Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
The Rear Gate Harness wires that are in the grommet wear and break from the rear gate going up and down. This issue has many issues. Rear lighting and break light, rear wiper, also rear locking mechanism and other unknown issues.
SUBARU HAS AN EXTREMELY COMMON FAULTY WIRING ISSUE WITH AN LED PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD THAT IS PART OF THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT SYSTEM THAT RESIDES IN THE MAPLIGHT ASSEMBLY ABOVE THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY COUNTLESS VEHICLE OWNERS ACROSS A NUMBER OF MODELS (INCLUDING OUTBACK AND FORESTER) ACROSS A NUMBER OF MODEL YEARS. A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH USING THE KEYWORDS: "SUBARU CODE 26 AIRBAG" REVEALS A TREASURE TROVE OF INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS PROBLEM IS FREQUENT, PERSISTENT AND WIDESPREAD. THIS ISSUE HAS SPANNED A NUMBER OF MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. THE COMPANY AND ITS DEALERS CANNOT HELP BUT BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THERE APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH INADEQUATE SOLDERING OF THE ELECTRONICS ON THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) RELATED TO THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT DISPLAY. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THIS DEFECT IMPAIRS THE ABILITY OF AN AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. SUBARU REFUSES TO WARRANTY THIS DEFECT. IN ADDITION, SUBARU REFUSES TO HONOR THE TAKATA RECALL IF THIS FAULTY WIRING SYSTEM IS NOT FIRST REMEDIED. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND CAN PRESENT ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR STATIONARY. MANY WEB-BASED ACCOUNTS OF THE PROBLEM HAVE REPORTED THAT CHANGES IN VEHICLE TEMPERATURE DUE TO WEATHER (PARTICULARLY ON COLD DAYS) MAY BE RELATED TO THE SOLDERING JOINT TO MALFUNCTION.
WIRE HARNESS GOING TO REAR HATCH HAD MULTIPLE WIRES SEVERED BY REPEATED OPENING/CLOSING OF REAR HATCH. LOCK AND TAIL LIGHT WIRES WERE BROKEN THOUGH. 4 OTHER WIRES HAD THEIR INSULATION CUT AND THE CONDUCTOR WAS EXPOSED. IN SEARCHING THE NET THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T A RECALL BEEN ISSUED? FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHTS OR TAIL LIGHTS ARE A SAFETY ISSUE.
2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE DASH INSTRUMENT PANEL AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON AND STAY ON FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. THE RED AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD OCCASIONALLY TURN OFF BUT FOR THE MOST PART IT WAS ON CONTINUOUSLY. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THAT WHEN THE RED AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP ON 3/30/2015 AND THE SERVICE REPORT INDICATES A SCAN NOTED AIRBAG CODE 26 -PASSENGER SIDE INDICATOR FAILURE. THE DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDED CORRECTION WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY (PART #92151AG13AOR) FOR A COST IN MATERIAL OF $163.95 AND LABOR OF $34.52, PLUS THE DIAGNOSTIC LABOR OF $35.00. COST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT COVERED. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILURE IN SUBARUS OF THIS SPECIFIC MODEL YEAR AND ALSO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE SAME TIME PERIOD. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT PROBLEM IS LOCATED WITHIN THE OVERHEAD MAP LIGHT MODULE AND THE FAILURE OF SOLDERING AT THE LED LIGHTS WITHIN THIS ASSEMBLY. A NEW MAP LIGHT CONSOLE WAS ORDERED AND HAS BEEN REPLACED WHICH HAS, AT THIS TIME, CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS SPECIFIC ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED WITH THE N.H.T.S.A. ON LINE COMPLAINT DATA (54 COMPLAINTS ALONG SIMILAR CONSOLE LIGHT PANEL FAILURE). AIR BAG SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN MANDATORY ON VEHICLES FOR BOTH FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS SINCE SEPTEMBER 1998. AIRBAG SYSTEMS ARE NOT OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT, AND WITH THE COMBINATION OF SEAT BELTS, REPRESENT THE CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF A PASSENGER SAFETY SYSTEM. THIS SPECIFIC TYPE OF FAILURE INDICATES A PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT BEEN VOLUNTARILY RECALLED OR ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. BECAUSE THIS DEFECT INVOLVES A VITAL SAFETY SYSTEM, AND IN ORDER TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER, AN INVESTIGATION AND RECALL SHOULD BE COMMENCED. *TR
HAVING AIRBAG LIGHT COMING ON INTERMITTENTLY ALONG WITH PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT. MECHANIC SAID AIRBAGS PROBABLY ARE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. COST FOR REPAIR WOULD BE BETWEEN $350-$400. FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS, THIS IS AN EASY AND CHEAP FIX BUT DANGEROUS IF IT'S NOT REPAIRED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL! *TR
PURCHASED THIS SINGLE-OWNER, WELL-CARED FOR OUTBACK ABOUT 1/9/2015. I WAS ASSURED ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN ADDRESSED. I SOON REALIZED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS EXTENDED THE LIGHT-FIELD FOR ONLY A VERY SHORT DISTANCE. (NO MORE THAN 7 FEET IN FRONT OF CAR). AT NEXT OIL CHANGE, ASKED TO HAVE THEM LOOKED AT/ADJUSTED. ABOUT 2 DAYS AFTER THAT WAS DONE, I HAD NO LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS. TOLD THE LOW-BEAMS WERE NOT "GROUNDING". (HIGH BEAMS AND FOG LIGHTS ARE FINE). WAITED FOR A $300 CONTROL MODULE PART TO COME IN BUT THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. NOW WAITING FOR ANOTHER $300 FUSE BOX PART TO COME IN - NO GUARANTEE THAT IS THE PROBLEM. AFTER SEEING SIMILAR CAR COMPLAINTS ON-LINE, REALIZED THIS MAY BE A SAFETY ISSUE (AND A MORE PERVASIVE ISSUE) THAN I THOUGHT. THE STATE OF WISCONSIN CERTAINLY SEES THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THEY ISSUE A $187+ TICKET AND THE DRIVER LOSES 3 POINTS. (I ALREADY GOT ONE TICKET DUE TO THIS PROBLEM WHILE AWAITING PARTS). I DO NOT HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE AVAILABLE AND DRIVE OVER 600 MILES (ROUND-TRIP) EACH WEEKEND BETWEEN WORK AND HOME. *TR
RECENTLY REPLACED HEADLIGHTS DID NOT ILLUMINATE ON A RETURN TRIP HOME. THEY TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THE WIRING HARNESS FAILED. *TR
VEHICLE STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS 2 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HOMELINK WOULD ONLY HAVE POWER INTERMITTENTLY. PROBLEM PROGRESSED TO THE REVERSE LIGHTS AND NOW AFFECTS THE HEADLIGHTS. THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AT NIGHT AS I WAS LEAVING A PARKING LOT, A DEFINITE HAZARD. HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON SUBARU ONLINE FORUMS AND DISCOVERED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THAT INDIVIDUAL WIRES IN THE WIRING HARNESS HAVE A TENDENCY TO CRACK AND BREAK AT THE JOINT BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE LIFTGATE. THIS VEHICLE HAS 2 COMPLETELY BROKEN WIRES AND MOST OTHERS WITH BREAKS IN THE INSULATION. OTHER OWNERS DESCRIBE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR EVERY SIX MONTHS WHERE THE BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED EACH TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH ON A RURAL ROAD AFTER THE SUNSET WITH THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ENGAGED, THEY FAILED TO FULLY ILLUMINATE THE ROAD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DOES COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS; WHICH WAS A MANUFACTURER DESIGN WITH NO MODIFICATIONS. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. THE VIN WAS REJECTED FROM THE SYSTEM AND WILL BE UPDATED UPON RECEIPT OF THE SAFETY COMPLAINT.
I PURCHASED A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK AND THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUS WHEN TRAVELING ON HILLY ROADS. THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD PROPERLY AND HAVE A HORIZONTAL LINE TO THE BEAM. NOTHING CAN BE SEEN UNDER THIS LINE. NO PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WITH HIGH BEAMS. *TR
THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK ARE DEADLY AND AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THESE HEADLIGHTS WERE APPROVED AND THAT THEY ARE LAWFUL. *TR
WE PURCHASED A 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK IN OCT. 07 AND DISCOVERED A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AFTER DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME WENT INTO EFFECT. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE ON BACK ROADS WITH HILLY TERRAIN. VISIBILITY CAN BE LIMITED TO AS LITTLE AS 20 FEET AT TIMES. AFTER SPEAKING TO THE DEALER AND A SUBARU REGIONAL REP. WE WERE TOLD TO "DEAL WITH IT" AS THE VEHICLE MEETS MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. OUR CONCERN IS THE DANGER NOT ONLY TO HUMANS BUT THE WILDLIFE THAT LIVE IN THIS AREA. WE HAVE TRIED TO PURSUE THE LEMON LAW BUT CONTINUE TO HIT ROADBLOCKS AND HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. WE WILL PROBABLY TRADE THE VEHICLE AND CUT OUR LOSSES BEFORE WE CAUSE INJURY TO OURSELVES OR OTHERS. *TR
WHEN DRIVING OUR NEW 2008 SUBARU OUTBACK IN DARKNESS THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT PROJECT THE BEAM FAR ENOUGH AHEAD TO ADEQUATELY SEE. THIS CONDITION IS VERY NOTICEABLE IN HILLY TERRAIN WHERE AS THE VEHICLE IS MOVING IN A FORWARD DOWN MOTION WITH A UPWARD HILL APPROACHING. THERE IS A DEFINITE HORIZONTAL PLANE OF LIGHT AND DARKNESS. AT TIMES THIS SITUATION HAS CAUSED US TO BRAKE QUICKLY DUE TO THE POSSIBLY OF COMING IN CONTACT WITH SOMETHING IN THE ROAD THAT WE WOULD OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO AVOID WITH ADEQUATE LIGHTING. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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