changing headlights

[Matt Fischer]

This is yet another headlight thread.

I have a 2001 Outback wagon and the headlights are terrible. I
would like to change them out to something brighter. Can I do this
without changing the wiring? How easy is it to change headlights
(as I have never done it before).

Thanks.

 

[MD]

Not sure how easy it would be but I have an 05 Legacy and usually the newer
models get harder to work on. Just pop the hood and take a look at where
your headlights are, it should be relatively easy, if it is just a bulb then
all you do is unplug the harness take out the old bulb and replace it. Read
your manual, they are usually pretty good. I suggest getting brighter bulbs
instead of a whole new headlight assembly, cheaper and less work. I suggest
Sylvania Silverstars.

 

[Bonehenge]

This is yet another headlight thread.

I have a 2001 Outback wagon and the headlights are terrible. I
would like to change them out to something brighter. Can I do this
without changing the wiring?

'01 OB headlights ARE terrible. I added "better", as in more
expensive bulbs, but the improvement was marginal. A slight upward
aim adjustment helped a tad more.

The wiring is pretty much up to the task, nothing more. Adding a more
powerful lamp might create other problems, like a fire hazard.

 

[Matt Fischer]

Not sure how easy it would be but I have an 05 Legacy and usually the newer
models get harder to work on. Just pop the hood and take a look at where
your headlights are, it should be relatively easy, if it is just a bulb then
all you do is unplug the harness take out the old bulb and replace it. Read
your manual, they are usually pretty good. I suggest getting brighter bulbs
instead of a whole new headlight assembly, cheaper and less work. I suggest
Sylvania Silverstars.

Thanks for the advice. I browsed the manual and it didnt seem
to be that hard. I removed part of the airintake that was in the way of
one of the lights, but after that everything was pretty
straight-forward. I purchased a full-set (2x2) of Silverstar headlights and
they seem much brighter.

For anyone else considering this, I recommend it. I dont have
the best mechanical ability (can change oil, thats about it) and it was
still very simple. Took me more time to drive to buy the lights than to
install them.

 

[BobN]

I installed a set of Hella FF50 driving lights in the fairing, on each side
of the license plate. Although they are a little low, they augment my high
beams for at least 50% longer light path. To avoid overloading the (flimsy)
Subaru wiring, I used the wiring in the kit to power the driving lights
directly from the battery and wired the relay switch into the high beams. So
the driving lights go on automatically when I use the high beams and off on
low.

These lights show up regularly on fleabay at low prices.

 

[MD]

Sweet!!! Glad to hear it was easy!!! I have to remove the air intake on
mine to get at the passenger side lights too. But it is simple.

 

[QX]

This is yet another headlight thread.

I have a 2001 Outback wagon and the headlights are terrible. I
would like to change them out to something brighter. Can I do this
without changing the wiring? How easy is it to change headlights
(as I have never done it before).

Thanks.

The new edition of Consumer Reports (Jan 06) has a review of
aftermarket headlight bulbs. They also did a test of the most common
aftermarket bulbs vs factory bulbs for brightness and visibility.
It makes for interesting reading, especially the test results.

The results are also on the www.consumerreports.com website, but you
must be a subscriber to the online edition. Print edition should be in
bookstores and libraries now.

 

[M. Butkus]

Just a reminder.. the silverstars will last just a year or less.. they are
"high performance" bulbs. Mine lasted just under a year and a letter to
Silverstar stated the "high performance but short duration" fact. Many
other uses found the same problem.

 

[bigjim]

Its the f&^%&%$ DRL's that kill them. Silverstars are awesome