Headlight failure whilst driving

jackieb

Mankysteve wrote: »

I can't remember what is called/how they go about it. But if a cop stop you he'll give you a fine which you can avoid if you conduct the repair within X number of days.

My son got stopped and fined for having a blown bulb. He had to get a certificate stamped from a garage to say that it had been replaced. The garage charged £5 for signing it. His fine was halved if he paid it within a week (or 5 days). Still had to pay a fine though.

somech

vaio wrote: »

Yep, xenons do last well but they will make your eyes water when they do go.

My A4 developed a bad electrical contact between the bulb & holder which got hot and then burnt out. From Audi the bulb is £107 and the igniter (to which the bulb holder is cabled) was something like £250. Add on some VAT and you are looking at over £400.

I ended up with generic parts (£100 for both) but with the increasing trend of manufacturers using canbus on things like lights in a few years generic won’t work and it’ll be dealer only

aftermarket diagnostic manufacturers will always find a way.
also with canbus once the bulbs replaced switch off lights and ignition restart and it will sense a new bulb:)

Keith

mchale wrote: »

Why, its not a breakdown?

The vehicle has stopped functioning as it is intended. If you call your breakdown company they either supply you with a working bulb or bring you home.

Otherwise you'd be breaking the law by driving on the road with none functioning headlights.

Your car doesn't have to roll to a standstill to call out your chosen company, if you are driving along and a worn suspension part started to knock, you'd still call the AA or your chosen breakdown company, rather than waiting until the part failed.

somech

also bear in mind if one bulb has blown how long will the other one last

mchale

Keith wrote: »

The vehicle has stopped functioning as it is intended. If you call your breakdown company they either supply you with a working bulb or bring you home.

Otherwise you'd be breaking the law by driving on the road with none functioning headlights.

Your car doesn't have to roll to a standstill to call out your chosen company, if you are driving along and a worn suspension part started to knock, you'd still call the AA or your chosen breakdown company, rather than waiting until the part failed.

So if your central locking stopped working, you would call a breakdown service out?

sorry I like to use common sense and only call them out when I have broken down, I'm sure if you & your family where stuck on the hard shoulder of a motorway waiting for a mechanic to attend, you wouldn't be very happy if he told you he had just been fitting bulb to someones car thats why you had to wait 3 hours.

custardy

gaz_jones wrote: »

Don't get me started! People seem to think it's acceptable to drive around with one headlight. The amount of taxis around here that drive around like that too! I wonder how they get away with it.



:eek:What car was it? Megane by any chance?

many cars have this now,seems to be a side effect of the pedestrian protection design requirements
the headlights are pushed up with the bumpers making up the space
obviously proper engineering and design could avoid this but costs are the factor

Keith

mchale wrote: »

So if your central locking stopped working, you would call a breakdown service out?

sorry I like to use common sense and only call them out when I have broken down, I'm sure if you & your family where stuck on the hard shoulder of a motorway waiting for a mechanic to attend, you wouldn't be very happy if he told you he had just been fitting bulb to someones car thats why you had to wait 3 hours.

A failed headlight is a little worse than failed central locking. A headlight is a main safety feature whilst central locking is for lazy !!!!!!.

flyingscotno1

When I had to change my headlight bulbs in my Fiat, it was interesting to note that they had designed it to be easy to do. My Skoda was on the other hand a bloody nightmare- the side closest to the battery was next to impossible.

the182guy

I took mine to halfords to have one replaced, don't know what happend but the car wouldn't start after the lad had finished. Had to get recovered by breakdown truck. Just coincidence I'm sure!

cyclonebri1

gaz_jones wrote: »

I was having a discussion earlier about what you should do if one of your headlight bulbs blow whilst driving, and wondering if you guys could give a definitive answer. I've had a google but didn't come across much.

Obviously best practice is to keep spare bulbs in your car, but if you don't have a spare bulb, what should you do?

One of the joys of xenon bulbs, I haven't had to replace one in ages

I must say there are some crap answers to this so far.

No 1, has anyone ever had "headlights blow whilst driving"?, as in both?, they are on separate fuses just to ensure they don't both go out. And you would not notice 1 out in the short term.

Has anyone tried to replace a modern headlight bulb?, in the light and under cover and with the aid of a workshop manual, yes, for the mechanically able/multi ambidexterous. But for the average m/f, absolutely impossible in the dark and by the roadside

Carry spare bulbs?, not unless you have a spare mech in the boot.:mad:

If you have enough headlight to get home or to a garage then go that way. Remember the main beam is also on a separate fuse, so drive slowly and carefully and when you dazzle someone shut the mains down, they will already know you are there.