Any Subaru Gurus out in CIC-land?

[Amerikaner83]

My wife has a 97 Legacy Outback wagon, and just recently her "liftgate ajar" light on her instrument panel comes on and stays on, even when the gate is closed and locked. The kicker is this - when the brake pedal is depressed, the "liftgate ajar" light goes off. Release the brake pedal, goes right back on. When the car is on, when the car is off - same thing. We had to completely turn off the overhead dome light since the dome light automatically comes on when a door is ajar.

I've looked at the rear hatch and lift gate area and don't really know what I'm doing here, though it would help if i had access to a wiring diagram or something. I pulled the rear hatch door panels off and have the wires and rear latch mechanism available but i don't see a short or anything....

I did find a wiring diagram online and that sorta helps but still not really.

Does anyone have an idea on where to go from here?

Thanks!

[cjb3]

dont have a subaru, but here are a couple of suggestions-

1- surf the net looking for a "Subaru forum"....i have an f-150 Screw and found 2 sites which were a great help for a DIYer.

2- kinda a similar problem i had. my door ajar light would come on and off intermittently, then just stayed on. i was able to determine it was the passenger front door.

took it to ford and told the service writer the above. he said "hold on a minute" and left.

he came back a few minutes with a can of carburator cleaner and sprayed inside the door latch (on the door) and closed the door.

the light went out!!

he said that there is a micro-switch in the door that, when it gets dirty, will not close properly.....giving a false door ajar signal....then he sent me on my way, no charge!!

i regularly use wd-40 on all my doors (i live in a very dusty, high wind area) and have never had that problem again.

i know your problem is a little different, but it might help.