I started my RA and the driver's side light bulb was out. Luckily I had some spare Silverstar's available, and popped one in. Sure enough it worked. That said, the bulb that stopped working was only used for about 1 1/2 yrs.

Q: Is this normal? How long do you guys go until you change your light bulbs?

 

Have you touched the glass part of the light bulb with your fingers?

 

No. I installed the bulbs about a year and a half ago, and just stopped working tonight. Up until then, worked fine.

 

why is it bad for the bulb?

 

The glass part is not exactly glass, it's some kind of crystal... Finger grease + heat kills this kind of material. Look at "Headlights" part 8 :

http://www.haynes.com/pro.tips/Bulbs.pdf

 

Silverstars are electrically overdriven -- they're like a turbocharged light bulb. Sylvania says not to expect more than about a year of service

 

Well, that would be reasonable.

 

usually on the back of the box it will list levels of brightness and life and such.

I just replaced mine the other day....couldn't get the right side to come on so figured it must not be the bulb but something else electrical. After giving up after about a half hour, I closed the hood and it came on....musta knocked something in a good way....two weeks later and it's still ok lol

 

Oh and so not buy the hella bulbs that sell for 50 for a pair, mine lasted two months, parts store says lots of complaints of short life.

 

Yeah honestly I would go HID route. BUT defiantly if the bulb needs to be replaced just get a nice not super expensive bulb use something super clean to handle bulb not fingers.

 

Would like to, if I had projectors. I hate drivers with super bright-*** lights that blind me. I don't want to be one of them. I just went and got some more bulbs from autozone.

 

The best bulbs I have used were $6/pair, from Princess Auto (discount auto parts store). The SilverStars lasted about 6 months in my lowered Civic, I figured it was because of the stiff suspension.

 

yeah those bright bulbs arent made to last long. you sacrifice bulb life for better quality like. but i understand where your coming from. its not fun to take off the front clip to get the lights out. I dont have my ralliart anymore but i distinctly remember something in the engine bay blocking the removable of one of the bulbs. so i just always took the clip off then the lights out.

 

I don't care to take off the clips, they are easy. The bulbs just didn't last very long, and that's cool. I was just checking with forum to see if it's an on-going, common issue-which it isn't, just the bulb life.

 

Old thead, but I have a question. Does anyone know if you can change the headlight bulbs without taking the bumper off?