We have a 2002 Sonata as a taxi and we?re having a problem with having to change the low beam bulbs every 2 to 3 weeks. First of all how long should these bulbs last? The car is on the road from 3pm to 3am so we?re using the headlights quite a bit more than most people would. It?s not just the left or the right side either it?s both. We?ve tried Sylvania and it?s getting too expensive at $40 a bulb. We had to change it again tonight and replaced it with a GE brand H7 bulb which was half the price. Any suggestions?
Remember when replacing bulbs to avoid to touch them with bare hands, and switch on the lights at engine on and switch them off before engine off. Another suggestion is to read with a digital voltmeter if you have the right tension on battery, it should never exceed 14,5 V.
On going problem with the H7 bulb. I have two XG350's and they both do it. Seems like the bulbs are good for a month or so, but then every few months we seem to run into a pair that last a longer, like 3-6 months. Doesn't seem to be brand dependent. I have just finished installing a single 10 amp diodes in each of the low beam head light circuits. This has resulted in the following: Voltage at battery : 14.2v. Voltage at headlight (before diode installed) : 13.5v. Voltage at headlight (after diode installed) :
12.7v. My car has run with the diodes installed for about a month now and I just installed the diodes on my wife's car yesterday. I should know in another 6 months or so if they do any good, and sooner if they doesn't work. The idea is to get the voltage at the headlight closer to 12v. The reduced voltage, by the way, produces a slightly dimmer headlight that you can see this if you switch the diode in and out of circuit, but I have not been able to tell the difference while driving when I have nothing to compare against. I did not tell the wife that the diodes went in yesterday and I'm betting she won't notice (she is pretty observant too).
Hey Dan - this continues to be good information. I just want to repeat my earlier request that you keep the group informed as this develops over time. This is the really good kind of stuff that everyone can benefit from.
Thought I?d let you guys know how the bulb problem is going so far.
We talked to a Hyundai dealership and they thought it was because of people mishandling the bulbs when they get them in the stores and suggested we find the bulbs somewhere else. We bought bulbs at a small merchant store instead of Canadian Tire. Ended up getting the bulbs at half the price as well. Installed the bulb and it?s lasted now a month. Hasn?t burnt out yet. So it looks like our problem so far was that.
Thanks!
"arobertson" wrote: > We have a 2002 Sonata as a taxi and we're having a problem > with having to change the low beam bulbs every 2 to 3 weeks. > First of all how long should these bulbs last? The car is on > the road from 3pm to 3am so we're using the headlights quite a > bit more than most people would. It's not just the left or the > right side either it's both. We've tried Sylvania and it's > getting too expensive at $40 a bulb. We had to change it again > tonight and replaced it with a GE brand H7 bulb which was half > the price. Any suggestions?
Most of us here know enough not to handle halogen bulbs. We generally wipe them off thoroughly before installing them. Our failure rates are still alarmingly high. Not as high as you were seeing, so some of you experiences may be reflective of the quality of bulb you were getting, but still the H7 is a problematic bulb when used in Hyundai's.
After experimenting with several brands of "high-performance" bulbs, I've come to the conclusion that there is nothing to be gained by spending the extra money on them. The longest any of the "extra white" type bulbs lasted was 8 months, with most lasting around 6. After reading Daniel Stern's light sight, I've gone back to standard bulbs, in this case Hella, as they're rated for twice the life of their Optilux bulbs, which are the ones that lasted 8 months. Hopefully they'll last at least a year, but even if they don't they're only $20/pair.
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