Throttlejockey Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 I have the spoiler on mine and want to remove the bulb from the third brake light. Any suggestions? The manual says to have the dealer replace the bulb if there's a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 Going to a dealer to replace a bulb like that? How insane is that? If it is truly that difficult, they need to fire an engineer. Now, I have no idea, I haven't seen the inside of a Legacy trunk, but isn't there some kind of bulb access there? lay face up in your trunk (with it open...), with your head toward the back seats and see if there are any sockets, or access panels. The spoiler's third brake light should plug in along there somewhere, as well. There should be wires, at least... Why would they suggest a dealer do that, other than "If you aren't comfortable doing it yourself..." It really shouldn't be that hard. In My experience, the flunkies at the service dept. who do that misc. work aren't exactly rocket scientists themselves, so it can't be that hard to do. Maybe trim panels need to be removed... in that case you might need an upholstery fastener tool (big dull putty knife with slots and shapes cut out to pull upholstery panels off their tabs...) I am also interested in hearing from someone with a car to actually refer to, and can give us actual instructions... This has piqued my attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted July 30, 2004 Author Share Posted July 30, 2004 I tried to get it out but it looks like the entire back panel (the top piece) needs to come out. There is no access from underneath, it seems like you'd have to take the back seat out to get the top panel off. BTW I'm highly mechanically inclined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IwannaSportSedan Posted July 30, 2004 Share Posted July 30, 2004 I am sorry if it seemed that I was incinuating that you weren't mechanically inclined. That was not intended, at all. You may actually be more mechanically adept than some people who work in some dealer's service departments, who would do this work for you, if you follow the manual's instructions to take it in. I just can't beleive the CYA tactics and liability skirting in the manual. "Oh, go have a dealer do that, and let us charge you 50$ an hour to do it..." If the rear deck has to come out, that sounds like quite a job. It is crazy for that much work to change an incandescent bulb. If it is so hard to get to, why not use LEDs, which will more likely last the life of the vehicle, when only used as a brake light. One wouldn't have to tear out the interior to replace those more than maybe once, and that's a big maybe. At least in that case, if you have the rear deck out, and were going to have the rear window tinted, you could tint "over" the inside brake light as well, and really make it disappear. I am interested to know how this ends up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted July 30, 2004 Author Share Posted July 30, 2004 I didn't think you meant I wasn't mechanically inclined, I just wanted you to know I wasn't some idiot with no clue. You wouldn't expect it to be that much of a job to get a stupid bulb out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opie Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 If you just want to disconnect the light, you don't have to pull the rear deck out. Just remove the rear seat, Bottom seat, pull up on the center front of the cushion on each side, remove lower cushion. Seat back is held on by 4 bolts under the seat bottom. Remove those, disconnect the pass through from the latch and the carpeting attached to the trunk. Lift up on the cuschion and pull it away from the car. On the drivers side, behind the seat back there is a small 2-wire harness just below the rear deck, the harness is attached to the body. Unplug it, those are the wire to the 3rd brake light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rimfaxe Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 I'd like to remove more than the bulb- the whole light should be removed. I know that they make a cover for the WRX, but I haven't seen anything out for the Legacy yet. I'll remove the whole thing before I get the rear window tinted though. Rimfaxe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttlejockey Posted July 31, 2004 Author Share Posted July 31, 2004 Got it out with help from brady_bunch. Read about it here.....very easy. I blacked out the red cover on it too. http://www.legacysti.com/viewtopic.php?t=1823 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windsurferLA Posted October 18, 2017 Share Posted October 18, 2017 I need help getting the bulb out of the high mount stop light assembly on a 2009 Subaru Legacy sedan. The assembly uses a W21W incandescent bulb according to the manual that came with the car. brady_bunch on 07-30-2004 posted photos showing how remove assembly from rear deck. I've done that successfully. MY QUESTION .. how to get to the bulb without breaking the plastic. Bulb replacement should not require a dealer action. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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