Legacy Infotainment Glitch: Mechanic's Band-Aid Fix

Had the same connectivity problems with my 2009 Subaru Outback diesel last season. The infotainment system would fail to pair, showing unusual connection errors. The issue traced back to a failing ignition system module that was creating interference with the head unit. The root cause was a corroded ground connection and damaged wiring harness near the steering column. These electrical gremlins often get misdiagnosed as simple software glitches, but the underlying issue can affect multiple vehicle systems. In my case, the faulty ground was also causing occasional drivetrain sensor errors. The repair required: Complete wiring harness inspection, Replacement of corroded ground points, Reprogramming of the head unit, Full system diagnostic scan This was a significant repair job requiring specialized diagnostic equipment. Simply clearing the codes without addressing the wiring issues will lead to recurring problems. The symptoms match exactly what you describe, failed phone pairing and stored error codes that keep coming back. Recommend finding a shop with certified electrical diagnostic capabilities, as this likely needs more than basic troubleshooting.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the wiring harness and grounding issues. That electrical fault diagnosis matches what I am seeing with my Legacy. I had my codes cleared twice already but the malfunction keeps coming back, especially with the infotainment system. Would you mind sharing how much the complete repair ended up costing? Also curious if you have had any recurring electrical faults since getting it fixed properly? Those drivetrain sensor errors you mentioned have me worried there could be more issues hiding behind the basic connectivity problems.

Thanks for asking about the follow-up details. After getting the proper electrical fault diagnosis and repair done, my Legacy has been running perfectly with no recurring connectivity problems. The Function restrictions warning completely disappeared after they identified the incorrect pairing with the end device as the core issue. The full repair was much simpler than initially expected, no major wiring harness work was needed in my case. The malfunction turned out to be isolated to the infotainment module communication system. The fix cost just 45€ for reprogramming and properly pairing the system. The good news is I have not seen any additional electrical faults or drivetrain sensor errors in the 6 months since the repair. The infotainment system now connects flawlessly every time. If your symptoms are similar, it might be worth having a specialist check specifically for communication protocol issues rather than assuming extensive wiring problems. My recommendation would be to focus on the connectivity diagnostics first before exploring more complex electrical issues since that resolved both the pairing and sensor problems in my situation.

I finally found a great mechanic who actually took the time to properly diagnose my Legacy's electrical issues. After dealing with two shops that just cleared codes, this specialist ran a complete diagnostic on the ignition system and transmission sensors. Turns out my infotainment problems were caused by a damaged communication module, not the extensive wiring issues I feared. The repair was straightforward, just needed the module reprogrammed and properly configured. Total cost came to 320€ including diagnostic time. Three weeks since the fix and everything works perfectly. The phone connects instantly, no more error codes appear, and the transmission warning lights have stayed off. Such a relief to have the problem properly solved instead of just temporarily cleared. Really appreciate the guidance from others who dealt with similar issues. Having the right information helped me find a qualified shop that could handle these tricky electrical problems properly.