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Outback fog light repair


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Does anyone have any experience repairing a fog light from a '97 type Legacy Outback? That is, taking the lens off the housing (it seems to be glued together) and replacing what's broken. I would bet that most people break the lens. I however, broke the housing (4 wheeling), but my lens is good. I already bought a new light so is anyone interested in obtaining my lens?

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I have the same car.

 

When I got mine, there was a small hole in one lense. I didn't want to pay the price for a replacement, so I tried some silicone. That was 5 years ago and it's still holding. I also found some of those old stone guard 'grates' that you could get to go over headlights (back when) and attached those on top of the plastic protective grid.

 

I know what you are talking about. I recall studying the unit. It does appear that one should be able to separate the housing from the lense. Whether it is actually meant to, I don't know. Whether you will be able to successfully without damaging something, I don't know either.

 

I think you are into uncharted waters. Give it a try. What have you got to lose.

 

Commuter

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I am not positive if the parts are the same but there is a good chance. I can get the part number of mine and you can figure out the part number you need. I'm thinking $10 including shipping which will gobble up at least half of that, if you don't mind USPS.

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*****DISCLAIMER******

I have not tried this before, but got this info from another board with members who have successfully done this with their headlights. Anyone who attempts this is solely responsible for what happens.

*****DISCLAIMER******

 

There is an adhesive keeping the lens to the housing. On another board, people have taken their headlights and baked them in the oven (200 degrees for 5 minutes).

 

Once removed, slowly and carefully pry the lens from the housing using a flat head screw driver.

 

Do whatever cleaning you want to do, etc.

 

When finished, bake in the oven again at 200 degrees for 5 minutes, and then put the lens back on the housing. (this is supposed to melt the adhesive again a bit and make it so it can reseal). Several people also add a sealant to the joint to make sure all is sealed.

 

If it works, let us know!

 

Just a reminder:

 

*****DISCLAIMER******

I have not tried this before, but got this info from another board with members who have successfully done this with their headlights. Anyone who attempts this is solely responsible for what happens.

*****DISCLAIMER******

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Well.....since I am on vacation and there was no adult supervision in my house today, I tried it.

 

First, 200 deg F for 5 minutes (preheated and everything) is a joke. Considering the physics of heat transfer, in only 5 minutes of heat soak, the light might get up to 150 deg F (my guess) which is probably at or close to operating temperature of the light with the halogen bulb. I wouldn't doubt the light hits 200 deg F in 100 deg F ambient dessert conditions. I digress...

 

In short, crank your oven all the way (400-450 deg F) and let soak until the smoke alarm goes off. Then take it out of the oven and notice how the plastic housing is deformable. Once at that stage, you can work the lens off. Even then it wasn't that easy. I used a flat head screw driver and a putty knife.

 

I tried intermdiate temperatures also without much success. The putty knife wasn't doing it and the screw driver was chipping the glass on the edge of the lens a bit.

 

Obviously, what I did isn't going to work if you need to save the housing (mine was broken). I'd assume you could physically break out a broken lens and install my good lens.

 

Anyone have a good housing with a bad lens they want to give me so I can continue the experiment?

 

This may sound like a lot of work, but remember this part cost $120 list.

 

I can post pictures of the separated parts if anyone could explain how to do it.

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