Infernal Parking Light Switch

[Mountaindave]

My father and I both have 2003 Outbacks with the infernal parking light switch mounted on the steering column where the hazard light should go. I've yet to drain my battery, but we both have occasionally found our parking lights have inadvertently been turned on - usually after resetting the milage or wiping the dashboard clean or something. In all my life I have NEVER had the need to leave JUST my parking lights on when the key is NOT in the ignition. It's almost as if Subaru made an agreement with AAA: "Hey, if you give us a kickback from every dead-battery call from a Subaru owner, we'll replace the hazard light on the steering column with a DIFFERENT switch that simply leaves the lights on even when the car is turned off!" I have grew up with Subarus and love Subarus but this has got to be the DUMBEST feature I have ever seen on a car.

 

Does anyone have a simple remedy to disable this switch permanently?

 

Any help is appreciated,

 

Dave

[Snowman]

I would imagine you could just take the plastic off from around the steering column and clip the wires going to the switch.

[Manarius]

My father and I both have 2003 Outbacks with the infernal parking light switch mounted on the steering column where the hazard light should go. I've yet to drain my battery, but we both have occasionally found our parking lights have inadvertently been turned on - usually after resetting the milage or wiping the dashboard clean or something. In all my life I have NEVER had the need to leave JUST my parking lights on when the key is NOT in the ignition. It's almost as if Subaru made an agreement with AAA: "Hey, if you give us a kickback from every dead-battery call from a Subaru owner, we'll replace the hazard light on the steering column with a DIFFERENT switch that simply leaves the lights on even when the car is turned off!" I have grew up with Subarus and love Subarus but this has got to be the DUMBEST feature I have ever seen on a car.

 

Does anyone have a simple remedy to disable this switch permanently?

 

Any help is appreciated,

 

Dave

Unfortunately, you show your ignorance in your anger. In Europe, by law, when parking in a narrow street, you are REQUIRED to have your parking lights on. And instead of making to so you could possibly leave your lights on without your keys in and drain your battery, Subaru made a switch just for that purpose.

 

So, maybe you should quit your *****ing and not hit the switch. It's not a hard concept. I would not suggest the above and cut the wires as you could possibly disable the system all together - not a good idea.

[Mountaindave]

Unfortunately, you show your ignorance in your anger. In Europe... required to have your parking lights on.

 

Wow... testy. Notice I don't live in Europe, though I do love to visit. Nor was my car designed for a European market. I did forget to mention that I leave my lights on 100% of the time because Subaru has the most wonderful feature of headlights wired through the ignition switch.

[Manarius]

Wow... testy. Notice I don't live in Europe, though I do love to visit. Nor was my car designed for a European market. I did forget to mention that I leave my lights on 100% of the time because Subaru has the most wonderful feature of headlights wired through the ignition switch.

No, I'm just sick and tired of people complaining about the way their car is. I mean, like come on, it came from the factory that way - deal with it. Subarus have had that switch for years - since way before your 03 Outback.

 

And it really is designed for the EDM market - the only basic difference is the headlight and sidemarker design and possibly speedo, but that's it. The car is pretty much the same, just changed a little bit to meet European spec. And since European spec is usually tougher then US spec, it makes no sense to make extra parts just to meet lower US spec.

[NoahDL88]

Take the panties out of your butt crack and come back down from Mt Fuji.

 

Its No big deal, don't take him personally.

 

 

Anyway, manarious, you are wrong too, its also required in the USA to have the ability to have parking lights on with the key out.

 

 

I wouldn't cut the wires though.

 

 

This is supposed to be a helpful place, try to play nice.

[jon38iowa]

Take the panties out of your butt crack and come back down from Mt Fuji.

 

Its No big deal, don't take him personally.

 

 

Anyway, manarious, you are wrong too, its also required in the USA to have the ability to have parking lights on with the key out.

 

 

I wouldn't cut the wires though.

 

 

This is supposed to be a helpful place, try to play nice.

Noah I have had a really really rough day, Subaru in the shop, etc,.

Thank you for giving me a good laugh.

[jamal]

You should actually be able to leave the parking lights on for a few days without draining the battery or so I've heard. This way if your car is stranded you can have them on so no one plows into it in the dark.

 

I'm pretty sure "hay guys why won't my parking lights turn off" is the biggest FAQ in the history of Subaru Message boards.

[NoahDL88]

 

I'm pretty sure "hay guys why won't my parking lights turn off" is the biggest FAQ in the history of Subaru Message boards.

 

Yep right after, i've tried and tried, but i can't get my car stuck in the mud

[Setright]

As far as my calculations go, the parking lights can be left on for about 24 hours and still leave just enough juice in the battery to start the car.

 

Automatic transmission cars will have more time, since they have bigger capacity batteries.

 

 

 

I like that switch, and it's location. Try accidentally knocking the indicator stalk on the way out of an Audi/VW see what happens.

[Manarius]

Take the panties out of your butt crack and come back down from Mt Fuji.

 

Its No big deal, don't take him personally.

 

 

Anyway, manarious, you are wrong too, its also required in the USA to have the ability to have parking lights on with the key out.

 

 

I wouldn't cut the wires though.

 

 

This is supposed to be a helpful place, try to play nice.

Well, on the other cars in my family, that switch is not there. However, they can have their headlights on without the key in so.....

 

Look, I was kind of cras there, but I'm really tired of people bashing their own cars for the features they have. Especially when a person's first post is "WTF is there are parking light switch on my car!? I hate that switch :mad::mad:" I mean, sheesh, what am I supposed to do when I get a post like that...

[Skip]

Here is a simple effective non abtusive solution.

 

Using a piece of black vinyl electrical tape,

tape the switch in the "off" position.

 

This will make it hard to accidentally turn it on,

 

but allow the use of said switch if necessary

[johnceggleston]

Here is a simple effective non abtusive solution.

 

Using a piece of black vinyl electrical tape,

tape the switch in the "off" position.

 

This will make it hard to accidentally turn it on,

 

but allow the use of said switch if necessary

 

yeah, but if i uese black electrical tape, i can't see the digital clock on my VCR flash.!! and i might get lonel:eek:y.

[Skip]

uese???

John, if your VCR is mounted where said switch is located,

 

ahhh

 

I think you may have other - how U say? -- issues??

[brus brother]

With a smirk, subie techs refer to this as the "Battery Kill Switch".

[nipper]

Unfortunately, you show your ignorance in your anger. In Europe... required to have your parking lights on.

 

Wow... testy. Notice I don't live in Europe, though I do love to visit. Nor was my car designed for a European market. I did forget to mention that I leave my lights on 100% of the time because Subaru has the most wonderful feature of headlights wired through the ignition switch.

 

Subaru is a small manufacturer. Not all car companies can afford to have dedicated wiring harnesses for each country. Subaru goes the cost cutting method and makes one harness for all (hence keeping down the cost of the car). Also small manufactureers will switch flow of the cars sometimes depending upon the value of the dollar to save costs even farther.

The switch is in such a location i dont even see how one can accidently keep hitting it once you know its there.

Personally i think you should get used to it or stop buying subarus. No one else seems to have this problem, and its just a subaru quirk.

Cars with quirks are such a nice break from everything being a bland cookie cutter of the others. The switch is well marked. i have hit mine on occasion, and since i was taught to constantly scan the sinstrument panel (as a good driver should) ive noticed the switch on, and just shut it off.

I dont see what the big deal is.

 

nipper

[mtsmiths]

My father and I both have 2003 Outbacks with the infernal parking light switch mounted on the steering column where the hazard light should go. I've yet to drain my battery, but we both have occasionally found our parking lights have inadvertently been turned on - usually after resetting the milage or wiping the dashboard clean or something. In all my life I have NEVER had the need to leave JUST my parking lights on when the key is NOT in the ignition. It's almost as if Subaru made an agreement with AAA: "Hey, if you give us a kickback from every dead-battery call from a Subaru owner, we'll replace the hazard light on the steering column with a DIFFERENT switch that simply leaves the lights on even when the car is turned off!" I have grew up with Subarus and love Subarus but this has got to be the DUMBEST feature I have ever seen on a car.

 

Does anyone have a simple remedy to disable this switch permanently?

 

Any help is appreciated,

 

Dave

 

First, despite the reaction that has resulted from your post, this actually is a usually friendly place.

 

Second, welcome to the board (that makes three Kalispellians, keep it up and we'll rival Spokane).

 

Third, most folks don't seem to have a problem with the virgin switch, especially if they ever read the owners manual. I can't even, in Subaru ownership and driving totaling over ten years and 300,000 miles, never killed a battery with it. I have on many occassions deliberately switched it on when parked at night.

 

I was at a meeting at Glacier Natl. Park HQ last month and a friend commented when we cam out, "My Subaru lights are on and I can't get them to go off, my husband has been disconnecting the battery at night for almost a week!" I walked up to the car witrh her, reached in flipped the switch off and said "Subaru virgin no more", shw as so flabbergasted she almost dropped her notebooks.

 

She said she had bought the car new in 1998, and never even noticed that switch was there 'til now.

 

Love it or hate it, it's a Subaru thing, I think you should just learn to live with it, although if *I* were the king of Subaru I would make it illuminated when on.

[keltik]

if *I* were the king of Subaru I would make it illuminated when on.

 

Now THAT is a dam good idea! Or make it like every other car ive owned where if you open the door with lights on you get a freindly buzz or beep.

 

That switch almost got me yesterday, took a few minutes for me to figure out what was going on and why my lights wouldnt turn off. Good feature tho, i can see it coming in handy for parking on the road at night.

[Setright]

NO! NO! NO!

 

I don't want some alarm going off because I have turned my lights on!

 

 

The best system I have witnessed was in my parents old - 1979 - Toyota Crown.

 

Start engine, lights on. Drive around.

 

Park, turn off engine - lights still on.

 

Open either front door - lights automatically switch OFF.

 

To activate the parking lights, you had to turn the light switch back to the OFF positon and then forward one click to parking lights.

 

 

EXCELLENT! No flat batteries, no unintended parking lights on.

 

Bring this system back and all people should be happy!

[PopsicleMud]

I've never had a problem with the parking light switch, and it does provide entertainment in the form of the confusion it causes. I also like the ability to just leave my headlight switch on all the time, because I've driven with my headlights on night or day ever since I drove a silver car. It just didn't stand out on overcast Seattle days.

 

I have more trouble with hitting the hazard light switch on occasion when I get out of the Loyale.

[montana105]

Mountaindave,welcome to the site from a fellow Kalispellian,as Smitty said that makes 3 of us,we must be growing up. Sorry about the rudeness directed your way at first,the site usually isn't like that. My Legacy wagon has the same switch but I've never had a problem with leaving it on, I don't use it myself,rather use the headlight switch and enjoy them turning off with the key, but I also know it's there and am concious about not accidentally turning it on when doing things around it. It is handy to check parking lights before a road trip though.

John

[Richard1296]

A redesign on the switch could make it harder to accidentally turn

it on. Perhaps one that you pull out to turn the lights on .

But I must say after you have hit it by mistake one time, its a

mistake that one should remember.

 

Richard

[johnceggleston]

NO! NO! NO!

 

I don't want some alarm going off because I have turned my lights on!

 

 

The best system I have witnessed was in my parents old - 1979 - Toyota Crown.

 

Start engine, lights on. Drive around.

 

Park, turn off engine - lights still on.

 

Open either front door - lights automatically switch OFF.

 

To activate the parking lights, you had to turn the light switch back to the OFF positon and then forward one click to parking lights.

 

 

EXCELLENT! No flat batteries, no unintended parking lights on.

 

Bring this system back and all people should be happy!

 

yeah, but that would cost subaru another 1.29$ per unit instead of the current 0.29$ per unit. that's millions per year.

[NoahDL88]

yeah, but that would cost subaru another 1.29$ per unit instead of the current 0.29$ per unit. that's millions per year.

 

Well, technically, it would be $129,000 instead of 29,000, but thanks for playing

 

 

 

The above math is based off of the last model year production numbers USDM

[sidedown]

Although I've never had the 'left the parking lights on" problem, I would say that one of the things I like about subarus is that the hazard light switch is in the middle of the dash where you can actually get at it in a hazard situation. I've used it quite a few times where traffic slows and the car behind is rapidly approaching. Much easier to hit that switch out in the open instead of reaching through the steering wheel.