I’m tapping out on this light bulb replacement on the Outback

"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
12/13/2018 at 20:43 • Filed to: I submit

I told my wife to take it to the Subaru mechanic aka dealership.

Step 1. Disassembled car, like half of it.

Step 2. replace light bulb with one of the pain in the ass clips

Step 3. Reassemble car, like most of it.

DISCUSSION (30)

MUSASHI66 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 20:59

It’s not that hard - turn the wheel all the way out, remove a few clips on the front of the fender liner, and then reach and feel for it. It has a metal clip holding the bulb in place. Not really easy - you have to be able to feel for the bulb and replace it completely based on touch - but I managed to do it on my 2010.

wafflesnfalafel > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 21:00

no shame - my Mazda 3 was terrible, I could never get the damn bulbs clipped back in. Who designs that crap... it’s a f’n light bulb change....

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 21:16

Yup. It suuuuuuucks. I had to do one in my 2011 and after an hour of swearing I took it to the dealer.

50ford500 > wafflesnfalafel
12/13/2018 at 21:25

The Japanese are learning from the German manufacturers soon service position will be required to change th oil

way2blu does a rev update > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 21:25

Sealed beams are the best.

I’ve now replaced both of them on my MR2 and even with the pop-up assemblies it takes no more than 10 minutes to get lit again.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 21:29

I feel your pain. https://oppositelock.kinja.com/hid-bulb-question-answered-im-cheap-1701019431

MUSASHI66 > 50ford500
12/13/2018 at 21:38

As much as I hated just about everything on my 2004 VW Touareg, it had the most ingenious system for bulb replacement. The whole headlight is on tracks - you insert this tool in a hole and spin it, and the whole light comes out. Then you just replace your bulb in seconds.

But, the mechanisms broke on the drivers side, and I had to spin it millimeter by millimeter with another tool which was a pain in the rear. Over engineered and made out of brittle plastic. Not a recipe for longevity.

functionoverfashion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 21:53

A co-worker has done this on his wife’s car. He loves when I tell him how I’ve changed a bulb in my car while pumping gas, finishing before the pump. Or, in our Volvo where the whole headlight assembly comes out easily.

You win some, you lose some.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > MUSASHI66
12/13/2018 at 21:56

I just don’t want to fuck with the fender liner to that extent.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > wafflesnfalafel
12/13/2018 at 21:57

... and I’ve changed several bulbs on my Mazda 3. Can confirm a pain in the ass.

AestheticsInMotion > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 22:04

One of those clips made an inch long slash half an inch deep in my thumb. Only time I’ve ever seen projectile blood.

Screw t hose O utback headlights changes

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > AestheticsInMotion
12/13/2018 at 22:07

Preach.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > way2blu does a rev update
12/13/2018 at 22:07

But those are sealed beams am it right?

50ford500 > MUSASHI66
12/13/2018 at 22:09

That does sound gloriously imaginative. Now if only they could make them durable

MUSASHI66 > 50ford500
12/13/2018 at 22:11

Germans ..I’m sure they can, but they won’t.

way2blu does a rev update > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 22:13

They’re sealed beams haha, $11 at your local AutoZone or O’ o’ o,’ O’Reilleyyyyyy’s auto parts

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > way2blu does a rev update
12/13/2018 at 22:16

With that weak ass light you should ad an LED light bar.

way2blu does a rev update > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/13/2018 at 22:21

I actually ordered some “direct-replacement” LED units that were supposed to plug in in place of the sealed beams.

LED on the left, stock sealed beam on the right:

Kinja'd!!!

Long story short, they don’t fit. Heat sink is too big (which baffles me that they’d design a replacement light that doesn’t fit as a replacement) and it doesn’t plug-and-play like advertised.

Luckily the site I bought them from is letting me return them for a full refund, but I’m still in the dark as to how to see at night.

TorqueToYield > 50ford500
12/13/2018 at 22:23

Ironically with the oil f ilter o n top, good ground clearance for crawling under and easily accessible drain plug - oil changes o n the Outback are incredibly easy.

But fuck the lightbulbs.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
12/13/2018 at 22:38

Thanks for the confirmation.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
12/13/2018 at 22:41

See I was not kidding when I said disassemble half the car.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/14/2018 at 05:30

now i see why owners kept bringing them in

Lokiparts > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/14/2018 at 09:01

This is one of the very few things that I miss from my old Bravada and S10. Replacing headlights literally took a matter of seconds. Pop the hood, pull two plastic clips, and the entire headlight assembly comes right out. Unplug and twist out old bulb, twist in and plug in new bulb and slap everything back together the way it came apart.

Now with my Civic it’s a similar story as the Subaru and involves removing the entire front bumper , many broken plastic rivets, and several hard to reach bolts. The whole process usually ends up taking well over an hour.

MattHurting > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/14/2018 at 13:20

I have an 05 Outback sedan, and that generation goes through at least 4-5 low beams a year. Not as bad to change as yours, but it gets tedious. By this point all the plastic connector things are broken, so I’ve got zip ties holding quite a few things together.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/14/2018 at 15:39

That is definitely not an exaggeration. Besides having to take off the front bumper skin I also needed to take out the air box and battery. There was a lot of the front of the car piled up on the ground to change the light bulbs.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/15/2018 at 09:16

I got a 2012 Outback. You don’t have to take the wheel off. I do this whole process with the car on the ground. I only pull three clips out and push the fender liner out of the way. I just did this like two weeks ago.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > MUSASHI66
12/15/2018 at 09:19

Don’t forget the part where you have to triple check to make sure you got the bulb fully seated. You can put the bulb in crooked and not even know it until your driving at night. But your nothing is what I do.

MUSASHI66 > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
12/15/2018 at 10:12

Thankfully, it’s easy to see from the front of the car.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW!
12/15/2018 at 11:03

Okay, maybe I’ll try. It’s just so filthy and packed with dirt and snow right now.

Duck Duck Grey Duck FTMFW! > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
12/15/2018 at 11:32

Yeah, that always sucks. You can do this. There is a clip near the strut, one at the bottom corner of the bumper cover, and one in between there are the only ones I pull. The cap on the back of the housing had arrows telling which way is lock/unlock. Wear a long sleeve unless you want a scratched to shit forearm. Make sure the bulb is fully seated in the housing, this is probably the easiest part to mess up in my opinion. MUSASHI66 is correct that you can't see what your doing when you put your hand up in the hole, it's all by feel. I am unfortunately really good at changing these damn bulbs.