About 2 months ago I bought some LED parkers and, one night with about 10 mins to spare before dusk, decided to install them.. After about 10 mins I gave up thinking "WTF, Subaru!?!" as I realised I would need to dislocate my hand to fit in the tiny space.
The yellow parkers have been annoying me for some time, so with an hour to spare today I decided to have another crack. I did some research on the Forum and on Google and couldn't find any step-by-step instructions, so I thought I'd photo and write it up for other noobs out there who aren't great with DIY (I noticed a few others had requested instructions).
NOTE: This was done on my 07 tbSTI Liberty. I'm not sure whether other models might be slightly different.
PARKERS:
You will need 2 x T10 wedge style LED globes (I bought mine on Ebay for about $5 incl. postage although they're a little blueish). Other posts have suggested the CREE ones are the best option.
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TOOLS:
1 x med size Philips head screwdriver
1 x large
Socket set OR spanners OR adjustable wrench (I used a wrench and sockets)
APPROX TIME FOR MOD: 20-30 mins (I took pics and had never done before so it took me about 40). This cannot be completed in darkness.
INSTRUCTIONS - PASSENGER SIDE
1. Unscrew the plastic screw holding the washer bottle and pull upwards to create a gap between the screw and housing clip. Then gently pry off housing clip using a large flathead screwdriver (you don't want to break these as they could be hard to find).
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2. Loosen the battery holder screw until it has some movement in it, then unhook the other end from underneath the battery. You may not be able to use a socket for this unless it has a long barrel due to the length of the thread. Now you can move the battery slightly (about 3cm) towards the engine - this is about as far as it will move.
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3. Remove the dust caps over the low beam HID lights in a clockwise direction. The protruding plastic tab can be used for this, but they can be tight due to the rubber seal, so best to use two hands to avoid breaking the tab. NOTE: this step is not required per se as the parkers are not housed in this space, but allows more room to access around.
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4. Locate the white plug to the right (facing the car) of the HID housing with the two green and black wires - this is your parker housing - turn clockwise to release and pull out. NOTE: the wiring is quite short and doesn't give you much room to remove. Don't pull on this wiring, or you'll be up for a $100+ auto electrician bill if you break it.
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5. Remove the old incandescent globe by pulling on it and replace with the new LED. As many of the LEDs have thicker bases than the old glass types, you may have to push it in quite firmly. If you can't get it to sit in there firmly, try modifying the terminal pins. If you still can't get it to stay, buy some other globes because you don't want it shorting out your wiring, melting the housing, or falling into the parker light cavity as you'll never get it out. Test the new light (requires ignition accessories on). If it doesn't work, remove the LED and turn it around as they won't work if the polarity (+/-) is around the wrong way.
NOTE: If the old globe has burned out, sometimes it can melt inside the housing and can't be pulled out with your fingers. If this is the case, the best way I've found to remove is to smash the glass, then firmly attach pliers to the lighting element and pull from there. A burned out/melted globe may indicate cheap/incompatible globes or a problem with your wiring relay.
SUCCESS!
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NEW:
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OLD:
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6. Return battery to it's normal position and secure. I advise tightening the terminals if you have been wriggling it around as the positive may have loosened as mine did. Remove the red plastic guard (you may have to squeeze the back of it to release, then tighten with a socket/spanner. Be sure not to touch any metal objects between the positive terminal and any other metal part of the car as it will spark. I found this out when I accidentally brushed the metal battery clamp with the socket.
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Once you have the battery in place and the terminals tightened, reattach the hook end of the threaded bold under the battery by placing in the hole as pictured, then tighten from the top using a spanner. Don't overtighten and thread the bolt, just tighten enough so there's no movement in the battery (eg. finger tight + another 3 turns with a spanner). Pic in next post.
CONTINUED IN NEXT POST (MAX 10 ATTACHMENTS REACHED)
