine.
The 02 cars had the same problem - the battery in my sons STi had to be replaced when he had it.
JohnD

I had the same as above. New battery and ok now

I had the same problem. New battery 3 weeks ago.

subarus get through batterys like nothing,prone to it.

:eek: had same problem even with a new battery but lucky i haVE A RECHARABLE Battery and jump leads so no more subaru assit thank god :eek:

Had battery changed today (thanks Knowlesy @ Xtremescoobies) on my UK300 PPP (MY01 Y) .. mine went progressively flat probably from lack of miles over the winter period (c. 600 in 2.5 months), knew it was going to die due to the 'chirping' when firing up. Trickle charged it twice but wouldn't hold charge so new one it was !

Touch wood seems fine now ... thought I would be alone with this problem but obviously not ;)

Cheers
Phil :D

My previous car was a MY97. The original battery was still working fine after 6 years and 110,000 miles. It appeared to have the same battery as the MY03. Wonder what's gone wrong?

Well worth getting a trickle charger.......learnt this from many years of getting flat batteries on my bikes. Folks have cars they don't use for 6 months at a time, go to start & nothing.

Once fitted with a trickle charger, never had any probs, well worth doing if leaving it for a week or so.....

my sti8 needed a new battery whilst awaiting repairs-supposedly a lot of 03 subarus either had batteries connected during the long trip from japan by boat or there is a dodgey batch of batteries with subaru not wanting to recall for obvious bad publicity
i heard a story that a sti8 demo was left at an airport and the battery had gone dead setting the alarm off and the owner was away for 2 weeks!!

New "Varta" battery fitted this morning, hopefully that will solve the problem.

I've had 3 different batts fitted...no change...only a problem if left for over a week (which it is at the moment). It's not the charging from alternator...something is taking the juice out of it. I've done electrical tests on the extra wire I've added for the new sterio and auto waterspray but no amps taken. It's something original (oe alarm?) or the RAC tracker.

I have to keep changing the batt each week and charge the other up...pain in the neck.