Hey everyone, I picked up a '19 Forester Sport in Dark Metallic Grey. Loving it so far, but there a few things I want to change/add already. Won't be a steady stream of updates with work/life being busy, but hopefully I can get some stuff done every week.
I've got a couple thing done off my list already, full interior & exterior bulb swap, RGB footwell lights (front & rear), and vinyl wrapped the orange accents in the interior.
LED Bulb swap:
The entry lights in the doors are easy to swap, just get a plastic pry tool and pop the cover off. Pull out the light, replace with LED bulb, if the LED doesnt work, remove and rotate 180 degrees. The bulb size is 194, I got a pack of 10 of Amazon.
For some reason the map lights are LED, but the dome light isn't. This wont do. Same as the entry lights, just pop the clear cover off with a plastic pry tool. BE CAREFUL, before you take the bulb out make sure it isn't hot, I burned my fingers.. I replaced the bulb with a DE3175 LED bulb, I had to bed the tabs holding the bulb out a hair to fit the LED in (not to much, it still has to be a tight fit). Another size LED might fit better, but this is what I had on hand.
The License plate bulbs are also pretty easy. Get your plastic pry tool again, pry the plastic cover inwards (to the center of the car) twist the socket out, remove the stock bulb, replace with a 194 LED. Again, if it doesn't work, remove and rotate 180 degrees and reinstall.
I really don't like the orange trim and I'm working on changing it, I vinyl wrapped the 2 interior AC vent trims and the center console trim, just waiting on the 3M knifeless tape to get started on the exterior
![522285]()
![522286]()
![522287]()
So far the drivers side vent and peeled up in one corner so ill have to repair that, but the passenger and center console are holding pretty good so far, we'll see if they continue to hold. Perhaps I'll have to think of something else.
I've got a couple thing done off my list already, full interior & exterior bulb swap, RGB footwell lights (front & rear), and vinyl wrapped the orange accents in the interior.
LED Bulb swap:
The entry lights in the doors are easy to swap, just get a plastic pry tool and pop the cover off. Pull out the light, replace with LED bulb, if the LED doesnt work, remove and rotate 180 degrees. The bulb size is 194, I got a pack of 10 of Amazon.
For some reason the map lights are LED, but the dome light isn't. This wont do. Same as the entry lights, just pop the clear cover off with a plastic pry tool. BE CAREFUL, before you take the bulb out make sure it isn't hot, I burned my fingers.. I replaced the bulb with a DE3175 LED bulb, I had to bed the tabs holding the bulb out a hair to fit the LED in (not to much, it still has to be a tight fit). Another size LED might fit better, but this is what I had on hand.
The License plate bulbs are also pretty easy. Get your plastic pry tool again, pry the plastic cover inwards (to the center of the car) twist the socket out, remove the stock bulb, replace with a 194 LED. Again, if it doesn't work, remove and rotate 180 degrees and reinstall.
I really don't like the orange trim and I'm working on changing it, I vinyl wrapped the 2 interior AC vent trims and the center console trim, just waiting on the 3M knifeless tape to get started on the exterior
So far the drivers side vent and peeled up in one corner so ill have to repair that, but the passenger and center console are holding pretty good so far, we'll see if they continue to hold. Perhaps I'll have to think of something else.
