Drivers side headlight is randomly disabled. Like the majority of others having this issue, my car has been in a colder climate (minnesota) when this started occurring. There is no way of turning it back on.
2015 Subaru WRX: headlights failing or too dim
5 of the 52 complaints about the 2015 Subaru WRX describe headlights failing or too dim.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 10%
- typical mileage
- 11,700
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 7 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Headlights failing or too dim by model year
- 20201
- 20181
- 20162
- 20155
What owners say
Headlights disabled warning present on car and headlights don't work. Warning has been on for two days for no apparent cause. Car was parked outside for two days prior to warning coming on in 75 degree weather. During the time that it was parked there was a lot of heavy rain. Fortunately the time change has happened and I am not driving to work in the dark. I have not seen any reason for this issue so will be taking to dealer asap.
Driving on the freeway at night, a light came on my dash that displayed, "headlights disabled." the headlights were still functioning, so I ignored the message. Few hours later, the light flickered on and off repeatedly for ~15 seconds and then went away. The next day, driving at night on the freeway, the light came back on and both headlights turned off. I cautiously pulled over, and set my emergency lights on. I flicked the headlight switch on and off repeatedly and they came back on. Drove for another 10 mins and the driver side headlight turned off, and the passenger headlight stayed on. I made it home safely, but the light never came back on. The next day, the message is still displayed, but both headlights are functioning. I feel it very unsafe for me to drive my vehicle at night, which is a huge inconvenience, as the headlights may turn off again.
Three separate occurrences of the LED headlight malfunction light coming on, totally disabling headlights, daytime running lights, and blinkers. This is a huge safety concern as I primarily drive to work at night and headlights are obviously needed. This problem occurs in cold weather, the last occurrence at -6f. Steps to replicate issue: 1) warm car up about 5 minutes. 2) drive to destination. Turn car off and let it sit 5-10 minutes. 3) start car back up and the LED warning light appears. When this light comes on, you cannot turn on the lights with auto, or manual. The last occurrence happened during the day fortunately, but the headlights were in the off position. This has been taken to a dealer, but there was nothing they could do since the light was off even thought I had stressed to them this was a safety concern that needs to be looked at. .....updated 12/15/15 *bf *tr updated 9/25/2017
Headlights disabled. Started the car, "headlights disabled" message on dashboard. Headlights were non-functional. This was in very cold weather, approximately -10f. After about 2 hours the headlights started working again, message on dashboard went away. Dealer service could not duplicate this problem. If all the headlights had become disabled when driving at night, a major safety problem is created by this issue. Nothing should be able to suddenly disable all the vehicle headlights without warning. .....updated 12/15/15
Service bulletins that may apply
- SOA has received multiple requests for additional 83399Fj000rt BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH tools and now has...
- This bulletin provides a procedure for replacing the rear combination lamp wiring harness
- This Service Information bulletin provides a measurement and adjustment procedure for the stop lamp switch
- This bulletin outlines a design change made to the inner lens extension portion of the LED headlamp assembly
- This bulletin announces a design change to the headlamp assembly to improve sealing and prevent moisture...
- This bulletin provides a revised adjustment procedure to be used when diagnosing brake light switch (BLS)...
- Revised brake light switch adjustment procedure for dtcs C1531 and C0054
Related recalls
Exterior lighting: back up lights: switch
- What is wrong
- Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015-2021 WRX vehicles. The backup light switch may corrode and become inoperative, which can result in the backup lights not illuminating and the rearview camera image not displaying when the vehicle is in reverse.
- Risk
- Inoperative backup lights and an inoperative rearview camera can reduce vehicle visibility and driver awareness, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the backup light switch, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Subaru's customer service at 1‑844‑373‑6614. Subaru's number for this recall is WRE-22.
Recall number 22V522000 · Recall details
Questions about the 2015 Subaru WRX headlights
Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2015 Subaru WRX?
5 of 52 owner complaints about the 2015 Subaru WRX (10%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2015.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2015 Subaru WRX?
There is 1 recall and 7 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2015 Subaru WRX
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