Headlight bulb burned out, change both?

[Black Rose]

One of my H13 headlight bulbs burned out recently and I figured since they are just over 3 years old, I'd change both.

I changed out the burned out bulb with a Sylvania Xtravision tonight, since I got a warning from the police last night (could have been an $85 fine ).

When I was out tonight, I could not really see a difference in brightness between the older bulb and the new one.

Does it make sense to change the other one, since it probably is dimmer due to age?

 

[-Virgil-]

Long-life bulbs do live long enough to go dim, but the main reason to replace both is that the other one is soon to burn out, too. The best H13 is this one.

 

[poormanq45]

I'd just get another xtravision. They're usually $20 for a two pack, $10 for a single.

IIRC the Xtravisions are +30 bulbs. Not bad for the price.

 

[generallobster]

I was cheap and just changed one burned bulb. Drove the car for another few months like that and then the transmission fell off on the highway and the car is now junk. Pretty glad I didn't replace both.

 

[CaseyS]

Except in cases of obvious premature failure, I always change the corresponding bulb in left/right pairs when one burns out for the reason Scheinwerfermann pointed out.

 

[The Hawk]

The last time I had a headlight go out I only replaced one even though the guy at the auto parts store advised me to replace both of them. About a month later, the other headlight went out. Could have been dumb luck but I will replace both in the future.

 

[yellow]

just a few weeks ago, one H7 of my mum's car quit.
I changed both and the wire of the still working one looked weird.
... makes no sense not to change both - they are used the same time and have about the same abuse and lifetime

a very nice example for anyone to get a look at really "almost dead" bulbs. Easily visible

 

[Alaric Darconville]

Another vote for changing both at the same time.

Aside from the imbalance in brightness, your hands are already getting dirty and scraped up from it; might as well get it all done at once so you can go another three years before changing the bulbs.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

The last time I had a headlight go out I only replaced one even though the guy at the auto parts store advised me to replace both of them. About a month later, the other headlight went out. Could have been dumb luck but I will replace both in the future.

How is it "dumb luck"? Light bulbs have a certain lifespan rating, and if the one bulb reached the end of its lifetime, statistically speaking the other one is also going to fail within a few operating hours. While at the time it may have seemed that he was trying to maximize the sale, he was actually doing you a favor.

 

[The Hawk]

How is it "dumb luck"? Light bulbs have a certain lifespan rating, and if the one bulb reached the end of its lifetime, statistically speaking the other one is also going to fail within a few operating hours. While at the time it may have seemed that he was trying to maximize the sale, he was actually doing you a favor.

You are correct. I have since replaced headlight bulbs in pairs.
I learned my lesson the first time.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I would say change both if the are well into the lifetime of the bulbs but you have a premature burnout just change that one.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I would say change both if the are well into the lifetime of the bulbs but you have a premature burnout just change that one.

My own method is to replace both as a pair, but keep the working leftover as a spare (and keep it in the vehicle). At least that spare will see you home or to the parts store if you have to use it.

 

[Diesel_Bomber]

I carry a spare headlight bulb and the tools to change it in the vehicle all the time. Got pulled over once and got out of a fix-it ticket because I was able to show the officer I had the replacement already, right then and there, just wanted to drive home so I could do the work in a safe, warm, dry garage instead of a 7-11 parking lot.

I advocate changing both at once, but usually I get lazy and only change the one that burned out.

 

[Apollo Cree]

I was cheap and just changed one burned bulb. Drove the car for another few months like that and then the transmission fell off on the highway and the car is now junk. Pretty glad I didn't replace both.

It's well known that replacing only one headlight bulb will unbalance the vehicle and cause vibration that will shake the transmission causing it to fall out of the vehicle.

I've never had any car where the headlights seemed to fail on any particular schedule. If they were cheap and easy to change, I'd change both. Otherwise, I'd just change one. Then if the old one looked less bright, I'd change the old one.

Maybe more "modern" or "high end" headlights have a higher and more predictable failure rate.

 

[Buck91]

I carry a spare headlight bulb and the tools to change it in the vehicle all the time.

As do I (its easy on many vehicles anyways). Unless you are prophylactically changing them or doing it as an upgrade I see no necessity to replace them in uniform if you are carrying a spare. Takes 5 minutes, at most, on many of these new cars with plastic housing anyways.

 

[Black Rose]

I'd just get another xtravision. They're usually $20 for a two pack, $10 for a single.

IIRC the Xtravisions are +30 bulbs. Not bad for the price.

They are $17 a piece up here.

Takes 5 minutes, at most, on many of these new cars with plastic housing anyways.

I wish mine was that easy to change.

I had to remove 3 fasteners, pull down the fender liner, reach inside the wheel well "blind" and remove the old one. Reverse to install the new one.

Took half an hour to change, thankfully it was only -7C when I changed it out.

I'd like to get hold of the clown that came up with that design for changing a light bulb.

 

[Buck91]

Well that just plain old sucks, Black Rose! My Crown Vic and my Mustang wre/are both rediculously easy to change. Even my firebird was easy, though a little more involved.

 

[LukeA]

I'd like to get hold of the clown that came up with that design for changing a light bulb.

You should try changing a battery in a Chrysler.

 

[John_Galt]

My dad has always changed both at the same time. He puts the unburned out bulb back in the casing for the new bulbs, and puts it in his tool box (in the trunk). It makes sense, to me. If a new one burns out somewhere, you have a back up until you can buy a new set.

 

[The Hawk]

A couple years ago I changed both headlights in my Jeep Grand Cherokee. One side was really easy and quick. The other bulb required removal of battery and took a little while longer.
Last year I polished the plastic cover on the headlights and that really helped as they were quite faded.