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My car is going through headlights like Robert Downy Jr. goes through 8 balls

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Blackjack200

Blackjack200

Lifer
3rd one out in the last month. Left and right both went out, and replaced both, now the right is out again.

Anything easy to check? Is there some kind of switch I can throw that will magically make it stop treating headlights like Robert Downey Jr. treats cocaine? Because RDJ is rich and I am poor, and I bet RDJ can afford more cocaine than I can afford headlights.
 
Maybe try cocaine instead of headlights.


Maybe the way you put them in, they're touching part of the housing? I killed an HID that way, it was touching the side and burnt out. Perhaps moisture is getting in? Voltage spikes?
 
Torn Mind said:
What brand of headlights you are using? Country of manufacturer? Condition of local roads?
Click to expand...

What brand do they carry at Napa? They came on cardstock with blister packaging, does that help? It's a Toyota Prius, so I'm guessing the headlights were made in ...China?

The condition of the local roads is New Jersey.

Yuriman said:
Maybe try cocaine instead of headlights.
Click to expand...

Tried this already. I mean, tried it but not in the car. I mean, tried it in the car, but not in the headlight.

Maybe the way you put them in, they're touching part of the housing? I killed an HID that way, it was touching the side and burnt out. Perhaps moisture is getting in? Voltage spikes?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm hoping it's because I touched them like Michael Jackson at the Neverland Ranch or something. Moisture is a possibility, we got a lot of snow.
 
My experience with China-made headlights is that they are pretty unreliable. But they're so cheap, I still buy them from EBay. Sometimes, you get lucky with one that dies after a longer period. My experience is with 9006-sized headlights on a Toyota Matrix.
 
Could be you touched the glass bulb when installing them. That will cut the life by quite a bit. Also, check your headlight connectors for corrosion and also check the grounds to the car chassis. Possibly you have an issue with the headlight switch or maybe your alternator is putting out way over the 14VDC it normally should. I would also buy good bulbs. Get a name brand like Sylvania or PIAA and see how they last.
 
Ya, if they're halogens, then do not contaminate the outside glass with oils from your skin when handling the lamps.

Also just buy yor stuff from the dealer. It costs a bunch more, but they usually know which source to buy from that works well. (After all, that's what the dealer most likely will use for their customers who bring in vehicles for service.)
 
One fingerprint on the glass and the bulb will die quickly. You need to change your bulbs in an Intel CPU clean room manufacturing facility while wearing microfiber gloves.
 
Four possibilities:

1. Voltage is too high -- unlikely as other problems will occur
2. Handled bulbs with bare hands or contaminated gloves
3. Bought bulbs marketed as brighter -- they don't tend to last very long
4. Cheap Chinese crap


Brian
 
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