I had my 'by Diesel' for six years and only had to replace one DRL, and that was after I bounced it off a sheep!!!

D

Strange that I've replaced so many then.

We bought the car at three years old just as it had had its first MOT. 13,700miles.

Let's say the DRLs were brand new, but I have no knowledge about it.

I replaced the RH one at 18,300miles, then again at 21,400miles and yet again at 25,400miles.

I replaced the LH at 22,900miles, and again at 26,500miles just over two weeks ago,

I'm getting tired of it.
Mick.

18 months of ownership, 10,000 miles only replaced 1 DRL due to failure, have since replaced both with "blue" coloured bulbs giving a bright white light output, 1 number plate bulb and both brake bulbs and upgraded both headlight bulbs to Phillips extreme +130% 55w.

That is odd, Mick. I swapped my 500 for a 500X a couple of months ago after 6 years of ownership. The only bulbs I changed were the high beams, to Osram Nightbreakers, for better illumination. No bulb failures at all after 43,000 miles. DRLs were always on.
Trivia sidenote: the 500 uses twin filament 21W/5W bulbs for DRL/Parking. The 500X uses a single filament 21W, and dims it for parking, or when the indicator on that side is used.

I spoke too soon my nearside drl has just quit bought Feb ordered two more"blue" tint ones

Does anyone know whether these will work?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Osram-LED-...709852&hash=item2cbef56cac:g:PJwAAOSwKytZEawM

Osram is an OEM brand so I have no concerns over quality, but with a claimed wattage of 3W, I expect they will trigger the bulb-failure warning.

The best bulbs available locally seem to be NARVA brand, the usual Australia/New Zealand junk... I’m finding them to last under a year and so I’m onto the fifth set now, getting a bit tired of changing them, plus the yellow colour looks bad even beside the standard halogen headlights.

On the bright side I always do the pair (and throw the other bulb away), I turn the steering wheel to angle each wheel inwards, I remove the flap in the wheelarch (one side is missing, doesn’t seem to affect anything but I’ve finally ordered a replacement flap), I remove the rubber cover which seems to stay in place OK, and then it always seems a bit tricky to twist out the holder but I manage it. So really it’s a ten-minute job to do both sides, but it’s just silly to be doing it more often than oil changes.

I tried a cheaper Repco brand of bulb the second time and it lasted one full DAY before the bulb envelope turned white and the filament blew the other side lasted three weeks

I’m aware of the blue-tint M-Tec bulbs and they will be my next option if LEDs are not available.

Thanks
-Alex

I've switched back to standard bulbs either Osram or Bosch cheap from Carparts4less

alexGS said:

Does anyone know whether these will work?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Osram-LED-W21-5W-T20-DC-3W-Cool-White-Bulbs-6000K-580-W3x16q-Wedge-7715CW-02B/192182316204?epid=2157709852&hash=item2cbef56cac:gJwAAOSwKytZEawM

Osram is an OEM brand so I have no concerns over quality, but with a claimed wattage of 3W, I expect they will trigger the bulb-failure warning.

<SNIP>

Thanks
-Alex

Click to expand...

Illegal for road use I'm afraid. Osram are following Philips lead and being disengenious about it. Naming them "LEDriving" and "exterior fitment" and giving an "ECE Category" number under "certificates and standards" it's only whenyou get to the third page of the datasheet that they say


see https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r..._eCat&lid=EN&usg=AOvVaw1v8J8hLyQUEaOu3c5pyBxw

Robert G8RPI.

Thanks - interesting, but I don’t think the legalities would matter too much in NZ as long as the light is “substantially white in colour” (to quote the regs) and functions as the original equipment does (no flashing, turns off when it should, etc.)

I think I’ll buy some standard bulbs in a name-brand instead. Maxi306 once said the originals lasted several years.

-Alex

g8rpi said:

Illegal for road use I'm afraid. Osram are following Philips lead and being disengenious about it. Naming them "LEDriving" and "exterior fitment" and giving an "ECE Category" number under "certificates and standards" it's only whenyou get to the third page of the datasheet that they say

see https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&r..._eCat&lid=EN&usg=AOvVaw1v8J8hLyQUEaOu3c5pyBxw

Robert G8RPI.

Click to expand...

alexGS said:

Thanks - interesting, but I don’t think the legalities would matter too much in NZ as long as the light is “substantially white in colour” (to quote the regs) and functions as the original equipment does (no flashing, turns off when it should, etc.)

I think I’ll buy some standard bulbs in a name-brand instead. Maxi306 once said the originals lasted several years.

-Alex

Click to expand...

Hi,
The Land Transport Rule (for post 2005 cars) states inter-alia



2.1(14) The type and performance of light sources used in lighting equipment must be as specified by:

• (a) the vehicle manufacturer, for lighting equipment that is original equipment specification on a production vehicle

and there is a requirement for approved equipment:


2.2(1) Lighting equipment fitted to a motor vehicle that is required by this rule to comply with a vehicle standard for lighting equipment must comply with a version, as specified in 2.2(5), of an approved vehicle standard in Schedule 1.


Schedule 1 states
UN/ECE Regulation No. 7, Uniform provisions concerning the approval of front and rear position (side) lamps, stop-lamps and end-outline marker lamps for motor vehicles (except motor cycles) and their trailers
(E/ECE324-E/ECE/TRANS/505/Add.6)

So unless LEDs were fitted by the OEM you can't fit LEDs in place of filaments and any replacement light assemblies must be ECE (or equivalent) approved and "E" marked.


You actually have pretty strict rules "down under"


Robert G8RPI.