2011 Subaru Outback Exterior Lighting Problems
- 112
- Owner complaint records in our dataset
Records are owner complaints, not a measured failure rate.
Owner complaint recordsComplaint records reflect reports in our dataset and do not measure how frequently the problem occurs across all vehicles.
Among these 112 stored complaint records:
- 0 indicate a crash
- 0 indicate injury
- 1 indicate fire
What owners report
- passenger side · 20 records
- beam headlights · 18 records
- headlight bulbs · 17 records
- beam headlight · 15 records
- safety issue · 12 records
- side beam · 12 records
Mileage in stored records
| Band | Records |
|---|---|
| 60–100k mi | 27 |
| 1–30k mi | 24 |
| 30–60k mi | 23 |
| 100–150k mi | 7 |
Complaint records
Owner-submitted complaint content, presented as stored.
Exterior Lighting
After owning this vehicle barely 2 years, the 1st headlight (driver side) bulb blew out. To replace it at the dealership was $90 due to the difficulty of reaching the bulb housing - so i was told. Then about 3-4 months later the other headlight (passenger side) went out. Then about 6 months later the rear light bulb went out. Around 2 months ago (12/20/2014) the driver side head light went out again and then…
ODI 10676457
Exterior Lighting
Passenger side headlight has burnt out 6 times; subaru denies any underlying issues, keep replacing the headlight; no more warranty as this point; main concerns are safety and nuisance. *tr
ODI 10561457
Exterior Lighting
The passenger's-side low beam headlight burned out a week ago and was replaced by the dealer. One week later, the driver's-side low beam headlight burned out. The car only has 15,000 miles presently. The dealer reports that this is a common occurrence in late-model outbacks. I live in alaska where the use of headlights is mandatory on some roads. Frequent and unanticipated loss of the headlights is a safety hazard…
ODI 10520342
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Low beam headlights keep burning out both sides. Lights burn out independently of each other. So far have replaced lights 3 times 6 in total. Problem reported as an issue in subaru forumn
ODI 10716348
Exterior Lighting
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 subaru outback. The contact stated that the headlights and the taillights failed intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the headlights and taillights needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure an stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v602000…
ODI 10594825
Exterior Lighting
We have owned this subaru since new. The original headlight bulbs burnt out at 58,000 miles. Since then i have had to replace the bulbs every two to three months, using the subaru recommended h7 bulbs from sylvania. The car has burnt through at least one dozen light bulbs.
ODI 10865270
Exterior Lighting
I have had the car since august 2010 and the low light beams keep burning out. I have had to replace one or the other three times now. This time the new bulb lasted less than a year. And last year i also had to replace one of the high beams. I have never owned a car that needed headlights replaced so often (actually i've never had to replace a headlight on any other vehicle i've owned). Also, i have to bring it to a…
ODI 10680950
Exterior Lighting
The lowbeam headlamps on this vehicle have an unusually short lifespan. On several occasions, both driver and passenger side headlamps have failed within a few days of one another leading to an unsafe vehicle condition. The dealer and subaru have refused to perform free diagnostic tests to determine the cause of the headlamp failures and short lifespan. *tr
ODI 10500919
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
Manufacturer recall number wqe41; nhtsa recall number 12v602000.puddle lights for 2011 subaru outback. In january 2013, i received a recall notice from subaru. . Since receiving the recall notice, i have made numerous, really, numerous, attempts to have this recall addressed by my local subaru dealer. All attempts to have this recall addressed have been unsuccessful. I have been repeatedly told that the parts are on…
ODI 10971626
Exterior Lighting
Driver side low beam headlight failed at about 29,000 miles. Passenger side low beam headlight failed at ~32,000 miles (roughly 3 months time elapsed between events). *tr
ODI 10509233
Exterior Lighting
HEAD LIGHTS CONTINUALLY BURNING OUT
ODI 10783416
Exterior Lighting
Driver side headlamp burned out, replaced at dealership and 12 weeks later the passenger side headlamp burned out. I am shocked that a vehicle with only 20,000 miles would already have two headlamps burn out within weeks of each other. Dealership denies any knowledge of a problem with headlamps even though internet is flooded with similar complaints. *tr
ODI 10502304
Exterior Lighting
We are experiencing chronic headlight, taillight and brake light burn out issues. We have had the right headlight replaced twice and the left headlight replaced once as well as the taillight and break lights replaced once since november of 2012. We do not live on a bumpy road or have any other odd driving conditions. We drive our car only on normal paved roads in a suburban environment. Our subaru dealer has not…
ODI 10532619
Exterior Lighting
The car's headlights burn out at a very frequent rate. Replacing them is very inconvenient and time consuming since you have to remove the wheels in order to get access. Dealer charges $100.00 to replace. Something must be wrong with the electrical system since my other subaru has needed only one replacement since 2004. *tr
ODI 10504486
Exterior Lighting
I have now replaced 3 low beam light bulbs in my car within the last 6 months. Two on the left and one on the right. This is a huge safety issue. Bulbs should not burn out this quickly and repeatedly. *tr
ODI 10502536
Electrical System · Exterior Lighting
I am on my third set of headlight bulbs car is 23 months old and bulbs keep burning out. Never had a problem like this. Many other owners have the same issue and no resolution has been found. This is the low beam bulbs that burn out. Not at the same time usually within 2-4 weeks of each other. *tr
ODI 10475296
Exterior Lighting · Visibility/Wiper
I have replaced my headlight bulbs 3 times for each headlight and i only have 88,000 miles on my car.
ODI 10761973
Exterior Lighting
I keep replacing headlight bulbs and they keep burning out friday we had to drive a mountain road with fog lights only because they both burned out. There must be a problem as it is happening all to often. *tr
ODI 10471366
Exterior Lighting
My vehicle is only 4 years old and i've replaced the low beam bulbs 4 times. It is not driven in harsh conditions and i average 14-15000 miles per year. The mechanics and service personnel at the dealership admit it's a problem with subaru outbacks. I've found many reports and complaints of other owners experiencing the same bulb failures. The frequency of the bulb failure obviously presents a safety concern when…
ODI 10749656
Exterior Lighting
The low beam headlights have burned out twice. The car is a 2011 subaru outback, and it has less than 30,000 miles on it. The headlight setting is not kept on the "auto" setting. (some claim using the auto setting causes the lights to switch on-and-off more causing additional wear to the headlight.) the headlights were installed by a dealer, so it can be assumed they were installed to correct subaru specifications.…
ODI 10487940
Exterior Lighting
Since may of 2012, my wife has had to replace the low beam light bulbs on both the driver and passenger side no fewer than six times. This is a terrible issue with the vehicle, as driving with one bulb is both dangerous and illegal. It is also prohibitively expensive to continue replacing these bulbs as the access to them is convoluted at best. Subaru needs to acknowledge that this is a recurrent problem with the…
ODI 10583498
Exterior Lighting
The first time the headlight went out was during the cold months two years ago and it was on the driver's side. A year later (2013) , the passenger's side headlight went out. I just replaced the driver's side headlight again on november 2, 2014. I have never had a vehicle, nor heard of anyone i know having a vehicle, that requires annual headlight replacements. *tr
ODI 10652711
Exterior Lighting
I have to replace the low beam head lights all the time ( 6 times since buying car) driver side 4 times passenger side 2 times. *tr
ODI 10556811
Exterior Lighting
Headlamps (either side) tend to go out yearly. This is ridiculous! In addition, in order to change them out yourself, you need to have little girl hands. Not only is this a nuisance, but a safety issue. I can barely see with one lamp out and there are deer everywhere...right now it's freezing in denver and i do not have access to a heated garage to fiddle with this for an hour. Subaru needs to get on their horse and…
ODI 10658616
Exterior Lighting
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. *tr
ODI 10704375
Catalog parts for this system
Catalog year/make/model rows for 2011 Subaru Outback.
Catalog fitment does not by itself prove OEM-equivalent compatibility.