NHTSA Complaint #10706601 — 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK

I HAVE 2 CARS, A 2002 CHEV. IMPALA AND A 2010 SUBARU OUTBACK. BOTH CARS HAVE AN AUTOMATIC ON HEADLIGHT FEATURE. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE IMPALA IS ON THE DASHBOARD AND I HAVE NEVER TOUCHED IT IN THE 13 YEARS I HAVE THE CAR. IT WORKS PERFECTLY, WHEN THE LIGHT LEVEL IS LOW THE HEADLIGHTS COME ON. THE OUTBACK HAS THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON THE END OF THE TURN INDICATOR STALK. THE SWITCH HAS A NUMBER OF POSITIONS, THE FIRST 3 BEING HEADLIGHT AUTOMATIC ON, HEADLIGHT MANUAL ON AND PARKING LIGHTS ON. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON, EITHER ON THE AUTOMATIC ON OR HEADLIGHTS MANUAL ON POSITIONS AS WELL AS THE PARKING LIGHTS ON POSITION THERE IS AN INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD AS WELL AS THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE ON. WITH THE INDICATOR LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON YOU CANNOT TELL WHICH OF THE 3 POSITIONS THE SWITCH IS AT, ALL INDICATORS ARE THE SAME. MANY TIMES, INADVERTENTLY BECAUSE OF USING THE TURN SIGNAL STALK, THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TURNS TO THE PARKING LIGHT POSITION AND I FIND MYSELF DRIVING WITH THE PARKING LIGHTS ON RATHER THAN THE HEADLIGHTS, A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THERE IS NO INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD OF THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION. THE LIGHT INDICATOR BULB IS ON AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS ARE OFF. AGAIN A DANGEROUS CONDITION. THE LIGHT SWITCH SHOULD BE RELOCATED FROM THE TURN SIGNAL STALK TO THE DASHBOARD OR THE LIGHT INDICATOR ON THE DASHBOARD SHOULD BE OFF WHEN IN THE PARKING LIGHT POSITION. *TR