Subaru Outback Fog Light Bulb Change / Upgrade - 2015-2019 Gen 5 - Non Adaptive Fog Light Version

[@EisBlade]

Great video. I just bought a 2015 Outback 3.6R and am scouring KZbin for these type of videos to learn. FWIW: You can touch the bulbs with your finger, just be sure to clean thoroughly before reinstalling. Oil from fingers left on a bulb results the glass heating unevenly when the lights are turned on. This causes stress cracks over time = reduced bulb life.

[@MrDoggerDog]

Scott, you're rad. You saved me a ton of stress. I have a Legacy Limited and the fog lights were the last to get the LED upgrade, and I was worried about it, since the others are so easy to access from under the hood. Keep up the good work, man.

[@youspoppa]

Fantastic Scott, thanks for this! Saved me a trip to the mechanic, and felt good about saving $$$ and doing it myself.

[@ronswanson5551]

Thanks, man! Bought LED replacements and needed a quick how-to video, this is fantastic! Changing them tonight.

[@stevenjamesrash]

Awesome video! Changing mine out tonight! The Diode Dynamics Yellows!

[@CameraBrent]

Thanks for sharing that walkthrough​, Scott. I've got a 15 outback with a fog light bulb that's out, Ill be switching both to the LED like I already did on my headlights.

[@scottfirman]

Brent Veverka How do you like the LED's. I was told the only problem with LED is they can be too bright in snow. We deal with snow 5 months out of the year and getting snow blind sucks. Our 2010 Subaru Forester went through bulbs every 10 months on average. We even tryed higher grade as well as dealer bulbs. I even had the electrical systems tested, no problems. The alternator finally went bad and that MAY have been the problem.

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

I also have a '16 Impreza and not happy with the Halogens. May swap those form my daughter. If you came across any good youtube clips on that swap post in reply?

[@5ohGirl]

Thanks Scott! Your video was awesome! I'm going to be using it to assist me in changing out my fog light bulbs. QUESTION! Have you ever replaced one or both of your headlight assemblies? I have bad condensation on my left one due to a broken seal. I realize the whole front end bumper must be removed to replace it. The Subaru dealership wants to charge me about $1,000 to do it because of the labor. Can you provide any insight on the scale of difficulty in my changing out the lamp assembly myself (assuming it will take me a whole day to do it, going slow)... on scale of 1 to 10? Thanks so much!😊

[@bradh5613]

This was helpful, even just for replacing with another standard oem bulb like in my case. Thanks!

[@HenryHapp]

Thanks for the video! Do you have any before/after pictures showing output and pattern?

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

No Before/After, but here's a good representation ( flic.kr/p/2htDJUr ) . The output is around 50% more subjectively. The biggest difference here is the amber color which is well suited for KY fog and snow, as well as looking a bit different than other Outbacks. This is the highest output you can get with vehicle-life reliability. Others may be brighter but run hotter and therefore burn out the fans. The only time I hear the DD fogs fan run is when they are turned on (self test/lube) for around 3-4 seconds.

[@HenryHapp]

That's great to know. Thanks for the info!

[@HenryHapp]

A couple additional questions, if I may: did you upgrade the bulbs in the headlights also? If so, what have you used and how had the performance been?

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

@@HenryHapp I did not. I have factory HIDs

[@HenryHapp]

@@ScottClarkMetalDetecting thanks again

[@ivanbalderas216]

What rims/tires you have there?

[@ernanv24]

I hope I get a reply.... My parents has a 2016 outback and I'm planning to replace then with LED... Are all the lights on 2016 outback is H11 like highbeam, lowbeam and fog lights...??

[@darrensmith8673]

On a 2016 the 9005/hb4 high beam is also the DRL at a lower voltage, however an LED replacement does not operate at dual voltage and will be too bright. I tried it and found them far too bright for daytime use and not very good as a high beam at night so went back to halogen. I installed Phillips Crystal Vision and have been happy with them... going on for almost a year now. As for the low beam h11's, your lights are the halo type which again is not good with led's, yeah I tried those also and again went with the Phillips crystal vision halogen and been happy with them. Only thing I haven't done is the fog's, which can be LED as they are refractors. Might try the yellow 3000k variety as I think the whiter 5000k may be too bright for oncoming cars and also the yellow performs better in rain and fog. Hope this helps!

[@donshilo2024]

Awesome!💪

[@kvn2266]

Great video man, exactly what I was looking for. I just picked up a new 2018 Outback and I want to do the same lighting set up. Thank you for sharing man. BTW did you do a lift kit on yours? I asked because I'm looking into placing an order for the same wheels that you have with some AT tires and I wonder if they will rub without lifting the Outback.

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

No lift kit, and no rub even at extreme turn angles. I have Yokohama Geolander AT/S 225/65 R17 Tires on it. I've not lifted because I have the tire on top right now and it presents problems with parking garages to have it any taller.

[@TiredDad10]

Agree with Scott. I have the same tires. If you drop a wheel size (assuming you have an 18") to the 17", you will have a much wider range of AT tire options. I have the same wheels as the 4xpedition outback, no lift, no rub, and they fill the wheel wells better than my factory 18" premiums did.

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

Mine are 17s also. Geolander AT/S 225/65 R17

[@scottfirman]

Does anyone know how qell these work? Any issues? I cannot understand how they can call a standard bulb a fog light. Those are running lights, not fog lights. Amber is and always been best at penetrating fog and snow. I am more interested in using them for snow in our area. My only concern is being too bright. Amber usualy isnt overly bright anyways, but I have snowmobiled enough to know amber can do a much better job at illuminating snow. As they wouldnt get used much anyways, I will probably be buying these depending on others opinion on how well these work.

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

The lights you see me installing above are very amber in color. They are fantastic for looking through fog or snow. Color shown here: i.imgur.com/wVu8sxy.jpg

[@georgescott3117]

With the connecting cords zip-tied so close to the LED ballast, does the ballast get so hot that the cord casing or the zip-tie could be damaged? Thank you.

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

I did not zip tie it close to the cooling fins. I zip tied the excess cable slack (far from the bulb) to an open hole far above the install just so it would never be underwater No heat issues nor would I expect any. LEDs burn cool.

[@denchero1]

Right on looks good .thx

[@sheikov2000]

What retrofit bulbs did you use for your low beams? Thanks!

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

My low beams are factory HID.

[@Richardscreoleblend]

@@ScottClarkMetalDetecting same here, and they are underwhelming. went the the auto place to look at upgrade options. they are $149 each.

[@kuino1739]

Nicely explained well done Thanks nice ride Great Wheels 17 ?

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

Yes, Method 502 Titaniums 17" running Yoko Geolander AT/S. Great compromise between on-road and off-road IMO. Thanks for watching! (PS: Project folder for the car is here: imgur.com/a/NxgQe)

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

Method 502 Titanium 17s

[@kvn2266]

Scott Clark can you please post the tire size that you're using and also let me know if you have any rubbing issues? Do you have a lift kit?

[@ninjaslippers]

Thank you sir!

[@MagzDP]

Does your fog lights adjusts vertically as well?

[@scottatbuzzmaven]

Not that I know of

[@mzrjames]

Thanks, very helpful

[@TheRealEstateNate]

Why not remove the battery for the driver side ?

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

This was just easier?

[@charchles]

Agreed --- just a few plastic tabs -- can't get much simpler.

[@charchles]

FWIW I was agreeing with you Scott...lol

[@scottatbuzzmaven]

Charles Silva my bad

[@TiredDad10]

Scott, are these the same lights? yours look different in the video:www.diodedynamics.com/fog-light-leds-for-2013-2017-subaru-outback-wagon-pair.html thanks again for the vid and details. can't wait to get them installed on my '16 w/eyesight

[@grob25]

Not one cuss word!?! I just did this on my wife's outback and made up a few cuss words while I was doing it.

[@lowlifeangler]

Gen 6? That's the 2020s

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

You are correct and I fixed the title thumbnail and the description, but wasn't able to change the entrance slide.

[@oisin_o_boyle]

What about CAN-bus? Do you get an error message?

[@ScottClarkMetalDetecting]

No, if I remember correctly these LEDs are designed to emulate the startup diagnosis resistance issue. Maybe that's not what you're talking about. Anyway, no problems on mine.