Headlights going out

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.

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.

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

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.

more cars don't have them. I've had them on my last two

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?

Dan2754 wrote:

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.

So, you buy a new car and immediately start tearing out the DRL's? Maybe the light bulb in your head will one day tell you that not paying attention to your driving is what causes accidents and not DRL's.....

I bet you drive while talking on your cell phone and don't wear seat belts because you once heard that a person who wasn't wearing their seat belt survived a fiery crash when they were thrown clear.

Uh-huh. That makes a lot of sense.

My Dad's been driving since 1945 and was rear-ended by a drunk driver in

1961..... I'll bet my Dad could beat your Dad in a fair fight!

Not in Pennsylvania - unless you drove a pick-em-up truck with the bulbies on all the time (pickup truck with fog lamps). BTW, DRL's aren't for seeing, they're for being seen.

Glare? In the daytime? This is crap. The sole reason I run with my headlights on is so that moron drivers will take notice of my car at a further distance than is normally possible. If you are drawn to my headlights like a moth to a flame then you're a nitwit.

Truck? I should've known......

- Yes, I disabled my DRLs when I took delivery of my used truck in

2000. I will do it to any car that I buy.

- Yes, I was distracted in both instances. It would have happen whether the other cars had DRLs or flashing lights or whatever. The fault was not paying attention, you are correct and you are right that it had nothing to do with DRLs. Thanks for verifying my point.

- I do drive while talking on my cell phone, absolutely. I always wear my seatbelts, law or not.

By the way, with 2 accidents in 22 years, I stand by my driving. Oh, also I drive over 30,000 miles a year, so my percentage of accidents versus total driving is even lower.

- Note, I said most states, that obviously does not include all states. Yes, DRLs are for being seen, I am glad you figured that out, LOL :).

- Absolutely, maybe not for you, hmmm. Well anyway, if you ever have to adjust your mirror or look away from a car during the day, it is because of the glare. It is real, but perceptions do vary.

Quite honestly, if a person needs you to have your lights on so that they can notice you way far away, then they shouldn't be driving. Your car is visible without the lights, either way.

So, let me get this straigtht, you need DRLs so that people can see you a long distance away when they aren't anywhere near you so that they will focus on you and miss the car that is closer. I understand, LOL.

To clarify, it is not a "moth to a flame" it is a momentary visual distraction that briefly pauses your gaze on a single object and allows you to miss other objects that you should be seeing.

Nice name calling, LOL :).

- Yep, a truck. You should have known, because that is what I said.

I only replied to you because you "tried" to talk about stuff. However, you are just spouting off about certain things and calling names. That type of activity adds nothing to the discussion. You need to do a better job of not characterizing and belittling others. Your condescending tone and stereotyping are noted.

Cheers

I almost hate to be the one to say it, but that's just plain stupid and utterly pointless. Do you disconnect the airbags, too?

You really don't get it, do you. Several people have already said it, but I'll reiterate: DRLs are not so the driver can see, they're so the vehicle is easier for OTHERS to see at a distance. What is so hard to understand about that. A good example is that a silver car on a gray highway on an overcast day is difficult to separate from the background at any distance, unless it has it's lights on, in which case it stands out clearly.

Time to learn to shop. You can get bulbs a lot cheaper than that. Even better quality bulbs like Sylvania Silverstars can be had for $25/pair online.