Subaru - Outback :: 2002 - Rear Right Brake Light Housing Cracked And Filled Up With Water Shorting The Bulbs
Nov 2, 2013
I have a 2002 Subaru Outback. The rear right brake light housing cracked, and filled up with water, shorting the bulbs. I thought I was clever in taking the light unit off, draining the water, changing the bulbs, and caulking the crack with silicon. This worked for a while, then the battery died. I couldn't really figure out why - it was a year old, and had no prior issues starting the car. I swapped out the battery for a brand new one, and that seemed to solve the issue for a week. Then the car refused to start all over again. I remembered the brake light, checked it - filled again. So I replaced the unit and the pig electric line, and charge the battery. This seemed to solve the problem, but then the car failed to start after about 3 weeks.
One additional detail is the dial light switch on the driving shaft. One is able to turn this to adjust light settings. Regardless of position, the lights turn off when I turn off the car. However, failure to start seems to be additionally related to the position of this switch; if it's switched all the way back towards the driver the car appears to start consistently for weeks on end, BUT the tail lights fail to turn on in this position (though the brake lights work). Alternatively, dialing the switch all the way away from the driver turns on the tail lights, but seems to be related to battery drain.
I've checked the health of the battery and the contacts - everything checks out. At this point I'm wondering if it's an electrical fault or the alternator.
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Our brakes froze the first cold day this winter. My mechanic says that the brake booster valve filled with water and froze. Also, last winter our tiptronic just quit working. We never fixed it. Should we bother to fix it?
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I have a 2004 subaru outback that smells of gas when the tank is filled. The smell persists for a couple of days after the tank is filled. It started in the spring and I brought it to the dealer but they couldn't find anything. It seemed to go away during the summer but now that the colder weather has started the problem has returned.
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I have a 2000 Outback, 80K, and I've been having brake issues. The first thing I noticed was a burning brake smell. I pulled over and found that my two front wheels were very hot. I pumped the brakes a few times and let them cool down and drove on. Pulled over in a bit to check them and they were fine. Took the car to the dealer who said, "We can't really find anything wrong with the fronts, but the backs are sticking a bit and we fixed that." So, off I went. Of course, it happened again. Left front seemed the hottest, but this time I noticed that the rear wheels were warm as well. Took it in again. Again, "We don't know." "Could it be the calipers or the lines or the ABS chip," I asked? "Well, yeah, maybe the front calipers." So they replaced the front calipers.
Picked it up and noticed two things of interest on the print out: "Rear brakes hanging up," and the front pads are a 8mm and the rear at 3mm! Hm... Seemed fishy to me. I had all the pads replaced a year and half ago. The last set lasted 75K, so this is odd, as is the discrepancy between back and front. I had the dealer pull the service record. In May the rear were at 5mm. Two weeks ago they were at 3.5mm. Yesterday they were a 3mm. I asked, "What would cause that?" They said, "Well, probably whoever did your brake job didn't clean the brakes up well so they are getting stuck and wearing down." I took the car and drove 60 miles, mostly on the highway. Fronts wheels were cool. Rear wheels were warm to hot.
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I have an 02 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport with 130k miles. It makes a whining noise from the center to rear of the car that gets louder with Acceleration. The second you take your foot off the gas it gets quieter. The noise never completely disappears though. It also doesn't change if I am turning or driving straight.
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Recently I took my 2006 Subaru Outback wagon on a trip in the mountains. I parked my car in the driveway overnight and noticed oily fluid on all of the tiresand on the ground in the morning. The fluid spill was worse on the driver's side front and rear tires, but was noticeable on the passenger side as well. I did not notice an odor to it. I used the brakes alot on the way back down from the mountains..... I have taken this car places where I have used the brakes a whole lot but have not noticed this before. How bad is this? Is it possibly "normal?
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I have a 2002 Subaru Outback with inside mirror with compass. Problem - the compass is unreadable because the light is too dim to read the direction showing. Does the mirror have to be replaced or is there a way of fixing the problem?
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I have a 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback that has a brake light that comes on, then turns off under certain conditions. I have checked to make sure the brake fluid reservoir is full and there are no apparent fluid leaks from the calipers, lines or master cylinder. Also, the fluid reservoir level stays consistent. Braking power is normal and the ABS system seems operable (just got to test it with the arrival of Wisconsin winter).
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I'm on a road trip and was taking off this morning when my CEL, vehicle dynamics control light came on steadily, with a flashing brake light. It's Sunday and no repair shops are open and I need to drive from CO to S. Cal today. Is it safe to travel? From what I've seen, it could be a problem with the gas cap or ABS is disabled. Haven't had cruise control light come on (yet), but haven't tried driving anywhere.
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2007 Subaru Outback, 110 K mile sI drive 200 miles each way, once a week to DC on Sunday and back home to the mountains of Western MD on Friday. All problems happen on that long drive, not on local trips. Only happens when I'm driving in the mountains.
Symptoms: Sometimes overheats (needle gets close to red area, but not quite into it). I pull off and stop the engine for 5 minutes, start the engine, and needle goes to normal area. This happens only after driving about 2 hours. Continue the trip without problem. Never had to stop more than once.
A/C sometimes doesn't cool. Harder to tell now that it's cooler outside, but it put out only warm air one day two weeks ago. The next morning, it worked fine. Heat does not work very well. Set at max (85), the air coming out is barely warm. Also, the passenger side is colder than the driver (dual controls, both set at 85).
May not be related, but I can hear a sound like water gurgling when the engine is running. It's very soft and seems to be inside the dashboard behind the steering wheel. There are no apparent leaks anywhere. Seems to only do it when I am pressing on the accelerator.
My mechanic checked the A/C gas, flushed and filled the cooling system, looked at the temp sensor inside the car, and doesn't know what to try next. Could this be a computer problem, or is it mechanical?
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My 2001 Outback's tail lights leak water (in) whenever it rains or the car is washed. I've already replaced both bulb sockets due to corrosion, even though I take the bulbs out and let the fixture dry out before plugging them back in. (I overlook the fact that some of my tail lights don't work in the meantime.) Two questions: 1. is there anything that can be done about this to prevent the leak? and 2. is is true that new tail lights, and even new Subarus, have the same problem?
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My 2010 Subaru Outback recently surprised the hell out of me by simultaneously turning on the brake warning light, the traction control light, the check engine light and (just for a bonus!) disabled my cruise control while flashing the cruise control light. I pulled over, quickly surmising that all of those systems could not have failed at 70 MPH without instantaneous death to either me or the vehicle. Both apparently still being alive, I tried turning the car on an off to reset the lights. No go. Subaru was not going to miss this chance to get me to the dealership! (who I had avoided to this point!) As I was far away from home and the car being very healthy, it seemed, I decided to drive on. I proceeded to put a couple of hundred more miles on the car before I got back to town.
My car had 39,000 miles on it, 3,000 miles beyond the warranty end. I learned that I have an error code of P0171, "Fuel Trim Malfunction (Air/Fuel too lean)". So I guess I'm wondering about a few things...why would this sensor set off every light on my dashboard and disable my cruise control? Seems a bit overblown for running a bit lean. My gut tells me Subaru has a sensor/software problem they are not owning up to. I'm a big fan of conspiracy theories and this really smells like one...
Second, jeez, I'm only 3K miles over warranty, don't you think they'd cut me some slack. I mean I love my Subaru, or did anyway, until this happened. Now it's just another POS car that breaks for no apparent reason...
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I own a 2002 Outback. It is overheating. We have replaced hoses, thermostat, water pump, the temp sensor, had the radiator tested. Nothing has changed our problem. My husband is at a loss and the mechanic who has is now has no clue as to what else it could be. The mechanic is referring to it as a ghost problem.
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I have a 2002 Legacy Outback 6Cyl with VDC. Over the weekend my dash lights for both the ABS and the VDC will not go out after the normal starting of the car. Does this mean I have a brake problem?
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I have a 2002 Subaru Outback and can't get gas in the tank. The tank acts like it is already full. Any solutions?
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I have a 2002 Outback with 98000 miles. I am running conventional oil. How many miles between oil changes?
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Just bought a 2009 RX 350 in Bamboo Green.
I have an 09 2nd Gen RX with water in the fog light housing, the bulb has blown as well so there's shattered glass inside.
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I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport with 110,000 miles on it and recently noticed a patch of clearcoat which has flaked off the left rear quarter panel and am wondering if there is a way to patch it with something or is the only remedy to have the entire car clearcoated?
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I have a 2002 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport with ~140,000 miles on it. Recently, it's started having a problem, where when I make a right hand turn, it fails to accelerate until the wheel is straight...as if it's revving but not catching/accelerating until I've straightened the wheel and am headed straight onto whatever road I've just turned onto...does that make sense?
It tends to happen more at 1st start up in the morning...and then, once its warmed up it's not as bad, but still present. Left hand turns I don't notice it...maybe because they aren't as sharp? Also, fyi, the check engine light has been on for a while, but I know this is due to the catalytic converter..and am saving up to get that replaced.
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