Shaka Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 First a little bit of background. I've got a 1996 Impreza Outback Sport ... it has an automatic transmission. Picked it up about a month ago and immediately replaced the head unit with an Alpine unit I owned. Few weeks later noticed one of the HVAC backlight bulbs (LEDs) was burned out (far left / driver side) so I replaced that. No issues, everything seemed fine. Less than a week ago I had the car at a local stereo shop to install/add XM radio to my Alpine setup. I know these guys well and trust them, but they def had the head unit stuff all out which would also mean they would have had all the trim around the shift lever out too. Since my visit to that shop, the backlight for the shifter indicator (the part that reads PRND321) doesn't always light up right away. When I turn on the headlights the cluster and HVAC light up fine, but the PRND321 doesn't. Once or twice I was able to "tap" on it and it lit up, but lately it takes shifting into "D" for it to light up -- hence my title, possessed! Any thoughts? Loose wire somewhere, perhaps from the shop that did the XM install? Where should I look first? Now that the mornings are so dark it sucks not being to see what gear I'm switching into.. and while I can usually tell "By feel" I'd like to fix this. TIA for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 It's not that hard to figure out which gear it's in. Just takes an understanding of how the selector works. Which I wouldn't know since I haven't driven an automatic Subaru in quite some time. But usually once the selector is out of park you can release the lock button and just drag it back until it stops, then it's in drive. Since it comes back on when the selector is moved, it's most likely a loose bulb or wire harness connector. Pop the console cover off and take a peek. Or take it back to the audio shop and tell them they screwed it up and you want them to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaka Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 I've got an appointment to take the car back to the stereo shop but due to my busy schedule that is a week away. While I'm sure they'll stand behind it if it was caused by their work, I figured if it was a 5min thing I'd take care of it myself. You're wrong, BTW, about the shift and pulling back. Most japanese vehicles allow you to drop down out of O/D. So as is the case here, if you pull back you can go past drive, down to "3" so it never shifts into 4th O/D. Your method does make sense tho, and by feel I'm fine. The light is admittedly something I could live without but I'm picky, and want my car right. Agreed it is prob just a loose bulb or connector, and I'll address it at the shop in a week unless someone here can tell me where the bulb is so that I can do it myself. A quick peek myself showed me nothing, so I'm not 100% sure how to access the bulb and figured maybe someone would reply with their findings/experiences. Thanks anyhow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danbob99 Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 Sounds like its just a bulb on its way out. Not uncommon to have a bulb with an intermitent filiment connection. It isn't too bad to get to the bulb, it'll either take a few more joints in your fingers or a bit of dissasembaly. Once the center bezel is off i've been able to change the bulb at that point, but it takes some articulation. The bulb is on the drivers side, directly underneath the shift indicator pattern. Its a '194' bulb in a twist in socket. To get to it, remove the center bezel, then the four screws that hold the whole unit to the floor, the two small screws that hold the shifter to the shaft, and pull it up. You'll notice imediately that your still tethered to the car by a red electrical wire, thats the wire to the bulb. Just follow it to the socket, twist left, and out comes the bulb. Make sure the wires are all intact and the socket is undamaged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 It's just a dying lightbulb. It is old enough to have it go out. Find someone with small fingers You shouldnt even need to look at the shifter to see what gear your in. Push the button to get out of park. From reverse the shifter will slide into neutral and drive. The shifter will slide between N and D without the button, but you will need the button to get into R. Upshifting from 1 to D does not need the button, but downshifting does. It is a fairly Std shift pattern. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaka Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 nipper -- as I've said above, I don't NEED the light to know what gear I'm in, but since you can accidentally end up in "3" when you mean to be in "D", it is nice to be able to look down and double check what gear I'm in. Where I live there aren't street lights every few feet, so it is nice in the dark to be able to have things working. Plus, I just like it when my 'ish is mechanically 100%. Danbob -- thanks that is the exact info I was looking for. What I find interesting though is that the tap-tap method makes the light come on. What would cause a light to not work, but tapping it fixed the problem? Even more odd is repeated tapping doesn't make it go off -- once it is on/working it tends to stay on/working for a while (1/2 a day). So odd... electrical stuff is always interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 What would cause a light to not work, but tapping it fixed the problem? Even more odd is repeated tapping doesn't make it go off -- once it is on/working it tends to stay on/working for a while (1/2 a day). So odd... electrical stuff is always interesting. the same thing that would make any bulb thats electricla work then not work. The filement can be loose inside the bulb. The socket may not be seated properly. Just the usual electrical bugabos. nipper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted October 28, 2009 Share Posted October 28, 2009 i was doing my wakl around on my trailer the other morning, in the dark. i noticed the right turn signal was not working. i thumped it and it came on. yea!!!! the next day it would not come on even when i thumped. lights happen and then they don't. old joke: how many Californians dose it take to screw in a light bulb??? none, Californians don't screw in light bulbs, they screw in hot tubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaka Posted October 28, 2009 Author Share Posted October 28, 2009 HAHA! LOL @ cali joke -- especially funny since I have family there, and that is so true. Anyhow, FWIW -- this issue has been FIXED/RESOLVED! Went to walle world tonight, got some 194 bulbs (pack of two) and replaced the bulb. I've got small hands, but it still was a PITA. I wish I had a nice 90-deg needle nose pliers, as that would have helped make my life a lot easier. Regardless, issue appears to be solved. Hopefully I'll know for sure over the next few days, as I imagine the light will stay one. Interesting fact, when I finally had the bulb holder "out" of the base, I tested it and it didnt work. I slapped it around, still didn't work. Replaced the bulb and voila, worked first time. So it def appears to have been a bulb just ready to give up the ghost. Thanks again everyone!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bork Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Oh joy, now my daughter wants hers fixed! My fingers may not be small enough, but maybe,once apart, I can get my daughter to do change bulb. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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