The brake light/tail light assembly on our Subaru Outback wagon fills with water every time it rains. It is a clamshell design spanning the entire rear hatch of the vehicle and includes the brake lights, turn signals and reverse (backup) lights. It appears that the heat in Florida has affected the seam of the taillight assembly, causing it to fail prematurely, so that rain water fills up in the tailight assembly every time it rains, where a short circuit is inevitable. You can actually see water inside the reverse lights portion of the taillight assembly, as the lens is clear. This is a big life safety hazard. I contacted Subaru motors of America's customer service and 1) they deny that they have any knowledge of this problem having ever happened to any Subaru owner, and 2) they are denying my request for financial assistance with the repair (vehicle is out of warranty). However, the dealer's repair technician acknowledged that this problem is common in Florida - he has repaired the same problem several times. I expressed concern to Subaru America about liability from this safety hazard, but the customer service agent did not even want to talk about it. This problem could cause premature failure of the brake lights which could result in fatalities. I would suggest that a mandatory recall be persued since Subaru does not want to admit there is a problem with this design. I clearly see this as both a design flaw and a safety hazard.

- Gainesville, FL, USA