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Changed 3 bulbs within 16k miles...normal?


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  • 3 months later...
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I put in the European version of the Silverstars, and they both blew out within a week of each other (but only after several months). I'm back on the stock pair right now, and so far so good. I'm also up to 29,000 mi.
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  • 4 weeks later...
just wondering if the condition is common to vehicles with DRL(daytime running lights) enabled. i disabled DRL the day after i picked up my car and at 11k miles have had no issues yet. my brother on the other hand retained his DRL and has already had 1 of his head lamps burn out at 10k.
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  • 2 months later...
weird, my left front hid sometimes refuses to come on when i turn the engine on. sometimes i need to turn the headlights on 3-4 times for it to make it work. also i changed the igniter and the balast between left and right and still the same problem. i think there might be a short or some voltage spike of some sort.
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  • 2 weeks later...
This is my third time replacing my headlight bulbs ( 2x drivers, 1x passenger side). Should I bring my car into the dealer to check if there anything wrong? Or is this normal?

 

Has anyone else had to change that many times? Any recommedenation on bulb brands?

 

Thanks

Seems normal for our cars. Something is wrong with this design.

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  • 1 month later...
I went in to the dealer today to get my passenger bulb replaced. They replaced both of my bulbs with the 'new' ones that will hopefully last longer. They said Subaru increased the power of the headlights without improving the bulbs. I guess we'll see. . .

tom :)

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  • 6 months later...
  • 2 months later...

Not sure when, but I had the driver's side lamp burn out somewhere past 20K miles (I'm near 22,500 now). I'm going to the dealer (Subaru of Gwinnett, GA) this Saturday for replacement, covered under warranty. I mentioned some of the information read on this thread. They shipped back a whole supply of defective bulbs and will replace both lamps with the newer version. I hope this works. I disabled the DRL not long after buying the car.

 

I had an '83 Honda Prelude that was great, but the older style sealed beam halogens would burn out ever 20K miles. Never figured it out.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

My Subaru has also had the same problem, although I'm starting to think that it's just because Subaru's electrical system isn't designed to proper spec. According to a few posts, the low beams see 14V! That's quite a bit more than what they're designed for. It would also explain why even the stock bulbs are so damned bright.

 

Another thing I've noticed is that my stereo head unit gets 14.5V consistently! What the duck!

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14V is ok. Automotive parts can run anyway between 11v (when running on an empty battery and no charger) to 16v...

So this is not the reason.

On the other hand, I have 16k (in 9 months) on my OB and no light bulb changed so far (and yes, I have also 14.5v when the engine is running). Maybe is because I keep the headlights on all the time...

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  • 3 months later...

Hello--

 

I'm not sure if this thread is still active, but, I will be replacing headlight #5 tomorrow in my 2005 Legacy Wagon. The first time they went, my dealer in MD (Heritage, I Love You) replaced them under warranty. Then I moved to Massachusetts where, the next time them burnt out, Dec 2006, that my car's mileage put they headlight out of warranty--even though I have bought the extended warranty for 80k miles. Now, July 2007, the driver's side is out again. Steve Lewis agreed to replace it, but only with an argument.

 

Has there been any resolution to this issue? Or am I beating a dead thread?

 

Thanks,

 

Meg

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  • 3 months later...

Maybe a dead thread, but I too am getting a little tired of the cost and hassle of these repeated bulb changes. Gave up on the dealer after year 1, tried the Silver Stars too, but still they blow, usually on start-up, and mostly passenger side bulbs.

 

I use DRL as I am located in Canada, and the funny thing is the dealer always asks me if I use my parking brake (?) when I complain about the bulb failures.

 

Now I know that the DRL is activated by releasing the parking brake, but what difference would how the DRL comes on matter?

For the record, I always engage my parking brake.

 

Any ideas about the parking brake business, and what do they know that we don't?

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  • 10 months later...
  • 2 months later...
Our 97GT blew bulbs and Subaru said nothing was wrong, then two years and many bulbs later they issued a recall on the alternator saying that it could cause voltage spikes and one effect could be limiting the life of bulbs. New alternator and our 2x130/90s and 2x130s never blow now.

 

Hope there is not a similar - yet unknown - issue with the 05s.

 

 

 

 

My '05 burns out a pair a year. I'll mention the alternator when I take it in for the 60K service...

 

I'd been riding around "pop-eyed" for a few days, and then leaving work in the dark yesterday, I started the car and the one good one went out. I had to drive home with my brights on. :redface:

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