How to remove the front bumper cover, headlamp assemblies and front lamps '09-'14 Subaru Legacy.
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 жов 2024
- Need to change front end bulbs on your Subaru Legacy? This detailed video is here to help remove the bumper cover and headlamp assemblies to get to the bulbs. Featured is a 2012 Legacy. The procedure may be similar on 2009-2014 models. Note: In the video, the high beam and low beam lamps are miss-identified. I apologize for this error.
AT 0:36 it's the HIGH Beam 9005 and at 8:32 it's the LOW beam H7 with dust cover, Awesome Video!
With your instructions, I have been able to save $500 on an otherwise $700 dollar fix by the subaru dealership. Thanks for the video!
I am about to replace the OE headlamp assemblies on my 2014 Legacy with some black aftermarket assemblies. Yours has been the only video that actually taught me how to do the job. Thanks.
You're welcome. I hope the job goes well.
Awesome video. You saved me many hundreds of dollars. I replaced the entire assembly on both sides in less than 2 hours. And I went purposefully slow. Thanks so much!
I'm just the half-way point of you taking off the just the front bumper and NOW know why I've got scraped up knuckles and sliced fingers. THIS is VERY informative. I truly appreciate you putting this out here for me to learn all that is involved. I've seen other videos where you reach through the fender and light bulb fixture and will now know THIS is the better way of getting to the headlight assembly. Though it may take more time, I truly believe it will be worth it. I'm almost certain that in the time it took me to reach and keep trying with that spring clip, this way would have amounted to the same time...but again, without the scrapes and slices. Just finished watching it all and I will commend you on the thoroughness of your video. Really, really great...FOR ME!!! Thank you. Two things...1) Surprised you didn't install LED lights. 2) Not to get too personal... but I can only presume it must be cooler where you are... you're wearing a long sleeved shirt. I'm in the Austin, TX area even at 6:30 PM, I'm baking in 98 degree temperature! All my best to you...
Thanks again!
Very nice video! Descriptive, informative, and I learned a lot. Thank you for sharing.
btw you have the high beams and low beams confused. The low beams are under the sealed cover and spring mechanism (h7 bulbs). And the high beams are lower middle next to the grill (9005 bulbs).
Easy to confuse and I thought I checked it twice...Thanks for you're feedback.
Right about the mix up with the bulbs. Otherwise the video is outstanding.
Wife has a 2011 lagacy with headlights that need replaced. Polished them about 3 times in the last few yrs. Hope the replacements don't cloud up like the stock ones but they did last for 10 yrs. Was thinking this would be worse then it is, or, looks like it will be. Thanks for posting this video. Going to buy some replacement pins and a set of pin tools plus body pin pliers that makes it more easy to pop the pin up.
try some headlight coating like Meguiars it seems to keep them clear longer or the 3m wipes that are supposed to protect lights plastic surface after polishing.
Just wanted to say thanks! Following your video, I was able to get new headlights into my car. I found that both bulbs I'd put in earlier using the wheel well method, were not seated correctly, which probably explains why one burned out early and the other was aimed all wonky. Keep up the good work!
As time consuming as it is to completely remove the bumper to get at the headlight assemblies, this looks way easier than trying to go through the wheel-well and blindingly trying to get at those retainer springs/clips, which is how I’ve done it in the past.
I've lost one of those retainer springs. They're not secured in there they're just sitting in there it hangs on the tabs for it. I flung it out of the way to get the bulb out reaching through the wheel well. The spring fell off and went IN the headlight assembly where there was no way to get it besides take the whole front of the car apart as this video shows, take the assembly out, and shake the spring out of where it fell in. What a pain in the ass! Dumbest head light design I've ever seen.
What a terrible design by Subaru. Really that’s my only complaint about my car. Changing headlight bulbs, how often and how difficult it is
My mech did it in like 20 min that way.
What a remarkable job you are doing. God bless you I spend almost all day trying to get to, so I can changed the head lights. Now finally I will be. God bless you again.
Thanks.🙏🏻🙏🏽🙏🏾
Thank you for this. I have to replace my fog light assemblies, and this really helps. I absolutely hate the wheel well method. This will simplify what i have to do. Thanks
Excellent walk through. Love the car “2011 Outback “ but changing bulbs has been a challenge. Your video and patient delivery were very helpful. Thank you
You're very welcome.
Fantastic video! I've only ever used the Wheel Well method (absolutely brutal and lengthy) but this looks easier.
Great video. Very clear. Was able to do in an afternoon. Saved me a ton of money doing this myself!
This is the video to watch! Good audio and lighting. Direct & complete. Do This! Do not think it is excessive.
Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you! This was a huge help! I just can't believe this is what you have to do now to change a side marker light bulb!!!!!!!!!
I’ve watched this more than once and I love it. So thorough, thanks
Thank you soo much. Only video i could find. Guessing its the same as a 2013 3.6r..thanks again..
Really nicely done! Thanks.
I'm angry with Subaru for making this so damned hard to do.
You're welcome. Thanks for watching and commenting and I'm glad it helped.
Alan Mimms that's what happens when you blow up a country and you rebuild it they get back at you some way later in the Year's
@@geraldrivard5767 If that were the case, all cars made in countries the US went to war with would be this hard. BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes, Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler..
Yeah fuck that japanese grandma who designed it ...
Edgar O'Kras shit I have
To fix my wife’s car tomorrow
“Appear to be nearly unbreakable” Challenge accepted, Sir.
@Christopher Cangialosi trust me...it's already been proven otherwise! :)
Yeah thats a hustle, i remember my old Saab 9-5. If i remember correclty the front bump cover was fastened with like 4 bolts top, and 2 to the wheel well each side. And a few clips to the skid plate. Thanks for the info though :)
Wow thank you for this video. I will be installing HID on my 2013 legacy. Now I know how to remove the light assembly. Great video thanks
A few mistakes on the video : 0:37 they are the high beam headlamps bulb # 9005. The other bulb is the low beam headlamp and is bulb # H7. While you're there, I would HIGHLY suggest replacing the side marker lamps and they are bubs # 168. I just did mine and it took me maybe 45 minutes. I left the lower christmas tree fasters on (about 3 of them) so I was able to tilt the bumper cover forward without removing it completelty. It made it way easier to reinstall.
Good tips, thanks for sharing.
Very good video. Step by step instructions and additional steps of replacing the bulbs before reinstalling is great advice. Thanks
You're welcome. I appreciate that you watched the video and took time to comment!
Thanks!!! Just wanted to find out how to remove those retainer pins!!!! Great video!
Yeah that's why I'm here to know where those are at as well, only I'm not worried about saving them cuz I bought a pack of new ones so I don't care if they break or not
Nice, no rambling, great steady camera, lithium grease idea im going to try, I wonder if graphite powder will work with out collecting dust. Excellent video. 🦘
This is actually easier than I thought thanks
Great video more work but easier to change low beam bulbs
I really appreciate your help. This is a awesome video.👍🏼
The first bulb you expose at about 1 minute is NOT the low beam, it's the high beam light. Those are fairly accessible to replace. The low beam is a royal PITA to get to.
But thanks for the video. Having gone thru the wheel well just now to do passenger side low beam, I'm going your route next time. Wheel well route is hell IMHO....crawl around on floor, can't see worth crap, have to use one hand blind getting the bulb cover off, getting the plug off the bulb, getting the wire retainer off, (and all that back on), and trying to seat the new bulb in one certain spot with the tab right......nope....ain't doing THAT again.
Отличное, подробное видео! На днях предстоит этим заняться.
Thanks for the video, it gave me the confidence to drop the bumper myself to get to the lights, took me about 2 hours but now i feel empowered to do it again
You're welcome. Glad to hear the video helped you get this job done.
Did you have a tips for lining up the bumper when putting it back on, like getting 1 side done first or putting them middle part on, i had a difficult time when it was a 1 person operation
I always start with middle first. Make sure it is seated properly inside the wheel well and under the front. Then snap one side in place and then the other.
Nice one mate - found this really helpful. I was replacing the low beam headlight through the wheel well (as per the Subaru owner manual instructions), and as it could only be done blind, I ended up dropping the bulb into the headlight assembly :( So now I’ve got to take the whole front end off to get the damned thing out.
Super unimpressed with Subaru for such a retarded design.
I think it's ridiculous that you have to go thru all this just to replace a $2.00 light bulb
The lower bulbs are the low beams, not the high beams. I would recommend changing these to LED while you have the headlight assemblies out, as they can be very difficult to install with the headlight housings in the car, and they'll long outlast the Halogen bulbs. I've probably changed the H7 lamps 7-8 times over 10 years in my Legacy, and have gotten pretty good at it, though I dread doing the job.
One of the shames of Subaru engineering is the short life span of their headlights lamps.
interesting taking off bumper cover i always replaced bulbs reaching up through wheel well only a couple of those stupid push connectors to remove. it is hard to get at bulbs but a lot quicker.
you have name of bulbs backwards the one under the cap h7 is the low beam that burns out most often and the other one 9005 is high beam. only one you can actually reach from engine compartment. the daytime running lights can be reached in engine compartment.
some people pop apart bumper at seam to get better access and go through wheel well.
Great video. I didn't have to change any bulbs but I had hit something that knocked the fog light and snapped the supports so I needed this kind of access. One thing that I did find was that if I took the bottom centre 3 fasteners off first I didn't need to remove the 3 that are tucked in by the rad. (down to 19 woohoo!)
Way to go. Thanks for watching and good luck with your repair.
Great video. A little more work but a lot less frustrating.
Good video consise straight to the point
Super Dave...fabulous job on this video. I sell a few Subaru for a friend that rebuilds salvage title cars. Now I know why the bumper cover doesn't always fit properly...especially on the 2010-2014 Outbacks. Seems like the clips that snap in on the side of the bumper cover don't hold that well. You did a fantastic job on this! Thank you.
You're welcome. I'm glad you found the video useful and thanks for commenting.
Thank you. I'm trying to repair the front bumper and LH headlight assembly on our 2016. I'm sure it's similar
Like everyone is saying.... AWESOME VIDEO! PERFECT INSTRUCTIONS, THANKS ALOT👍🏼👍🏼
Great detailed vid...will help me remove the bumper for repair and painting on an '08...way better chance of doing a great job than trying to do it on the car.
Thanks for watching and good luck with your work
Awesome video! I just got a 2010 WRX with yellowed and dim headlights. Was gonna remove them to restore or replace, but after watching this... HELL NO! Hahaha what a monstrous pain in the ass! Half my body clips are already missing or broken, no way I’m tearing the rest out just to get shinier lights. New bulbs and rubbing compound will have to do for now. Thanks for the video though!!
Thank you this made my job possible!
This video saved me! Thank you sir
Well for all the ppl complaining how hard Subaru made it to install the light, just know that this is probably one of the hardest things to do to a legacy, everything else is a cake walk
@subjektproductions nah - simply changing the filter on the CVT is way more challenging.
This is one of the reasons why I only own vehicles 30 years old or older. A lot easier to work on.
Very Clean for a Subaru
Very helpful
Thanks for making this!
Thank you very much great video it helps me out alot!
Thank you for the great video. Very helpful!
Good Lord what a ridiculous amount of work just to get at the bulbs. I'm having to replace the lamp assembly on my 09 Impreza, The bumper and lamp assembly removal is more or less the same, but if you're just doing the bulbs on the Impreza all you have to do is remove the air intake funnel on the passenger side and you'll have full access to the back side of the assembly for swapping bulbs. On the driver side there's enough room between the battery and the back of the lamp assembly you don't even have to remove anything.
Low beams and side turn signals accessible thru wheel well. Do not have to remove bumper. Top turn signals accessable from under hood. Just lift flap at rear of light housing.
sadly not on the 2014 - bummer its a bit different
Correct. On this particular car, just turn the wheels all the way away from the bulb that you want access to, then you can pop off the 4 front most plastic clips of the splash guard, starting at the bumper and working back to the first one in the wheel arch and you can pull it out of the way enough to get the low beam.
@@samurphy not always possible. my left hand cannot hold the lamp in place, and hold all thee points of the spring, AND manipulate the spring in place AND get my right hand in with the screwdriver to secure the clip.
IMHO, the dealer should not be allowed by law to charge more than $5 plus a bulb to change. these are safety issues. manufacturers should be responsible for design flaws.
@@dave-in-nj9393 I agree with the final point. However, I also have to ask how you're changing your light bulbs? There's a single spring that swings over the bulb and you can press to release or latch with your thumb. It is a one handed operation, even when it's out in the open like many other cars.
@@samurphy ": the spring is not attached. there is a screw that is supposed to capture it. on the drivers side it does 'hinge' and is attached.
on the passenger side it has to rest in the slot under the screw.
the lamp does not stay in place, so one finger has to hold that.
as the spring gets into the slot on the hinge side, and as the hold-down touches the lamp, it falls out.
so, I have to hold the lamp, hold the spring, and push the clamp to catch.
then, tighten the screw to make sure the spring is captured properly.
Drivers side is a 5 minute swap. I have spent an hour and been unable to get it to catch.
I will be taking off the bumper, then the headlight assembly to get to the lamp.
because the spring fell on my um-ttenth attempt and now resides deep inside the lamp cowling.
this is such bad engineering.
my honda odyssey tail lights were almost as bad.
I stopped a woman in a parking lot who also had an odyssey and she said that she had 3 people try to change it, but no one could figure out how.
it came down to taking parts off the car to gain access.
no safety issue should be this complicated.
Thank you very much, very helpful
You're welcome and thanks for commenting.
This was a great video, Thank you
Wtf all that work and you don't bother to replace the side marker light.🤣🤣😂😅
I do appreciate the video I was trying to figure out if there was one. I thought there was but no confirmation till now thanks.
I just took the top clips off and left the bottom ones. Bumper leaned forward enough to replace the headlight assemblies.
Great video. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Sure, your welcome.
And here I am, owning a Citroen C5 where you just open the cap on the back of the lights, change the lamp, put it back in an close the cap. Lucky me.
I would just like to weigh in here. I have changed all my lights on my subaru legacy to leds which are more complicated and also have a bunch of more wiring to deal with. it is not as hard as this video. you could access all the lights through the engine bay except for the low beams( just to clarify, the one with white cap covered is low beam, this video has mixed up low beam and high beam).
The low beam lights are accessed through the wheel well which is easily removed with 5 lug nuts and 2 fasteners, the reason why i recommend switch lights through the wheel well is so that not only is it easy to switch the bulb, you could also check the tire depth and the brakes at the same time for add safety.
just to clarify, the owners manual tells you to switch the bulb through the wheel well.
I'm about to do the same. Did you have trouble getting the H7 LED in? I am worried that the lever may not be able to clip back in with the LED bulb.
Where can one get replacement fasteners if they break - this was great!
Subaru if you want identical ones, but you can take one into any auto parts store and try to match it up.
Are all the fasteners the same length and size? So I don’t have to worry about keeping track?
The ones in the wheel well are different but the other 20 are the same
Thanks! That was very helpful.
need to install hella horns when you have all that access :)
outstanding video! thank you so much! Great information.......now i get to try removing the front bumper cover and headlamp assembly...........all for two 1 dollar bulbs!!!!! I hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate hate this damn car!
i did it, thanks to your video.........my lights had 7 bolts per side...............Subaru is INSANE........
Aww they aren't that bad. I just did a timing belt and water pump on the same car and it was easier than any other I have done.
@@TheOriginalMechanic For someone who lives in an apartment and can't do this in the shared driveway it really is that bad, and frankly maddening. Any American car I've owned is a simple matter of removing and replacing a burned out bulb and I can do that on my way home if I notice a bulb out. With this Subaru I have no choice but to finish driving home with a headlight out. I had TWO out about a month ago and had to drive home a half hour with brights only. That's a massive safety hazard. Unacceptable.
@@josephbasile7978 I once changed a starter in a parking lot at work. On my back in the cold. Don't give up.
Would this be a good reference video on how to put a new bumper cover on?
Oh sure
Hey at 825 i think you mean low beam, notorious for going out on 2013 legacy, maybe I'm wrong. Great vid with clips location
You are right, it was the low beam light.
Remember the old days when a couple of phillips head screws
were all you had to remove to change your bulb......
I was just considering buying a 2009 Outback. When did they plan to tell me this? So one are supposed to take ones car apart? Now how does this look on a gas station, on your way to a wedding or whatever? Good video, good to know.
arnemusikk I own an 09 Legacy. This video is for the model year after the 09. I’ve replaced many bulbs without taking the whole front face off!
For anyone confused, he says the 9005 is a low beam when it is the high beam and vice versa. The low beam is a h7 bulb. Otherwise great video. Gonna go put my new assembly in now
my dad has a 2010 legacy and on the high beam with that circle cover its technically low beam too because my dads low beams dont work his h7 housing where the bulb sits is all black and plastic broke so bulb doesnt sit would i have to by an assembly or they sell that plastic where the bulb sits
Thank you for an excellent video. From what company would you recommend I buy replacement headlight assemblies?
I'm not familiar with what aftermarket brands are reliable but OEM is always best for fit and finish.
Thank you for the great video! I wish I had known about this before buying the car since I don't have a place in which to casually take the front of the car off once a year when the crappy bulbs inevitably burn out again. I was able to do the wheel well thing on my Outback but my hands are too big for the wheel well in the Legacy. So far I've just been shelling out way too much money to deal with this shit design.
The one with the white cover you called the high beam lamp? My 2012 has this cover over the low beam.
As others have pointed out, I mixed the two up. Sorry about that.
@@TheOriginalMechanic Its all good I got a little scared at first - thought I went thru all that and changed the wrong bulbs haha
The one you calling the high beam is the regular light...that one keeps blowing out on me
I need to replace 1 bulb. I’m going to do them all so I won’t have to do this again anytime soon.
Smart idea! Thanks for watching.
Awesome video!
What’s that plastic piece called that sits right under the headlight ??
Is this method different for a '06 Subie Outback?
This is not the same as an 09 Legacy... I think you wanted to put 2010-2014 which is the fifth generation Legacy
OK thanks for the heads up
Ridiculous! I'm trading my wife's car in. Never in my F*ing life had I went through so much madness for a headlight! Thanks for the video and F you Subaru.
What is pry tool used to remove clips? thanks!
It's a screwdriver pry pry bar like this: www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnpla/78622289?cid=ppc-google-New+-+Exclusive+Brands+-+PLA_sUJmY0GEK___334980939503_c_S&mkwid=sUJmY0GEK%7cdc&pcrid=334980939503&rd=k&product_id=78622289&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0rr4BRCtARIsAB0_48NxtuQCUsLXWIXVgtxGoF_uTe-NhAO4hKukBhMv7cAlQlKj0px7FN4aAkdREALw_wcB
nice video
Does anyone know where I could get the same fasteners ??
Subaru dealership. You can find ones that fit at parts stores like Napa but they will not be exactly the same.
where is Congress ? this should be against the law. light are a public safety issue.
Thanks!
You/re welcome
All this to change a bulb. I shake my head.
Pretty okay
You can actually change bulbs through wheel well just saying.
Yup every 11 months or do it this way with LED's every 3 years..............
22 fasteners and 7 machine bolts just to replace the low beam light and get replace the headlight bulb bracket. Damn
This is waaaaay too complicated. Just jack up the front end, take off the tire and remove the fasteners (5?) in the wheel well and go in from there
Yes, much easier, sort of. :) I wish Subaru would own up to the fact that their design sucks. First, so much effort to replace the bulb, either way. Second, I have had my 2013 outback the same length of time as my wife's Accord. Accord - one set of low beams, after 4 years. 2013 Outback - at least 4 (lost count).
Still too complicated. Don't jack it up, turn the wheel all the way away from the bulb in question, take off 4 fasteners and you can get it.
Sean I don’t want to beat a dead horse, but I will. 😊 Yes what is shown in the video is complicated. But, and this is where I found it useful. The method of going up through the wheel well is much simpler, you’re doing it blind. Very easy to get a bad seat of the bulb. And bad seat of the dust cover. Either one sucks and Subaru should be held accountable. No, not their fault. The fricken engineer who designed it this way should be made to change a thousand bulbs so that he/she never designs something so dumb again. Btw, if anyone cares. I went with LED bulbs this time. Time will tell if I’m taking a tire off to change a low beam in the near future.
Well, yes, the more involved you want to get , the less tricky it is, but its definitely not blind and it's definitely not a bad seat on the dust cover. I just did it yesterday on my 11 outback and i have huge arms and hands and with a flashlight could easily see what i was doing and the cover was an easy twist on and off..
These cars burn through bulbs like no other vehicle.
I replace one every 6 months.
Its rediculous.
Playboysmurf1 yep. Six pair for me on low beam freaking 2013 awful with low beams had this less than 5 yrs. Never buy Subaru legacy again. Breaks are easy as hell tho. Good luck
I love my 13 Outback, except for the freaking low beam burnout.
I've had decent luck with my 2011 after switching over to LED's. I used the wheel well method which is painful. Most of the process is feeling around blind and hoping everything lines up and plugs in properly. I believe the newer legacys are super accessible. It's been a great car otherwise.
You sir, are a gosh darn hero for this video. Took me less than 2 hours to get both sides done. Thank you so much for the tutorial.