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The stop lamp checker (which controls the STOP light in the dash) uses the amperage difference between the trunk panel and the two body mounted stop lights to determine if a bulb is bad. Very similar design to a GFCI outlet in your house.
If you have unmatched wattage bulbs, the difference in amperage can be enough to trigger the checker even if all four bulbs work.
Bulbs are dirt cheap so when I have one go out, I replace all four with the same brand.
Here is how the stop lamp checker circuit operates:
The rear stop light sensor works by separating the stop lamps into two circuits, each with two bulbs. The two center panel lights are one circuit and the two outside lights are the other.
The two circuits each go into a sensor and each current draw is measured. If it is not in balance (ie, one circuit has two bulbs, the other only has one working) the STOP lamp on the dash is triggered and illuminates.
The manual tells you the only "fooled" instance. If one bulb from the center panel is burned out and one bulb on an outer light is burned out, the indicator will not come on. Sometimes, after one bulb in the circuit causes the STOP light to illuminate, the second bulb burning out in the same circuit would cause the STOP light to go out.
It also has a fail-safe system so if all four bulbs are burned out (zero current flow) it triggers the STOP light.
If you put higher wattage bulbs in the center panel, but regular bulbs in the outer lights, it will trigger an indicator, even though all four bulbs light up.
If you replace your lights with LEDs, the light will trigger because the LEDs use next to no current, so the sensor thinks all four bulbs are burned out.
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Subaru Ambassador
1996 Polo Green LSi #216 ..138,100 miles. ..SOLD
JFICX8659TH100216.....Date of Manufacture: November 16, 1995.....
Fuji Heavy Industries..Ōta North Plant....Ōta City,. Gunma Prefecture, Japan
In-Service Date: January 2, 1997
"The Pristine Green Polo Machine”
First Polo Green on the Network
First Clear front turn signals, JDM Alcyone hood emblem, rear panel, and BOXER engine cover on the Network (US) (2000)
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First SVX JDM BBS wheels on a USDM SVX (2013)
HID lighting (5000K) for headlight and H3 fog lights, PIAA SuperExtreme 120W high beams, rebuilt EG33 longblock, Cometic head gaskets, Phase II flexplate, AMR aluminum radiator with custom silicone hoses, 160A high-output alternator in aluminum-ceramic coated case, new design alternator wiring upgrade v.4, rare factory headlight protectors, refinished JDM BBS mesh aluminum wheels and custom, polished billet aluminum new hex center caps, LED grille mod, R1 Concepts high-carbon cryo slotted rotors, Akebono ceramic pads, Goodridge S/S braided brake lines, Smallcar Stage 1 shift kit, ThermalTech aluminum/ceramic-coated valve covers, Energy Suspension urethane front & rear swaybar bushings, Bontrager22 rear swaybar with QS Components Chromoly Teflon/Kevlar endlinks, "$15.00/5 minute" suspension mod. Hella Supertone horns, Custom stainless steel exhaust system with 2" headpipes, Magnaflow cats, AeroTurbine AR25 resonator /AWD "Bullet" muffler.
R.I.P. 2010 Subaru Outback Limited 2.5 CVT...338,000 miles. Totaled by a 1,300 lb. COW March 4, 2016 
2014 Hyundai Avante Limited ...178,000 miles. Actually quieter and smoother than the Outback 
2007 Mazda Miata MX-5 PRHT...102,000 miles.
Plenty of parts, service and windshields. 
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