rzirker Posted March 24, 2008 Share Posted March 24, 2008 Have a 98 Forester with a broken tailight lens. Took a couple of 8mm (3) nuts off the inside, tried prying, doesn't seem to want to let loose. I don't want to break more stuff. Anybody done this? Please advise. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subie Gal Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 confirm that you have remove the interior covers remove the bolts/nuts holding the assy into place and it's not moving at this point? if this is the case your Forester is likely like our 98-2001 Imprezas those tails are "glue'd" into place get a hair dryer or heat gun and warm the surface-seam push....... hard. does it move? Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzirker Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 Hmmmm. Ok, sounds a little extreme, but I'll try some heat tomorrow. Thanks for the reply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woundedbrat Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Subie Gal is all about extreme, have you seen her website?:cool:Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aircraft engineer Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 All I know about is 97 Impreza - FOUR nuts on the shafts. Use a 5/16 DEEP socket (pref 1/4 drive with a screwdriver handle) to get at them. I had to remove the inside body panel to get at everything (not difficult, just a little time consuming - maybe 10 or 15 minutes) TAKE OFF THE WIRING QUICK DISCONNECT AT THE PLUG (makes life a lot easier - it's a "push the pin and pull the connector to disconnect" similar to the others elsewhere on the car rather than having the wiring "loose".) Depending, you may need to remove the plug from the old light and put it on the new light - single phillips screw. The lenses are literally "glued" to the body rear panel from the OUTSIDE with some sticky stuff resembling windshield sealant. Like they said - heat it to soften it, then push from the inside and it will release. On the Imp there was a knurled post on the "outside edge going into the plastic from the inside. You might need to pull the nut on it out, too - otherwise just push starting at the INSIDE edge and it will "lever" out of the attachment. Clean off the sealant with a putty knife (doesn't need to be clean, just level so the replacement sealant will fit "flat") Reassembly - IF you can get some windshield butyl rubber, you need about 30 inches of it or so. The caveat is that IF you use butyl, you likely will NOT be able to get it out later if you need to without a heat gun. Start at the bottom of the light and wrap it up and around the "hole" and push the ends together and snip it. use what you have left to make another bead above (not on top of - above so the sealant will be doubled across the TOP - where the RAIN will otherwise go. Doubling the thickness of the sealant will make it "difficult" to get it back together - doubling the WIDTH across the top won't. I was using 1/4 wide sealant so the top is 1/2 wide - 2 1/4 inch pieces side by side) Ease the assembly back into the holes, put on the nuts and loosely tighten all of them until they grab, then tighten them down in a circle about 1 turn at at time (yeah - it takes a little while, but it's easier than breaking the lens) You will know when it's tight - it won't tighten any more. - the sealant will spread as the nuts tighten and seal it all. Put the bulb sockets back in and connect the disconnect, then test it. Put the inside covers back on and "put a fork in it - you're done" too much information?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 It's sticky stuff - I've only done it on Legacy's but often I'm afraid that I break the light. Grab a windshield tool at your local glass or body shop. I posted a pic here on the 'underutulized or favorite tool thread' - something like that. It's probably a couple bucks - plastic thing. They won't scratch the paint like a screw driver when trying to 'unseat' that sealant. I never tried the heat - infact it seems that I'm usually doing this in the cold but the heat and the windshield tool seems like it would make the job a lot easier. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT95 Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 I was just trying to do the same on a 2000 Impreza this weekend. On it, there ia a 4th, not at all obvious nut hidden deeper on the upper outside corner of the tail light, as someone mentioned. You have to be looking for it to see it. I wasn't sure if they were glued in or not, so I left them alone, waiting for my service manual to come in the mail. But, now I know I'm not ripping any clips apart w/ some pressure, thanks to this thread. If you wanna wait until after this weekend, I'll take pics as I remove my Impresa tails and post them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subie Gal Posted March 25, 2008 Share Posted March 25, 2008 Impreza tails are gonna be goooo'd in... trust me - i've swapped mine and if you dont use ribbon sealer to reseal them in, they will leak... you have been warned Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rzirker Posted March 25, 2008 Author Share Posted March 25, 2008 OK, I did it. 3 nuts on the Forester. Hairdryer blowing hot into the inside for a couple of minutes, steady firm prying pressure out and the black goo lets go just fine. And there was plenty of goo on the salvage yard replacement to just warm it up and press it back in. Thanks for all the help folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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