Many people complain that Subaru Outback headlights stop working after some time, and it becomes problematic for them to find out the real issue. In addition, the failure of lights on highways during the night also compromises safety, and you cannot drive your SUV.
Subaru Outback headlights not working due to a blown fuse, faulty wiring, issues with the relay, and corroded sockets. In addition, the problem also comes due to condensation reactions, moisture in headlights due to cracked or broken seals, faulty switches, burned-out bulbs, and poor ground wires. The broken filament due to driving on bumpy roads, fluctuation in voltage, and faulty sensors also cause this issue.
You should install them appropriately and not touch them with your grubby fingers. The body oils and dirt from the skin produces hot spots and burn-out bulb.
Blown fuse
The electrical system in automobiles needs fuses for the flow of electric current. Therefore, headlights are also included in the electrical system and have a fuse to control the power supply surge from reaching the bulb.
All of the fuses are present in the fuse box of the SUVs, and you can check them to identify the problem.
The fuses blow out due to short circuits in the wirings of the electrical circuit. The use of heavy plug-in appliances in vehicles also disturbs the power supply.
In addition, current overloading occurs due to inappropriate connections between the two conductors that supply power.
Moreover, the fuses also blow out when they are hot and get melted. Find the blown-out box from the fuse box and turn off the main electrical supply.
Replace the damaged part for correct functioning.
Faulty wiring
The wires are also in the electrical circuit to supply power for the functioning of headlights. The wires become faulty and cannot provide enough electrical current for their work.
The wires become faulty due to poor and loose connections. Sometimes the cables’ connection and conductors become loose, and it cannot supply current.
In addition, it also gets damaged due to inappropriate flow of electrical current. The overflow of electrical current can melt the plastic coating.
Moreover, the wires also melt due to overheating issues. A sufficient amount of electrical current cannot flow through a damaged wire.
You should check the wiring harness if your vehicle’s headlights are not functioning. Attach the voltmeter with wiring harnesses to check the flow of electrical current in them.
Replace the damaged or frayed wires if the voltmeter does not show any reading on the screen.
Faulty headlight relay
The relay is the small electrical component that helps build the electrical connection. The relay becomes active when you turn on the headlights.
The switch activates the relay to build the electrical connection between the bulb and the battery. Then, it controls the supply of electricity to turn the bulb on and off.
This switch contains the solenoid coils, which burn out due to excessive flow of electrical current. The relays also go bad due to poor electrical connections.
The loose and interrupted connections between the electrical circuits and wires cause this problem. Moreover, the corroded wires of the electrical circuits also cause bad relays.
Many people complain that headlights do not turn on due to faulty relay switches. You should open the hood of your SUVs, and all fuses or relays are there.
Find the relevant relay and check their functioning to replace them with new ones.
Corroded electrical socket
The sockets supply electricity to the bulb to turn them on and off. In addition, the bulbs are connected to the electrical sockets to gain power supply.
The loose connections provide insufficient electrical supply. In addition, the corrosion comes on these sockets and interrupts their functioning.
The corroded electrical sockets are unable to supply the electric current. In addition, the presence of corrosion or rust in the electrical circuits inhibits the current flow.
The corrosion on sockets comes due to their exposure to humidity and moisture. The accidental entry of water or moisture into the sockets makes them corroded.
In addition, dust accumulation in the surroundings also makes them bad. The rust also comes on the connectors of the headlight bulbs and causes their malfunction.
The moisture or condensation reaction around the bulb makes the connector rusty. You should remove the socket and clean it with different solutions.
Dip it in the solution of warm water and vinegar and wait for a few minutes. The vinegar contains strong acids to dissolve the rust from the sockets in your Subaru.
Moisture in headlights socket
The moisture comes into the Subaru Outback headlight sockets due to a condensation reaction. The fluctuation in temperature causes the condensation reaction.
The condensation mostly comes in winter when the outside temperature is cool, and the air inside the inner side is warm.
The fluctuation of temperature causes the water droplet on the inner side. The little moisture affects its working, and it cannot work well.
In addition, the water also enters the inner side due to broken seals. The seals’ cracks also cause water entry into the bulb.
Many people complain that the lights of their vehicles stop functioning after the automated wash.
This is because the water enters into these components during washing because of the broken and inappropriate seal.
You can fix it by using the hair dryer on the glass area to lo warm air. The warm air reduces condensation and also absorbs moisture.
Broken switch
The switches of these components are present on the inner side of the SUVs. These switches are present in the form of a knob or button to turn on and off the headlights.
The switches get broken due to their continuous usage during driving. Therefore, these switches are designed to last longer when you use them carefully.
In addition, the bad relays and fuses also make these switches bad. It cannot turn on and off the light due to blown-out fuses and bad relays.
The replacement of switches is a straightforward procedure as compared to repairing them.
Damaged Bulbs
The bulbs on the inner side of the glass provide illumination for safe driving. However, many people complain that the bulbs of their vehicles keep blowing out in cold weather.
The bulbs blow out due to water entry from the cracked and poorly sealed glass coverings. The mixture of water and electricity produces a short circuit in the electrical components.
The short circuits can cause the bulbs to burn out. The loose wiring connections also cause this problem because of the irregular flow of electrical current.
These also blow out when you touch them with your finger before installing them. The inappropriate installation of these components also causes premature burning out.
You should take help from professionals to install new bulbs in your SUVs.
Problems with the ground wire
The ground wire is also present in this system for the current backflow to the battery’s negative terminal.
The ground wire of the headlights is connected with the chassis structure in a nearby position. It is black, and you can quickly identify it from its color and location.
The corrosion comes on these ground wires from the chassis structure and its components. Moreover, the poor grounding of cables can make the lights dim or out of function.
You can fix the issue by finding the connectors present on the backside. The connector contains several wires, and one of them is ground.
Attach the voltmeter with its different wires to check the DC voltage. There is a problem with ground wires if the voltmeter does not show the reading accurately.
Frequent use
These electrical components also become bad and fail to work due to consecutive usage. Many times, people forget to turn them off during the daytime.
You cannot find out that these are on because of daylight. Continuous use for a long time can damage them.
The bulbs are also burned out and do not provide illumination. Moreover, I have seen many people who do not turn off these lights while parking their SUVs on the road.
You should turn them off when you do not need them to increase their longevity. It is also better to turn it off when you park your vehicles.
Broken delicate filament
The halogens type contains the tungsten filament to provide illumination. These filament uses gases to provide a sufficient amount of light.
Many times, you also move on poor roads and uneven terrain. Driving on these bumpy roads affects the various components and causes the fragile filament’s breakage.
The broken filament cannot provide illumination for secure driving at night. Therefore, you should avoid driving Subaru Outback with headlights on.
In addition, you can also replace the broken filament with a new one to fix it.
Voltage fluctuations
The slighter spike in the voltage supply burns the bulb’s filaments, and it cannot provide illumination during driving.
The voltage fluctuations come from the battery source or malfunctioning alternators that help charge the batteries.
Sometimes the faulty alternators cause a surge in the electrical current supply of the electrical system. The voltage supply fluctuations in the electrical system cause the filaments to burn.
You should check the alternators and their functioning before driving. It is better to change the faulty alternators for proper voltage flow in all electrical systems.
Faulty sensors
Most of the latest models of the Subaru Outback contain sensors to identify the traffic and ambient light.
These sensors are located on the rear side of the front windscreen. The headlights become bad and do not work appropriately due to these faulty sensors.
Many people complain that the lights of their SUVs remain on during daylight when they do not need them.
It helps to adjust the beam of light according to the opposite traffic to reduce blur vision.
The sensors cannot work appropriately due to dust or dirt accumulation on the windscreen. Moreover, these sensors are connected to the bulb or electrical supply for its functioning.
The burned-out bulbs due to low voltage cause malfunctioning of these sensors. Because of faulty sensors, the lights do not turn on at the correct time.
These sensors are not repairable, and you have to change them. Take your vehicle to the dealerships to remove the old sensor and install a new one.
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