Why does my Subaru Outback’s brake light keep flashing? This may seem like an innocent question, but in fact, it’s something that can prove dangerous, especially if you ignore the warning signs.
If your brake light keeps flashing while you’re driving, there’s likely a problem with your brakes or other related systems that require immediate attention.
Learn more about this critical warning sign and how to deal with it by reading this article.
You’ll also find some helpful tips on how to troubleshoot any issues that may be plaguing your braking system.
Why is Subaru Outback Brake Light Flashing?
The brake light indicator is a warning to others that you are going to slow down or stop.
It should be used at all times as it is a reminder for people around you that you’re about to reduce your speed, for instance when approaching a junction or other obstruction on a road.
However, there may be instances where your Subaru Outback brake light begins flashing repeatedly despite there being no reason to do so; here we will outline several reasons why it may happen and how you can resolve them.
The Subaru Outback has been built with quality in mind from its inception and many of its parts have been put through rigorous testing procedures before hitting showrooms.
One such component is its electronic braking system which alerts drivers behind you when you intend to come to a halt.
Although designed with safety in mind, sometimes an issue could occur which could cause your Subaru Outback brake light to flasher continually without stopping.
Although designed with safety in mind, sometimes an issue could occur which could cause your Subaru Outback brake light to flasher continually without stopping. There are three main reasons why your Subaru Outback brake light flasher may begin flashing even though you haven’t hit the brakes
- Blown Fuse: If your Subaru Outback brake light is flickering because of a blown fuse then you need to locate it and replace it with another one. In most cases, fuses are located under the hood near where battery cables connector inside the engine compartment.
- Loose Connection: When working properly, a circuit board sends power to lights, accessories, and other electrical components by way of wires. While these connections hold up well over time, they may become loose due to wear and tear or general aging. As such, it’s important to ensure that any wires attached to your Subaru Outback brake light flasher are tightly secured using screwdrivers (or wrenches if available).
- Faulty Bulb Bulbs only last so long before they burn out completely. That said, there are several telltale signs that you need to change your bulb. Firstly, after prolonged use of your Subaru Outback brake light, it might start flickering or slowly dimming before burning out completely.
How to Solve Subaru Outback Warning Light Indications on the Dashboard
If your Subaru Outback’s dashboard is warning you of a brake light problem, follow these steps to fix it. But remember: If you are unable to identify or correct a dashboard warning light, do not drive your vehicle until you have received professional assistance.
You should have a trained and qualified technician inspect your vehicle as soon as possible.
The failure to do so could lead to expensive damage and/or personal injury.
- Check for low brake fluid level – If your Subaru Outback has a low level of brake fluid, there will be no pressure in the system and therefore no electrical signal to activate any lights on your dash. Before checking anything else, top off your brake fluid reservoir with fresh fluid from an approved container (not one that previously held antifreeze). Then check for other problems listed below.
- Check your fuses – Your brake light may be malfunctioning due to a blown fuse. A blown fuse can prevent power from reaching your brakes and activate them when needed. To replace a blown fuse, locate it by referring to your owner’s manual or by looking at online diagrams provided by auto parts stores like AutoZone.
- Inspect your brake pedal switch – This little device mounted on your brake pedal is responsible for sending a signal to your car’s computer whenever you press down on it. If there is something wrong with it, such as corrosion or age-related wear and tear, then it won’t be able to send that message anymore and thus won’t allow your car’s computer to know whether or not you’re pressing down hard enough on the pedal during braking situations.
- Check your brake pads – If your Subaru Outback’s brake pads are worn out, they won’t be able to make contact with their corresponding rotors when you step on your brakes. That means there will be no friction between them and thus nothing stopping your car from moving forward.
- Check your rear brake drums – If your rear drum brakes are worn out, they won’t be able to stop your car either.
- Test your ABS – Anti-lock braking systems (ABS) help prevents wheel lockup during emergency stops by pumping hydraulic fluid into each wheel individually while simultaneously applying and releasing pressure on each brake pad. If your Subaru Outback has been sitting unused for some time, its ABS might need to be reset. Consult your owner’s manual or contact a mechanic if you aren’t sure how to go about doing so.
- Replace your brake light bulb – Sometimes, all you need to solve a brake light issue is a new bulb. Bulbs burn out over time, so it’s important to keep track of when yours were last replaced and take care of replacing them before they burn out completely.
- Replace your entire taillight assembly – If none of these solutions seem to work for you, it may be time to replace your entire taillight assembly. In many cases, brake light issues are caused by wiring and connectors inside your tail lamp housing becoming corroded. Replacing your taillight assembly is a good way to ensure that you don’t run into similar problems again.
- Contact a mechanic – If you still can’t figure out what’s causing your Subaru Outback’s brake light to flash, it may be time to consult a qualified mechanic.
Why is Subaru Outback Brake Light Cruise Control Flashing?
It’s relatively common for brake lights to flash when you’re driving your car.
Usually, it means that a bulb is either burnt out or loose.
It could also be a sign of more serious problems in your braking system.
If you are seeing flashing lights, make sure to get it checked by a professional immediately!
Your brakes are one of the most important systems on your car and you shouldn’t risk using them if they aren’t working properly.
Here are some other things to keep an eye out for another reason why your Subaru Outback cruise control light may be flashing is because there may not be enough pressure in your tires.
To test whether there isn’t enough air pressure, simply press down on each tire with your hand; if you can push down at least 1/2 inch without any effort, then there isn’t enough air pressure. You should check your tire pressure every time you fill-up with gas and try to keep it as close to 35 PSI as possible.
A faulty sensor in your vehicle could also cause your brake lights to flash. Sensors tell your car how much pressure is being applied to which pedal, so if something goes wrong with these sensors, then you might notice abnormal behavior from different parts of your vehicle—including flashing brake lights.
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Why is Subaru Outback Brake Light Cruise Control Flashing?
If the brake light on your Subaru Outback is flashing, it means that there is a problem with one of your tail lights.
The first thing you should do is check to make sure both sides are working and if they are, then there may be something wrong with your brake light bulb or wiring.
It’s also possible that when you installed your new taillights that a piece of wire fell into place over one of your connectors, causing an issue to appear in another area.
This can happen when we install our parts without paying attention to how things go together.
In any case, your best bet is to get out there and start testing everything out.
Don’t forget to have someone help you so that you can keep track of what works and what doesn’t work as you move through each step.
You might want to take some pictures along the way so that you have them handy for reference later on down the road if anything goes wrong again!
What do Multiple Warning Lights on Subaru Outback Dashboard mean?
Most vehicles in modern times will have at least one dashboard light that flashes intermittently when there is a fault.
In most cases, these lights will turn on and off by themselves or will blink in conjunction with an audible chime.
If you are driving a Subaru Outback and your brake light is flashing, then you should take your vehicle to be inspected as soon as possible before further damage occurs.
Can I Drive with My Brake Light flashing?
Because your brake light blinks when you apply your brakes, it is important to ensure that driving with your brake light flashing does not create a safety hazard.
If you’re concerned about driving with your brake light flashing, have your mechanic inspect your brake lights and inspect all of your other lights to ensure they are working properly.
If everything checks out, there is no reason why you cannot drive with your brake light flashing.
What does Flashing Brake Light mean on Subaru Outback?
Flashing brake lights are usually a sign that there is a problem with your vehicle’s braking system.
The light will alert other drivers on the road that you are having some type of issue, which could be very dangerous if they don’t see it or if they misinterpret it.
Here are some common reasons why your brake light would start flashing:
- You have low brake fluid in your car
- Your brakes require service
- Your brake light switch or sensor is broken
- Your master cylinder is bad
- Your ABS module has failed
- Your speedometer/odometer isn’t working
- There is an electrical short in your car
- There is a loose wire somewhere
- A fuse has blown
- A relay has failed
- A circuit board needs to be replaced
How do I fix my blinking brake light? To figure out what’s causing your blinking brake light, you can get someone else to drive your car while you watch for any error codes (flashes) on your dashboard display.
If none appear, then there is likely a loose wire in your engine bay and someone should follow each one until they find where it goes (and make sure it’s not connected). If error codes are being displayed on… etc?
Why is My Brake Light Flashing on My 2011 Subaru Outback?
There are many reasons your brake light may be flashing.
It may be a warning that you have a brake light out or it could indicate an issue with your hydraulic brakes. This is why we recommend having your brake lights inspected by a professional mechanic, such as one from Your Mechanic, to ensure your car is safe to drive and that no further damage occurs due to mechanical failure.
How Do You Reset The Brake Light On A Subaru?
Resetting your brake light is an easy procedure that can be done in under a minute.
Here’s how to do it on a 2017 Subaru Outback.
Resetting Your Brake Light on a 2017 Subaru Outback: If you’ve noticed that your brake lights are staying on, or coming on randomly even though you’re not braking, there’s a good chance that they’re simply stuck. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to fix them without calling roadside assistance or taking your vehicle to a mechanic shop. Let’s dive right in!
- Park your Subaru on level ground with enough room around it to safely open up its hood (it doesn’t need to be parked directly in front of a garage door).
- Locate your battery, which should be near where you’d normally park (i.e., passenger side).
- Using a wrench, remove the negative terminal from its socket and place it somewhere safe where it won’t touch anything metal (like another wrench).
- After about 30 seconds, replace your negative terminal and close up your Subaru’s hood.
- Get inside your vehicle and start it up; once you see that all four brake lights are working properly, turn off your ignition again.
- Repeat steps 3–5 two more times (for a total of three rounds) before driving away!
Subaru Outback at Oil Temp and Brake Light Flashing
Your car is telling you there’s an issue with your brakes.
This typically means that your brake fluid level is low and it needs to be refilled.
I’ll walk you through how to check your brake fluid level, then show you what to do if you discover that it needs a refill.
It’s important to remember that checking your brake fluid levels is something you should do every time you fill up on gas—not just when your lights start flashing.
That way, if you find out they need topping off, it won’t be as much of a hassle (and cost) to take care of things before they get worse.
How to Fix At Oil Temp Subaru
The easiest, most efficient way to fix a bad oil temp sensor is by replacing it.
But how do you replace it without draining your engine oil first? It’s not easy.
You have to drain and fill your engine with fresh oil after you replace the temp sensor, so don’t try doing it alone if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If you need help, take your car to an auto repair shop.
They’ll be able to tell you whether or not your temp sensor needs replacement and they can perform all of the work for you.
You just have to provide them with some details about your vehicle, like make and model, year of manufacture, VIN (found on a sticker in your driver-side doorjamb), etc.
