How to Remove a Headlight Assembly on a 98 Subaru Forester
Subaru introduced the Forester in 1997 in Japan and Europe, and in 1998, in the United States. The 1998 Subaru Forester was available with a base, L, or S trim package. The 1998 Forester was an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine in the 1998 Forester produced 165 horsepower. To replace the headlamp assembly on the 1998 Forester, you must remove other body parts.
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Things You'll Need
- Phillips screwdriver
- Ratchet and socket
- New headlamp assembly
- New headlight bulb (Bulb No. 9003) -- optional
- New corner bulb -- optional
- Paper towels
- Inch-pound torque wrench
Instructions
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1
Raise the hood on the Forester. Depress the four tabs at the top of the grille to unlock the grille from the radiator core support. Pull the top of the grille forward by hand, then pull the grille upward to remove it from the Forester. Do not pull the top of the grille outward too far or you will damage the grille clip in the middle of the grille, behind the Subaru emblem. Set the grille and the corner lamp assembly out of your work area or on top of the engine if the engine is cool.
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2
Remove the screw from the top of the corner lamp, using a screwdriver. Remove the corner lamp horizontally out of vehicle and disconnect the electrical connector by hand.
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3
Unfasten the lower trim piece below the headlamp assembly by hand. Remove the four mounting bolts from the headlamp assembly, with a ratchet and socket. One bolt is located on top of the assembly and one is below the assembly. The inboard two bolts are directly in front of the radiator.
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4
Pull the entire headlamp assembly horizontally forward out of the Forester. Set the assembly on the front bumper of the car and use your knee or leg to brace it in place. Remove the rubber cover from the rear of the headlamp assembly. Squeeze the metal headlight bulb retainer clip from behind the headlamp assembly and pull it outward off the bulb. Pull the old headlight bulb out by hand, horizontally from the rear of the assembly. Discard the old headlight assembly.
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5
Remove the headlight bulb from its socket by hand. Wrap a new headlight bulb in a paper towel, and insert the bulb into the headlight socket. Disregard these bulb replacement instructions if you are using the old headlight bulb.
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6
Insert the headlight bulb and socket into the rear of the new headlamp assembly. Set the new headlamp assembly on the front bumper temporarily. Pinch the metal retainer clip on the back of the new assembly, and install the clip onto the headlight bulb. Make sure the retainer is locked by tugging it rearward with your finger. Install the rubber headlamp cover on the rear of the assembly.
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7
Install the new headlamp assembly into the front of the Forester, horizontally by hand. Install all four headlamp assembly mounting bolts, and start them with your fingers to avoid cross threading the bolts. Tighten all four bolts snug with a ratchet and socket. The torque specifications for the headlamp assembly bolts are a maximum of 57 inch-pounds with a inch-pounds torque wrench, so do not overtighten the bolts or you could break the new assembly.
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8
Insert the small trim piece beneath the new headlamp assembly and snap it in place with your fingers. Inspect the center grille clip and rotate the clip if necessary to form a "W" shape with the clip. Install the grille downward into the pilot holes behind the bumper. Push the top of the grille rearward onto the four mounting clips until the clips snap into place and lock into the grille. Push the clips upward with your screwdriver from beneath the upper lip of the grille, if needed.
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9
Pull the old corner lamp out of the assembly by turning it counterclockwise, by hand. Remove the corner lamp bulb and socket from the assembly. Remove the old bulb from the assembly by hand. Pull the bulb from the socket by hand. Wrap a new corner bulb in a paper towel, and insert it into the lamp socket. Install the socket and bulb back into the corner lamp assembly, and lock it in place by turning it clockwise. Disregard this step if you are using the old corner lamp bulb, and proceed directly to Step 10.
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10
Insert the corner lamp assembly horizontally into the front of the Forester. Install and tighten the single mounting screw with a screwdriver only until the screw is snug. Do not overtighten the screw or you could damage the corner lamp assembly.
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Tips & Warnings
Replacing both headlamp assemblies can be time consuming and a bit costly, but it will produce better lighting and night vision when driving the Forester. Replacing headlight bulbs and cornering bulbs during this project is recommended. Completely new lighting on the front of the Forester will make you more visible to oncoming traffic and give you greater sight during night and bad weather driving.
References
- AllData Repair: 1998 Subaru Forester Grille Removal and Installation Instructions
- AllData Repair: 1998 Subaru Forester Headlamp Assembly Replacement Instructions
- AllData Repair: 1998 Subaru Forester Headlight Bulb Replacment Instructions
Resources
- Photo Credit Koichi Kamoshida/Getty Images News/Getty Images
