Cord connected to nothing?

[aidanhg]

I was recently looking at the buttons under the steering wheel (TC off, Boot Release) and was planning to repurpose one of the blank ones for a custom button. When I removed it the blank one I was planning to use has a wiring harness going to it despite there are no electronics in the plastic casing itself. Does anyone know what they are used for?

I have the 2015 3.6R Liberty, from Australia.

The attached image points to the exact button I am talking about.

Any help will be appreciated!

[ncted]

Nothing in the manual. Isn't the steering wheel on the wrong side for Australia?

[ammcinnis]

When I removed it the blank one I was planning to use has a wiring harness going to it despite there are no electronics in the plastic casing itself. Does anyone know what they are used for?

The wiring is in place for Subaru accessories (e.g. fog lights) that may be port installed or dealer installed after manufacture. For another example, the wiring harnesses for the Subaru remote start accessory are included in all U.S. Outbacks, whether remote start is installed or not.

[Painless]

I agree with Philistine.

Likely optional Fog Light harness.

Pic should help you decipher...

 

Thread has more details on the optional fog light installation.

https://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/fog-lights-wireing-279227.html?t=279227&highlight=fog

[Brisvegas]

Nothing in the manual. Isn't the steering wheel on the wrong side for Australia?

 

I was going to say the same thing because my steering wheel is certainly on the other side But then I thought perhaps the OP just came across a stock photo somewhere that best showed the buttons that he was referring to.

[aidanhg]

Here's a picture from my car, it's the top left button. I already have fog lights installed so not too sure what it could be.

 

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[Bombdigitty]

Im sorry I didn't take a picture, but I just checked my 17 Legacy 3.6r

I have 1 more button than you, But still have one blank. In my car its the second from the right in the top row I believe that's blank.

 

I think the extra one I have is to turn off the parking sensors.

 

Id bet the missing swich in the top row is something only the Outback has and is omitted from our Legacy's.

[XT-sub]

... When I removed it the blank one I was planning to use has a wiring harness going to it despite there are no electronics in the plastic casing itself. Does anyone know what they are used for?

I have the 2015 3.6R Liberty, from Australia. ...

 

I don’t know if this will help. I have an Australian spec 2019 Outback 3.6R (a later year model but same generation as your 2015 Liberty 3.6R), and while the bottom four buttons on my car are identical to those shown in your photo, the top four are different.

 

From left to right my top four buttons are: (1) Dash lights intensity thumbwheel, (2) Rear tailgate memory height ON/OFF, (3) SRVD (Subaru Rear Vehicle Detection) ON/OFF, (4) Tailgate Open.

 

My guess is your top left blank button would be for either; ‘SRVD ON/OFF’ when fitted, or ‘Rear tailgate memory height ON/OFF’ on an Outback.

 

If you didn’t want to use that blank button position, you could fit a switch to the fuse cover like I did for my dashcam 12V power supply isolation. See the photo of the rear I posted (post #23) on subaruoutback.org here: https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/2018-dash-cam-install.508873/post-5891943

 

The switch I used is a Narva rocker switch 62055BL currently $9.99 at Autobarn. This is just a single pole ON/OFF switch which may not suit your intended use but other versions are available. If you do go this way, there isn’t a lot of room behind the fuse cover (note the switch spade terminals I bent over for better clearance).

[Grnlantern1]

Here's a picture from my car, it's the top left button. I already have fog lights installed so not too sure what it could be.

 

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Here is a pic if my US Spec 2015 3.6r.. I also cropped your photo to compare.. I have Eyesight as well..

 

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[Ctrain7093]

In an Outback model that is where the memory gate height would be. That could very well be what is in there since they are built on the same platform.