Four problems related to tail light switch have been reported for the 2011 Subaru Outback. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2011 Subaru Outback based on all problems reported for the 2011 Outback.
Bought a 2011 Subaru Outback on February 7, 2018 from dealership, 90k miles. I've owed this car for 5 weeks and one day and I finally had time to go to the dealership to have the driver's side low beam bulb (which blew out about 3 weeks after purchase but is under warranty) and also both brow lights (daytime running lights). One was dim, the other was out. I brought the bulbs and gave them to the dealership to be installed. When finished replacing, dealership said I had a tail light out too. I told them I would replace and went across the street to purchase a bulb. Drove home and went to replace tail light and noticed I had two out, one on each side?! confused, I grabbed a friend to verify and after a bit, I ended up tapping the light lense and the light came on. Both of them did after tapping each lense. Checked the bulbs and they were secure. Also, about 2 weeks after purchase, I had a plate light out. Again, I bought bulbs and when I went to replace, it was miraculously was working.
Since the vehicle was purchased in 2011 we have lost both day time running lights, one tail light and the driver side head light twice. The driver side headlight issue happened within three months. This seems to only happen in cold weather (teens and twenties). We have received inspection tickets for this issue from the police. Looking on line there are several people complaining about headlight blowing very quickly. Also, Subaru has a very poor design for allowing owners to replace their own headlights. You have to take it to the dealership where the inner fender well has to be removed and then it is a very tight space to reach the headlight to replace it. This can get very expensive to the consumer as well as being a huge safety issue.
The headlights and tail lights have failed (burned out) multiple times in the 4 years of owning the vehicle. Some within 3 months of being replaced other might last 8 months to a year. I am wondering if this is a wiring issue causing such short bulb life.
Over the span of 4 years owning my Subaru Outback, I have had to replace the same headlight twice, as well as a parking light and a tail light. The headlights are impossible to reach unless you are a mechanic. My understanding is that this is a common issue with Subaru Outback. I would like Subaru to acknowledge and fix this costly and potentially dangerous problem.