12
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Deaths
!

High Severity Issue

This component has been associated with crashes, fires, or deaths.

This Problem Across All Years

All Exterior Lighting Complaints

Showing 12 of 12
Dec 1, 2021

All rear lights, rear hatch lock, brake lights all failed due to wiring going from the body to the hatch getting cut from the action of opening and closing the hatch door. This seems to be a pretty common thing with at least the 2005-2007 models years.

Dec 1, 2021

All rear lights, rear hatch lock, brake lights all failed due to wiring going from the body to the hatch getting cut from the action of opening and closing the hatch door. This seems to be a pretty common thing with at least the 2005-2007 models years.

Nov 24, 2018 172,000 mi

MY 2007 OUTBACK WAGON TAILGATE LIGHTS, LOCK FAILED TO WORK. SOME OF THE WIRING WITHIN THE FLEXIBLE RUBBER CONDUIT BROKE AND SHORTED OUT THE FUSE. THE WIRES COULD NOT ENDURE THE REPEATED MOTION OF THE TAILGATE MOVEMENT. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE UPPER BRAKE LIGHT, REVERSE LIGHTS, TAILGATE LOCK ARE AFFECTED. I BELIEVE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR WIRING IS IN THE SAME HARNESS. A PREVIOUS OWNER MADE A REPAIR OF ONE WIRE AS SEEN IN THE PHOTO. REPAIR DID NOT HOLD UP. SUBARU SHOULD CORRECT THE CONDITION AT NO CHARGE.

Nov 24, 2018 172,000 mi

MY 2007 OUTBACK WAGON TAILGATE LIGHTS, LOCK FAILED TO WORK. SOME OF THE WIRING WITHIN THE FLEXIBLE RUBBER CONDUIT BROKE AND SHORTED OUT THE FUSE. THE WIRES COULD NOT ENDURE THE REPEATED MOTION OF THE TAILGATE MOVEMENT. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE UPPER BRAKE LIGHT, REVERSE LIGHTS, TAILGATE LOCK ARE AFFECTED. I BELIEVE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR WIRING IS IN THE SAME HARNESS. A PREVIOUS OWNER MADE A REPAIR OF ONE WIRE AS SEEN IN THE PHOTO. REPAIR DID NOT HOLD UP. SUBARU SHOULD CORRECT THE CONDITION AT NO CHARGE.

Jun 28, 2015 64,200 mi

WIRE HARNESS, THAT PASSES THROUGH RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THAT CONNECTS BETWEEN VEHICLE BODY AND REAR HATCH DOOR OF WAGON, SUFFERS FROM WIRE FATIGUE THAT CAUSES INDIVIDUAL WIRE INSULATORS TO CRACK AND CONDUCTING WIRES TO BREAK, LEADING TO FAILURE OF CRITICAL AUTOMOBILE SAFETY EQUIPMENT; NAMELY, REAR WIPER MOTOR, REAR BACK-UP LIGHTS, REAR MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT, REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. THIS DESIGN DEFECT HAS BE REPORTED BY NUMEROUS OWNERS AND HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON YOUTUBE (HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMEKPTVGMHS) AND OUTBACK OWNERS' BULLETIN BOARD WEBSITES (HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/66-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE/20718-REAR-WIPER-DOES-NOT-RETURN-PARK-HOME-POSITION.HTML). PROBABLE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS INCLUDE: (I) ORIENTATION OF RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THROUGH WHICH REAR DOOR WIRING HARNESS PASSES IS SUCH THAT IT CAUSES UNDUE FLEXING OF WIRE HARNESS WIRES UPON OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAILGATE, AND (2) DEFECTIVE AND/OR UNDERSIZED WIRE HARNESS WIRES UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAIL GATE.

Jun 28, 2015 64,200 mi

WIRE HARNESS, THAT PASSES THROUGH RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THAT CONNECTS BETWEEN VEHICLE BODY AND REAR HATCH DOOR OF WAGON, SUFFERS FROM WIRE FATIGUE THAT CAUSES INDIVIDUAL WIRE INSULATORS TO CRACK AND CONDUCTING WIRES TO BREAK, LEADING TO FAILURE OF CRITICAL AUTOMOBILE SAFETY EQUIPMENT; NAMELY, REAR WIPER MOTOR, REAR BACK-UP LIGHTS, REAR MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT, REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. THIS DESIGN DEFECT HAS BE REPORTED BY NUMEROUS OWNERS AND HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON YOUTUBE (HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMEKPTVGMHS) AND OUTBACK OWNERS' BULLETIN BOARD WEBSITES (HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/66-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE/20718-REAR-WIPER-DOES-NOT-RETURN-PARK-HOME-POSITION.HTML). PROBABLE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS INCLUDE: (I) ORIENTATION OF RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THROUGH WHICH REAR DOOR WIRING HARNESS PASSES IS SUCH THAT IT CAUSES UNDUE FLEXING OF WIRE HARNESS WIRES UPON OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAILGATE, AND (2) DEFECTIVE AND/OR UNDERSIZED WIRE HARNESS WIRES UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAIL GATE.

Jul 5, 2014

HATCH WON'T LOCK, AND BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T WORK. FOUND 2 BROKEN WIRES ON RIGHT SIDE WIRE HARNESS, I HAVE READ LOTS OF OTHER POSTINGS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Jul 5, 2014

HATCH WON'T LOCK, AND BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T WORK. FOUND 2 BROKEN WIRES ON RIGHT SIDE WIRE HARNESS, I HAVE READ LOTS OF OTHER POSTINGS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

Jun 16, 2011 Fire 55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOUSING FOR THE REAR PARKING LIGHTS WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AND WERE MELTING THE LIGHT FIXTURES AND REFLECTORS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST UNLESS THE VEHICLE WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED AND THE POTENTIAL OF A FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,841.

Jun 16, 2011 Fire 55,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOUSING FOR THE REAR PARKING LIGHTS WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AND WERE MELTING THE LIGHT FIXTURES AND REFLECTORS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST UNLESS THE VEHICLE WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED AND THE POTENTIAL OF A FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,841.

Jan 4, 2009

THERE IS MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. *TR

Jan 4, 2009

THERE IS MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. *TR