o/s/r brake light out (L.E.D)

[mcv]

do i need to replace the full rear light to rectify this fault, it looks like you cannot get into the rear of the lamp unit, any advice please.

[CaptainSensible]

Aren't there two Philips head screws securing the light cluster to the body? Removing these should allow the light cluster to be removed giving access to the bulb holders on the rear of the light cluster.

[mcv]

53 minutes ago, CaptainSensible said:

Aren't there two Philips head screws securing the light cluster to the body? Removing these should allow the light cluster to be removed giving access to the bulb holders on the rear of the light cluster.

Yes you are correct but you cannot get to the LED unit for the brake light.

It can only be replaced by a full light according to Subaru.

[CaptainSensible]

So instead of a couple of 12V 21W bulbs for £3 its a pair of full rear clusters at £340!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, great design decision that was!

[Judd]

Don't chuck the old unit away, someone is going to start what will prove to be a gold mine of a cottage (not cottaging, that's something entirely different 😈) industry fixing these things.

Thankfully so far my cars are too old to have any of this LED stuff, and i'm hoping and praying and overmaintaining/rustproofing like billio so that happy state of affairs continues for many years to come.

[Mr B]

Yes great for environment is LED technology lol .
Seems the car makers spotted batten lights that replace tubes and are throw away units and copying the scam, lots of waste , mainly owners money lol .
Buy old and you can keep them running for pocket change for decades .
New anything is complete trash in few years and people buy it thinking they saving the planet ! ...

[BARRICADE BILL]

LED are meant to last a life time!! wasn't there a recall on faulty brake light switch on the xv causing 

LED failure ?

[AndyLevorg]

On 4/20/2022 at 2:39 PM, CaptainSensible said:

So instead of a couple of 12V 21W bulbs for £3 its a pair of full rear clusters at £340!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, great design decision that was!

I believe it is around £1400 for a Subaru LED headlight (not including labour to fit), hoping mine lasts the time I have it...

[Judd]

Colleague has a very smart BMW with all singing dancing turning you name it they do it LED headlights, something over £3000 a side he says.

Ludicrous.

Jaguar XF's from around 2011 had LED indicators in the headight units, one fails you were looking at £1100+ for a headlight unit over 10 years ago.

The lunacy goes on.