Collision damage to aluminum hood + headlight assembly shattered

[y_p_w]

Had an accident a few days ago. Stupid mistake on my part.
Fortunately, everyone was wearing seat belts, the collision
was at low speed since the other driver braked, and in my
opinion nobody seemed to be seriously hurt. The fire dept
did check us out and transported the other driver (complaining
of headaches and back pain) in a neck restraint to the hospital.
The paramedic said it was just a precaution. I'm hoping she's
OK, but I have no way of knowing.

The other car's (late 80's GM sedan) front bumper caved in. My
insurance is going to cover this, but I've got damage to the
bumper, headlight assembly, and hood of my 2004 WRX.

My right headlight assembly was shattered, and the bulb's (H1)
filiment broke off. The front reflector was reaaranged, and
I tried to bend it back. I put an old bulb back in, and it worked.
The aim is way low, but I'll try again. The officer who took the
report (and actually saw the collision) told me that there was no
law saying that the headlight had to be covered. My big worry is
that rain or dew might short out the bulb. I thought of covering
it with clear tape, but I was worried that it might melt. I also
drove with the fogs on to help improve my visibility.

I'm not sure about the bumper. It looks scratched, although
it did buckle. It doesn't align with the right fender, and the
hood isn't even with the right/left fenders. I'm curious about
the aluminum hood. There's a tiny dent - about an inch long and
a quarter inch wide. I don't think there's any way they might
be able to pull it. The hood scoop is fine though.

So - my basic questions are, how safe is it to drive without
the headlight covered, and does it sound like the hood will need
to be replaced or fixed? Either way, insurance is covering it,
but I'm just curious.

 

[mulder]

It's possible that paintless dent repair might work on the hood if it is
just dented and not bent. If it's bent you'll most likely need a new
hood as most body shops can't deal with repairing aluminum.
Get a new headlight ASAP, you don't want to drive around with it open as
the bulb and its wiring are exposed to dirt and rain. If water gets in
there it could short out the circuit and blow the fuse. It would be
safer to unplug the connector from the headlight for now and avoid
driving at night.

 

[jabario]

Who cares about the headlight? If its cracked the whole assembly will
be replaced c/o your insurance. Your best bet is to go to the body
shop and get an estimate. They;ll tell you what you need.

 

[LauraK]

My right headlight assembly was shattered, and the bulb's (H1)

filiment broke off. The front reflector was reaaranged, and
I tried to bend it back. I put an old bulb back in, and it worked.
The aim is way low, but I'll try again. The officer who took the
report (and actually saw the collision) told me that there was no
law saying that the headlight had to be covered. My big worry is
that rain or dew might short out the bulb. I thought of covering

Highly unlikely it will short out. I've been driving around with a headlight
cover smashed on my Saab 9000 since September while waiting for insurance to
cough up the money. I was hit on the side by an uninsured driver -- which I
have coverage for -- but they insisted on finding her (she'd disappeared) and
getting some cash out of her before settling.
Also trying to find a good replacement for the 9000 and considering a Subaru
which is why I'm wandering around in this group. The car is drivable for short
trips, saving me a lot on long term rentals.
I've driven through all kinds of rain, standing water, car washes, etc. without
a problem with the headlight. It's the same bulb that was in there when I was
hit and it's going strong.
What you need to be ready for, though, is how much its going to cost to repair
the damage. Those little plastic pieces might as well be made of gold, for how
much they cost to replace.


(e-mail address removed)
http://www.madmousergraphics.com
web design, print design, photography

 

[y_p_w]

Highly unlikely it will short out. I've been driving around with a headlight
cover smashed on my Saab 9000 since September while waiting for insurance to
cough up the money. I was hit on the side by an uninsured driver -- which I
have coverage for -- but they insisted on finding her (she'd disappeared) and
getting some cash out of her before settling.
Also trying to find a good replacement for the 9000 and considering a Subaru
which is why I'm wandering around in this group. The car is drivable for short
trips, saving me a lot on long term rentals.
I've driven through all kinds of rain, standing water, car washes, etc. without
a problem with the headlight. It's the same bulb that was in there when I was
hit and it's going strong.
What you need to be ready for, though, is how much its going to cost to repair
the damage. Those little plastic pieces might as well be made of gold, for how
much they cost to replace.

My biggest problem is that this is an H1 bulb. The bulb itself is
considerably smaller than a 9006 or other bulbs, and it's probably
hotter. Maybe I'm just worrying too much. I'll be bringing it in
for an estimate tommorrow, and I can get a rental.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

My right headlight assembly was shattered, and the bulb's (H1)
filiment broke off. The front reflector was reaaranged, and
I tried to bend it back. I put an old bulb back in, and it worked.
The aim is way low, but I'll try again. The officer who took the
report (and actually saw the collision) told me that there was no
law saying that the headlight had to be covered. My big worry is
that rain or dew might short out the bulb.

Rain won't short out the bulb; it'll cause it to shatter when cold water
hits hot bulb glass. You need a new headlamp assembly or a set of
Morettes.

DS

 

[y_p_w]

Who cares about the headlight? If its cracked the whole assembly will
be replaced c/o your insurance. Your best bet is to go to the body
shop and get an estimate. They;ll tell you what you need.

I know that. I'm getting the estimate tommorrow. I was actually
hoping that I could fix the part just to be able to drive it, but
it's a special order part. However - I still need a car to drive
in the meanwhile, and I'm wondering if it's going to explode if
it rains.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

I know that. I'm getting the estimate tommorrow. I was actually hoping
that I could fix the part just to be able to drive it, but it's a
special order part. However - I still need a car to drive in the
meanwhile, and I'm wondering if it's going to explode if it rains.

The bulb will, yes. H1s haven't been made out of quartz for many, many
years -- they're all hardglass nowtimes.

DS

 

[y_p_w]

Rain won't short out the bulb; it'll cause it to shatter when cold water
hits hot bulb glass. You need a new headlamp assembly or a set of
Morettes.

Actually - that was my biggest worry.

Oh - how this for irony? As the officer taking the report was finishing
up, one driver clipped another right in front of us. Strange.

 

[mulder]

Too bad the Morettes for the 04 Impreza are only reflectors and not
projectors like the old bugeye ones.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

Too bad the Morettes for the 04 Impreza are only reflectors and not
projectors like the old bugeye ones.

And you consider this "too bad" because...?

Are you laboring under the misapprehension that projector lamps are
necessarily better than reflector lamps?

 

[mulder]

Not necessarily in all instances. But the bugeye Morette projectors are
pretty good and were a significant upgrade from the factory reflector
lights.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

Not necessarily in all instances.
True.

But the bugeye Morette projectors are
pretty good
True.

and were a significant upgrade from the factory reflector lights.

The Valeo optics in the '04+ Morettes are a significant upgrade from the
factory optics -- even though both are the reflector type.

 

[mulder]

Are they E-code pattern lights like the projectors were? That would make
for some improvement over the factory patttern.
The factory bugeye lights were single-lamp reflectors with 9007s, so
upgrading to Morettes was a significant improvement since they are
dual-lamp units with E-code H7 projectors and H1 high beams. The 04 is
already dual-lamp (H1/9005) from the factory so it's better to begin
with. I haven't actualy seen the comparison for myself but I'm thinking
the improvement from installing Morettes in an 04 isn't as dramatic as
with an 02-03? They're also equally expensive as the old projector ones
(actually more from what I've seen at $600+), and I've also seen reports
of quality issues regarding the lamp units not being secured properly
although I have no confirmation of that.

 

[scott_z500]

"My right headlight assembly was shattered, and the bulb's (H1)
filiment broke off. The front reflector was reaaranged, and
I tried to bend it back"


Pics?

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

Are they E-code pattern lights like the projectors were?
Yep.

The factory bugeye lights were single-lamp reflectors with 9007s,

Yep. Junk, junk, junk.

upgrading to Morettes was a significant improvement since they are
dual-lamp units with E-code H7 projectors and H1 high beams. The 04 is
already dual-lamp (H1/9005) from the factory so it's better to begin
with.

The '04-up units are dual-lamp (H1/9005) from the factory, and they are
better to begin with, but the one statement does not flow from the other.

That said, the factory '04-up lamps respond very well to
thoughtfully-selected bulbs, H1 "Plus 50" units in the low beams, and
9011s in the high beams, see
this article on a BMW site: http://bmwz.org/articles/lighting/0506trick/

The factory optional HIDs on the '04-up are half decent, no more and no
less. There's plenty of light in the beam pattern, but the beam pattern
isn't shaped especially usefully.

DS

 

[mulder]

FYI the HIDs aren't an option. They are standard on the US model STi and
not offered on any other Impreza. However it is possible to purchase
them separately and do a DIY swap with the OEM halogens. Direct
mechanical installation and a bit of wiring.
In Canada the STi comes with the same halogen lights as the other
Imprezas due to the legal requirement for DRLs.

 

[Steve]

I know that. I'm getting the estimate tommorrow. I was actually
hoping that I could fix the part just to be able to drive it, but
it's a special order part. However - I still need a car to drive
in the meanwhile, and I'm wondering if it's going to explode if
it rains.

COld water hitting a hot halogen capsule can cause the capsule to burst.
"Explode" is a strong word, but I wouldn't want to be standing next to
one when it goes "pop." Hot glass shards hurt.

And stop driving with the d*** foglights on, too. All you're doing is
blinding oncoming traffic. Get a new headlamp and fix it right.

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

FYI the HIDs aren't an option. They are standard on the US model STi and
not offered on any other Impreza. However it is possible to purchase
them separately and do a DIY swap with the OEM halogens.

I was using "option" in the production sense, not the marketing/ordering
sense.

In Canada the STi comes with the same halogen lights as the other
Imprezas due to the legal requirement for DRLs.

This is a punt on Subaru's part; there are lots of ways to have DRLs with
HIDs, and there are many vehicles factory equipped with HIDs in Canada.

 

[y_p_w]

COld water hitting a hot halogen capsule can cause the capsule to burst.
"Explode" is a strong word, but I wouldn't want to be standing next to
one when it goes "pop." Hot glass shards hurt.

Sure. One of the things about the setup is that there are two
reflectors. The first is metal and protrudes in front of the
bulb. It practically covers the bulb. The light from this
reflector is bounced back to the plastic reflector and projected
forward.

And stop driving with the d*** foglights on, too. All you're doing is

blinding oncoming traffic. Get a new headlamp and fix it right.

I wouldn't normally drive with my fogs on, unless there's thick
fog. I've found that fog lamps are practically useless except
for driving under 20 MPH in a fog bank. They certainly give the
impression that one can see better, which is why so many clueless
drivers leave them on intentionally. I live in the SF Bay Area,
and fog is "not uncommon". However - the factory fogs don't
project too far, and are nowhere near as blinding as some of the
badly aimed aftermarket fog lamps I've run across. I could
actually see pretty well with one headlight, but I was worried
that if the right (badly aimed) one went out, I might want the
fogs on for added visibility, and maybe avoid a ticket.