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Headlight bulbs blowing - 55 plate iCTDI

M

mutley

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Location
Wiltshire
Car
2005 Accord i-CTDi
Hi Guys

I have a 55-plate i-CTDi tourer. A while ago it started eating headlight (dipped beam) bulbs - I was having to replace one every few days. I tried everything - cheap bulbs, "heavy duty" bulbs, Osram Night Breakers, they all blew.

As the headlights weren't that great anyway I fitted an aftermarket HID kit and everything has worked fine ever since. The only problem now is that the car won't pass its MOT in December as the lights aren't self-levelling and there are no washers, so I will have to go back to filament bulbs.

Anyone got any ideas about what could be causing the bulbs to blow? I've had a meter on the electrical system and there is no evidence of excessive voltage or wild voltage fluctuations.
 
Hi Steve. Take some time to present yourself in the Welcome section.

This is no special trick and does not mean it solves the problem, but we should never touch the lamp glass with bare hands. Use a cloth to put the lamp in place. Any moisture of you hands will make them blow easily.

Anyway, you can have a electric problem beside this detail.
 
My car has been through 2 mots with a hid kit and had no issues. Just leave them in. If it gets pulled stick normal bulbs in. The re test is free so you have nothing to lose.
 
Jon_G said:
This is active and could be useful... http://typeaccord.co.uk/forum/topic/3447-headlights-bulbs-blowing/
Click to expand...
In fact, the forum I linked to is in the 'petrol faults' section which is really the wrong place for it. Is there any chance a mod could move it as there is now 2 ongoing threads developing.
 
mutley said:
Hi Guys

I have a 55-plate i-CTDi tourer. A while ago it started eating headlight (dipped beam) bulbs - I was having to replace one every few days. I tried everything - cheap bulbs, "heavy duty" bulbs, Osram Night Breakers, they all blew.

As the headlights weren't that great anyway I fitted an aftermarket HID kit and everything has worked fine ever since. The only problem now is that the car won't pass its MOT in December as the lights aren't self-levelling and there are no washers, so I will have to go back to filament bulbs.

Anyone got any ideas about what could be causing the bulbs to blow? I've had a meter on the electrical system and there is no evidence of excessive voltage or wild voltage fluctuations.
Click to expand...

The usual cause is moisture, any misting in your headlamps? if so do a search as the best way to sort it is silica gel, there's a write up on here somewhere on the DIY section.

However after market hid fitting leaves more possible ways for moisture to get in due to bad seals in the rear caps you have to drill through so going back to halogen with out new rear caps may be worse than you previously experienced.

I have a 04 plate with 6k white after market hid kit, no self levellers but its an executive so I have the washers, and I'm batting 2 for 2 on Mot's and there are threads about hid kits and Mot's on here that show people do get through without issue

make sure your headlamps are adjusted correctly and so long as you not running an obvious kit like 11k hopefully you will be fine
 
Hi Guys

Thanks for all the incredibly rapid responses!

The HIDs have been in for a couple of years and gone through MOTs, but the MOT rules have changed this year, hence my concern.

No evidence of moisture, I have been careful not to touch the bulbs (easier said than done, as anyone who has changed an Accord bulb will know).

I will try the fuses and the earth straps as per the other thread - though I am baffled as to how they could possibly make a difference!
 
I had the same problem on my Accord , it was blowing bulbs once a week , I fitted the HID kits and its been brilliant ever since ( think ive only changed 2 bulbs in the last 18 months , my cars a taxi and its gone through the strict taxi m.o.t check every time with these in , I only work nights and the 4300k bulbs are superb for night vision
 
mutley said:
The HIDs have been in for a couple of years and gone through MOTs, but the MOT rules have changed this year, hence my concern.
Click to expand...


Mine is MOT'd at my local Honda Dealer ever since i have had the car.. passed everytime even with HIDS fitted. Infact it passed around 3-4 months ago no problems :)
 
MANtinis said:
Where did you get this information? I would like to see changes :)
I had HID's for 4 years and had passed MOT's succesfuly.
Click to expand...

http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/customer-information-notice-cars-2010.pdf
http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/mot-changes

My MOT is due next month but I am not overly worried about my lack of auto levelling. hope these links help
 
Just make sure your lenses aren't pointing too high, then you'll be fine. My auto levelling in my Exec is broken at the mo. It's not a problem as my car passed its MOT last month (at Honda too, so it was a thorough MOT if you know what I mean - the kind where they actively try to find problems to fix £££ ;) ). But they said the legislation could be in place next year that all HIDs must have working auto levellers, so I may want to look into it before next year.
 
Accords have a condensation problem, try using Silica packs and the rules for after market HID's are you need self leveling and washer jets but it all depends who you know ;)
 
The 'must have self levellers and washers' thing is nonsense. The rules state that if they are present they must work.

If there was a strict ban on all cars with HIDs that have no self levellers and washers, then there are a rake of cars out there with factory HIDs that do not have the aforementioned levellers and washers. Mitsubishi Evos for one that I know about.
 
When someone brings an actual example forward of their Accord failing an MOT for aftermarket HID's then we can discuss. For now, let's ***ume it will pass.
 
I replaced the headlight fuses with new, good quality, ones in January and I haven't had a problem since. Make of that what you will.
 
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