2005 Subaru Legacy Electrical System Problems

I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT SOME ELEMENTS OF MY REAR HATCH ON MY SUBARU LEGACY WAGON WERE NOT WORKING. SPECIFICALLY, THE LIGHTS THAT ILLUMINATE THE LICENSE PLATE, THE REAR DEFROSTER, CENTER BRAKE LIGHT, HATCH LOCKING MECHANISM, AND RADIO ANTENNA WERE NOT WORKING. AN INSPECTION OF THE AREA WHERE THE WIRES ENTER THE HATCH DOOR FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE REVEALS THAT SEVERAL OF THE WIRES IN THE HARNESS WERE BROKEN COMPLETELY WITH SOME WIRES IN VARIOUS STATES OF DETERIORATION. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN UNUSUAL FAILURE AND NOT A TYPICAL WEAR ITEM. I AM CONCERNED AS I HAVE LOST THE ABILITY TO PROPERLY LOCK AND SECURE MY VEHICLE, TO CLEAR FROST AND ICE FROM THE REAR GLASS FOR PROPER VISIBILITY, LOST THE ABILITY TO ILLUMINATE MY LICENSE PLATE WHICH COULD RESULT IN BEING PULLED OVER BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. OVER TIME, CONTINUED DETERIORATION WILL RESULT IN THE INABILITY TO USE MY REAR WIPER AND REVERSE LIGHTS. THEY'RE SEEMS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE WIRING USED IN THIS AREA. IT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF WITHSTANDING NORMAL USE REPETITIONS OF OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCH DOOR. THERE ARE MANY MEMBERS OF THE SUBARU LEGACY AND OUTBACK COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE HAD THIS ISSUE OCCUR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN TO ALL SUBARU LEGACY OR OUTBACK MODELS 05-09 GIVEN ENOUGH TIME.

THE CD PLAYER TURNS ON BY ITSELF WHEN RADIO IS ON. NOTHING SPECIFICALLY MAKES IT HAPPEN LIKE HITTING A BUMP OR ANYTHING IT DOES IT WHILE CAR IS STILL. CAR WAS TAKIN ON TO BE LOOKED AT BUT THEY SAID NOTHING COULD BE DONE. ALSO, GEAR SHIFT DOESN'T ALWAYS LOCK IN PLACE. WHICH MAKES THE CAR NOT ABLE TO START AND/OR MOVE IF ON A SLIGHTLY HILL.

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A CITY STREET. MY SON WENT OUT IN THE MORNING TO MOVE IT TO FIND THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BURNED COMPLETELY OUT AND SOOT ALL OVER THE CAR. HIS INSURANCE (LIABILITY ONLY) WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE AND WAS TOLD BY SUBARU TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A DEALER AT HIS EXPENSE FOR THEM TO INSPECT IT. AFTER OVER A MONTH HE WAS TOLD THAT THE FIRE BY THEIR DETERMINATION WAS NOT CAUSED BY THE HEATED SEATS BUT BY ANOTHER SOURCE. IT IS OBVIOUS BY THE PICTURES AND BY INSPECTION THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED AND STARTED BY FAULTY WIRING ON THE HEATED SEATS.

I HAD OWNED THE CAR FOR NOT EVEN A YEAR YET BACK IN 2012, AND THE ONLY ACCIDENT I'VE EVER BEEN IN HAPPENED ON MY WAY TO SCHOOL(COLLEGE). THE AIR BAG DID NOT COME OUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT SHOULD HAVE. LUCKILY I ONLY EXPERIENCED MILD WHIP LASH, AND VERY LARGE BODY SHOP BILL. ALSO WHEN THEY FINALLY BROUGHT ME IN TO GET IT REPLACED THIS PAST SUMMER(2017) THEY PUSHED MY CAR AROUND THE LOT, AND MESSED UP MY TRANSMISSION AMONGST SOME OTHER THINGS. BUT WHEN I ASKED THE TECHNICIANS ABOUT IT, THEY GOT DEFENSIVE, AND DENIED ANY CLAIM OF WRONG DOING.

CAR DID NOT HAVE BACKUP LIGHTS, ELECTRONIC LOCK FOR REAR HATCH DID NOT WORK. TESTED BULBS AND SWITCH FOR BACKUP LIGHTS AND THEY WERE FINE. UNCOVERED WIRING HARNESSES LEFT AND RIGHT OF REAR HATCH 6 BROKEN WIRES RIGHT SIDE 1 BROKEN WIRE RIGHT. SPLICED TEMPORARILY UNTIL I GET THE TIME AND MONEY TO MAKE PERMANENT REPAIR.

THE WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES TO THE HATCH IS MADE OUT OF UNDERSIZED WIRE AND FROM OPENING AND CLOSING THE HATCH THE WIRES HAVE BROKEN. I HAVE REPORTED THIS PREVIOUSLY, BUT AT THAT TIME, THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THAT THE HATCH WOULD NOT LOCK. NOW I DO NOT HAVE BACKUP LIGHTS. THIS IS CLEARLY A DESIGN DEFECT. WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO GET SUBARU TO FIX THIS?

IN THE 2005 WAGON, THE REAR WIRING HARNESS THAT GOES THROUGH THE HATCH AND IS SUBJECT TO A LOT OF BENDING (IT CONNECTS THE REAR WIPER, BACKUP LIGHTS, ETC) USES CHEAP WIRING THAT WEARS OUT. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY DOCUMENTED BY SUBARU OWNERS AT HTTP://LEGACYGT.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP/WAGONS-BEWARE-TAILGATE-ELECTRICALS-161086.HTML. TODAY, MY REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING, AND SEVERAL OTHER WIRES ARE ABOUT TO BREAK. THIS COULD AFFECT REAR WIPERS, BACKUP LIGHTS, REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, ETC. THESE WIRES ARE OF VERY POOR QUALITY - I HAVE OWNED 2 OTHER CARS WITH HATCHES, AND EVEN IN HARSH CANADIAN WINTERS, HAD NO ISSUES. THESE WIRES BROKE JUST DUE TO USE IN VERY MILD CALIFORNIA CONDITIONS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE HEATING SYSTEM ACTIVATED, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS SMOLDERED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WAS SEVERELY BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. UPDATED 04/10/15*LJ UPDATED 6/26/2015*JS

REAR TAILGATE WIRE HARNESS FOUND TO BE BROKEN. REAR WIPER DID NOT WORK. THIS WIRE WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN. TWO OTHER WIRES FOUND TO BE CRACKED AND ABOUT TO FAIL. THIS COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE REAR HI MOUNT STOP LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, AND BACK UP LIGHTS TO BE NON-FUNCTIONAL. *TR

MY REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, MY WIPER WOULD WORK INTERMITTENTLY, AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. TOOK TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRES TRAVELING THROUGH THE RUBBER GROMMET TO THE REAR GATE HAD BEEN BROKEN DUE TO A DESIGN IN THE PATH THEY TRAVEL WHERE THEY ARE BENT SEVERELY EVERY TIME THE GATE IS OPENED AND CLOSED, AND EVENTUALLY THEY SNAPPED. HE INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE ON MY MODEL AND PUT NEW WIRES IN PLACE OF THE BROKEN ONES. *TR

MY TAILGATE WILL NO LONGER LOCK OR UNLOCK. AFTER A LOT OF READING ONLINE IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE REAR GATE HARNESS IS FRAYED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IF ANY OF THE OTHER WIRES IN THIS HARNESS FAIL I COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE TAIL LIGHTS AND LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SUBARU LEGACY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V297000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SUBARU OF JACKSONVILLE (LOCATED AT 10800 ATLANTIC BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL 32225, (904) 641-6455) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING. THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BROKEN WIRE INSIDE THE PASSENGER'S SIDE ACCORDION BOOT FOR THE REAR HATCH OF THE WAGON. OTHER WIRES WITHIN THE HARNESS (WHICH SUPPLIES POWER TO THE REAR HATCH LIGHTS, HATCH LOCK, AND WIPER MOTOR/SPRAYER) WERE ALSO CRACKED. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND THIS THIS IS STARTING TO BECOME A MORE FREQUENT ISSUE AND SHOULD BE REPLACED/RECALLED BY SUBARU. *TR

MY CAR DOOR POWER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING, REAR WIPER STOPPED WORKING, REAR BRAKE LIGHTS AND RUNNING LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, ALSO RADIO STOPPED WORKING. UPON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THAT THE WIRING HARNESS ON BOTH SIDES OF MY REAR LIFT GATE HAD TORN AND SHORTED OUT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SHORTCOMING ON THIS CAR, THE WIRES ARE SO SHORT AND PLACED UNDER CONSTANT TENSION THAT THEY RIP THEMSELVES APART. *TR

THE HATCH APPEARS TO BE RUBBING ON THE WIRES THAT CONNECT THE HATCH ELECTRICAL TO THE REST OF THE BODY. WIRES HAVE BEEN CUT AND VARIOUS HATCH FUNCTIONS ARE BEING DISABLED. SO FAR LOCKING AND HATCH OPEN WARNING HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, BUT THIS WILL EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE TAILLIGHTS, BRAKE LIGHTS, BACKUP LIGHTS, LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS AND REAR DEFOGGER, AND THE ISSUE WOULD THEREFORE BE CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

THE REAR HATCH OF MY SUBARU LEGACY WAGON - THE ELECTRICAL WIRES SUPPLYING THE REAR BRAKES, HATCH LOCK, AND REAR WINDOW WIPER ARE BEING CUT BY THE HATCH OPENING AND CLOSING. LOSS OF REAR BRAKE LIGHTS, REAR WIPER FUNCTION, AND REAR HATCH LOCKING MECHANISM ALL EFFECTED BY THE POOR ROUTING OF THESE ELECTRICAL WIRES THROUGH AN ACCORDION STYLE BOOT. VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE WITH REGARD TO MULTIPLE SAFETY CONCERNS. *TR

SUBARU LEGACY 2005 WAGON; MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL WIRES ROUTED THROUGH A FLEXIBLE RUBBER BOOT LEADING FROM THE CHASSIS TO THE REAR HATCH OF THE WAGON HAVE BROKEN FROM REPEATED BENDING ACTION BY OPENING/CLOSING THE REAR HATCH RENDERING THE REAR WIPER INOPERABLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE CAR SEEM TO LOOSE POWER, LUCKILY I NOTICED IT, AS I WAS ABLE TO COST OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE RODE. I OWN A CARMD, AND ATTACHED IT TO MY CAR, IT GAVE ME CODE P2138 WHICH MEANS THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS (2 OF THEM) NOT BEING IN AGREEMENT. I THINK THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME WHILE ONE IS DRIVING, POTENTIAL LEADING TO A ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. *TR

CAR HAS BEEN VERY SLOW TO REDUCE RPMS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS OR WHEN STOPPED (AND IN NEUTRAL) FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS. TODAY, WHEN PULLING INTO A STARBUCKS, THE CAR SURGED FORWARD. LUCKILY I HAVE A STICK SHIFT AND JUST PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN. AFTER SURGING, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. USING A DIAGNOSTIC TOOL, I FOUND THAT THE CAR IS THROWING ERROR CODE P2138. THIS INDICATES THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION (APP) SENSOR IS EITHER BAD OR HAS A POOR CONNECTION. THE DETAIL ON THE ERROR STATS "THE ECM HAS DETECTED THAT THE APP SENSOR 1 AND APP SENSOR 2 DISAGREE MORE THAN 4.5% FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND." ESSENTIALLY, ONE OR BOTH THROTTLE-BY-WIRE CIRCUITS ISN'T FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. I WENT ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON PROBLEM AND SOME FOLKS HAVE FOUND THAT THEIR CARS ARE SURGING FORWARD, THREATENING SAFETY. *TR

THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE REAR LIFT GATE (STATION WAGON) KEEPS BREAKING AND SHORTING OUT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT, AS REAR LIGHTS CAN GO OUT WITHOUT NOTICE, LEADING TO A POSSIBLE REAR-END COLLISION. DANGEROUS FOR PEDESTRIANS WHEN THE BACKUP LIGHTS HAVE SHORTED OUT AND ARE NOT VISIBLE. REAR VISIBILITY ALSO HAMPERED UNDER SNOWY OR RAINY CONDITIONS WHEN THE WIPER SHORTS OUT. REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT LEAST THREE (3) TIMES (2/22/11, 3/24/13, 9/25/13), YET THESE ELECTRICAL ISSUES STILL PERSIST. A RECALL FROM SUBARU SHOULD BE ORDERED TO ADDRESS THIS ELECTRICAL DEFECT AND SAFETY ISSUE. *TR