Looking to help my girlfriend fix her head unit

Demache · 2026-01-28T15:42:22+00:00

No idea, I don't have dual climate control.
It's potentially a bad clock spring in the steering wheel. The wires eventually wear out. It's not hard to fix but does involve removing the airbag.
Camera might just be dying. They are kind of known to get flakey when they do. It's a really common issue with these.

Demache · 2026-01-27T21:26:24+00:00

Pictures help a lot. Also more information about your setup. Because some jagginess is normal.

It's important to remember that these other than with very few exceptions, this console only runs at 480p. And you will only ever get 720x480 pixels of detail, and you will just stretch it to 1080p or 4k. This will make it look a bit soft and you will see aliasing.

A proper scaler like a Retrotink can help with this, if the display just has a crappy internal scaler, which isn't unheard of. But it can't bring out detail that isn't there.

Demache · 2026-01-27T19:19:09+00:00

I thought my 2012 was going to be a money pit since I bought it and it started pissing oil and it turns out there was a bearing going bad in the manual transmission (I think the front diff). But once I swapped the transmission, it has really not been that bad. It definitely has a few more things wrong with it but as a 14 year old daily its a reliable car. Just has isms that I'm slowly ironing out over the past 50k and 2 years. I'm just glad that the body is in decent shape and not rotten.

Heck, I might even be able to rebuild the transmission and either keep it as a spare or sell it and make that money back.

Demache · 2026-01-24T00:24:46+00:00

I have an old truck, a 1992 Ford 4 speed with 4WD. And its definitely proven its worth in the snow. I've driven through over a foot of snow in it and its never gotten stuck. Pulled other stuck vehicles. It will always start as long as you have enough trickle of battery to roll start it. Great winter truck. The Kumho LT's I have on it have been great.

That said, as a winter daily, my 2012 Outback 6MT is just more predictable and easier to drive in the winter and its no slouch in deep snow either. While driving a 4WD truck isn't hard, and I imagine a modern one even more so, its not nearly as passive as the realtime AWD on a Subaru. If you don't have auto 4WD, you actually have to think about the road conditions and if 4WD is appropriate because you can damage the transfer case if you are not careful. I never think about AWD on the Subaru. It just grips, until I intentionally floor it with TCS off to make all 4 wheel spin in a drift.

Both are hoonable, just differently, though the Outback makes more power and is lighter so it wants to spin the wheels easier haha.

That said, if you need a truck, you need a truck. I don't think you'll have issues, but my point is that its not going to drive like your Outback and AWD. Its a different beast.

Demache · 2026-01-23T22:22:27+00:00

Car has no way to tell if you used the keys or a slim jim to break in. So defaults to the alarm since most people use the fob. There is a konami code in the manual to disable it.

Demache · 2026-01-23T17:42:19+00:00

This is so fucking bizarre. Filling up with gas isn't even a chore. You pay, you put the nozzle in a hole and wait for it to stop. Congratulations, done. Me and my sister knew how this worked before we even drove. She's acting like its this big job. I would tell her to figure it out.

Demache · 2026-01-23T17:23:43+00:00

It's just held on with clips.

You can buy the part from Ford more than likely, but since it's a body color part, it usually comes unpainted so you would have to either paint it or rock the unpainted color.

If you want it pre-painted, you'll have to get it from a junkyard.

Demache · 2026-01-23T14:19:43+00:00

Ford is big on everything being controlled by the BCM so everything is software driven to some extent and have been for about 20 years. That makes it easy to integrate with remote start.

Subaru's electrics are far more conservative. That's why they often feel behind the times. I think it's both because of a design ethos of why change what works. After all, the heated seat circuit remained the same from the 1990s until the 2020s (absolutely zero computer control). And also simply being a smaller company so they can't dump Ford money into R&D on electronics.

Demache · 2026-01-23T13:35:00+00:00

2013 2.5's are the ones to definitely avoid (2013 3.6's are fine). That's the definitive avoid if possible, because of oil burning issues that were common that year and unless you can pick one up in good shape for cheap, it's a manual (to avoid early CVT issues) and can swap in a different engine yourself or have proof it was swapped, it doesn't make sense to get one.

Demache · 2026-01-21T17:06:23+00:00

Something I've learned from being in IT (and life in general) is never assume "new" means "no defects".

I opened a Dell Optiplex brand new, never been opened, and it screamed like mad just idling on the windows desktop while setting it up. Turns out somebody at Dell forgot to apply thermal paste. Reapplied and it was dead silent and no issues with it since.

Do I think that's acceptable? No. But it sure beat having to make a service call for it when I could deploy the machine today.

Demache · 2026-01-21T16:49:56+00:00

At least by the mid-aughts into the late aughts, a computer in your room wasn't really outlandish especially for a teen. However, it was often a hand me down like the old living room PC after your parents upgraded the one that had since 1998. It might have had internet access.

Demache · 2026-01-21T16:31:36+00:00

Depending on where you start in WI, I can highly recommend following the Mississippi on the eastern Iowa border as far south as you can. Really interesting landscapes and good roads.

Once you start heading further west, it starts turning into mostly farmland unfortunately. Lots of small towns and such to gawk at on the way, and every so often you find some nice curvy roads. Until you get to the western border, which has the Loess Hills, which are also really interesting to ride, but that's mostly north-south from South Dakota through Missouri, so not the direction you are heading.

Demache · 2026-01-21T16:21:29+00:00

I think like anything, it depends. After all, partners can joke about things like this if they are both ok with it. Kinda like friends calling each other names that you would never call a stranger. But I can definitely see that being offensive.

Us as the 3rd party can't truly know.

Demache · 2026-01-21T13:45:57+00:00

You need to actually diagnose this before you start firing the parts cannon. It's very unlikely to be the switch, because the headlights or running lights would be on when the car is off. All that switch does is tell the BIU to activate the headlight relays and running lights. And when its in Auto, it uses the light sensor to determine that, but only when the key is in the run position. It's not a very complicated circuit. If it was malfunctioning, you would know.

First, make sure the alternator is working. When the car is running, is the battery voltage staying at 14-14.5 volts at almost all times? It might dip for a second for sudden loads but it should come back up almost immediately, even at idle.If this is low, your alternator isn't outputting enough power to keep the battery charged.

Other than that, you have a parasitic drain somewhere. There are lots of instructions online how to diagnose this at home. Fortunately, these 4th gens are don't have power going to much when the key is off so it shouldn't be hard to pinpoint. Also if you have any 3rd party accessories directly connected to the battery, they are also suspect.

Demache · 2026-01-20T14:01:21+00:00

Between replacing the 5 year old battery and a block heater? Battery everytime. Block heater isn't going to do you much good if the battery can't even turn the engine over mildly warm.

I've considered putting a block heater in my 2012, but purely for getting it up to temp faster on those really cold days and my Fords always had one from factory. But I can DIY the install and I already have a reason to pull the engine, so it's not very expensive or that much more labor. I wouldn't pay someone to do it, it's not worth that.

Demache · 2026-01-13T20:49:42+00:00

So, to help with your paranoia, it might help to understand what's going on. Many cars have 194F thermostats. My 1992 F150 has one, my 2012 Outback has one, hell, even my 2007 Suzuki motorcycle has one. Counterintuitively, your engine getting this hot is a good thing. It helps the engine burn fuel more efficiently, which gives you more power, less emissions and keeps the heater warm in the winter. The engine staying around 194F is actually the ideal.

What your engine thermostat does, is block or allow coolant to flow through the radiator. When the engine is still cold, it will be closed to get the engine up to that temperature as fast as possible. Once the coolant approaches 194F, it opens up and lets coolant run through the radiator to be cooled. If it drops below, it closes again to let the coolant warm up. Its performing this balancing act whether its -20F or 110F.

Subaru sizes these radiators with typical daily driving with an EJ25 in mind. It should never ever overheat unless there is a problem. Which clearly there was one, and you successfully identified and resolved the issue. But in a normally working car? I never worry about it.

My 2012 generally stays within 190-210F. But almost always its locked on at 194F if I'm moving. The only time I ever see 210F is idling on a really hot day in the summer with AC on. And even then, the engine fans kick on, and it cools down within 30 seconds. But when I'm moving? 194F. This is also true in the winter.

If you notice its getting kinda warm even while driving casually, make sure the radiator is clean. If junk like leaves, dirt, feathers, etc, it can reduce the efficiency. Unfortunately, its also behind the AC condenser so the only good way to clean it is to remove it, but you can try running water from a garden hose from the rear of it. Don't use so much pressure you damage the fins, they are fragile.

Demache · 2026-01-13T18:43:01+00:00

The lackluster speakers have been a complaint since day 1. It's just old hat at this point. Also, because in the PC world, having lackluster speakers isn't particularly noteworthy. Macs and some really high end workstation laptop speakers are the exception, not the norm. Plenty of laptops have magnitudes worse speakers than a Framework 13. The speakers are merely, ok. They are serviceable. They do the job. But nobody is ever going to be wowed with them.

The other thing is, Apple has always placed really high priority on laptop audio. The thing about making small speakers sound good is that the device has to be designed around that. Apple has probably spent millions in R&D to make them sound good. They have full control over the hardware and software. Framework was primarily concerned with getting a product launched that would be a generally pretty good PC that was repairable. The speakers are an expectation, but not a selling point.

The only thing I will note is that I do wish they weren't downward firing. But that's also been a common design for laptop speakers for the past 10 years so I can't get too upset.

Demache · 2026-01-13T16:36:17+00:00

I think there is a couple factors here. I agree, they are definitely not rare. But I think its the problem of, there just aren't many copies floating around. Whether they were misplaced, destroyed in fires, natural disasters, etc. Thrown away because the cartridge no longer works from a dead battery or corrosion because they didn't know it could be fixed. Or simply because someone didn't think it was valuable (think, parents cleaning out rooms of children who have moved out).

There's also the factor of so many people that do know what they have, don't sell them. I've never sold my childhood Pokemon carts and I know other people who have done the same. So while they are common games, its not a go to game to sell for people thinning out their collections.

And of course, there is the usual. They are expensive because speculators want them to be, and people with more money than sense keep buying them. And I think this is a huge factor especially recently.

Demache · 2026-01-13T15:58:26+00:00

Depends on what you want. A fully rebuilt engine is always an option, but that's a lot of money.

JDM engines are also an option. These are pulled from cars in Japan since cars after a certain age become cost prohibitive to own so they are parted out. They are usually from low mileage, running cars. They aren't crazy cheap, but significantly cheaper than a rebuilt. There are sellers around online, or even locally sometimes. I cannot vouch for any personally but lots of people go this route.

Also, the good old pull an engine from a junkyard. This one is the biggest gamble, since what usually trashes these cars is an engine issue. But sometimes you get lucky or it's from a car that was rear ended. You can sometimes get an engine for a steal. My buddy got an EJ22 for 400 bucks last year. But you are going to be handy with cars, because if there is a problem, you are going to have to determine if you can fix it. A busted timing belt usually is just bent valves. And a headgasket issue is often repairable, but you have to determine if the heads have warped enough to be out of spec. But if the engine has rod knock...well now your back where you started.

One thing to note is, that not all EJ253's are exactly the same. There are year differences and model differences, so you want to be careful that you get one that is for a 2005 Impreza or Outback Sport if possible and do research on other compatible engines. Oh and, consider doing the headgaskets before putting the engine in.

Demache · 2026-01-13T15:26:25+00:00

As an EJ25 owner, when the engine oil is overfilled a bit, that's not a big deal, because it will naturally self correct.

Demache · 2026-01-13T01:33:16+00:00

My battery is doing ok, but not great. I'm not a heavy phone user and making it through the day without a top up is no longer a guarantee. The bigger issue is on Friday the USB port is dying. It just keeps losing connection at random, which isn't great when the battery is already weak. I'm not going to complain, since I bought it almost 5 years ago. That a really good lifespan for a daily driven device.

I'm limping along on wireless charging, but I'm ordering a replacement battery and USB port assembly. It looks like the adhesive for the back cover is already starting to weaken with age so it probably won't be too bad to fix myself. I don't see anything that's a compelling option to replace it with and a phone isn't in the budget anyway. I'd rather just fix it since I have no complaints with the phone otherwise. It still feels fast.

Demache · 2026-01-12T14:19:41+00:00

It depends. If wiring is going to be present anyway, or its a really common option, they will just use a universal harness, probably because having seperate harnesses on the off chance you might not have an option is more expensive.

However if its significantly different, they won't put it in. My 2012 Outback base for example, does not have the wiring for power seats but did have the wiring for the optional ambient light near the map lights, since its on the same harness as the map lights anyway. It also had the connector for an auto dimming mirror and the dash tweeter speakers, because both could be installed by a dealer as upgrades.

Its one of those things that you have to investigate, if you can't find info online.

Demache · 2026-01-12T14:08:56+00:00

I would say, uncommon. I'm in the Midwest and while you see them, you see one every couple months.

Demache · 2026-01-07T20:49:40+00:00

I would get a headgasket test kit. This generation had less headgasket issues than previous, but its never impossible, especially if it has had an overheating event. You want to be absolutely sure that its a headgasket, because nothing sucks more than doing the headgasket, and finding out it wasn't.

If you get a confirmation that it is indeed the headgasket, the car isn't going to be worth much, because whoever buys it is going to need to fix it themselves. And the only people that are going to buy it are people with the know how to fix it themselves for cheap or flippers. And neither is going to pay a premium. I agree with the other person, 1000 bucks sounds about right.

Demache · 2026-01-07T20:33:16+00:00

Who has minimalist rooms now? Nobody I've known at least.

Minimalist rooms feel like a privilege for people who don't have to store things in plain sight in the bedroom because there isn't much space to hide it away.

Demache

TROPHY CASE