Hi guys,

Last night I noticed that my passenger side lowbeam was out this isnt a new thing i tend to have a headlamp out on either side every 4-6 months. This does get annoying but I dont mind it however I do mind the stupid design of the hair-pin like clamp that keeps the bulb in place. So my question is that can the headlight assembly be swapped out into a more reasonable and more efficient cluster.

 

Jessy, no alternate that I am aware of. The only option that I could possibly think of is swapping in HID heads to see if the bulbs are going to last you longer. Granted, I have to ask this as it sounds like you are not doing this: When you put in the bulb, are you making sure not to touch the glass with your bare hands and if you do, do you make sure the bulb is spotless by simply rubbing the bulb with a clean towel? If you leave any sort of dirt/oil from your hands on the bulb, it will create a hot spot on the glass which will lead to quicker failure of the bulb. Also, you may want to check the voltage that your car runs at. If it is running a bit on the high side (up around 14.7 VDC or slightly higher), this can also lead to more rapid failure of bulbs. I know in my truck, I am still running on the factory bulbs after 13 years.

 

Thermo's right the oil on your hands can kill it. Also bad connections and/or wiring harness can. I've had people cut in my Ford Expedition to put in some aftermarket purple euro lights inside the main beams and after I got done with them the main beams never quite worked the same again.