EXCESSIVE HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENTS!!!

[jemmah]

I have a 2007 hatch with 145,000miles. Other than tires and oil/air filters absolutely no problems except an average of 3 to 4 headlight bulb replacements each year. There a pain to replace so this is not fun!!
I never touch the glass, always use electric contact stuff on the contacts.
Can't find any tech bulletins or anything else regarding this problem. But I must admit, I'm now the best Yaris headlight changer in North America!!
Is this commom among my fellow Yaris owners or does my Yaris have a personnel issue? Thanks for any info................
JEM

[CTScott]

Do you do a lot of switching between high and low beams? The thing that causes filaments in bulbs to fail the quickest is switching them on.

[severous01]

do you use long life bulbs? they're more expensive but last much longer

[winfong]

Get used to it.....Headlight Bulbs replacements are like an everyday thing....
normal life of bulbs are about 6mths....

philips diamond vision and Osram night breakers are just way way EX

For Longer life, try getting the Low heat bulbs, 55-60 Watts...

Also check if you headlight chassis has water in them... .

[slow.yaris]

Get used to it.....Headlight Bulbs replacements are like an everyday thing....
normal life of bulbs are about 6mths....

philips diamond vision and Osram night breakers are just way way EX

For Longer life, try getting the Low heat bulbs, 55-60 Watts...

Also check if you headlight chassis has water in them... .

almost 4 years, 90,000 miles - every bulb in the car is still working

[landrym28]

almost 4 years, 90,000 miles - every bulb in the car is still working

+1. Had my other Yaris for 4 years, about 75,000 miles, stock headlights and they were still working when I traded it in.

[jemmah]

****I'll respond to some of your comments****: I did go back to using the low heat 55-60W lamps. I've lost two since then. The Headlight modules are completely dry. Hardly ever use the high beams.
I guess I can assume a some kind of electrical spike in the headlight circuit probably when starting the car or a questionable ground in the wiring. I've tried all kinds of bulbs and anything else I could think of, guess I'll just live with it. Like I said before, I've become a quick bulb changer in the Yaris which as most of you know isn't easy!!

[Vinceb]

Oh how I feel your pain, my Yaris eats headlights for an afternoon snack!
I've got an 08, had the stock bulbs until about 4 months in, drivers side died, but only the low beam. So I decided to replace with Silverstar Ultra 9003 55w (same as the stock) and since then i've been replacing them about every 3-4 months. If you purchase them at Canadian Tire they will warranty them for 1 year, if you pay them the 20 bucks and have they're mechanic install them, they will warranty them for 3 years. - been getting free replacements for a while now.

I've never touched the glass, the dome is sealed, no water inside, and I make sure the rubber seal is replaced on the back. Toyota says they've had no complaints and can't find anything wrong with the car, they suggest going back to stock bulbs. I always replace both at the same time when one blows since they're sold in a pack of 2, but it's random, sometimes drivers side, sometimes passengers side. Just recently switched to GE Nighthawk Platinum, 2 months into this pair. - never had a car go through this many headlights before.
only thought would be maybe the daytime running lights powering them at a constantly lower than normal wattage. I might try disabling this.

[bankrobber]

Never had a headlight blow on mine. Parking light went out 2 years ago and never replaced it. I have 104,000 on my 2007

[Scubaru Steve]

get a good set of projector lights and install a good set of hid's!
lots of kits have a lifetime warranty.

please do not install hid's without using a projector lens.
http://www.retrosolutionsllc.com/servlet/the-304/H4-HB2-9003-BIXENON/Detail

[jstantherprsn]

The reason you're replacing so much is because, you are probably touching the bulbs and your replacing them with sylvania.

Stop using anything with a star in the name, use regular stock or go with philips bulbs. They have a vision plus which work great and last a while.

[Vinceb]

The reason you're replacing so much is because, you are probably touching the bulbs and your replacing them with sylvania.

Stop using anything with a star in the name, use regular stock or go with philips bulbs. They have a vision plus which work great and last a while.


I only switched to these after the stock bulbs burnt, I've tried silverstar and the silverstar ultra and now the nighthawk's. I've always used them in other cars, with no problems.

[daf62757]

I have often looked under the hood and wondered how in hell do you change the light bulbs?

Can anyone describe the process?

[Viperoni]

Oh how I feel your pain, my Yaris eats headlights for an afternoon snack!
I've got an 08, had the stock bulbs until about 4 months in, drivers side died, but only the low beam. So I decided to replace with Silverstar Ultra 9003 55w (same as the stock) and since then i've been replacing them about every 3-4 months. If you purchase them at Canadian Tire they will warranty them for 1 year, if you pay them the 20 bucks and have they're mechanic install them, they will warranty them for 3 years. - been getting free replacements for a while now.

I've never touched the glass, the dome is sealed, no water inside, and I make sure the rubber seal is replaced on the back. Toyota says they've had no complaints and can't find anything wrong with the car, they suggest going back to stock bulbs. I always replace both at the same time when one blows since they're sold in a pack of 2, but it's random, sometimes drivers side, sometimes passengers side. Just recently switched to GE Nighthawk Platinum, 2 months into this pair. - never had a car go through this many headlights before.
only thought would be maybe the daytime running lights powering them at a constantly lower than normal wattage. I might try disabling this.

Te (North American) Silverstar's have crappy life due to the filament being overdriven to compensate for the tinted lens.

[severous01]

check your ground. you should have very close to 0 ohms. very close as in decimals of ohms...mine is .08 ohms and i've gone 3 years on the same bulbs.

also, if you had good luck with factory bulbs...spend the extra money and get factory bulbs. they're long life and designed for the car by toyota. you may also have an underlying problem. sticking relays, low voltage, bad grounds. do you have the DRL module in? it's been proven that when bulbs are constantly turned on and off they die quicker....and the module pulses them on/off several times a second.

[jstantherprsn]

Its easy to change, pull the plug. Then pull back the rubber boot and take it off. You'll see a wire similiar to a coat hanger that is hinged and apart of the housing. Push down and it unclicks and swings back like a door. Pull out the bulb.
Insert the new bulb and line the tabs. The tabs are a way of keying the light so its inserted properly. When you put it in and the tabs are pointed the right way it will be flush and you can close the wire hinge door. It will click in place and push the boot onto the base of the bulb than onto the housing. Reattach the plug, done.

When inserting the bulb hold it by the back pins or the metal disc.


Any tint on glass traps heat in a lamp, the heat contributes to the filament oxidizing/corroding and failing.

[tk-421]

Do you do a lot of switching between high and low beams? The thing that causes filaments in bulbs to fail the quickest is switching them on.
+1

[jemmah]

I started this post; just went thru another headlight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Two since the start of 2011. Half dozen last year. I think I'll try some lamps directly from Toyota, maybe that will make a difference. All the information provided by everyone is appreciated BUT none of the problems mentioned is the issue with my Yaris. I noticed many of you have the same problem. As to the person who was interested in how to replce the bulb, it's a major issue, you can't get your hands in there for replacement. Basically have to pull the fender away from the auto in order to replace. I don't have the time at the moment to explain. All I can say as I said early in on of my posts; "I've become an expert on bulb changing. but it's quite a process. May try to disable the daytime running lights.....Thanks everyone for your input

[jemmah]

I just returned from TOYOTA parts department. Ready for this...........they want $26.00 (US) a bulb. I'm not paying anybody 25-30 dollars for a bulb, I don't care how long it lasts!! There probably massproduced for 4 bucks a piece!!
I'll continue trying varying manufactures until something works and if I fail I'll remove the relay or whatever for the daytime running lights.
It's ALWAYS the low beam that bites the dust, never the highbeam. I'm leaning toward the daytime running lights more and more.
Thanks for the ideas and keep them coming IF there different from what people have already mentioned.
JIM

[gonzo452001]

We have three yaris's in our family two are 07's one 08 95.000 on the one no bulb changes all have drl's

[nookandcrannycar]

I wonder if 07s with the Cold Weather Package (heavy duty heater, DRLs, etc) have better luck re headlight bulb longevity than 07s that don't have the Cold Weather Package. I live near Houston, but I purchased my Yaris in Rhode Island while on a trip ((The steering rack on my 2001 Suzuki Swift only had about 500-600 more safe miles on it--the car had 151k and (no joke-I looked at it myself) the Blue Book value was ZERO...and the partial dirt roads in campgrounds in Newfoundland,Canada really hurt the steering rack)) and I lived in California at the time. My car was originally delivered to the group's dealership in Connecticut and then sent to Rhode Island. My car has the Cold Weather Package and I didn't have to replace any bulbs until between 140k and 171k miles when I replaced the Headlamp Bulbs and the Rear Plate Bulb once each. I'm about to hit 208k miles and all of the bulbs have been fine since the 171k milestone.

[why?]

I wonder if 07s with the Cold Weather Package (heavy duty heater, DRLs, etc) have better luck re headlight bulb longevity than 07s that don't have the Cold Weather Package. I live near Houston, but I purchased my Yaris in Rhode Island while on a trip ((The steering rack on my 2001 Suzuki Swift only had about 500-600 more safe miles on it--the car had 151k and (no joke-I looked at it myself) the Blue Book value was ZERO...and the partial dirt roads in campgrounds in Newfoundland,Canada really hurt the steering rack)) and I lived in California at the time. My car was originally delivered to the group's dealership in Connecticut and then sent to Rhode Island. My car has the Cold Weather Package and I didn't have to replace any bulbs until between 140k and 171k miles when I replaced the Headlamp Bulbs and the Rear Plate Bulb once each. I'm about to hit 208k miles and all of the bulbs have been fine since the 171k milestone.

jemmah should also have the cold weather package though. I've never had a headlight bulb blow on me on any car I've owned.

I will say if you are in the US strip the drl unit out as fast as you can. it can only hurt.

[naossoan]

3-4 times per year? Damn dude I have yet to have a bumb burn out on me, though I only had 55000km. I had a tail light go on me though.

everyone always tells me DON'T TOUCH THE BULB so if you're doing that, then dont :)

[Geoff Peace]

I just returned from TOYOTA parts department. Ready for this...........they want $26.00 (US) a bulb. I'm not paying anybody 25-30 dollars for a bulb, I don't care how long it lasts!! There probably massproduced for 4 bucks a piece!!
I'll continue trying varying manufactures until something works and if I fail I'll remove the relay or whatever for the daytime running lights.
It's ALWAYS the low beam that bites the dust, never the highbeam. I'm leaning toward the daytime running lights more and more.
Thanks for the ideas and keep them coming IF there different from what people have already mentioned.
JIM

Contrary to what some people have said on this topic bulbs do not fail regularly for no reason. The reasons for headlight bulbs to fail prematurely are:- Poor quality bulbs, (not the issue it was years ago), touching the bulb during fitting, incorrect fitting, excessive vibration, poor terminal connections causing a resistance, supply voltage too high. The last reason is caused by the voltage regulator, rectifier or both being faulty. They are housed within the alternator. I would have the output of the alternator checked thoroughly, it may be constantly high or may be spiking occasionally. Output should be 13.6 to 14.4 volts, in my opinion, although Toyota specify 12.9 to 14.9 volts. Bulbs failing prematurely was much more of a problem in the 'old days' when cars had a dynamo instead of an alternator. The reason was that a dynamo was mechanically regulated and charged at around 16.8 volts. Alternators are electronically regulated and deliver a more constant voltage output, Until the regulator malfunctions!

Regards Geoff Peace.

[OTA'sTOY]

are you touching the glass or top part of the bulb?
could be the reason why you keep changing out bulbs
if you get any oil from your fingers or any other contaminents on the bulb (glass and top part)
it will cause the bulb to crap out
before putting in bulb wipe the bulb with rubbing alcohol

[jp_costarica]

1rst: What is the status of the filament and bulb when it fail?
Look as burned? What is the color of the filament? and glass bulb?
2nd: Are your headligh module complete clean? are totally transparent? Any reflection in it?

3rd: What is the max volt on bulb terminal at 4000-5000 rpm...?

[ecc_33]

Also check to see if the plug that snaps onto the headlight bulb isn't loose or has signs of heat. Sometimes on the chevys the pig tails get loose and worn out then start to melt.

[Killchain]

I was using Sylvania Silverstars, and was replacing the bulbs. It got old. So I put the OEMs back in I haven't had a problems since.