Is there a way to change the reverse camera brightness on the screen?
This might help.

 

No.

 

I have put LED reverse lights in with no problem. Typically, it's turn signal hyper flashing that is the problem.

 

I installed these LED units at $100. They are very bright, quite nice.

The only problem is not with the lights . . . it is with the lame backup camera that the bright lights completely wash out.

I’ve thought of other solutions but it’s not high on my list . . . I was impressed with the lights but the overall system is not optimum.

 

I use these led reverse lights https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B09Q3B27D5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title
They are very bright which helps quite a bit at night as the rear window is tinted. When looking for led reverse lights just look for any led that are W16W. The max watts for reverse lights is 16W, this is the watt usage of the stock/oem reverse incandescent lights. Leds rated for W16W will usually be using way less watts and higher brightness. For the product I used, they rated the power usage at 7W.

For pretty much every light that isn't a signal light, using a light that uses less wattage than the specified rating will work. Signal lights requires a certain amount of wattage to prevent hyper flashing.

Installation is actually pretty simple. You'll need a plastic trim tool remover, if you don't have one then a flat head screwdriver will work as well.
1. Just pop the 2 trim cover on the trunk door and it will give you access to the reverse lights.
2. To remove the reverse lights from the housing, you just need to grab the ring like knob and turn counter clockwise. The actual movement isn't much, no more than a quarter of a circle turn. Once it's unlocked just pull it out carefully.
3. I would suggest using gloves or some cloth/paper towel when handling the incandescent light bulb. You just pull it away from the connector and it should pop out.
4. To install the led light just pop it back into the connector. One caveat with led lights, they are directional in nature, meaning they have a positive and negative connectors. So if you plug them in the wrong way just pull it out and flip it around.
5. Before you put everything back together, test your installation, have someone shift the transmission into reverse. If by yourself, make sure the parking brake has been activated.
6. Perform step 2 then step 1 again but do the opposite of what you did in these steps.

The biggest concern you should have isn't the installation but buying quality led lights. Buying poor quality led lights could overload the circuit and blow a fuse in the best case, worst case, fry a wire connection which will cost a lot of money to repair. That being said don't let this scare you too much, a number of us on the forums have used various led lights in our Outbacks without issue so you have some products that will work fine on your Outback.

 

I’ll give those a try, just ordered them. I hope they don’t wash out the camera, but at that price I’ll take a chance.

And thank you for the rest of the information, it is appreciated.

 

LED replacement lamps for backup work perfectly fine and there are no Can Bus issues. It's the first and nearly only mod I do to a new vehicle.

 

And thanks everyone for the great info👍🏻

 

I have DD HP-36 LED rear backups, and it is better, but still find the brake lights (not the tail lamps) actually provide more light for backing. It seems the rear camera is more biased to the red end of the visible spectrum. When I step on the brakes when backing at night, the brakelights provide much more light than the upgraded backup bulbs.

 

Ive been running these exact bulbs on two vehicles for a combined 17 years with no issues. Amazon.com They take the factory reversing lights from "worthless" to "meh". You can jam a $100 bulb in there and it will do the same thing. They are ridiculously bright. When you got a lens and reflector that small, it is what it is.

 

I just ordered a pair of these as well (2 Outbacks). The description on Amazon notes that the bulb is 50W max and 10W operating, I hope this won’t cause any issues. I’ll try to take before and after pictures for comparison.

 

The reverse lighting wiring is tight. Unclip it from the housing, put the bulb in, and reattach. The ones I have listed above are longer than a 921 bulb but I know will fit in the housing without contacting the lens. They can be polarized. So if you stick the bulb in and it doesnt work, flip it over 180' an plug it back in .

 

Toad442, Thanks for the information. The bulbs you recommend will arrive tomorrow so the information will be put to use shortly. The bulbs mentioned in the beginning by another member wouldn’t ship to my address, so I am only using your suggested bulbs. If they work well for my purposes I’ll order another set for my other outback. Again, thank you.

Has anyone else added additional reverse lights? Like the ones that bolt around the receiver (hitch) or separately mounted?

 

I looked at the flush mount versions by Diode Dynamics, but decided not to install one. On my pickup that has a hitch for a trailer, I had a small cheap fog light mounted under the rear bumper that was wired into the reverse circuit. I had a small protected toggle stitch on the wall of the bed liner to make it functional. I only used it when launching the kayaks, when offroad, or on the beach surf fishing. It was too much for on the road, and I kept it turned off and covered when not in use to avoid safety inspection issues.

 

I changed all of the incandescent bulbs on my '24 T-XT to LEDs, and the reverse lights are super bright. They might be the ones on post #5, or very similar. What I like is the tails look all clear, without the yolk look of the incandescent turn-signals. Anyway, the reverse lights might not light up the rear like a headlight when reversing, but nobody is NOT going to see you. Even in daylight are quite bright. Just change them, but make sure they're canbus compatible, to avoid getting CELs.

 

I replaced my reverse lights and internal cabin lights with LEDs on my 2020. It's a snap. The access ports are an easy find and simple to open and replace the bulbs. 5-10 minutes at best.

 

I bought them in 2023 from Amazon:
iBrightstar Newest 9-30V Extremely Bright DE3175 DE3021 Festoon LED Bulbs Error Free 1.25" 31mm for Interior Map Dome Lights and License Plate Courtesy Lights, Xenon White
iBrightstar Newest 9-30V Super Bright Error Free 921 T15 912 W16W LED Bulbs with Projector Replacement for Back Up Reverse Lights

 

These do great but will require installation of an auxillary switch box. May be able to piggy back off the reverse light wire from a trailer hitch wire harness but something tells me probably too much draw from that single wire in the trailer wires to be worth it/safe

 

Must be in the original location since I can’t see them elsewhere. If I may ask, what brand and model bulbs?
Nice build!

 

Both sets I ordered came in. After installing these on my Outback

They turned out to be blue leds. They are going back tomorrow.

Next my 16 year old daughter and I installed these on my daughters OB

They are longer than the original bulbs but finally went in. Haven’t seen them at night yet.

(Apologize for pictures instead of links. After inserting links and testing them they both went to a totally different bulb)

 

Tested my daughter’s new reverse lights tonight. Much improved vision. Used these bulbs- LAZFIT

See below

 

here is an option for you.
Morimoto XB Boost Bar LED
I have one. It is not installed yet.

 

Do you have to drill a hole for the wiring? Does it shine up & glare into the backup camera?

I want to illuminate the SIDES of the car - backing down a narrow, not-straight driveway with a retaining wall on one side, so I need to see it in my outside mirrors. Looking for a flush mount "driving light pattern" that will fit in the plastic bumper that wraps around to the side panel. Needs to not block the function of the pressure equalizer flappers behind it.

 

Also check them WITHOUT your foot on the brake.

 

Whoops! AVH was on. Here it is without brake lights lit…. Huge difference for me. Before I installed the LEDs I couldn’t tell the difference between the grass and the asphalt.