The license plate light on a Subaru Outback is located in a small recessed area on the rear hatch, directly above the rear license plate. This light illuminates when the headlamps are turned on in order to make the rear license plate visible in low-light and nighttime conditions. When the license plate light burns out, the rear license plate will not be visible to law enforcement vehicles, which can get you ticketed and fined. You can replace an Outback's license plate bulb yourself. Replacement bulbs are available from auto parts and hardware stores.
Place the Outback's transmission in "Park" (or first gear if it has a manual transmission) and shut off the engine. Apply the parking brake.
Look inside the recessed area above the license plate and notice the license plate bulb. Reach inside this area and grip the bulb between your thumb and index finger. Pull the bulb to the right in order to free it from its electrical socket. Discard the old bulb.
Install the new bulb in the socket. Turn on the headlamps and verify that the license plate lamp is illuminated.
