Rear center brake light removal

[roadsclr]

Does anyone know how to remove the rear center brake light? I'm trying to clean the rear window behind it. The manual says to take it the dealer??:confused:

Thanks!

'08 2.5i SE

[G.T.Subie]

Do you have a spoiler on the car?

[roadsclr]

No it doesn't have a spoiler.

[SpecBee]

Usually these things would have 2 or 3 screws accessible in the trunk to remove the housing..... Take a look...

[lvethesnow]

from personal experiance having to remove to remove teh bulb. all i did was lift up on the back(the rounded part not against the window) and it popped right out. to put back on i just did it in reverse

[nemo]

woops. ignore me.

[Brady]

from personal experiance having to remove to remove teh bulb. all i did was lift up on the back(the rounded part not against the window) and it popped right out. to put back on i just did it in reverse

Ok, on the '05, this is how it worked, so I'm guessing that the CHMSL is probably still the same on the '08s.

I just put my thumbs on the back of the housing (the part facing the seats) and slid it forward and rocked the base upwards. There are 3 tabs that basically hold it in place. Two tabs face the rear window, and one tab faces the seats.

By sliding the housing toward the rear window, you get the tab facing the seats to clear and then you can rock it up and out.

It did not bolt in like the '02-'07 Imprezas.

[roadsclr]

Sounds easy enough. I'll give it another try. Thanks everyone!

[darkfox1]

yup, basically.. if you touch it at all.. it comes up, I was surprised after reading the manual on how insanely difficult it must be that only an ASE certified tech at $50 an hour can possibly change this bulb!:lol:

I'm considering putting an LED array or something in mine to avoid the embarassing moment when the bulb burns out and I don't know it.

[lvethesnow]

i took my bulb out when i traded trunks with a fellow member so i could have the spoiler. got tired of seeing the brake light up the spoiler

[CTATV]

gonna have to remove my bulb as well...

[icrackedcorn]

edit- brady got it

[allelsefailed]

Removing the actual light housing via the clips is a simple task... however pulling the bulb out has proven to be quite the challenge indeed. Any advice on how to get that sucker out of there? That is, how do you pull the cream-colored piece in which the wires are fed to access the bulb?

[lvethesnow]

Removing the actual light housing via the clips is a simple task... however pulling the bulb out has proven to be quite the challenge indeed. Any advice on how to get that sucker out of there? That is, how do you pull the cream-colored piece in which the wires are fed to access the bulb?


used a small srewdriver to help pry it out.

[allelsefailed]

I tried that myself... perhaps I was attempting to pry in the wrong location. Where did you insert?

[lvethesnow]

I tried that myself... perhaps I was attempting to pry in the wrong location. Where did you insert?


along the side of the tabs to hold them back

[allelsefailed]

Ah, it was dark out so I could not see much of anything too well. Are these the tabs between the red portion and the cream-colored portion once you have removed the light housing as a whole by the clips?

[lvethesnow]

all right went out and took pic. remembered you dont need a screwdriver at all.heres a pic. ok so if you hold the light like the pic, put your fingers agains the light, thumb on the side showing, put other hand on rounded part of the brake light. push in on the red part and slightly bend using thumb and it will pop right out. you can see the red tab in the pic thats what holds it in place then it just takeing the red cover off and pull out bulb
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa134/lvethesnow/0215081047.jpg

[Carter]

Mine doesnt fit correctly, if I go over a bump or turn quick it goes flying. Dealer wants to tape it down. wtf?? I'll get it replaced before the 3 years it up. I would just like to remove it though as I have the spoiler with the brake light.

[allelsefailed]

all right went out and took pic. remembered you dont need a screwdriver at all.heres a pic. ok so if you hold the light like the pic, put your fingers agains the light, thumb on the side showing, put other hand on rounded part of the brake light. push in on the red part and slightly bend using thumb and it will pop right out. you can see the red tab in the pic thats what holds it in place then it just takeing the red cover off and pull out bulb
http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa134/lvethesnow/0215081047.jpg

Thank you for taking the time to take the picture. Unfortunately for dolts like myself, the text above is too vague for me to truly understand. I realize it's not rocket science, but "fingers against the light" is a little confusing.

[CTATV]

thats almost the exact same light housing as my 89 Suzuki LT500 had for a tail light.... god i miss that quad

[Brady]

Wish I'd seen follow up posts earlier. To get the bulb out, I just took out the red lens and replaced after getting access to the bulb.

[allelsefailed]

I promise I'm not an idiot, but I can't get the thing to come out no matter what I do. How did you get the red piece to detach?