It takes me 30-45 mins every time I have to change these, one of the worst designs I have seen for all the cars I have. I always go back to your video for a refresher, thank you.
I just spent an afternoon in hell changing my driver side low beam on my 2012 Outback. I'd rather replace the head gasket than mess with the headlights. I couldn't get the retainer clip back on, I think the fitting on the housing is broken. What a nightmare! Replacing the Fog lights wasn't half as bad.
Thank you so much! I know absolutely nothing about cars, but my dad assured me I could do this with the help of UA-cam. I followed your tutorial after several watches and I was successful!!!!
@@FixitBongbong My very experienced home mechanic husband went to do this last weekend and got blindsided by the unconventional approach required. He postponed as it was getting cold and dark, and I'm going to send him your video.
@Joseph Martin true. A typical woman's arm would definitely fit inside that wheel well much better than mine. What a pain in the balls this replacement was.
The Outback makes me miss my XV Crosstrek. Just discovered I need to replace my bulbs this morning. This video has convinced me that I can actually do this. Thanks so much for posting it.
Fix it Bongbong, man! I've owned my Outback since '15. Love it! I'll drive it until it won't go any further. But this H7 bulb has been the epitome of my demise. UNTIL I viewed your instructions! I'm still wearing the gloves and sitting on the ground as I type this. You're instructions are not only perfect in my amateur eyes, but gripping and humorous. You engage the viewer in such a way that it makes you much more approachable then the other guy trying to tell me how to do this. Thank you!! Keep doing these, please!! 2014 Subaru Outback...so many in the PacNW.
Absolutely. I still haven’t used my Bluetooth because the manual doesn’t work there’s no UA-cam videos on it and Subaru can’t help me figure out my iPhone pairing that’s not working someone else had the car before me and so it won’t reset to my phone 2014 figured that have that figured out LOL
Thanks for this video. 2011 outback was a bit different but this video was invaluable. To the engineer who singed off on this, may you stub your toe tonight. I had to deal with salt / corrosion of the plastic and it took 30 min plus to change a light bulb.
Fixed my driver side headlight back in August with the help of your video. Took probably 2 hrs with plenty of breaks and frustration. Refered back to it today to replace passenger side. Dreading the process again...Replaced it Less than 30 mins start to finish. Thank you so much!!
This will be the third Subaru headlight I’ve put in and I’ve watched video’s before each yours was the most clearly explained with good lighting and good humor. Thank you!
Thank you for this video.I've only had my outback 2 weeks and had read lot's about people complaining how difficult it is to replace the bulbs.People saying that you have to remove the front bumper and making a big deal out of something that's actually really easy after watching this video.I removed each bulb on the drivers side just for piece of mind and to order spare bulbs for an emergency.The bottom fog lamp is easy to get to as well.I did rub a little bit of lubricant on the rubber O ring when i replaced the fittings to make it easier to get back in as i have fibromyalgia and my hand strength isn't what it used to be.Absolutely awesome video,massive thank you from snowy England.👍Awesome work fellas
Yep this definitely was an engineer's design on a Friday afternoon, for a long weekend. I take the wheels off just to give me more space. Thanks for the post.
Dude I cannot thank you enough for this video. Had a headlight out and have to make a drive on Monday in the early am when it’s dark. Was freaking out running around town trying to find a place I could do it the same day and I only would get that I’d need to take it in to a shop. The screws were the most annoying part that and the white cap at the end. Aside from that I had it down and I can’t thank you enough! Saved me some serious money too!
Oh my gosh! Saved me $200!! The only really hard part is getting those pesky clips out! Ugh! The 10$ tool I bought at the auto parts store was totally worth it! You REALLY have to do most of this by “feel” but truly only took me about an hour after watching this helpful video. It’s a project for sure…. But I’m a 47 year lady who figured it out! Thanks so much!!!
Great video! I changed my headlight bulbs yesterday on my 2013 Outback. As you demonstrated, removing tires is not necessary. The driver side was more difficult and I found it helpful to remove the battery to gain better access through the engine compartment for some of the steps, but going through the wheel well was still necessary.
I agree, I probably should have noted that in the video.. driver side is a bit more tight.. I didn't have to remove the battery though, but if that helps thats a great tip!!
Thanks for this. A tip, for first times especially: As you take the old bulb out practice the methods you'll be using to put in the new one. Unscrew and screw back the cover without taking it fully our. Unplug and plug in the power. Most important clip and unclip the harness repeatedly. Same with indexing the bulb. You'll be doing this blind with the new bulb and it helps to get a feel for it.
I want to add my thanks, your video made the job so much easier than the instructions in the owner's manual, even though it was basically the same thing. Seeing it done was so helpful.
Thanks to your video I’ve just changed my headlight bulbs! It wasn’t easy and it took me a while to get those pins out and to turn a grey cup (I helped it with a flat screwdriver turning it from under the hood cover). Thanks again for detailed video!
Very clear instructions. Removing the battery really helped with releasing the cover and plugging the electrical connector back in. I did take over 2 hours to complete the difficult job, so paying someone else $400 to do it doesn't seem so unreasonable now. ;)
Just did it this morning, I wish I had seen this video before doing it. I feel like I could have done a much quicker job of it after seeing this. Showing the way the pin works and describing that you are mounting the bulb rather than putting it in makes it much clearer to me of what you are actually doing. Thanks for the video! I'm going to put this in my back pocket for myself and people I know. Thanks for the video!
Thanks! I have also watched quite a few automotive help videos, including more than one about this project. This was excellent! The combination of mostly clear explanation and very good video made this far easier than I expected. Without the video, I might have given it up as impossible for my big hands, but the whole job took me about 20 minutes. over lunch hour.
Replacing the low-beam bulbs on a 2014 Outback is like enduring the *Gom Jabbar* trial from the book/film Dune. After prying back the wheel well cover and stuffing one hand into the tiny compartment to remove the access cap from the rear of the light assembly, you've got no space to see what you're doing - it's all by touch and feel. The driver's side bulb is even more difficult to access. I don't mean to discourage Subaru owners from performing the service themselves, but I found out why the dealership was charging John 400 bucks for the replacement... its a goddamn pain in the ass. I was cussing out Subaru engineers throughout the process. A terrific video, it sure helped out a lot. If I were to rely exclusively on the Owner's Manual, I probably would have given up half way through the operation. I am becoming less and less a fan of Subaru for reasons just like this. Now I gotta get up under it to repair a dislodged heat shield. I have to say that I miss my 2007 Toyota Rav4. Liked and subscribed.
@@FixitBongbong I was a fan of the original movie - which I thought was well done given the immature special effect technology at the time. The director focused on artistic set/scene creation; hiring some fancy French clothing designer (JP Gaultier, I think) to outfit the wardrobe. I saw the latest film last night, and I've gotta say it's surpassed my expectations. Really well done. Big fan of Zendaya. I'd stuff my hand into any Subaru access compartment, or Gom Jabbar, to share a romantic encounter with her. Glad I could give you a laugh... you sure helped me out. Thanks very much, and I look forward to your content.
Great video. I have to change my wife’s bulb in her 2013 Outback. I was dreading it until I saw this. I expect it to not quite go as smooth as yours but this helps a lot. Thanks
Dang. I wish I would have watched this video a couple days ago! My bulb went out right before I was going out of town and I couldn't get to it via the hood and just panicked and went to Subaru and asked them to do it for me. They charged me $120 to put in an $18 light. Now I know what to do next time instead of wasting money. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for this video! Never changed a bulb or anything in my car for that matter but this video walked me through and made me feel confident enough to do it! 11 buck fix for this single mom! Woooo
Great video! It took me 30 minutes to change the bulb, on my 2014 Outback, following your instructions. I won't say it was easy (for me) but your instructions are complete and very good. Thanks for saving me time and money!
Great overview- just replaced the passenger side and plan to do the driver's side tomorrow. Could not have done it without this video! As someone with little experience, one side took me a little less than an hour. I also need to order some additional clips as others have mentioned as a few broke off while I was loosening them. Thank you again!
Awesome video! I just inherited my parents 2014 Outback and didn't realize how difficult they made it to access the bulbs. I was so used to our 2012 Impreza and its easier access. Looking forward to showing our family your video. Cheers!
A $100 bucks at the dealership? Try $400!! For a 1 hour task. Thank you for posting this. I have a 2013 Outback and there were actually 5 plastic rivets that needed to be removed to pull back the wheel well liner. There was a 5th one facing down (like the 1st one you pointed out in the video) closer to the front of the bumper that I needed pull out. Also those darn plastic rivets get very stubborn after 10 years, so I pulled off the front tire (Driver side) and also pulled the battery. Made it way easier. I had jackstands to hold up the front end, so I didn't risk death by having the jack fail when I was pulling on the rivets. Removal of the battery helped to twist off that cover. I tried twisting the cover with just the one hand inside the wheel well, but couldn't get enough leverage to twist it. With my left hand from the battery side and my right hand in the wheel well, it was a very simple task. So, to save yourself a ton of frustration, if you are doing this on the driver's side, take off the tire and remove the battery. It is totally worth it IMHO. I would also just buy 5 of that plastic rivets and just replace them instead of reusing them. I don't know how expensive they are, but they can't be more than a 2 bucks each? Will find out when I go to the dealership tomorrow. If they are less than $2, gonna buy 10 of them, because I am going to do the other side, and that will save me 10-20 minutes knowing that I can just rip out the plastic rivets on the other side instead of being careful in the hopes of reusing them. Not worth the aggravation trying to salvage them if they are cheap. Thanks for a great video!
I very much appreciate content creators who produce content that actually helps people. ❤ thank you for this video. You may not have saved me much work 😅😅 (looks awful lol) but you’ve saved me a ton of money and since I’m a broke mama bear, I very much appreciate this video ❤❤❤. We need to petition these car manufacturers to stop rigging everything to go to the dealership so they can make extra $ off of us who aren’t as able to do our own repairs by the way. This is ridiculous just to replace a headlight bulb!!!!
Thanks for the video, this really helped. I've done this twice now. I found two additional things to help. 1) open up the hood of the car and have someone hold a flash light. There is room for them to slip their hand in behind the air filter, I passed the flash light to them up through the wheel well and pointed it for them. 2) park the car heading down a slight incline. this helps the bulb stay in place while your trying to get that clip on.
Thanks! This very much helped me change my lightbulb. I did do a couple things through the hood with a flat-head screwdriver: I turned the cover and pried if off part way, and undid the metal clasp holding the bulb. But just using my hand through the wheel well wasn't too hard. Next time I'll buy the highest-price bulb they have at the auto-parts store, hoping it will last longer. The whole ordeal did make me more reluctant to purchase a Subaru again.
Ian, great tips. Plastic cover was corroded in place and impossible to turn from below. Added a small pry bar through the opening next to the battery and got enough leverage to unscrew it. Lots of silicone grease before reinstalling.
Great video! I followed it to replace the low-beam bulb on the driver's side of my 2013 subaru outback. The job is a pain because you have to rely on feel for most of the work. I did not remove the battery, though I'm not convinced the job would have been easier had I removed it. Use a flashlight for better lighting and spend the $10 on a tool to remove the plastic fasteners (it'll save you a lot of time!) Good luck and have fun!
Thank you so much - this video was super helpful and saved me nearly $400!!! Thanks for your thoughtful explanation of every step. Outback does not make it easy but it's done! Pro tip y'all: the cover on the light only needs to rotate about 1/2 inch (not a full 360)and there's a little plastic arrow on the grey cap at the bottom that lines up with black plastic rim when it's ready to pop off (on my 2010 Subaru Outback anyway). Thanks again!
Thank you so much for taking time to watch my video. I'm glad it was helpful and even more glad I could help save you money!! Thank you for sharing your tip, no doubt it will be helpful to others :)
Thanks for the information. Greatly appreciated. Before searching for diy. I looked at the assembly from the top … lol … immediately closed the hood in frustration. Once again thank you 👍🏽
Great video, thanks for the levity. After owning Hondas for many years, this Subaru is definitely not terribly user friendly. Just changed the spark plugs, too, but that's a whole other fiasco. I seated one headlight just a tiny smidge off and the focus was WAY off - definitely pay attention when he tells you to be careful about that. And I don't know about anyone else, but the clips were the WORST! Two of them shattered, they were very challenging removing and replacing. Thanks again for the video, it saved me probably $150 at the dealer!
Justin! You're right about the clips.. they do have a tendency to get brittle over time thank you for pointing that out. Appreciate you watching and commenting!!
Thank you; while this process is a PITA your video was a great help. I'm glad I have a stock of replacement body clips, because on a 2014 which has never had this done you end up breaking clips; I just replace them all when I'm done. My stock bulbs lasted 8 years and 90K miles, that's pretty good!
Great video Bongbong, Thank you! Having done this a few times, Removing the front "bumper" (plastic cover) (20 pin fasteners) and the headlight assemblies (8 bolts or pins each) is quite easy, probably 20 minutes will open everything up for EASY Access. So if you're not as flexible/capable or just having trouble trying to reach from underneath, this will save you considerable frustration and in many cases time. Great video, just the same!!!
The last time I changed a headlight lamp it consisted of lifting the hood and then easilt replacing the bulb. Wow, thanks for making this less daunting and expensive! 😊
Thank you so much for watching and seriously thank you so much for the super thanks, it means so much to me! Glad the video was helpful. I hope you continue to keep working on things yourself!
I've got one of these damn things and blown my first globe. Great video and I feel a lot more comfortable having a crack at it now. Edit - Did the job yesterday. A couple of the clips were difficult to get out but just taking time and they came out in the end. Getting to the back of the light housing to get the globe out is no overly difficult, but a lot easier if you have small hands :)
As other people said - one of the most helpful instructional videos I’ve ever seen. For sure would have had to bring my car to a shop to change a freakin lightbulb without this video. Save that $$$$$. One tip to save time - all the clips are different, so make sure you know what clip goes to each hole when you pull them out...
I really appreciate it, thank you for watching!! Thank you for that tip, I didn't encounter that with our vehicle but thanks for sharing as I'm sure it varies per model year. Great job knocking it out yourself!
Thank you for this informative and on point video.! Subaru went great lengths to make this a cumbersome DIY project. I did it myself and having the grommet pry tool is a must!!
I did it! Your video was so helpful. Thank you for thinking of all the spots where someone could get stuck and explaining how to detach and reattach everything. So glad I found this video just in time for my road trip!
Thanks heaps, this saved me a lot of pain. Was working on removing the headlight which requires the bumper to be removed. Glad I checked this video before continuing. Hot tip.....get a piece of rubber tube that fits over globe base about two foot long. Use it to feed globe up and into receptacle. On driver side (passenger here in Australia) ideally your hands would be tiny......mine aren't!
Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! I just changed both bulbs by using your video and it took me about 30 minutes! I think I can cut that time down now that I know how to do it!!
best video I have seen on this too. Hopefully it is as simple as he makes it look. Definitely a bad design. I have worked on many many cars over the years and I have never been asked to take the wheels off to change a headlight bulb! Thank you for the information!
Great video man! I was going to record one this morning since I'm doing bulbs on one of these but I can see you already did a solid "to the point" video on it. Good stuff
Thank you! But you should totally still make a video! There are tons of comments pointing out parts I missed or improvements, surely you can do better! Thanks so much for checking out my video!
Just did this today. Your video was top notch mate. The Saftey pin motion tip was key. So was the index on the bulb. Was def a tight squeeze on the forearm but wasn’t too bad. Don’t be afraid to attempt this just follow the video. Thanks again
Why do they always need replacing when it's frigid weather? Although, the last time it was such a tight fit and I was so frustrated and overheated trying to get to it that i ended up down to a t-shirt in 30*weather. Note to self, wear long sleeves this time so I don't tear up my skin again.
Thanks for the video! This method was much better and easier for me.. than following the other video with removing the tires on a lift. I just changed mine on my 2010 Subaru Outback -- on the left side. I didn't think the fender lining would move just like that.
Thank you for this awesome video. I just followed your instructions and changed mine for the cost of the bulb. The only difference I jacked mine up and removed the tire. You saved me a lot of money. Keep up the good work.
Thank you for this video! I just saved myself some good money and learned a lot in the process. I had to remove one more plastic clip below the bumper to be able to get into mine, but I got it done. Watching your video gave me the confidence I needed to just buckle down and get it done myself. Thank you
thank you for the great video-DIY success today! hardest part was getting the back shield that covers the lamp back on. it was all by feel, couldn’t see a thing. it helps to have someone hold the wheel liner back (my son).
Thank you so much for this. Just completed changing the bulbs on ours from your video. My car has two slightly different headlight housings. The right side was a different cap than you have here. It was black with three lock keys. But the bulb's spring clip was the same. My left headlight had the same cap, but a different spring clip - it was two attachment points. A top and a bottom. Had to undo both. Top clip pushed in and down. Bottom clip pushed in and up to release.
That's interesting.. I wonder if your headlight assemblies are aftermarket or have been replaced at some point? Either way, nice work. Thanks for watching I appreciate it!!
Very well done video! One thing I recommend though that deemed essential: a good light that can get the light in the right places without needing you to hold it.
Excellent, works like a charm. My 2013 Outback has a plastic trim piece on the edge of the fender well, it was quicker overall to remove that also. Removed a couple of extra fasteners on the fender skirt also for easier going. Thanks BongBong!
Thanks, I just got them both done following your video. You make it look a lot easier than it is, I thought it would take me 20 min it took me 1.5 hrs.
I'm sorry, it truly wasn't my intent to fool people! I do appreciate you watching, I hope it was slightly helpful at least. Cheers for doing it yourself.
Very helpful! Thanks! I wanted to add that when plugging in the plug it is important to get the orientation correct when reattaching the plug to the prongs. Note which prong is left and which is the right side. Otherwise, I read somewhere, you can damage your wiring harness. Not cheap!
Need two tools to remove the clips, last time we removed them I broke a few. We ordered a bag of them , this video really helps. I shouldn't break any this time.
It takes me 30-45 mins every time I have to change these, one of the worst designs I have seen for all the cars I have. I always go back to your video for a refresher, thank you.
I appreciate the kind note, thank you for watching!!
I just spent an afternoon in hell changing my driver side low beam on my 2012 Outback. I'd rather replace the head gasket than mess with the headlights. I couldn't get the retainer clip back on, I think the fitting on the housing is broken. What a nightmare! Replacing the Fog lights wasn't half as bad.
I never believed the American/English language was lacking in adequate curse words until I replaced my 2014 Legacy headlight bulb.
It's a great design if you want people to pay Subaru techs $75 for the install.
Woooow, hands down the best auto repair tutorial video I've ever seen. Never underestimate the power of quality teaching skills. 👏🏻
Thank you so much for the kind words and watching!
Thank you so much! I know absolutely nothing about cars, but my dad assured me I could do this with the help of UA-cam. I followed your tutorial after several watches and I was successful!!!!
How was getting the clip un locked and put back on?
I'm so glad it helped!! Also well done for doing it yourself!
Still valid and still appreciated... Damn the engineer behind this design.
He or she was a Sadist.
I literally just did this this morning because this video made me feel confident I could do it! The safety pin motion tip was crucial! Thank you!
Way to go, nice work and thanks for watching!!
@@FixitBongbong My very experienced home mechanic husband went to do this last weekend and got blindsided by the unconventional approach required. He postponed as it was getting cold and dark, and I'm going to send him your video.
@Joseph Martin true. A typical woman's arm would definitely fit inside that wheel well much better than mine. What a pain in the balls this replacement was.
Cover me, I’m going in!
@@kevinw2569pretty lame.. try better next time
"Do it yourself and learn something" is the best advice!
The Outback makes me miss my XV Crosstrek. Just discovered I need to replace my bulbs this morning. This video has convinced me that I can actually do this. Thanks so much for posting it.
You can 100% do it!
Fix it Bongbong, man! I've owned my Outback since '15. Love it! I'll drive it until it won't go any further. But this H7 bulb has been the epitome of my demise. UNTIL I viewed your instructions! I'm still wearing the gloves and sitting on the ground as I type this. You're instructions are not only perfect in my amateur eyes, but gripping and humorous. You engage the viewer in such a way that it makes you much more approachable then the other guy trying to tell me how to do this. Thank you!! Keep doing these, please!! 2014 Subaru Outback...so many in the PacNW.
As much as I love subaru, I really hate some of the engineering they've done to some vehicles.
Sadly.. it's not just Subaru, they're all doing things to make assembly more efficient.
Absolutely. I still haven’t used my Bluetooth because the manual doesn’t work there’s no UA-cam videos on it and Subaru can’t help me figure out my iPhone pairing that’s not working someone else had the car before me and so it won’t reset to my phone 2014 figured that have that figured out LOL
@@jodyhakala-ristow7014 Ha ha Has the same issue!
@@jodyhakala-ristow7014 ...You're giving me another video idea.. :)
@@jodyhakala-ristow7014 I.
Thanks for this video. 2011 outback was a bit different but this video was invaluable. To the engineer who singed off on this, may you stub your toe tonight. I had to deal with salt / corrosion of the plastic and it took 30 min plus to change a light bulb.
Fixed my driver side headlight back in August with the help of your video. Took probably 2 hrs with plenty of breaks and frustration. Refered back to it today to replace passenger side. Dreading the process again...Replaced it Less than 30 mins start to finish. Thank you so much!!
Well done! Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment, I really appreciate it!
I think I might rather just sell the car . . . .
😂😂....its a pain in the you know what.....
Lol
For real, it's the worst placement they could have thought of. Any worse and it literally wouldn't be accessible.
$400 is looking like a good deal
This will be the third Subaru headlight I’ve put in and I’ve watched video’s before each yours was the most clearly explained with good lighting and good humor. Thank you!
Thank you for watching and the kind words!!
Thank you for this video.I've only had my outback 2 weeks and had read lot's about people complaining how difficult it is to replace the bulbs.People saying that you have to remove the front bumper and making a big deal out of something that's actually really easy after watching this video.I removed each bulb on the drivers side just for piece of mind and to order spare bulbs for an emergency.The bottom fog lamp is easy to get to as well.I did rub a little bit of lubricant on the rubber O ring when i replaced the fittings to make it easier to get back in as i have fibromyalgia and my hand strength isn't what it used to be.Absolutely awesome video,massive thank you from snowy England.👍Awesome work fellas
Ian thank you so much for your kind words and comments!! So glad it was helpful and thank you for watching my video!! Stay warm and safe!!!
Yep this definitely was an engineer's design on a Friday afternoon, for a long weekend. I take the wheels off just to give me more space. Thanks for the post.
Dude I cannot thank you enough for this video. Had a headlight out and have to make a drive on Monday in the early am when it’s dark. Was freaking out running around town trying to find a place I could do it the same day and I only would get that I’d need to take it in to a shop. The screws were the most annoying part that and the white cap at the end. Aside from that I had it down and I can’t thank you enough! Saved me some serious money too!
Amazon video man! This is what all automotive videos need to look like! 10/10
Appreciate it!! Thanks for watching!
Oh my gosh! Saved me $200!! The only really hard part is getting those pesky clips out! Ugh! The 10$ tool I bought at the auto parts store was totally worth it! You REALLY have to do most of this by “feel” but truly only took me about an hour after watching this helpful video. It’s a project for sure…. But I’m a 47 year lady who figured it out! Thanks so much!!!
HECK YEAH!! Way to go! Thank you so much for watching I appreciate it!
Great video! I changed my headlight bulbs yesterday on my 2013 Outback. As you demonstrated, removing tires is not necessary. The driver side was more difficult and I found it helpful to remove the battery to gain better access through the engine compartment for some of the steps, but going through the wheel well was still necessary.
I agree, I probably should have noted that in the video.. driver side is a bit more tight.. I didn't have to remove the battery though, but if that helps thats a great tip!!
Thanks for this. A tip, for first times especially: As you take the old bulb out practice the methods you'll be using to put in the new one. Unscrew and screw back the cover without taking it fully our. Unplug and plug in the power. Most important clip and unclip the harness repeatedly. Same with indexing the bulb. You'll be doing this blind with the new bulb and it helps to get a feel for it.
Excellent advice
I want to add my thanks, your video made the job so much easier than the instructions in the owner's manual, even though it was basically the same thing. Seeing it done was so helpful.
Salamat Bongbong!! I just replaced the bulb of my 2014 Outback in less than an hour. I'm a first timer lol..
Thanks to your video I’ve just changed my headlight bulbs! It wasn’t easy and it took me a while to get those pins out and to turn a grey cup (I helped it with a flat screwdriver turning it from under the hood cover). Thanks again for detailed video!
Very clear instructions. Removing the battery really helped with releasing the cover and plugging the electrical connector back in. I did take over 2 hours to complete the difficult job, so paying someone else $400 to do it doesn't seem so unreasonable now. ;)
Just did it this morning, I wish I had seen this video before doing it. I feel like I could have done a much quicker job of it after seeing this. Showing the way the pin works and describing that you are mounting the bulb rather than putting it in makes it much clearer to me of what you are actually doing. Thanks for the video! I'm going to put this in my back pocket for myself and people I know. Thanks for the video!
Thank you so much for watching and the kind words! Way to go, getting it done regardless!
Thanks! I have also watched quite a few automotive help videos, including more than one about this project. This was excellent! The combination of mostly clear explanation and very good video made this far easier than I expected. Without the video, I might have given it up as impossible for my big hands, but the whole job took me about 20 minutes. over lunch hour.
Replacing the low-beam bulbs on a 2014 Outback is like enduring the *Gom Jabbar* trial from the book/film Dune. After prying back the wheel well cover and stuffing one hand into the tiny compartment to remove the access cap from the rear of the light assembly, you've got no space to see what you're doing - it's all by touch and feel. The driver's side bulb is even more difficult to access.
I don't mean to discourage Subaru owners from performing the service themselves, but I found out why the dealership was charging John 400 bucks for the replacement... its a goddamn pain in the ass. I was cussing out Subaru engineers throughout the process.
A terrific video, it sure helped out a lot. If I were to rely exclusively on the Owner's Manual, I probably would have given up half way through the operation.
I am becoming less and less a fan of Subaru for reasons just like this. Now I gotta get up under it to repair a dislodged heat shield. I have to say that I miss my 2007 Toyota Rav4.
Liked and subscribed.
I literally cackled out loud with the Dune reference. You're not wrong on any points.. I appreciate you watching and subscribing. Thanks!!
@@FixitBongbong I was a fan of the original movie - which I thought was well done given the immature special effect technology at the time. The director focused on artistic set/scene creation; hiring some fancy French clothing designer (JP Gaultier, I think) to outfit the wardrobe. I saw the latest film last night, and I've gotta say it's surpassed my expectations. Really well done. Big fan of Zendaya. I'd stuff my hand into any Subaru access compartment, or Gom Jabbar, to share a romantic encounter with her. Glad I could give you a laugh... you sure helped me out. Thanks very much, and I look forward to your content.
Just saved myself $400. Had it done in about 90 minutes. Thanks!!!!
Thank you! I went to Valvoline and they refused to do this and so I decided to try myself. This video was extremely helpful and the job is done!
Well done! Thank you for watching!!
This is the best video I found on replacing this bulb. Crazy where they put it.
Great video. I have to change my wife’s bulb in her 2013 Outback. I was dreading it until I saw this. I expect it to not quite go as smooth as yours but this helps a lot. Thanks
You might surprise yourself! Let me know how it goes, and thanks for watching!!
Dang. I wish I would have watched this video a couple days ago! My bulb went out right before I was going out of town and I couldn't get to it via the hood and just panicked and went to Subaru and asked them to do it for me. They charged me $120 to put in an $18 light. Now I know what to do next time instead of wasting money. Thanks for the video.
There's always next time, also there's value for convenience. Thanks for watching!!
That's how it's done if ya don't wanna pull the bumper, go flat rate! Good work man!
Hahah definitely the procedure for flat rate techs or home gamers like myself who just want to save time! Thanks for watching!
Thank you for this video! Never changed a bulb or anything in my car for that matter but this video walked me through and made me feel confident enough to do it! 11 buck fix for this single mom! Woooo
Great video! It took me 30 minutes to change the bulb, on my 2014 Outback, following your instructions. I won't say it was easy (for me) but your instructions are complete and very good. Thanks for saving me time and money!
Thank you!
Thank you for your help.
AMAZING VIDEO! I rely on UA-cam heavily for jobs like this and this one of the best tutorials I have ever used...great job and BIG THANKS!
I appreciate it, big thanks for watching and taking time to comment!
This video helped me replace the burned out light in my girlfriends Outback in like 10 minutes after work. Thank you!!
Wooohoo!!!
Also wow.. 10 minutes is fast as heck! Nice work!!
Gettin' laaaaaid
@@mikagami69 My thoughts exactly... At least a hummer!
Great overview- just replaced the passenger side and plan to do the driver's side tomorrow. Could not have done it without this video! As someone with little experience, one side took me a little less than an hour. I also need to order some additional clips as others have mentioned as a few broke off while I was loosening them. Thank you again!
Awesome video! I just inherited my parents 2014 Outback and didn't realize how difficult they made it to access the bulbs. I was so used to our 2012 Impreza and its easier access.
Looking forward to showing our family your video. Cheers!
Thank you for the kind words!!
Great video, especially appreciate getting those shots in that tight space as well as showing how a real car behaves with those plastic clips.
A $100 bucks at the dealership? Try $400!! For a 1 hour task. Thank you for posting this. I have a 2013 Outback and there were actually 5 plastic rivets that needed to be removed to pull back the wheel well liner. There was a 5th one facing down (like the 1st one you pointed out in the video) closer to the front of the bumper that I needed pull out. Also those darn plastic rivets get very stubborn after 10 years, so I pulled off the front tire (Driver side) and also pulled the battery. Made it way easier. I had jackstands to hold up the front end, so I didn't risk death by having the jack fail when I was pulling on the rivets. Removal of the battery helped to twist off that cover. I tried twisting the cover with just the one hand inside the wheel well, but couldn't get enough leverage to twist it. With my left hand from the battery side and my right hand in the wheel well, it was a very simple task. So, to save yourself a ton of frustration, if you are doing this on the driver's side, take off the tire and remove the battery. It is totally worth it IMHO. I would also just buy 5 of that plastic rivets and just replace them instead of reusing them. I don't know how expensive they are, but they can't be more than a 2 bucks each? Will find out when I go to the dealership tomorrow. If they are less than $2, gonna buy 10 of them, because I am going to do the other side, and that will save me 10-20 minutes knowing that I can just rip out the plastic rivets on the other side instead of being careful in the hopes of reusing them. Not worth the aggravation trying to salvage them if they are cheap. Thanks for a great video!
I agree with Mr. Morgan. One of the best do-it-yourself videos I've ever seen. Thank you!
Wow much appreciated!
I very much appreciate content creators who produce content that actually helps people. ❤ thank you for this video. You may not have saved me much work 😅😅 (looks awful lol) but you’ve saved me a ton of money and since I’m a broke mama bear, I very much appreciate this video ❤❤❤. We need to petition these car manufacturers to stop rigging everything to go to the dealership so they can make extra $ off of us who aren’t as able to do our own repairs by the way. This is ridiculous just to replace a headlight bulb!!!!
So sorry for the delayed response, but thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Well done for doing it yourself!
Thanks for the video, this really helped. I've done this twice now. I found two additional things to help. 1) open up the hood of the car and have someone hold a flash light. There is room for them to slip their hand in behind the air filter, I passed the flash light to them up through the wheel well and pointed it for them. 2) park the car heading down a slight incline. this helps the bulb stay in place while your trying to get that clip on.
Great tip!!
Thanks! This very much helped me change my lightbulb. I did do a couple things through the hood with a flat-head screwdriver: I turned the cover and pried if off part way, and undid the metal clasp holding the bulb. But just using my hand through the wheel well wasn't too hard. Next time I'll buy the highest-price bulb they have at the auto-parts store, hoping it will last longer. The whole ordeal did make me more reluctant to purchase a Subaru again.
That's a great tip using the screwdriver through the hood! Thanks for sharing and watching!!
Ian, great tips. Plastic cover was corroded in place and impossible to turn from below. Added a small pry bar through the opening next to the battery and got enough leverage to unscrew it. Lots of silicone grease before reinstalling.
Great video! I followed it to replace the low-beam bulb on the driver's side of my 2013 subaru outback. The job is a pain because you have to rely on feel for most of the work. I did not remove the battery, though I'm not convinced the job would have been easier had I removed it. Use a flashlight for better lighting and spend the $10 on a tool to remove the plastic fasteners (it'll save you a lot of time!) Good luck and have fun!
Thank you so much - this video was super helpful and saved me nearly $400!!! Thanks for your thoughtful explanation of every step. Outback does not make it easy but it's done! Pro tip y'all: the cover on the light only needs to rotate about 1/2 inch (not a full 360)and there's a little plastic arrow on the grey cap at the bottom that lines up with black plastic rim when it's ready to pop off (on my 2010 Subaru Outback anyway). Thanks again!
Thank you so much for taking time to watch my video. I'm glad it was helpful and even more glad I could help save you money!! Thank you for sharing your tip, no doubt it will be helpful to others :)
…along with the indexing arrow on the “cap” there are two indexing marks on the housing, so when installing line cap arrow to housing index mark
Thanks for the information. Greatly appreciated. Before searching for diy. I looked at the assembly from the top … lol … immediately closed the hood in frustration. Once again thank you 👍🏽
Thank you for watching!
Was in a hurry doing it myself at Autozone. I didn't think to go through the wheelwell. Thanks mate.
Thanks man quick and too the point, did both in about 30 min and a trip to the parts store to replace some plastic fasteners
Great video, thanks for the levity. After owning Hondas for many years, this Subaru is definitely not terribly user friendly. Just changed the spark plugs, too, but that's a whole other fiasco. I seated one headlight just a tiny smidge off and the focus was WAY off - definitely pay attention when he tells you to be careful about that. And I don't know about anyone else, but the clips were the WORST! Two of them shattered, they were very challenging removing and replacing. Thanks again for the video, it saved me probably $150 at the dealer!
Justin! You're right about the clips.. they do have a tendency to get brittle over time thank you for pointing that out. Appreciate you watching and commenting!!
Thank you; while this process is a PITA your video was a great help. I'm glad I have a stock of replacement body clips, because on a 2014 which has never had this done you end up breaking clips; I just replace them all when I'm done. My stock bulbs lasted 8 years and 90K miles, that's pretty good!
Yeah those clips can definitely get brittle. Nice work thanks for watching!!
Thanks, dude! Other than the access door being stuck, you saved me a load of aggravation!
Great video Bongbong, Thank you! Having done this a few times, Removing the front "bumper" (plastic cover) (20 pin fasteners) and the headlight assemblies (8 bolts or pins each) is quite easy, probably 20 minutes will open everything up for EASY Access. So if you're not as flexible/capable or just having trouble trying to reach from underneath, this will save you considerable frustration and in many cases time. Great video, just the same!!!
Thank you and excellent feedback for folks who aren't have the best luck with my method. Thank you for sharing!!
The last time I changed a headlight lamp it consisted of lifting the hood and then easilt replacing the bulb. Wow, thanks for making this less daunting and expensive! 😊
Thank you so much for watching and seriously thank you so much for the super thanks, it means so much to me! Glad the video was helpful. I hope you continue to keep working on things yourself!
Much better than removing the front of the car , like the last 4 times that I had to change a globe , thank you ..
Wow great video. I had heard all these horror stories about how hard it was to change these bulbs, you made it simple. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much. It's really not too bad. Appreciate you checking out my video!
Thanks a lot! I could get all information I needed to replace the bulb without dazzle; and saved a three digit amount - thank you!
I've got one of these damn things and blown my first globe. Great video and I feel a lot more comfortable having a crack at it now.
Edit - Did the job yesterday. A couple of the clips were difficult to get out but just taking time and they came out in the end. Getting to the back of the light housing to get the globe out is no overly difficult, but a lot easier if you have small hands :)
As other people said - one of the most helpful instructional videos I’ve ever seen. For sure would have had to bring my car to a shop to change a freakin lightbulb without this video. Save that $$$$$. One tip to save time - all the clips are different, so make sure you know what clip goes to each hole when you pull them out...
I really appreciate it, thank you for watching!! Thank you for that tip, I didn't encounter that with our vehicle but thanks for sharing as I'm sure it varies per model year. Great job knocking it out yourself!
Totally agree. I've been trying to replace the light for a while and this video made it so easy. Thank you !!
Thank you very much - just followed these instructions for a 2014 Subaru Outback. Excellent video. Thanks again.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Thank you for this informative and on point video.!
Subaru went great lengths to make this a cumbersome DIY project. I did it myself and having the grommet pry tool is a must!!
Sadly its not just subaru.. Thanks for checking out my video and subscribing I really appreciate it!
I replaced my headlights successfully! Thank you so much for this very informative video. I saved a lot of $$$. Keep up the great job Sir! 👌👍💪
Well done to you sir! Thank you for watching!!
AWESOME job. The best video I've seen on this subject.
Thank you for watching!!
I did it! Your video was so helpful. Thank you for thinking of all the spots where someone could get stuck and explaining how to detach and reattach everything. So glad I found this video just in time for my road trip!
Thanks heaps, this saved me a lot of pain. Was working on removing the headlight which requires the bumper to be removed.
Glad I checked this video before continuing. Hot tip.....get a piece of rubber tube that fits over globe base about two foot long.
Use it to feed globe up and into receptacle. On driver side (passenger here in Australia) ideally your hands
would be tiny......mine
aren't!
Oh great tip thanks for sharing!!
Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! I just changed both bulbs by using your video and it took me about 30 minutes! I think I can cut that time down now that I know how to do it!!
Way to go!! Thanks for watching!
Thank You Josh for the time you took to show us how to change the bulbs.
Thank you for watching!
Thank you SO much for this. If it wasn't for you, I would not have been able to do this myself and save tons of money!!
Just changed mine. 66 yr old sore back. Worked great
Thank you so much for posting this. There's no way I would have figured this out on my own.
I'm sure you could have! Thank you for watching and happy holidays!!
Fantastic vid guys !!!! Much appreciated!!! I was like the old guy I am an old guy !!! Now it’s fixed thanks guys !!!!
Hahah well done, thank you so much for watching!
Thanks for this. Gotta do one tomorrow. Sidebar. Hard F for the engineers that designed it this way.
Just finished changing both of mine thanks to you video. Thank you for showing us a better way !
Way to go!! Much appreciated!!
best video I have seen on this too. Hopefully it is as simple as he makes it look. Definitely a bad design. I have worked on many many cars over the years and I have never been asked to take the wheels off to change a headlight bulb!
Thank you for the information!
Thank you for the compliment much appreciated!!
Great video man! I was going to record one this morning since I'm doing bulbs on one of these but I can see you already did a solid "to the point" video on it. Good stuff
Thank you! But you should totally still make a video! There are tons of comments pointing out parts I missed or improvements, surely you can do better! Thanks so much for checking out my video!
Just did this today. Your video was top notch mate. The Saftey pin motion tip was key. So was the index on the bulb. Was def a tight squeeze on the forearm but wasn’t too bad. Don’t be afraid to attempt this just follow the video. Thanks again
So glad it was helpful! Thank you for watching!!
Why do they always need replacing when it's frigid weather? Although, the last time it was such a tight fit and I was so frustrated and overheated trying to get to it that i ended up down to a t-shirt in 30*weather. Note to self, wear long sleeves this time so I don't tear up my skin again.
Best video out there on this, I have seen many over the years! Fun and informative! 🙏
Thank you so much!!
Thanks for the video! This method was much better and easier for me.. than following the other video with removing the tires on a lift. I just changed mine on my 2010 Subaru Outback -- on the left side. I didn't think the fender lining would move just like that.
So glad it was helpful to you!! Thank you so much for watching, I appreciate it.
Thank you for this awesome video. I just followed your instructions and changed mine for the cost of the bulb. The only difference I jacked mine up and removed the tire. You saved me a lot of money. Keep up the good work.
Great tip.. I probably should have thought about mentioning that in the video!
Great helpful video...I was going crazy last weekend trying to figure out how to get past this engineering fault.....
Thank you! I was worried this would be painful, but your video is awesome. Thank you for breaking it down so well!
Thanks for watching!!
This video is a BLESSING. Thank you! No more wanting to pull my hair out!
I'm so glad to have helped save your hair! Also thank you for watching!!
Thank you for this video! I just saved myself some good money and learned a lot in the process. I had to remove one more plastic clip below the bumper to be able to get into mine, but I got it done. Watching your video gave me the confidence I needed to just buckle down and get it done myself. Thank you
thank you for the great video-DIY success today! hardest part was getting the back shield that covers the lamp back on. it was all by feel, couldn’t see a thing. it helps to have someone hold the wheel liner back (my son).
Thank you for watching!
Thank you so much for this. Just completed changing the bulbs on ours from your video. My car has two slightly different headlight housings. The right side was a different cap than you have here. It was black with three lock keys. But the bulb's spring clip was the same. My left headlight had the same cap, but a different spring clip - it was two attachment points. A top and a bottom. Had to undo both. Top clip pushed in and down. Bottom clip pushed in and up to release.
That's interesting.. I wonder if your headlight assemblies are aftermarket or have been replaced at some point? Either way, nice work. Thanks for watching I appreciate it!!
Thanks for the video..... saved me a bunch of trial and error.....Thanks again
No, thank you for watching!
Very well done video! One thing I recommend though that deemed essential: a good light that can get the light in the right places without needing you to hold it.
Headlamps are cheap on Amazon.
Great video. Knocked mine out in 30 min or so. Tricky for sure but worth doing to save some cash. 👊🏼
Excellent, works like a charm. My 2013 Outback has a plastic trim piece on the edge of the fender well, it was quicker overall to remove that also. Removed a couple of extra fasteners on the fender skirt also for easier going.
Thanks BongBong!
Oh very interesting, thanks for sharing and watching I appreciate it!
Thanks, I just got them both done following your video. You make it look a lot easier than it is, I thought it would take me 20 min it took me 1.5 hrs.
I'm sorry, it truly wasn't my intent to fool people! I do appreciate you watching, I hope it was slightly helpful at least. Cheers for doing it yourself.
Best video I've seen on the topic. Thanks!
Very helpful! Thanks!
I wanted to add that when plugging in the plug it is important to get the orientation correct when reattaching the plug to the prongs. Note which prong is left and which is the right side. Otherwise, I read somewhere, you can damage your wiring harness. Not cheap!
Well explained. I've done it once before. It helps to have skinny forearms! Thank you.
Nice job! I tried it myself, IT'S A NIGHT MARE!
Yeah! Most helpful video but the highlight for me were the out-takes! Thanks!
Hahaha thank you!
Thank you sir. I will be replacing my bulb tomorrow before I get pulled over for it
Ugh hate getting pulled over. Hope the video is helpful!!
Great video! Excellent, detailed instructions. Two shops refused to do the replacement. We were able to do it ourselves with the help of this video.
Woooohoooo great job!!! Thank you so much for watching!
A most sincere *THANK YOU* for posting this video. Very helpful. Saved considerable time and effort.
A sincere thank you for checking out my video! Glad it was helpful!!
Need two tools to remove the clips, last time we removed them I broke a few. We ordered a bag of them , this video really helps. I shouldn't break any this time.
I always break them, I have a 300 back up for this reason.