I have 1999 Subaru Outback. I noticed that my fog lights were both out so I checked all around the car and noticed my tail lights were out too, yet the brake filament part of the bulb still worked. so I know it's not a socket issue. My headlights are turn signal works and when I put on the fog light part of my colum switch my dash lights turn on. Does this sound like a relay issue? Are the tail lights and fog lights connected by a relay? The wiring schematic looks like it says it does but I'm not the best at reading those.

 

If you could point me in a direction that would help me out so much. I commute 28 miles to work every morning in the dark and I'm having people constantly flash me and honk.

Some strange lighting problems can be caused by bad bulbs. The dual filament bulbs sometimes break one filament which then falls and touches the other filament. This bridges the power of one half of the bulb to the ground of the other half. It causes a back-feed into the circuit of the non-lighted side of the bulb, which can cause interior lights to flash with the turn signal or brake lights, or to not turn off when the car is turned off.

 

There are also cases of trailer wiring harnesses shorting and causing lots of strange lighting behavior.

I didn't mention that I have two brand new bulbs in it.

Just did a quick check, as I have to leave for work in an hour. Yes my trailer harness is a little melted on one end (not badly and it's just the connector not the actual wires). Also I noticed there are little nicks in the harness in the wires around my tail lights, which is really odd because no one has done wiring work on this car. I bought it from a college teacher with full service records and the only repairs it had done was a new CV. Is this normal?

 

I did a google search for "1999 subaru impreza melted trailer harness" and found nothing. Is there a recourse guide to what happened to other owners?

Edited December 1, 201114 yr by antonio97b

How about if you flip the switch on top of the steering column, do the tail lights come on then? I think there was a note from Subaru that on some vehicles there could be a stray piece of wire inside the bulb socket that could make it short out and blow fuses.

How about if you flip the switch on top of the steering column, do the tail lights come on then? I think there was a note from Subaru that on some vehicles there could be a stray piece of wire inside the bulb socket that could make it short out and blow fuses.

 

All my fuses are ok. If by switch on top of the column you mean my parking light the fronts and back turn oni never noticed this actually. I can do this as a temp fix byt hopefully I can fix the issie. Thanks a million so far. It saves me from a ticket for now

new bulbs, huh? take 'em out and re install observing that the metal studs called bayonets align w/ corresponding socket grooves, they are off set- one long , short, as to make contact w/ the two diff circuits. put in wrong they may create symtomns decribed above of crossed filiments, As to the nicks, could be old school method of probing for voltage check of harness:popcorn:

and why were bulbs plural changed,unless PM, they burn out one at a time,

One burnt out a while back but at the time i didn't drive it much so I didn't Chanel it until I noticed the last one burnt out(or so I thought, filaments wasnt burned in half but was messed up enough that I thought it was the issue). Replaced both and didn't have any back lights

 

What is PM?

PM is for preventive maint, and I probably wasn't correct to describe it that way Abbr. are great if everyone is in on the game. CEL and HG for example were new to me . and does MIL = CEL? check eng lite and head gaskets , back to your car.. the dash lites come on when fogs are switched on?/ and only familar w/ legacy where fog switch was center console. Did you say column? So , maybe R&R (remove and replace )fog lamps, 2 screws, 10mm in bumper lip upside down ,will drop the fog out to unplug, both, try the switch again and see if same result, not much help.

BTW, any chance U checked replacement bulbs? same code #(1157 is only # I can remember and might be to heavy duty) ? filiment count,?

Edited December 1, 201114 yr by propane
further question

PM is for preventive maint, and I probably wasn't correct to describe it that way Abbr. are great if everyone is in on the game. CEL and HG for example were new to me . and does MIL = CEL? check eng lite and head gaskets , back to your car.. the dash lites come on when fogs are switched on?/ and only familar w/ legacy where fog switch was center console. Did you say column? So , maybe R&R (remove and replace )fog lamps, 2 screws, 10mm in bumper lip upside down ,will drop the fog out to unplug, both, try the switch again and see if same result, not much help.

BTW, any chance U checked replacement bulbs? same code #(1157 is only # I can remember and might be to heavy duty) ? filiment count,?

 

My rear tail light lamps are 2057, dual filiment. The fog lights are the middle switch on the left switch tree which turn on the the bottom amber lamps on the front. The middle top flip switch is labeled "P" which turn on the little lamps in my head light assembly. I'll check my fog lamps when i get home but I doubt that its the issue. They were both fine before they were all out

Now my tail lights ate working but my five aren't. I wasn't able to check out my fog light bulbs

Melting of the trailer harness indicates a short. There is really no other reason it would melt unless it could somehow contact the exhaust and I doubt that far back it would be hot enough to melt it. The nicks on the wires for the taillights are probably due to the install of the wiring harness. Personally I would look into getting it removed and a new one installed. I cant really see how the fog lights would run on the same relay as the tail lights, they should come on independently from each other right?

What do you mean by your "five" arent?