2007 SUBARU OUTBACK Exterior Lighting Problems

All rear lights, rear hatch lock, brake lights all failed due to wiring going from the body to the hatch getting cut from the action of opening and closing the hatch door. This seems to be a pretty common thing with at least the 2005-2007 models years.

MY 2007 OUTBACK WAGON TAILGATE LIGHTS, LOCK FAILED TO WORK. SOME OF THE WIRING WITHIN THE FLEXIBLE RUBBER CONDUIT BROKE AND SHORTED OUT THE FUSE. THE WIRES COULD NOT ENDURE THE REPEATED MOTION OF THE TAILGATE MOVEMENT. I HAVE NOW LEARNED THAT SEVERAL OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE UPPER BRAKE LIGHT, REVERSE LIGHTS, TAILGATE LOCK ARE AFFECTED. I BELIEVE THE REAR WIPER MOTOR WIRING IS IN THE SAME HARNESS. A PREVIOUS OWNER MADE A REPAIR OF ONE WIRE AS SEEN IN THE PHOTO. REPAIR DID NOT HOLD UP. SUBARU SHOULD CORRECT THE CONDITION AT NO CHARGE.

WIRE HARNESS, THAT PASSES THROUGH RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THAT CONNECTS BETWEEN VEHICLE BODY AND REAR HATCH DOOR OF WAGON, SUFFERS FROM WIRE FATIGUE THAT CAUSES INDIVIDUAL WIRE INSULATORS TO CRACK AND CONDUCTING WIRES TO BREAK, LEADING TO FAILURE OF CRITICAL AUTOMOBILE SAFETY EQUIPMENT; NAMELY, REAR WIPER MOTOR, REAR BACK-UP LIGHTS, REAR MIDDLE BRAKE LIGHT, REAR LICENSE PLATE LIGHTS, REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. THIS DESIGN DEFECT HAS BE REPORTED BY NUMEROUS OWNERS AND HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED ON YOUTUBE (HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=AMEKPTVGMHS) AND OUTBACK OWNERS' BULLETIN BOARD WEBSITES (HTTP://WWW.SUBARUOUTBACK.ORG/FORUMS/66-PROBLEMS-MAINTENANCE/20718-REAR-WIPER-DOES-NOT-RETURN-PARK-HOME-POSITION.HTML). PROBABLE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS INCLUDE: (I) ORIENTATION OF RUBBER ARTICULATED GASKET THROUGH WHICH REAR DOOR WIRING HARNESS PASSES IS SUCH THAT IT CAUSES UNDUE FLEXING OF WIRE HARNESS WIRES UPON OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAILGATE, AND (2) DEFECTIVE AND/OR UNDERSIZED WIRE HARNESS WIRES UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE OPEN / CLOSE SEQUENCE OF REAR TAIL GATE.

HATCH WON'T LOCK, AND BACKUP LIGHTS DON'T WORK. FOUND 2 BROKEN WIRES ON RIGHT SIDE WIRE HARNESS, I HAVE READ LOTS OF OTHER POSTINGS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HOUSING FOR THE REAR PARKING LIGHTS WAS BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD BECOME EXTREMELY HOT AND WERE MELTING THE LIGHT FIXTURES AND REFLECTORS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ASSIST UNLESS THE VEHICLE WERE TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED WITH THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED AND THE POTENTIAL OF A FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,841.

THERE IS MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHTS OF MY 2007 SUBARU OUTBACK. *TR