2010 Legacy / Outback Headlight Install Instructions (Accomplishing The Impossible)

These are the steps of how to install a low beam headlight on a 2010 to maybe 2014 (?) Subaru legacy and outback. Possibly one of the worst headlight installs that I've ever done, I think I have finally mastered it after many hours and tries later. These are steps I took to do it. Anything with a * marks info i had wished I had known before I started. I'm also 6'0" 190 lbs so no I do not have tiny hands or arms, it should be possible for everyone. I know it's lengthy but I hate seeing inadequate directions. If enough interest I can make a YouTube video. Hope this helps!

 

Website wouldn't upload the pictures so they're in the pdf attached at the bottom.

 

1). Turn your wheel in the opposite direction of the side you are working on. i.e. if working on the driver side, turn your wheel all the way to the right. Then secure the parking brake.

 

2). Pop out the two plastic rivet pieces holding the internal skirt in place. They are both closer to the front of the car and along the exterior border of the wheel well. One is located on the bottom front corner. The other is located approximately half way up. Pop out with a flat head screw driver.

 

3). Pull the plastic wheel well cover back. Do not worry about damaging it as its flexible plastic and even after leaning in to it I have yet to even see a stress mark. You can prop it in place by popping it backwards from its original shape.

 

4). Reach up and in to remove the waterproof cap. This will twist counterclockwise to unscrew a half a thread. It is a water proof seal so it will be tight. Grab the tab the best you can and keep pushing until the cap comes loose.

 

*5). Pay attention to how the bulb is seated. With H7 bulbs, the type used for this, there is a small tab. Locate that tab and either remember it or take a picture. This will save you lots of headache later.

 

6). There is a spring like wire holding the bulb in place. De-latch is almost like a safety pin pushing in and down. It will pop out of place swinging outward. It is attached to the assembly so let it swing open.

 

7.) You have made it to the bulb. Congratulations!! So now pull the headlight and wire out of the projector assembly. If you can reach a second hand in, pull out the headlight from the wire harness. If you cannot (like me) just kind of pry it out of its connector with one hand. I held it with my hand then used my thumb to kind of pry it out. You can figure this one out on your own.

 

8). Put on clean rubber gloves.

 

9). Take the new headlight out of the package ensuring you do not let it touch your skin or any other contaminants. If it does the bulb will burn brighter and burn out quicker. However, if the bulb is contaminated wipe it down with a alcohol wipe. It'll be like brand new and no parts will be damaged.

 

10). Reach back up into your headlight assembly and locate the plug. Same advice as step 7.

 

*11). Place the headlight into the seating. This is where step 5 comes in handy. Look up in there and make sure you are aligning the notch to its seated position. Shown in the image it is in the lower left hand corner of the circle for the drivers side. If you do not do this (like I did my first try) the light will be projected in the wrong direction and distance. I had it project and shine 10 feet out and 3 feet to the left of my car, not so ideal. So really pay attention to this part. The plug connecting to the bulb will be at a 45 degree angle. If you cannot get your bulb to this position due to the bending of the wires simply remove it and flip it around. The bulb works either way, there isn't a specific positive negative like LED's. Make sure not to dirty the bulb though. If you do just wipe it down with the alcohol wipe.

 

*12). Once you have it seated properly in place it should not be able to rotate while you are still pushing it in. The tab should lock it in place rotation wise. Once confirmed, keep two fingers, middle and ring finger, pushing the headlight connector plug towards the front of the car. Then using your pointer finger and thumb, swing the spring over and around the plug to then latch on to its seating. Again this is like a safety pin. It take a few tries and a decent amount of pressure. You shouldnt have to bend the spring in any way it isnt meant to go, but you will have it feel like its almost not supposed to go that way. That is normal. Then for seating the hook just kind of keep playing around until it hooks in to place. That's just about what I did.

 

*13.) Place the weather proof cap back over the assembly. This is important so no moisture enters the headlight assembly. There are 3 notches on the cap. Make sure to line these up with the ones on the hole. The small little push tab on the cap should be located in the bottom but slightly right direction. Around 290 degrees if you guys are math nerds too. So push it into place ensuring the face goes flush and the o-ring is seated properly. Then rotate it clockwise maybe 20 degrees to secure it.

 

14). Push the wheel well plastic back into place. Again, this is very flexible plastic. You wont brake it, your bumper, or your metal of the wheel well.

 

15). Put the plastic pop rivets back in to secure the plastic

 

Trouble shooting & Testing:

*16). Wait until dark and test your headlights. Make sure they shine far and straight. There's probably a spec out there for this shining at a wall but I don't know it off hand. If you are experiencing issues with it shining in a weird direction. Go back all the way up to the bulb held in by the spring wire. If you can wiggle it around and get it to go the desired direction, great! This is for minor adjustments. If it is way off. Be sure to check the seating of the notch as stated in step 11. If the notch is not aligned, the light will be pointed in a very obvious wrong direction.

 

17). Pat yourself on the back and hope you bought a good headlight so you won't have to do this again for a very long time.

 

I think that covers it all. Let me know if I missed anything you guys found helpful! Good Luck!

Legacy Headlight Pictures.pdf

There's the

1) pull off bumper cover

2) take off headlight housing

3) replace bulb

4) reverse step 2 then 1

method.

 

I tried going thru the wheel well and it was just a pain in the a$$. After having the bumper off the first time, later attempts go much quicker. Also, no clips/popits were harmed during this process

Thanks for the write up!

 

There is also Option 3 that came out last month:

 

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x135/NVAKeith/LGT/775710B0-4329-4F2F-A74F-C5449456FB84_zpsmh1dzn0m.jpg

 

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x135/NVAKeith/LGT/BAB57BC6-5BB9-4FFA-912F-D3F6696BDD62_zpsjrxinvmp.jpg

Thanks for the write up!

 

There is also Option 3 that came out last month:

 

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x135/NVAKeith/LGT/775710B0-4329-4F2F-A74F-C5449456FB84_zpsmh1dzn0m.jpg

 

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x135/NVAKeith/LGT/BAB57BC6-5BB9-4FFA-912F-D3F6696BDD62_zpsjrxinvmp.jpg

 

My car was built sometime around April of 2012, so I guess I'll stick with removing the bumper.

I got that same letter. Just put in HID's too so I'll be interested to see how much they reimburse for the old ones