Technical Frequent headlamp replacement

[CS Brass Knight]

My girlfriend has a Fiat 500x trekking. She has replaced the fog lamps several times and now the headlamps.
We replaced both headlamps about a year ago because the driver side light was out, but now the same driver side bulb is out again.
I KNOW I wore gloves when performing the operation.
She says we used "Silver Star ultra" bulbs.
Any ideas on what could cause bulbs to burn out prematurely?

 

[s130]

Fog lamp bulbs blowing is probably because of the "Cornering Light" function. This fires up the left or right fog lamp when indicating and turning. That happens many many times during a drive. Over a year I hate to think what the on/off cycle count would be.

I turned this function off from day one back in 2015

Every time an incandescent/halogen bulb is fired up and cooled down is a thermal stress cycle. Less cycles = Longer Life

 

[chris3234]

Fog lamp bulbs blowing is probably because of the "Cornering Light" function. This fires up the left or right fog lamp when indicating and turning. That happens many many times during a drive. Over a year I hate to think what the on/off cycle count would be.

I turned this function off from day one back in 2015

Every time an incandescent/halogen bulb is fired up and cooled down is a thermal stress cycle. Less cycles = Longer Life

I doubt it makes to much of a difference my tipo has this and currently on 27k miles and just over 3 years within my own ownership and never changed them

 

[Popitinpete]

My girlfriend has a Fiat 500x trekking. She has replaced the fog lamps several times and now the headlamps.
We replaced both headlamps about a year ago because the driver side light was out, but now the same driver side bulb is out again.
I KNOW I wore gloves when performing the operation.
She says we used "Silver Star ultra" bulbs.
Any ideas on what could cause bulbs to burn out prematurely?

Put good quality lucas ones in, the stuff off ebay and the like such as your " silver star ultra" are usually cheapo Chinese stuff, won't last 5 minutes

 

[Ralf S.]

Bulbs can get moody if they feel too much resistance. If one bulb in particular is blowing more than the others then that suggests there may be a bad earth point.

Lights are usually earthed nearby, usually on the inner wings. You need to get into the engine bay, find where there's a load of cables crimped into a clamp that is bolted to the wing... then remove it, clean it's face and the point on the wing where it's attached (use some wire wool or a kitchen scouring pad, so the metal is clean and shiny) then refit it. Cover it with some grease to keep it water-proof and that might help.

If that, and better quality bulbs doesn't help, then an auto electrician should be able to track down anything that's causing the resistance.. but the inner wing earth points is a good/easy DIY to start with.


Ralf S.

 

[s130]

Put good quality lucas ones in, the stuff off ebay and the like such as your " silver star ultra" are usually cheapo Chinese stuff, won't last 5 minutes

Yes good quality bulbs are designed for long hours and many cycles, but cycling is still stressful

 

[DGPunto]

Silver Star bulbs run hotter than "standard" ones hence the brighter light. It you look at the tests you'll see they do tend to have a shorter live due to that. Does your GF drive with headlights on a lot of the time?

Agree above, make sure earths are clean and fit some standard fog bulbs (don't know whether you can fit LEDs in foglights without MOT issues but that might be worth looking at)

 

[jackwhoo]

Silver star ultra are made my Sylvania .
They are intended to be brighter than a standard bulb but that does mean they don't last as long.

Try "long life " or "25% extra life" bulbs made by GE