HYUNDAI: CHRONIC ELECTRIC SYSTEM/Light Bulb Failure! How About A RECALL?
Suppurating Tool
have had to replace front, rear and tag light bulbs on 21 separate
occasions.
And that's the good news!
These bulbs require removing such components as the battery to get at
the front drivers' sockets, and accessibility of all the lights is
nearly impossible unless one has hands like birds' feet.
The manager of the Exxon station where I've had most of the light
replacement work done says he's had similar problems with his Elantra,
and has worked on three others with regularly failing lights.
Forget dealing with the dealer. Unless the car is under a recall,
you'll pay up to $75 for a single replaced bulb.
Any other unfortunate Elantra owners here with chronic light outages?
Kyle Schwitters
Elantra, you might want to reconsider. These cars are designed/
constructed to make changing light bulbs, fan belts, batteries, etc.,
prohibitive both manually and economically, this side of a dealer, who
just might have to get to you car tomorrow. At outrageous cost, of
course!
LDC
Why did you reply to your own post using a different name?
hyundaitech
Bulb failures are not that uncommon these days as bulb quality gets
lower and lower. You can blame the original bulbs on the
manufacturer. After that, it's related to the person who purchased
the replacement bulbs. If you can find long life bulbs, perhaps
purchase those. As for the H7 headlamp bulbs, I know of none of these
that provide long life in any vehicle. One of the posters here has
even tried reducing the voltage to the bulb to no avail.
Don Klipstein
hyundaitech wrote:
>On Sep 1, 9:32�am, Suppurating Tool <kink...@yahoo.com> wrote:
<Previous stuff is largely a car with frequent need to change bulbs and
that requires either being a contortionist or moving unrelated car parts>
>Bulb failures are not that uncommon these days as bulb quality gets
>lower and lower. You can blame the original bulbs on the
>manufacturer. After that, it's related to the person who purchased
>the replacement bulbs. If you can find long life bulbs, perhaps
>purchase those.
My experience suggests that by-and-large the better bulbs are made by
the "Big Three" (GE, Philips and Osram/Sylvania), or by a
recognizeable-name Japanese manufacturer such as Ushio.
Also look at where the bulbs are made: My experience is that the better
ones are made in USA, Canada, Europe, Japan, and with Mexico not far
behind. Indonesia - maybe, but I don't feel too bad about Indonesia.
With China, quality varies and is often low because China is where too
many OEMs looking at price more than quality go for the cheapest low-bid
contract manufacturers. (However, I have seen good things made in China.)
They still make light bulbs in USA, but mainly higher volume ones such
as 4-foot fluorescents and A19 size incandescents (usual shape and size of
40, 60, 75 and 10 watt USA-usual incandescents).
I would have a look at what is used in cars with 100,000 mile warranties
that include bulbs.
- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)
Jack Bauer
One amazing thing about my 1982 Accord is that the only lights I have
ever had to replace in over 250k miles are the headlights! That's right
- in owning this car for 25 years, they are all original except for the
headlights. But the high beams have never burned out, just the low beams.
While many people will insist that the fault has to lie with the bulbs
themselves, I am suspicious of the sockets. I don't know exactly what
goes on, but I have seen old light sockets at home repeatedly burn out
bulbs in no time at time. I think there has to be something about the
socket contacts delivering current in an erratic manner to the bulb.
Rod Speed
That shouldnt make a bulb burn out quicker since the filament
is up to temp and you dont get the cold inrush problem.
Maybe the only reason its the low beam that
burns out is because its whats used much more.