How To: Change the Headlights In a 2010 to 2014 Subaru Outback

Рет қаралды 100,649

Күн бұрын

Пікірлер: 43

@patborjon6778 Ай бұрын

I replaced both bulbs last night in our 2014 Outback; it was about 20 mins each. Here's a couple things that might help others. 1. If your car has those wheel flares, they have to come off first(5 screws ea). 2. Learn how the clips work so you don't break them & so they're not frustrating - one holds ea lightbulb in, the others hold up the underside moulding(I just watched a few tutorials before starting) 3. Wear tough but thin gloves; my Alaska moulding didn't flex easily - take your time. 4. I had to put my car in a heated garage for 6 hours before starting; the moulding doesn't flex when frozen. 5. Have a bright flashlight, pliers, flathead & phillips screwdrivers handy. 6. unplug the lightbulb power *before* you release retainer clip. 7. You are flying blind when putting the bulb in & taking it out(you can't see) ; smaller wrist/hand/arm works better. Take your time & form a mental image before pulling out the bulb. Also take note of orientation of bulb before pulling it out, to put it in correctly. 8. take your time - anger & frustration *only* make things worse, but you can do this if you are patient. 9. never touch bulb with your fingers.

@eliasstriber Ай бұрын

Thanks brother for taking your time to explain all of that. Wish me luck i will be attempting to replace the driver side today and the weather is not helping (15 degrees) GOD BLESS YOU

@hakrj12 20 күн бұрын

Just did mine first time ... about 45 start to finish. The only piece of advice I'd add is: The protective dust cap was stuck but can be reached from up top with a flat head. I had to "break the seal" before I went underneath to twist it off.

@AbbyRose-bw6ef 19 күн бұрын

In the same boat right now! It is so cold :(

@michaelxortega 3 ай бұрын

People are exaggerating how difficult this is. I’ve done it twice and come back to this video as a refresher. Be patient and don’t rush it. It took me less than 15 minutes. It definitely helps if you have smaller hands but it’s very doable. Don’t be intimidated by the comments.

@lucasgv1992 Ай бұрын

It’s not really difficult- it’s more difficult than it should be. Absolutely bonkers that you have to go through all this to change a commonly-changed component.

@gmoney1985 Ай бұрын

@@lucasgv1992for real it’s kinda hard to reach in there, i can see where the last mechanic that did my headlights got angry and left a bunch of scratches on the protective plastic behind the bulb 😂

@neiljohnson3124 Жыл бұрын

Done a good bit of work on vehicles, from head gaskets to new clutches. On the 2013 Outback we did it on, this was more frustrating than all of those.

@jamesthemig1415 Ай бұрын

You can somewhat reach one hand on the access cap from the top with the hood open and use the other hand underneath to gain leverage. That was the only way I was able to make the access cap budge.

@Denbo68 Жыл бұрын

I just did this on my 2014 Subaru... Really cramped space to work in and the plastic cap that screws off was a nightmare to get back on. I got it though

@cr8tvty Жыл бұрын

Notes re: 2011 Outback passenger side changed (again) in 2023. 1. Replacing this light bulb could not be harder - thanks Subaru. 2. I've done this previously and even with the experience, it's almost impossible. 3. The greatest difficulty i had was trying to unscrew the access cap with no leverage. (In the video, his comes right off?!!??). MIne wouldn't budge. I even tried placing some long metal rods against the fins and edges and hammering it a bit to try to loosen it up (broke 1 or 2 a bit, but the cap is intact). I believe the o-ring was fused in place. Finally I noticed that even though you can't change the bulb from the top, you CAN see enough of the edge of the cap on the pasenger side (near the air filter housing) to tap those fins and to get a screwdriver into the edge to pry it off. Luckily I did not break off any of the 4 pieces that hold the access cap in place. (But I think that even if i had broken 1, it still would have been useable). In replacing the bulb, i was flying blind. As for the tab on the bulb, I just rotated it until it felt like it was seated (with my eyes closed). Before replacing the access disk, i took off the rubber o-ring and cleaned it and put some vaseline on it to ease replacement. The o-ring showed some cracking, so be careful cleaning it. Don't stretch it too much. I hope this helps someone out there. If you try prying it off, please realize that you may make it unuseable, but at that point I had no alternative and was willing to accept the consequences. It was like glued on. Oh, and one more reason to do this youself instead of taking it to the dealer. You're more likely to be careful in removing all your clips and not destroying them or losing them. I found that i was missing one - thanks Subaru service department.

@davidfinkledrums Жыл бұрын

Same thing and I did end up breaking off a fin.. before dropping the bulb of course.. LOL that thing does not come out you got to go buy a new one!

@grunpastur 28 күн бұрын

If you watch the video carefully, you'll see the headlight assy was out of the car, watch the headlight assy move when he pulls the lamp connector.

@mikemay6156 Жыл бұрын

I'll echo some of the comments here. What a suspect design and yea, was a colossal PIA. That said, this video is awesome and helped this hack get the job done. Thank you O'Reilly!

@timjederberg9322 Жыл бұрын

Passenger side is easy, but driver side is almost impossible! Show us how to that without tearing the car apart!

@notcluxxzy3068 Жыл бұрын

Right I can’t even get it , have u done it yet ?

@rudylopez677 11 ай бұрын

Nothing is impossible my friend

@rudylopez677 11 ай бұрын

@@notcluxxzy3068did you get it done boss ?

@notcluxxzy3068 11 ай бұрын

@@rudylopez677 yessir

@rudylopez677 11 ай бұрын

@@notcluxxzy3068 nice 🍾

@jimlemke3658 Жыл бұрын

This video shows the passenger side. The driver side is a major pain, due to clearance. I had to remove the battery to help. It took a while - much longer than it should to change a bulb out

@user-wr2yf5ci4q Жыл бұрын

Thank you

@andrewbrown1936 8 ай бұрын

I can’t even locate the plastic caps that are “under the car” where are these in relation to the wheel well?

@hektor6766 6 ай бұрын

And the notch that holds the retainer clip? breaks like thin plastic. Then it's buying and installing a whole new headlight housing assembly ($450 and hours of "fun") or Jerry-rigging a zip-tie, twist tie, anything you can pray or swear into place. The product design borders on malice aforethought.

@charlyemack9024 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this video much needed 👍

@TerjeTrysnes 5 ай бұрын

Hello from Norway 😊 It really is a fukking pain in the ass to do the drivers side. I did it four years ago with lots of seearing and scrapings on my arm. No i sadly have to do it again 😢 The most stupid design EVER! Passenger side is not that bad thoug,but both need to be replaced at same time.

@JeffJDDavids 8 ай бұрын

thank you - this saved me a ton of time!

@grunpastur 28 күн бұрын

The biggest problem on my 2011 Outback is that it does not look like the video at all. To get to the cup, it is up there behind a chassis support, no way anyone is getting their hand in there like this video shows.

@hakrj12 20 күн бұрын

Same here ... just did mine for the first time. You have to get the wheel well opened more and almost go straight in from the back.

@davidfinkledrums Жыл бұрын

Careful with that bulb if you drop it going to put it in.. it goes down in deep and there's no way you're getting it back cuz there's no other way in from the bottom so you're going to buy a new bulb unless you want to take the assembly off.. so don't drop it!

@TerraTansey-bi4io Жыл бұрын

I’m have an issue where I can’t get the dealership to change out the headlights and fog lights of my 2014 outback. The problem is that before we bought it someone wired the lights into the wire harness so I’m having issues finding someone to do it or figuring out how to do it myself…any suggestions?

@jacobmemmott3507 Жыл бұрын

Pro tip that plastic cap is by the battery

@johnneiberger Жыл бұрын

I'm doing this right now on a 2010 Outback and it is a colossal pain in the ass. The grey cover won't come off and I have no real way to get any leverage on it. This is a horrible design.