You might be staring at your center console and wondering what is the avh button in my subaru, especially if you've just recently traded in an older car for a newer Forester, Outback, or Crosstrek. It's one of those features that sounds like it might be complicated, but once you figure out how it works, it's honestly one of the hardest things to give up.
Simply put, AVH stands for Auto Vehicle Hold. If you've ever been stuck in a long line at a Starbucks drive-thru or found yourself crawling through bumper-to-bumper traffic on the highway, this little button is about to become your new best friend. It essentially holds the brakes for you so you don't have to keep your foot pressed down while you're sitting at a standstill.
How the AVH system actually works
When you press that button, a little green icon that says "AVH" will pop up on your instrument cluster. This means the system is "armed." At this point, nothing feels different while you're driving. However, the next time you come to a complete stop—like at a red light—and you press the brake pedal firmly, the system kicks in.
You'll see the indicator light change slightly or a secondary light appear, and at that moment, you can actually take your foot off the brake pedal. The car isn't going anywhere. It stays perfectly still, as if your foot were still jammed against the pedal. The brake lights even stay on so the person behind you knows you're stopped.
The moment you're ready to move again, you just tap the gas pedal. The car automatically releases the brakes, and you're back on your way. It's a seamless transition, though it can feel a little weird the first few times you try it. Your brain is so wired to keep that foot down that lifting it while the car is in "Drive" feels like you're breaking some sort of universal law.
Why you'd actually want to use it
I've talked to plenty of Subaru owners who never touch the button because they think it's just another "nanny" feature. But there are a few scenarios where it's a total game changer.
First, let's talk about leg fatigue. If you have a long commute that involves a lot of stopping and starting, your right leg can actually get pretty tired from holding that pressure for thirty minutes straight. AVH takes that physical strain away.
Second, it's a lifesaver on hilly terrain. Subaru already has "Hill Start Assist," but AVH is like its bigger, more capable brother. If you're stopped on a steep incline, you don't have to worry about the car rolling back even an inch while you move your foot from the brake to the gas. It gives you a lot more confidence in tricky urban environments where people like to pull up right onto your bumper.
Lastly, it's just plain convenient in daily errands. Waiting for a train to pass? Stuck in a carpool lane? Waiting for the person in front of you to find their wallet at the window? AVH makes these little annoyances much more bearable.
Where is the button, and why can't I find it?
Depending on what year and model of Subaru you're driving, the location of this feature can vary quite a bit.
In older models (around 2019 to 2022 for many vehicles), there is a physical button. It's usually located near the electric parking brake switch or close to the X-Mode dial on the center console. It's a simple click-on, click-off situation.
However, if you have a newer Subaru with that massive 11.6-inch vertical touchscreen—like the newer Outbacks, Crosstreks, or the WRX—Subaru decided to move the AVH control into the screen. This has been a bit of a polarizing move for long-time fans. To find it, you usually have to look at the bottom row of the screen where the "car settings" icon lives.
A lot of owners find it annoying that they have to menu-dive to turn it on, but Subaru has been better lately about putting a shortcut right on the home screen. If you find yourself using it every day, it's worth checking if you can move the icon to a more convenient spot in your settings.
The "Rules" of AVH (It won't work if)
Subaru is pretty obsessed with safety, so the AVH system won't just turn on whenever you feel like it. There are a few "safety handshakes" that have to happen before the car trusts the system to hold the brakes.
- Your seatbelt must be buckled. This is the big one. If you're unbuckled, the car assumes you might be trying to get out, and it won't let the Auto Vehicle Hold engage.
- The driver's door must be closed. Again, if the car thinks you're exiting the vehicle, it's not going to hold the brakes for you.
- The transmission has to be in Drive or Neutral.
- The system has to be manually turned on every time you start the car. This is probably the biggest complaint people have. For safety reasons, Subaru defaults AVH to "off" every time you turn the engine off. You can't just leave it on forever; you have to tap the button or the screen icon every time you start a new trip.
What happens if you sit there too long?
You might wonder if the car will just sit there forever with the AVH engaged. Interestingly, the car has a backup plan. If you stay stopped for a long period of time (usually a few minutes) or if you unbuckle your seatbelt while the AVH is holding the car, the system will automatically transition from AVH to the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB).
You'll hear a little whirring noise, and the parking brake light will come on. At that point, the car is "parked" even though you're still in gear. To get moving again, you might need to manually flick the parking brake switch or just give the gas a slightly firmer press. It's a fail-safe to make sure the car doesn't accidentally roll away if you get distracted or try to hop out to grab mail.
When should you turn AVH off?
As great as it is, there are a few times when you absolutely should not use the AVH button.
The biggest one is automatic car washes. If you're going through one of those car washes where you put the car in neutral and it pulls you through on a conveyor belt, AVH can be a disaster. If it's active and you accidentally tap the brakes, it might lock the wheels, causing the conveyor to jump or damaging your car (and the wash). Always make sure it's completely off before you head into the tunnel.
Another time is when you're maneuvering in tight parking spots. When you're trying to inch forward or backward into a very tight garage, you usually want to "creep" by just slowly lifting your foot off the brake. If AVH is on, the car won't creep. It'll stay stuck until you hit the gas, which can cause the car to "lurch" a bit more than you want when you're inches away from a wall.
Is it the same as X-Mode?
It's easy to get these confused because the buttons are often right next to each other, but they do very different things. X-Mode is for off-roading, deep snow, or mud—it changes how the engine and the all-wheel-drive system behave to give you more grip.
AVH, on the other hand, is strictly for convenience on paved roads. You can think of AVH as your "city helper" and X-Mode as your "mountain helper." You'll probably use AVH ten times a day and X-Mode maybe once a month (unless you live in a place with crazy winters).
Final thoughts on using AVH
If you haven't tried it yet, I'd suggest finding a quiet parking lot or a side street and giving it a shot. It feels incredibly counter-intuitive to take your foot off the brake while the car is in gear, but once you trust the tech, it really does make driving a Subaru a lot more relaxing.
It's one of those "hidden" features that makes a Subaru feel a bit more premium than your average commuter car. While it might take a second to remember to turn it on every morning, your right ankle will definitely thank you by the time you hit five o'clock traffic. Now that you know what is the avh button in my subaru, go ahead and give your brake leg a well-deserved break!