Chassis Electrical

CIRCUIT PROTECTION

Fuse Panel and Fuses

Fig. 1: Fuse box mount to driver's side interior kick panel-1991 Legacy

Fig. 2: Engine compartment fuse, relay, and fusible link box-1996 Outback

Most of the replaceable fuses for the electrical system are located on the fuse panel under the instrument panel, to the left of the steering column. In addition to the plastic fuses installed in the fuse box, there are 1 or more circuit breakers and a flasher relay.

For access to the fuse panel, remove the fasteners from the lower edge of the cover, then pull the cover downward until the spring clips disengage from the instrument panel. On the base models, the cover simply snaps on and off.

The locations of various fuses are illustrated in the owner's manual, and in some cases, on the cover of the fuse panel.

Fuses are replaced by simply pulling them out. A blown or open fuse can be seen as a break in the metal filament that runs between the blades. The fuse is made with a plastic body so the break can be clearly seen.

Fuses that open (blow) may be replaced, but will continue to open until the cause of the overload condition is corrected. If a fuse needs to be replaced, use only a new fuse rated according to the specifications and of the same amperage number as the 1 removed. At the time of manufacture, 5 spare fuses were located inside the fuse panel cover.

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