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Changing Headlight on '98 Legacy Outback?

Okay, so what's the joke? The driver's side headlight blew on The Beast, our '98 Legacy Outback. Seems straight forward enough... unhook the metal clippy thingy, pull out the bulb gizmo, and then what? She won't come free, the electrical connection =96 the beige plastic doodad with the three wires coming out of it =96 no matter what. I thought there may be a button to depress or something like that, so I checked the manual, which says, "Disconnect the electrical connection, blah blah blah..." I dosed the thing with WD40, I tried pliers (gently, ever so gently), I wiggled and cajoled... nothing. Is there a trick to this that I'm missing?

Thanks in advance for all thoughts and suggestions,

M. Hudson

Reply to
Michael Hudson
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Held there by vacuum. Don't attempt to twist the bulb because you'll break something. Wiggle it up and down in a vertical motion until the vacuum seal pops.

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Reply to
johninKY

Hey, John... you mean I should just hold the black, bulb-housing part and wiggle the wired, beige connection, the thing that fits into the rear of the bulb assembly? It seemed, last night anyway, to be in there for the duration!

Thanks again,

M
Reply to
Michael Hudson

Funny but I've been going through the same thing ;-) I'm watching for any other advise. (My headlight intermittenly goes on and off, so I have to drive around with high beams on... sorry in advance if you pass me ;-) jimmy

Reply to
jimmy

Look at the new replacement bulb. It has knobs on the base which shows why it can't be rotated.

Just flip that wire cage thingee and remove the wiring harness from the base of the bulb. Then wiggle the base of the bulb, that black thing, up and down until the vacuum seal breaks. Then the bulb can be removed.

Can't describe it any better then that. If you have a wrecking yard close by you could go there and practice on a wrecked Subaru.

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Reply to
johninKY

Yup. High beam only. And I've got to say that that connector is in there mi-tee-tight. I sprayed the business end with WD40 last night. I doubt that would help break a vacuum seal =96 that would take VD40, which I'm fresh out of =96 but I'll have another go at it again tonight.

If you have any success, scream.

M
Reply to
Michael Hudson

Hey John... the black bulb unit comes out just fine. What I can't do is remove the wiring harness from the base. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks,

M
Reply to
Michael Hudson

We're getting there. There is a black plastic tab, topside of the plug, that needs depressed to release the wiring harness from the base of the bulb.

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Reply to
johninKY

Okay, so the beige thingy isn't *supposed* to come off! It's just a cover. That whole gizmo comes out, I found out, after seriously depressing the black thing that says 'push'. All's well now, I'm happy to report. Thanks for all of your various inputs!

M
Reply to
Michael Hudson

Here's a fix for the "intermittent" problem: Just give it the lens a hard rap (or 2 if needed) before setting out on a drive. Seems to always stay on for the duration, no matter how long. But I need to do it every time I drive the car.

Jim

Reply to
kaplan3jiim

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