After 4 years, I replaced the halogen headlight bulbs on my GS-R (the driving lights, not high beams) with new krypton type white bulbs. After about 3 months the bulb on the passenger side went out. I noticed that the glass had shattered and the filiment was still in place. I received a second set under warranty, replaced the whole set and then 3 weeks later, noticed that the same passenger side bulb had again shattered and gone out. I suppose I could just have had bad luck with the bulbs, but does nayone have any idea why this might be ocurring? Condensation? And it is definitely not because I have ever touched the bulbs with bare hands or fingers - was really careful not to do that. Thanks

 

do you turn your lights on before you start your car?
that can cause a voltage surge which can potentially blow out a blub...

just a thought

 

Thanks for the input yaksplat, but no, I do not ever turn my lights on before the engine.

 

Do you notice water condensation in that particular housing? Each housing should have a little hose on it to allow air exchange/drainage.
Perhaps yours is plugged.

Also, that connection could be bad, since this sounds like one light keeps going out.

Last, some of these fancy bulbs aren't worth a crap. PIAA comes to mind. I just buy superwhites from Phillips or another name brand.
Some bulbs, like Osram, are identical to other brands (either being made under contract or sold by a parent corporation),
such as Sylvania ( this could be the wrong brand, but you get the idea).

Switch brands (in pairs) if you can't figure anything else out.

Also, you might try a wiring harness upgrade from Competition Ltd. or SUVlights.com (just don't use the junky relays that come with the kit;
buy bosch or hella for around $8 each, 2 total). Install fuse holders in place of fusible links, too.


[Modified by bps2799, 12:30 AM 10/4/2001]

 

Thanks for the great information bps2799...there is definitely something wrong. I just put a replacement bulb in and it blew out within two nights of driving. I think I will take your advice and change the wiring harness.

 

Also you can try using a rag and rubbing alcohol to remove any oils from the glass on the bulb before installing it.

 

One other thing, since the wiring harness is fed power by relays, you will only need one set of sockets to act as
switches. I would exclude the bad side for this use and just tape them off and tuck'em away.

It also helps if you
combine the grounds from each replacment socket as a set on each side into a single long ground that you run to the battery (-)post.
Make sure that you factor in the appropriate length from the LH side back to the battery.
You can run this through the strut bar, if applicable. Use twelve gauge wire for ALL mods. I replaced the main power leads
w/ 12 ga. wire also. The Comp Ltd/SUVlights kit is just 14 ga., a little small, but not the pukey 18ga. that is stock issue.

Soldering is better than crimping, but I did both, with crimping making the soldering part easier by securing the initial connection.
Buy a tube of rosin flux from
Radio Shack as the hollow core electrical solder never has enough flux inside. Apply only where you want solder to go, and a drop or two of liquid solder will do you.
Solder even what is crimped on the kit b/c this guarantees that corrosion will do little to impede your circuit and add resistance.