RoadVitals

2013 Subaru Outback Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Jun 3, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 296 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Subaru Outback submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Jun 3, 2020

THE WARNING LIGHTS- BRAKES, TIRE PRESSURE, CRUISE CONTROL, ENGINE LIGHTS AND TRACTION CONTROL ALL COME ON AND WON'T GO OFF. HAD THEM RESET BY THE MECHANICS BUT A DAY LATER THEY CAME BACK ON WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY FOR NO REASON. CRUISE NO LONGER WORKS AS THE LIGHTS ARE ON. A LOT OF PEOPLE ON LINE SEEM TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND I THINK YOU SHOULD MAKE SUBARU ISSUE SOME KIND OF RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID
11327068
Incident
Jun 3, 2020
Mileage
83,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 27, 2019

WATER POURS INTO VEHICLE FROM CENTER REAR BRAKE LIGHT EVERY TIME IT RAINS. BLOOMINGTON SUBARU CONFIRMED ISSUE IS WATER LEAK VIA CENTER REAR BRAKE LIGHT. SOA CONTACTED, NO RESPONSE RECEIVED. ORIGINAL OWNER SINCE NEW, CURRENT MILEAGE IS 30,000. STILL LEAKS.

NHTSA ID
11291661
Incident
Jun 30, 2019
Mileage
29,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 17, 2018

REPEATED LIGHTING FAILURES ON EXTERIOR LIGHTS ALL AROUND CAR. HAVE REPLACED HEADLIGHTS, TAIL AND SIDE LIGHTS REPEATEDLY AT MY COST. SOME COMPLETED AT DEALERSHIP, SOME COMPLETED AT HOME AFTER COST TOO MUCH.

NHTSA ID
11063292
Incident
Jan 1, 2017
Mileage
75,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 29, 2017

VARIOUS EXTERNAL LIGHTS (EIGHT) HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. CAR HAS ONLY 50K MILES ON IT. UNSAFE TO DRIVE CAR AT NIGHT WHEN ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS IS NON FUNCTIONAL. FLASHERS NOT FUNCTIONING IS NOT SAFE WHEN MAKING A TURN.

NHTSA ID
11020354
Incident
Jun 1, 2015
Mileage
20,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 31, 2017

HAVE REPLACED THE LOW BEAM H7 BULB 5 TIMES THIS YEAR AND HAS EVEN BLOW LESS THAN 1 HOUR AFTER FIXED BY A SUBARU DEALERSHIP. TAIL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 8 MONTH. HIGH BEAM LIGHTS 3 TIMES IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. FIXTURES TWICE. CHARRED FROM EXTREME AMP SPIKES IN WIRES. NOW TO TOP IT ALL OFF ENTIRE WIRING HARNESS FOR PASSENGER SIDE IS OUT.

NHTSA ID
11011731
Incident
Jul 1, 2017
Mileage
90,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 5, 2017

EXCESSIVE HEADLIGHT BULB FAILURE. REPLACEMENT OF BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES ON A MORE THAN ACCEPTABLE FREQUENCY. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM NEW. BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THEM AND ALSO BY MYSELF NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED OCTOBER 2012.

NHTSA ID
10970685
Incident
Feb 4, 2013
Exterior lighting
Filed Mar 6, 2017

SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE REPLACED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FIVE TIMES, HIGH BEAMS THREE TIMES, FRONT RUNNING LIGHTS FOUR TIMES, REAR BRAKE LIGHTS TWICE, AND REAR RUNNING LIGHTS FIVE TIMES. SUBARU HAS OFFERED TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE LIGHTS, BY SENDING THEM THE RECEIPTS. ALTHOUGH THIS IS ADMIRABLE, I'M WORRIED ABOUT ELECTRICAL FAILURES AND SMALL FIRES FROM SHORT CIRCUITS.

NHTSA ID
10958851
Incident
Mar 6, 2017
Mileage
60,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 14, 2015

UPON NOTICING A BLOWN 3RD TAIL LIGHT(ONE OF THE TAIL LIGHTS ON THE REAR HATCH/DOOR OF THE WAGON,) I DISASSEMBLED AND FOUND THAT THE SOCKETS ON BOTH SIDES(LEFT AND RIGHT 3RD TAIL-LIGHT SOCKETS) WERE SCORCHED AROUND WHERE THE BULBS FIT INTO THEM. THE DISCOLORATION WAS BROWN/BLACK AND WAS PRESENT NOT ONLY ON THE SOCKET WITH THE BLOWN BULB BUT ALSO THE OTHER, WORKING SIDE. DEALER REPLACED BLOWN BULB AND MADE NO COMMENT ON SCORCHED BULB SOCKETS. IT ALMOST APPEARS AS IF THEY WERE SO HEATED THEY WERE READY TO MELT OR BURN THE PLASTIC. CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE FOR 27 MONTHS AND HAS 27K MOSTLY CITY DRIVING ON IT. HAPPY TO PROVIDE PHOTOS OF THE AFFECTED SOCKETS TO ANYONE INVESTIGATING OR CONCERNED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10683474
Incident
Feb 12, 2015
Mileage
27,640 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .