2008 Subaru Outback Lighting Problems

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.

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

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

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

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

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

THE REAR TRIM THAT RETAINS THE CENTER LIGHT WILL BREAK OFF IF THERE IS ICE BUILT UP ON THE INSIDE OF THE HINGE AREA. ALL ICE AND SNOW CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE TOP OF THE CAR, HOWEVER THERE IS NO SEAL BETWEEN THE REAR HATCH AND THE BODY TO PREVENT ICE FROM BUILDING UP. THERE IS NO WARNING WITH THE CAR TO BE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. THERE IS NO WARNING TO THE OWNER UNTIL IT TOO LATE AND YOU HAVE BROKEN THE WING OFF THE CAR. *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