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Blown Headlight Bulbs 7th Gen 2.2 EX

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Bladerunner

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Location
Lancashire
Car
Honda Accord CDTi
This is my first post, I have a 07 2.2 EX, going through headlight bubs like a box of chocolates, took it to Auto Electrician today but he said Alternator was working properly, does not seem to matter where the bulbs come from or how much I pay for them they all last around a week, the metal around the bulbs is always a blue color when I remove them, they look like they are being over charged to me can anyone advise?

Thanks Dale
 
Hello and welcome to the site.

It is usually cheap bulbs that blow on the Accord, but seeing as you have installed the more premium brands by the sound of it i am at a bit of a loss. If they were taking too much current the fuses would keep blowing (one for each side).

If i were you i would stop throwing money at new bulbs and install a HID kit like many people on the forum have done. The ballast will reduce the watts getting to the bulb and your blowing bulb issue should be solved.
You can pick a kit up from Ebay for around the £30 mark and they give better light output as well. Its a winner all round.


Here is a link for you.
HID kit
 
Dale,

Are you sure you're not touching the glass when installing the bulb? It's easily done. Is it one particular side that keeps blowing?

I agree with Neil, a HID kit is the way forward and you'll get massive improvement in usable light output.
 
welcome along mate as the guys said go for a hid kit iv had mine for over a year and no problems
 
Thanks for the replys, the Bulbs I have used range from £6 each from the local garage to £1 from the Pound shop, resorted to cheaper brands because they all seem to last exactly the same sort of time at the moment, I always only ever touch the metal part with my fingers I am aware touching the glass is a no no, I have not really read much about the HID Kits how do they install on the Honda Accord which H1 Bulbs would you fit 5000K or 8000k, I like the idea of better brighter headlights, would you fit the Low and High beam kits at the same time?

Thanks Dale
 
Bladerunner said:
Thanks for the replys, the Bulbs I have used range from £6 each from the local garage to £1 from the Pound shop, resorted to cheaper brands because they all seem to last exactly the same sort of time at the moment, I always only ever touch the metal part with my fingers I am aware touching the glass is a no no, I have not really read much about the HID Kits how do they install on the Honda Accord which H1 Bulbs would you fit 5000K or 8000k, I like the idea of better brighter headlights, would you fit the Low and High beam kits at the same time?

Thanks Dale
Click to expand...


All you need is the low beam kit (H1) don't worry about high beam.

I personally have 6000k and they give off a nice white light. 8000k if you want a blue tinge and 5000k if you want factory looking lights (a little yellow). Either will vastly improve your usable light output and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
They pretty much plug and play and can be installed in about an hour by a novice.
 
crespo said:
All you need is the low beam kit (H1) don't worry about high beam.

I personally have 6000k and they give off a nice white light. 8000k if you want a blue tinge and 5000k if you want factory looking lights (a little yellow). Either will vastly improve your usable light output and you will wonder why you didn't do it sooner.
They pretty much plug and play and can be installed in about an hour by a novice.
Click to expand...

On the 07 EX the rear of the Headlights is sealed with a Large round Plastic screw on Cover, would this need to be drilled or permanently removed to accomodate the cables from the HID Kit? also have you had problems with your MOTs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw&feature=related
I am seriously thinking about getting the Kit from ebay for £30 but need to be certain the car will still be legal once fitted.

Dale
 
It will pass it's MOT.
 
hids if put through a projector like our accords are fine as they dont scatter the light like if they're put into halogen headlights. I've passed my mot every year for the past 3 years with hids in.

Oh hello and welcome. Your headlight issue is confusing me also, its weird how your fuses dont blow but your headlights do....
 
the cover would need to be drilled 25mm i think. just get a hole saw from B&Q for about £5.
As for MOT issues and legality, I personally have HID's installed on my last 3 cars so about 5 years and have never had an issue with MOT,s.
To be legal your lights need to have projector lenses, have headlight washers installed and be self levelling.
The only thing your car hasn't got is self levelling lights. The most important thing to have is projector lenses so that you don't blind other motorists because projectors have a clear cut off. You can see it if you park up against a wall with your lights on, It looks like this ---/ ---/

A lot of members have HID's installed and i can honestly say that i have never heard one issue with regards to MOT's or Police interest.


The headlights used in that video are the old reflector lense type and not projector lenses.

The only difference between your lights and the optional xenon lights for the accord are self levelling motors. Unless you drive round with bricks in the boot and are incapable of using the beam adjustment wheel if you ever tow a caravan then you should have absolutely no problems. :D
 
hello and welcome
I have 54 reg Accord and I had issues with bulbs.In 1,5 year I changed a lot of bulbs and spend a lot.
Now I have HID and it cost me almost the same as good bulbs kit.
Better perfomance and cheaper run.
MY ADVICE;ONLY HID KIT
simple to install and happy drive
 
crespo said:
the cover would need to be drilled 25mm i think. just get a hole saw from B&Q for about £5.
As for MOT issues and legality, I personally have HID's installed on my last 3 cars so about 5 years and have never had an issue with MOT,s.
To be legal your lights need to have projector lenses, have headlight washers installed and be self levelling.
The only thing your car hasn't got is self levelling lights. The most important thing to have is projector lenses so that you don't blind other motorists because projectors have a clear cut off. You can see it if you park up against a wall with your lights on, It looks like this ---/ ---/

A lot of members have HID's installed and i can honestly say that i have never heard one issue with regards to MOT's or Police interest.


The headlights used in that video are the old reflector lense type and not projector lenses.

The only difference between your lights and the optional xenon lights for the accord are self levelling motors. Unless you drive round with bricks in the boot and are incapable of using the beam adjustment wheel if you ever tow a caravan then you should have absolutely no problems. :D
Click to expand...


Thanks you are all great help here, I thought that I might need to do some drilling of the rear cover, what are you doing with the Holes after the cables are passed through are you re-sealing somehow or leaving open? the link to the ebay HID Kit I contacted him he says "if your car has canbus system then these wont work" so I am ***uming we don't have this problem?

On the subject of the Fuse not blowing first its baffling me too, the bulbs look like they are really over charging badly, but if the HID Balasts can control this then its got to be worth trying them?
 
are you sire the fuses are the correct rating?

good news is we don't have canbus.
 
The kit will have a rubber grommet on the wiring loom to cover the hole mate.
 
gedutism said:
hello and welcome
I have 54 reg Accord and I had issues with bulbs.In 1,5 year I changed a lot of bulbs and spend a lot.
Now I have HID and it cost me almost the same as good bulbs kit.
Better perfomance and cheaper run.
MY ADVICE;ONLY HID KIT
simple to install and happy drive
Click to expand...

Hmmm now that sounds familiar, what mileage did this start to happen at? mine had done around 80k before I started having the blown bulbs problem, the fact HID's cured your problem is enough for me to press the buy it now button.

Thanks.
 
Bladerunner said:
Thanks you are all great help here, I thought that I might need to do some drilling of the rear cover, what are you doing with the Holes after the cables are passed through are you re-sealing somehow or leaving open? the link to the ebay HID Kit I contacted him he says "if your car has canbus system then these wont work" so I am ***uming we don't have this problem?

On the subject of the Fuse not blowing first its baffling me too, the bulbs look like they are really over charging badly, but if the HID Balasts can control this then its got to be worth trying them?
Click to expand...


The Accord is not Canbus so you are ok. You will get a little rubber gromit pre attached to the cables that seals the hole you drill so no worries about sealing the headlight.

The ballast's that come with the kit control the current that goes to the bulbs so in theory it should solve your issue. One thing to watch out for that i have noticed happen to one member and myself is that one of the fuses blew after installing the HID kit, As far as i am aware this has only happened to me and the other guy but was solved with a 12p fuse and has been fine since. So if you only have one light working check your fuses.
Like i said this is rare and i don't want to scare monger. :)
 
crespo said:
The Accord is not Canbus so you are ok. You will get a little rubber gromit pre attached to the cables that seals the hole you drill so no worries about sealing the headlight.

The ballast's that come with the kit control the current that goes to the bulbs so in theory it should solve your issue. One thing to watch out for that i have noticed happen to one member and myself is that one of the fuses blew after installing the HID kit, As far as i am aware this has only happened to me and the other guy but was solved with a 12p fuse and has been fine since. So if you only have one light working check your fuses.
Like i said this is rare and i don't want to scare monger. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Crespo, I have bought and paid for the HID Kit on ebay I will get another couple of Pound Shop H1's to keep me going until the Kit arrives, when the fuse blew after you installed the Kit did you put an equal rated fuse back in?

Dale
 
a
Bladerunner said:
Thanks Crespo, I have bought and paid for the HID Kit on ebay I will get another couple of Pound Shop H1's to keep me going until the Kit arrives, when the fuse blew after you installed the Kit did you put an equal rated fuse back in?

Dale
Click to expand...

yes. I put back a 10amp fuse, the same as the original. I am chuffed you have gone for it. I guarantee you will not regret it. when you come to connecting the cables for your kit pink is positive and black is negative.
what colour temp did you go for.?
 
My friend has this problem with his accord in the end his misted headlight unit needed changing and he stick to Honda bulbs,by the way neil have you got the link for the hid kits?I'm still waiting to do this bud LOL...
 
ukaccord said:
My friend has this problem with his accord in the end his misted headlight unit needed changing and he stick to Honda bulbs,by the way neil have you got the link for the hid kits?I'm still waiting to do this bud LOL...
Click to expand...


Here you go fella.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Xenon-KIT-H7-H1-10000K-8000K-6000K-5000K-4300K-/270741654166?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f0975ca96#ht_4788wt_905
 
crespo said:
Here you go fella.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HID-Xenon-KIT-H7-H1-10000K-8000K-6000K-5000K-4300K-/270741654166?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3f0975ca96#ht_4788wt_905
Click to expand...


thanks buddy your a star.
 
crespo said:
a

yes. I put back a 10amp fuse, the same as the original. I am chuffed you have gone for it. I guarantee you will not regret it. when you come to connecting the cables for your kit pink is positive and black is negative.
what colour temp did you go for.?
Click to expand...

I went for the 6000k ones I asked for white, I hope this cures the problems, fed up of changing the bulbs, its battery off every time for the Near side and washer bottle filler off for the offside, what a pain, what happened to simplicity?
 
Bladerunner said:
On the 07 EX the rear of the Headlights is sealed with a Large round Plastic screw on Cover, would this need to be drilled or permanently removed to accomodate the cables from the HID Kit? also have you had problems with your MOTs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVuSSdZNsZw&feature=related
I am seriously thinking about getting the Kit from ebay for £30 but need to be certain the car will still be legal once fitted.

Dale
Click to expand...

Dale if yours is an 07 it'll have the facelift lights in. You can drill through the bottom of the headlight instead of drilling the cover. The base of the headlight actually has space for housing the Honda ballast. If you search for threads created by Pepster he did a photo guide on what I mean. Hope that helps.
 
Agree with CJ - there may be an underlying electrical gremlin here. Maybe buy digital ballasts with error cancellers (they also maintain and stabilise voltage spikes from what I understand).
 
guys. I am pretty sure his original problem is down to the budget bulbs he was using.
surely if the voltage was too high the fuses would pop. on that note, its probably worth a look to make sure that 10amp fuses are being used.
 
again cheap bulbs can be an underlying problem with accord,I bet if you changed both to Honda ones they would last ages.
 
I didn't actually think £6 per H1 Bulb was that cheap, I expected them to last longer than a week, I do a lot of night driving so the lights get a lot of use, just seems odd that the original Bulbs failed pretty close to each other, maybe a coincidence? the Pound shop H1 Bulbs last just the same length of time has the £6 ones so must be of the same quality? I took the Car to an Auto Electrician yesterday thats why I came to the forum because he said the charging system is fine, the Metal around the blown Bulbs has a blue tint which made me think that they where over charging but maybe this is normal?
anyway I am going to install the HID Kit when it arrives and hope for the best, the best that can happen is all will be well and I get brighter headlights that don't burn out, the worst is I could have a bit of a fire which I don't really want :angry:

Paul the Bobby thanks for the tip, will have a look at the Kit when it arrives , then decide where to fit it.
 
Are there any signs of a bad earth? Mind you I would have thought the auto sparks would have found that.
 
6 pound each is very cheap. even Halfords extreme brilliance which are the cheapest off the shelf half decent bulbs are 30 quid. Osram and Philips are not cheap either.
 
crespo said:
6 pound each is very cheap. even Halfords extreme brilliance which are the cheapest off the shelf half decent bulbs are 30 quid. Osram and Philips are not cheap either.
Click to expand...

£30 good God!! its only £30 for the HID Kit with the Bulbs included, maybe this HID conversion is the best way forward how long do the HID Bulbs last and how much are the replacements?

The Auto Electrician said a clear sign of over charging is usually the Brake lights blowing out, he was scratching his head after he tested the electrics said everything was fine, so it must be the Bulbs I am using, another one went tonight, got 3 left to go through hope the Kit arrives quickly?
 
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