Last Updated on October 18, 2025 by Susan Lopez
Your Subaru’s Guardian Angel: A Real Talk Guide to the Pedestrian Detection System
Picture this. You’re driving down a quiet, treelined street in your Subaru Crosstrek. The sun is out, you’ve got your favorite podcast on, and you’re just… cruising. Suddenly, out of nowhere, your car lets out a jarring BEEPBEEPBEEP and flashes a big red “BRAKE!” warning on your dashboard. Your heart leaps into your throat. You slam on the brakes, only to realize the “pedestrian” your car so desperately tried to save was a plastic bag tumbling poetically across the road.
Sound familiar? If it does, you’re not alone. Trust me, I’ve been there. Subaru’s EyeSight system, and its Pedestrian Detection feature, is a technological marvel. But sometimes, it can feel a little too attentive. Maybe you live in an area with a lot of deer, or your daily commute takes you past a school where kids are constantly darting near the curb. There are legitimate reasons you might want to know how to temporarily disable this safety net.
Let’s be clear from the start: This isn’t about defeating safety. It’s about understanding your vehicle and having control when you need it. This is your guide to the safety override.
What Exactly Are You Trying to Disable?
Before we touch any buttons, it’s crucial to know what we’re dealing with. The Pedestrian Detection system isn’t a standalone gadget. It’s a sophisticated part of Subaru’s broader PreCollision Braking System, which itself is a core component of the EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.
Here’s how it works: Those two camera lenses you see at the top of your windshield are constantly scanning the road ahead. They’re looking for the shape and movement of people. When the system calculates that an impact with a pedestrian is likely, it gives you a visual and audible warning. If you don’t react, it can automatically apply the brakes to either avoid the collision or reduce the severity of the impact.
It’s important to know that disabling the automatic braking function for pedestrians also disables it for vehicles. You can’t have one without the other. It’s an allornothing deal for the precollision braking. Pretty wild, right?
The “Why”: When You Might Need an Override
So why would anyone want to turn off a system designed to save lives? The engineers at Subaru are brilliant, but they can’t account for every single driving scenario. Here are a few situations where knowing how to disable the system is a godsend.
The OffRoad Enthusiast: My friend Jake took his new Crosstrek on a mild offroad trail. He was crawling over some rocky terrain, focusing intently on his line. As he approached a large bush, his Crosstrek suddenly decided the bush was a threat and slammed on the brakes. Not only was it jarring, but it also almost got him stuck. In lowspeed, controlled offroad situations, the system can be a real hindrance.
The Urban Delivery Driver: Think about a delivery driver in a dense city. They’re constantly pulling in and out of tight spots, often with pedestrians walking close to the vehicle. The system might interpret someone simply walking behind the car as an imminent collision, causing an abrupt and unexpected stop. After the third false alarm in an hour, anyone would be looking for an off switch.
The Winter Warrior: Here’s a big one. Heavy snow, ice, or even a slushcovered camera lens can confuse the system. If the cameras can’t see clearly, the entire EyeSight suite, including pedestrian detection, may be disabled automatically with a dashboard warning. But sometimes, a lightly obstructed camera can cause erratic behavior. Knowing how to manually take control brings peace of mind when the weather turns nasty.
Your StepbyStep Guide to the Safety Override
Okay, let’s get to the practical part. Disabling the PreCollision Braking System (which includes pedestrian detection) is surprisingly straightforward. But remember, this is a temporary disable. The system will reactivate the next time you start your car. Subaru designed it this way on purpose—to make sure you don’t forget you’ve turned off a critical safety feature.
Here’s what you do:
- Start Your Car: Get the ignition to the “ON” position. You don’t necessarily need to have the engine running, but all the dashboard lights should be on.
- Locate the Control Stalk: Look at the righthand side of your steering wheel. You’ll find a stalk with buttons on it that controls your trip computer and your EyeSight settings.
- Navigate the Display: Press the “Up” or “Down” arrow buttons on the stalk to cycle through the menus on your dashboard information screen between your gauges. You’re looking for the “PreCollision Braking System” or a similar setting.
- Select and Hold: Once you’ve highlighted the PreCollision Braking System menu, press and hold the “OK” button on the end of the stalk. You’ll need to hold it for a few seconds.
- Confirm the Change: The display will change, and you should see a message confirming that the system has been turned off. A new warning light, typically an orange car with squiggly lines in front of it, will illuminate on your instrument panel. This is your reminder that the system is inactive.
And that’s it. You’ve done it. The car will no longer automatically brake for pedestrians or vehicles. The warning beeps might still occur, but the physical intervention is disabled.
Here’s a pro tip from my own experience: The exact wording of the menus can vary slightly between model years. If you can’t find it right away, don’t panic. Pull over, put the car in park, and take a minute to scroll through every menu. Your owner’s manual is your best friend here—it has modelspecific instructions.
What You’re Actually Turning Off (And What Stays On)
This is a critical distinction a lot of people miss. When you follow the steps above, you are only disabling the automatic braking function of the PreCollision Braking System.
What doesn’t turn off? Pretty much everything else. Your Adaptive Cruise Control will still work. Your Lane Keep Assist and Sway Warning will still be active. The car is still watching the road; it’s just promised not to hit the brakes for you. It’s like telling a backseat driver, “I hear you, but I’ve got this.”
The Big Question: Is This Even a Good Idea?
Let’s have a real talk moment. The data doesn’t lie. Systems like Subaru’s EyeSight are proven to reduce accidents. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the Crosstrek top safety marks, and features like precollision braking are a huge reason why.
So, should you drive around with it permanently off? Absolutely not. That would be like refusing to wear a seatbelt because it’s sometimes uncomfortable.
The key is to see this override as a situational tool. Use it for that specific, tricky part of your drive—the rough trail, the crowded delivery zone—and then let the system reactivate on your next journey. The biggest mistake I see people make is getting so frustrated with the false alarms that they disable it and forget to reenable it. Don’t be that person.
When the Problem is Bigger Than a Button
Sometimes, the system isn’t just being overly cautious; it might be malfunctioning. If you’re getting constant warnings on perfectly clear roads with no obstacles, or if the system seems completely unresponsive, the issue might be a dirty or misaligned camera.
Funny story, a colleague of mine was plagued by false alerts for weeks. He was ready to take his car into the shop. Then, on a particularly bright day, he noticed a nearly invisible smudge on the windshield, right in the camera’s field of view. A quick wipe with a microfiber cloth, and the problem was solved. Always check the simple stuff first.
If a good cleaning doesn’t fix it, the cameras might be out of calibration. This can happen after a windshield replacement or even a minor fender bender. In that case, this isn’t a DIY job. You’ll need to take your Crosstrek to a qualified Subaru dealer or certified technician. They have the specialized equipment to recalibrate the Eyesight system so it sees the world correctly again.
Your Questions, Answered
Will disabling this affect my insurance?
It shouldn’t, as the disable is temporary and resets with each ignition cycle. Insurance companies generally offer discounts for having the safety system, not penalties for using its builtin override function. However, if you were in an accident and it was found you had deliberately tampered with the system in a permanent way, that could be a different story.
Can I permanently disable Subaru’s Pedestrian Detection?
Not through any simple, manufacturerintended method. Subaru does not provide a permanent “off” switch for this critical safety system. Any attempt to permanently disable it would likely involve tampering with wiring or software, which is dangerous, could void your warranty, and is strongly discouraged.
Why does my Crosstrek still beep after I turn off precollision braking?
Great question. You’ve likely only disabled the braking function. The initial alert and warning beeps are often a separate part of the system designed to get your attention. Think of it as the car saying, “Heads up! I see something, but you’re in charge of the brakes now.”
The Final Word: Control and Responsibility
At the end of the day, your Subaru Crosstrek is a tool, and the Pedestrian Detection system is one of its most advanced features. Knowing how to use it—and how to manage it when it doesn’t suit your specific needs—is part of being a skilled, modern driver.
Use the override wisely. Respect its purpose. And never forget that no matter how many cameras and sensors your car has, the most important safety feature is still the person holding the steering wheel. Now go enjoy the drive, with a little more knowledge and a lot more control.