Headlight bulbs burning out every month or two(Low Beam/DRL)

[jmcentire]

I have a 2001 Outback, about a year after I bought it one of the
headlight bulbs burned out, I replaced both bulbs with the exact same
brand/model bulb. Those only lasted about two months before one burned
out, I bought another thinking maybe I got a bad bulb and about a week
later the other one burned out. So I tried a different brand with the
same results. I have now tried three different brands of bulbs now and
still they only last a month or two.

To save money I have not been replacing the bulbs as a pair anymore,
and I notice this seems very random. Sometimes the both Driver and
Pass burn out at the same time, sometimes the D will burn out twice
before the P and sometimes opposite.

 

[mulder]

I have a 2001 Outback, about a year after I bought it one of the
headlight bulbs burned out, I replaced both bulbs with the exact same
brand/model bulb. Those only lasted about two months before one burned
out, I bought another thinking maybe I got a bad bulb and about a week
later the other one burned out. So I tried a different brand with the
same results. I have now tried three different brands of bulbs now and
still they only last a month or two.

To save money I have not been replacing the bulbs as a pair anymore,
and I notice this seems very random. Sometimes the both Driver and
Pass burn out at the same time, sometimes the D will burn out twice
before the P and sometimes opposite.

Check the voltage of the electrical system by connecting a voltmeter
across the battery terminals while the engine is running at operating
temperature (warmed up). It should read in the 13.5-14.5V range. If it
is significantly higher, say 15V or above, your voltage regulator is
not working properly. Excess voltage will cause bulbs to burn out more
frequently.
The regulator is an integral part of the alternator so if this is your
problem the alternator will need to be replaced.

 

[fish6525]

I have a 2001 Outback, about a year after I bought it one of the
headlight bulbs burned out, I replaced both bulbs with the exact same
brand/model bulb. Those only lasted about two months before one burned
out, I bought another thinking maybe I got a bad bulb and about a week
later the other one burned out. So I tried a different brand with the
same results. I have now tried three different brands of bulbs now and
still they only last a month or two.

To save money I have not been replacing the bulbs as a pair anymore,
and I notice this seems very random. Sometimes the both Driver and
Pass burn out at the same time, sometimes the D will burn out twice
before the P and sometimes opposite.

If you are handling and touching the glass part of the bulbs during
installation with your bare fingers, then that may be the source of
your trouble. Skin oil deposits from your fingers will cause hot spots
to form on the bulb glass. The over heating will cause the bulbs to
burn out quickly. Suggest in the future to use rubbing alcohol on a
kleenex to clean the glass part of the bulb prior to installation. Once
cleaned, do not touch the glass part with your hand or fingers. I hope
this solves your problem. Bulb manufacturers should advise the buyer of
this potential problem, but no, I guess they want to sell more bulbs.

 

[CompUser]

If you are handling and touching the glass part of the bulbs during
installation with your bare fingers, then that may be the source of
your trouble. Skin oil deposits from your fingers will cause hot spots
to form on the bulb glass. The over heating will cause the bulbs to
burn out quickly.

Yes, REAl quickly...like within a second of power
application.

This cause does not take days or weeks to do it's
work.

 

[Vanguard]

Yes, REAl quickly...like within a second of power
application.

This cause does not take days or weeks to do it's
work.

Depends on how oily are your hands. Some folks reek oil. Even if you
been washing parts in gasoline with your bare hands, there is still
some oil but there would be a lot less which means the hot spot
wouldn't get as overheated as the sausage pizza-eating, non-washing,
slimy mechanic handling your bulbs.

 

[birder]

If you are handling and touching the glass part of the bulbs during
installation with your bare fingers, then that may be the source of
your trouble. Skin oil deposits from your fingers will cause hot spots
to form on the bulb glass. The over heating will cause the bulbs to
burn out quickly. Suggest in the future to use rubbing alcohol on a
kleenex to clean the glass part of the bulb prior to installation. Once
cleaned, do not touch the glass part with your hand or fingers. I hope
this solves your problem. Bulb manufacturers should advise the buyer of
this potential problem, but no, I guess they want to sell more bulbs.

If you handle the bulb with a bare hand there will always be some grease
residue. Try to handle with a cloth. If you do get your fingers on bulb,
you can use alcohol to take off grease.

 

[Yousuf Khan]

If you are handling and touching the glass part of the bulbs during
installation with your bare fingers, then that may be the source of
your trouble. Skin oil deposits from your fingers will cause hot spots
to form on the bulb glass. The over heating will cause the bulbs to
burn out quickly. Suggest in the future to use rubbing alcohol on a
kleenex to clean the glass part of the bulb prior to installation. Once
cleaned, do not touch the glass part with your hand or fingers. I hope
this solves your problem. Bulb manufacturers should advise the buyer of
this potential problem, but no, I guess they want to sell more bulbs.

I think we're getting off onto a pointless tangent about this oily
fingerprint on glass business. I've changed the bulbs on my 2000 OBW
before, and it's damn near impossible to touch the glass while you're
installing. The bulbs usually have a flange between the glass part and
the metal part. In order to install the bulb you need to hold onto the
metal part.

It's possible that maybe the headlight fuse is badly calibrated, or even
the wrong type altogether. Perhaps if its a rated 20 amp fuse, it might
actually be letting through 22 amps instead?

Yousuf Khan

 

[Chicobiker]

It's possible that maybe the headlight fuse is badly calibrated, or even
the wrong type altogether. Perhaps if its a rated 20 amp fuse, it might
actually be letting through 22 amps instead?

Not possible. A fuse does not "let through" a certain amount of
current. The bulb itself determines the current, and the fuse simply
blows if it seems more current than its rating. The only thing that
can cause a fuse to mis-operate is a partial melt in a previous event.
All that will do is melt the fuse prematurely next time. If this was
the case, the OP would have had to replace the fuse to get another bulb
to work.

First thing I would check is the voltage. And check to see how the
voltage changes when the RPMs go up to ensure the alternator is not
screwing up.

Chico

 

[Richard Moreno]

I think we're getting off onto a pointless tangent about this oily
fingerprint on glass business. I've changed the bulbs on my 2000 OBW
before, and it's damn near impossible to touch the glass while you're
installing. The bulbs usually have a flange between the glass part and
the metal part. In order to install the bulb you need to hold onto the
metal part.

It's possible that maybe the headlight fuse is badly calibrated, or even
the wrong type altogether. Perhaps if its a rated 20 amp fuse, it might
actually be letting through 22 amps instead?

Yousuf Khan

You could see if you have moisture inside the headlamp. Had that
happen on a honda.

 

[Edward Hayes]

Aside from the finger-on-glass issue which is real important, check on
the charging voltage which should be 14-14.4 volts at a fast idle. Too
high a voltage is death on bulbs. Ed

 

[user]

I have a 2001 Outback, about a year after I bought it one of the
headlight bulbs burned out, I replaced both bulbs with the exact same
brand/model bulb. Those only lasted about two months before one burned
out, I bought another thinking maybe I got a bad bulb and about a week
later the other one burned out. So I tried a different brand with the
same results. I have now tried three different brands of bulbs now and
still they only last a month or two.

To save money I have not been replacing the bulbs as a pair anymore,
and I notice this seems very random. Sometimes the both Driver and
Pass burn out at the same time, sometimes the D will burn out twice
before the P and sometimes opposite.

FWIW, Subaru just told my wife that they've had a run of bad
headlight bulbs from their supplier, explaining why she had
hers start burning out after a year.

- Rich

 

[y_p_w]

If you are handling and touching the glass part of the bulbs during
installation with your bare fingers, then that may be the source of
your trouble. Skin oil deposits from your fingers will cause hot spots
to form on the bulb glass. The over heating will cause the bulbs to
burn out quickly. Suggest in the future to use rubbing alcohol on a
kleenex to clean the glass part of the bulb prior to installation. Once
cleaned, do not touch the glass part with your hand or fingers. I hope
this solves your problem. Bulb manufacturers should advise the buyer of
this potential problem, but no, I guess they want to sell more bulbs.

Really? I've yet to see a bulb (packaged for US sale) that doesn't
come with a warning that the glass should be kept clean and possibly
cleaned off with rubbing alcohol if in doubt. They also warn that the
halogen bulbs are pressurized and could burst if handled improperly.