Headlights going out

It seems that the Elantra’s headlights need to be replaced too often.
Does anyone else have this problem? It seems that I’m replacing one
every year on both mine and my Mothers.
Thanks.

 

Yeah, they tend to eat bulbs and annual replacement seems to be about
average. I've tried some higher-end bulbs (Silverstars, PIAA) and
although their output is higher and whiter, their life is no better than
the stock bulbs.

 

One-year headlight bulbs is trhe norm, these days...it is not specific
to one brand of car. I can't find a set of headlight bulbs that lasts
more than a year in my 2003 Madza Protege either. It is the bulbs,
not the cars.

 

Interesting. In the past, I've had bulbs last for many years. One of my
Regal lights was 15 years, the other probably 10. My LeSabre is at 6 right
now and so far only one taillight was changed. These take different bulbs
than most of the newer cars though. Another key is the voltage output of
the alternator. that may be higher on these cars?

I also suspect bulb design. Getting high output shortens life. Getting
high output also sells more bulbs. What a co-incidence.

 

Reply to message from hime <> (Sun, 14 Jan 2007 09:
35:11) about "Re: Headlights going out":

h> One-year headlight bulbs is trhe norm, these days...it is not specific
h> to one brand of car. I can't find a set of headlight bulbs that lasts
h> more than a year in my 2003 Madza Protege either. It is the bulbs, not
h> the cars.

I suspect you are correct to a point. I have had good experience with my
previous 2002 Elantra GT and now my 2005 Tiburon GT. Both have had bulbs
that lasted longer than a year, and that brings me to my next point.

Bulb life can only be measured in hours of use and not in time installed. I
don't do a lot of night driving so for me the bulbs last a long time. That
may not be the case for someone else who drives more it night or with their
lights on.

Finally touching the glass of the bulb can also shorten the life of the
bulb. There are all variables that must be considered before suspecting the
car.

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <> Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:32:47 -0600

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3

 

Although I'm sure that bulb life is related to bulb use, I did not
have any experience with standard headlights lasting only a year until
I purchased my 2003 automobile, which is the first car I've owned that
uses the the small 55 watt headlight bulb design. At first I thought
that there was a problem with my car's electrical system, but after I
checked around I found that most all manufacturers of these types of
bulbs are only claiming a duty life of one year. My driving habits
have not really changed signicantly in the last twenty years, so I
can't blame the decreased bulb-life-length on more night driving, and
I'm also well aware that the glass on these little bulbs should not be
touched with the fingers.

Check out Slyvania's website (the most common manufacturer of standard
55 watt headlight bulbs) and you will notice that their warrantiy for
these types of bulbs is one year...exactly.

It is not a car-related problem.

 

Reply to message from hime <> (Sun, 14 Jan 2007 14:
36:56) about "Re: Headlights going out":

h> It is not a car-related problem.

You know I agreeing with you, right?

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <> Sun, 14 Jan 2007 18:57:35 -0600

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3

 

I'm not taking exception to your comments at all...they are completely
valid. I just wanted to make it known to the guy that started this
thread that I didn't come by my own conclusions off the cuff. They are
based of my own personal experience and research. Not trying to pass
myself off as a headlight expert, here...he just happened to hit on a
subject that I had visited not too long ago, myself.

 

Just my 2-cents: I drive a '98 Camry and keep the headlights on all the
time for safety. The last headlight replacement I did was in 2002,
November 2nd to be exact, with a standard Sylvania Bulb. The other bulb
has never been changed by me - I purchased the car 'used' in September
of 2002.

More information: I've been driving for 33 years without a single
traffic accident - the past 26 or so with my headlights turned on all
the time. My two kids have been driving for a combined 16 years, without
a single accident and they both use their headlights all the time. My
wife has been driving for 31 years, has had four major (totaled vehicle)
accidents and at least three or four minor ones and refuses (or forgets)
to drive with her headlights on. Something to think about?

HJS

 

And I have a 92 Isuzu pickup truck that I've owned since 94 that I've
never had to put a headlight in. It still has the same headlights that
were in it when I bought it, and they still work fine. I believe they
are also Sylvania...the old sealed-beam design.

That was then, and this is now. The one-year headlight phenomenon is
a very recent occurence, involving only recently manufactured
headlight bulbs, and rtelatively recent model cars. Furthermore, it
may even be only a factor for certain headlight designs a.k.a. small
55-watt non-sealed beam bulbs.. The older sealed-beam headlight
design may in fact still be manufactured to last much longer.

 

My daughter bought a 2001 Elantra in August and I've already had to
replace both headlights - although one was replaced because it appeared
dimmer than the other. Strange... I guess I can look forward to seeing
her at least twice a year though - a good thing.

My wife's '00 Accord has never had any bulbs of any kind changed since
we purchased the car new in November of '99 - although, she doesn't keep
her lights on all the time.

At least bulbs are easily changed - although I had to remove the battery
to replace the headlight in my daughter's Elantra... Not so bad.

HJS

 

Reply to message from Homer S. <> (Mon, 15 Jan 2007
14:23:58) about "Re: Headlights going out":

HS> My wife has
HS> been driving for 31 years, has had four major (totaled vehicle)
HS> accidents and at least three or four minor ones and refuses (or
HS> forgets) to drive with her headlights on. Something to think about?

Next car she gets should have automatic daytime running lights so she can
drive for another 31 years.

In the meanwhile there are DRL modules you can retrofit on her car so that
she is automatically protected.

Back home in Canada it became law in 1990 that all new cars from that MY
onwards would have DRL in recognition of this safety fact.

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <> Mon, 15 Jan 2007 18:30:18 -0600

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3

 

I'm surprised that more cars don't have them. I've had them on my last two
and you always had them on especially in marginal weather. My Buick turns
the headlights on when you turn the wipers on too.

The "auto on" feature of my Sonata is too sensitive at times. In the early
morning, they will go off and on a dozen times on one tree lined road. My
GM cars never did.

 

That auto on feature having the lights turn on multi times on a tree
lined street must be very hard on light bulbs. I rarely drive at
night and the bulbs in my 2000 Accent still work. They are also lower
wattage DRL.

 

Reply to message from "Edwin Pawlowski" <> (Mon, 15 Jan 2007
20:34:12) about "Re: Headlights going out":

EP> The "auto on" feature of my Sonata is too sensitive at times. In the
EP> early morning, they will go off and on a dozen times on one tree lined
EP> road. My GM cars never did.

That would irritate me I am sure. I think the regular auto-on is better
even if it means more worn out bulbs. I rather be seen than worry about
bulbs.

One thing some manufacturers do is have reduced intensity DRLs. These look
kind of foolish but bulbs last longer.

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <> Tue, 16 Jan 2007 18:03:51 -0600

=== Posted with Qusnetsoft NewsReader 3.3

 

Hi,

I just had to replace the two low beam bulbs on my Hyundai Elantra.
They both went "out" at the exact same time. At a cost of $17.00 for
each bulb. It's a lot. My Elantra is a 2004. The first was easy to
replace, the second was harder... they don't make it easy do they?

 

Well, been driving for 22 years and have never used headlights during
the day, including the removal of DRLs on two cars that I own. I have
only had two minor accidents in 2000, one because I got distracted and
hit a car that slow down suddenly in front of me and the other when I
looked at my pager and ran a red light. In neither instance would
having lights on have made any difference.

My wife has been driving for 19 years and had DRLs for 6 years, until
she turned them off . I don't know of any accidents that she has had,
even during the 13 years that she didn't have DRLs. She only like them
because she would sometimes forget to turn them on.

My Dad has been driving for 52 years and never uses his lights, during
the day. He had a single car accident on the highway and lights weren't
a factor.

There are plenty of us that drive just fine and see just fine without
the lights. You really can't go on personal experience and quite
honestly if you have been running with your lights on for so many
years, it was illegal in most states before 1994.

Anyway, there are plenty of folks that can't stand the lights and the
fact that they are a distraction to seeing everything you need to see
to safely drive. The bottom line is that many of the DRLs produce glare
and this causes your eyes to notice one input and not see the
pedestrian, non lit car, byciclist or road hazard, due to that
momentary lapse of focus. The best thing is for all cars to be non lit
and equally seen, and for people to turn their headlights on in
inclement weather or low light conditions.

Oh, I haven't had to replace the headlights on my truck for 9 years
now.

Cheers

 

The lights are not so you can see, but so you can be seen. I've had a couple
of instances where I'd see an oncoming car with DRLs before I'd see the car
in front of it with no lights. They are not a "cure" for everything, but
under certain circumstances, they helpyou spot the car with them.

A good DRL is a dim light, not a full low or high beam. Yes, high beams
during the day can still blind you at times.

 

Good point on the lowered brightness. If all of the DRLs were of a
lower brightness, then glare would not be an issue.

Now, yes you did notice the car with the lights and you did notice it
before the car without them (even though that car was closer to you).
However if the car had its lights off, then you would have seen the car
in front of that car sooner and would have been able to react quicker
to what was closer to you. What about the pedestrian that you didn't
see that was between the cars (just to add to the scenario)? While your
eyes focus on the lights, it is highly possible to miss other more
important things.

Cheers

 

So it is better to miss both than just one? We can always issue miner's
helmets to pedestrians to solve that problem.

The trick is to be aware of the car and not focus on the lights. I don't
know if your point is valid or not, but there are very few pedestrians on
interstates, rural country roads, and a gazillion other places so it may not
be a factor. I'm sure there are some studies done if we take the time to
look for them.