Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Blown Bulbs
My D3 is 3 years old at 17:00 today (warranty runs out on the 10th !!) and untill 4 weeks ago Ive had no problems with bulbs keep blowing. However, in the last month ive gone through 4 RHS brake lights. Each time it has been replaced with an LR bulb.
The bulb doesnt just pack up but the whole inside of the bulb goes a foggy colour.
Any thoughts before I get the most out of my 4 days of warranty thats left. This car is costing me afortune -- thats £2.84 in parts in the last 4 weeks Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
6th Jul 2009 4:50 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10297
Dunc
I've had a few brake light bulbs go in quick succession (both sides), and to start with I put it down to using cheap replacements, but to be honest, it doesnt seem to make any difference. A couple will go quite quickly, then all will be well for a number of months (even up to 12 months), then it throws another bulb wobbly, then all good again.
Dont know why
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
6th Jul 2009 5:14 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
the only thing that has changed over the last month or so is the weather !!!!!
maybe they are "UK Spec" bulbs and they dont like th 30c temperatures Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
6th Jul 2009 5:29 pm
al cope
Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Oldbury, WM
Posts: 10297
you say they are foggy - is this where the EGR's are diverting the exhaust gas to now?
AlVolvo XC90 B5 Plus Dark
Gone - MY18 D5 HSE - Corris on 22's with Black Pack
Now gone - MY16 D4 SE Tech, Loire Blue, Almond Leather, Privacy, plus some other goodies.
Old - MY12 D4 SDV6 XS Auto - Ipanema Sand with Almond Leather - Plus other niceties, and D4.com sticker
Older - D3 TDV6 XS Auto - Lugano Teal with Almond Leather, 20" Stormers, Shiny Tailpipes, DVD/TV - and obligatory D3 sticker
Ancient - D3 TDV6 S - Tonga with Ebony, 20" Stormers, satnav & DVD
6th Jul 2009 5:31 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
must be
ive just changed it and the filement is fine but the base of the bulb (inside) looks like it has a chunk out of it. the glass is all intact but is covered in a "white" coating for about 70% of the bulbs surface... weird..
I would have taken a photo if i had thought before i chucked it in the bin with the rotting food !!Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
6th Jul 2009 6:06 pm
darrind
Member Since: 04 Jul 2008
Location: In A World of My Own!
Posts: 2863
I had 3 go in a couple of weeks when I first got mine, the dealer only changed the duff one every time, so the last time they swapped one I got them to replace both sides so they were a new pair, as I had had a similar problem on my last Saab. Not had a problem since, but might just be luck.Must stop buying shiny toys....
6th Jul 2009 6:16 pm
Frapp
Member Since: 19 Dec 2008
Location: Norff Zummerzet
Posts: 1653
Me thinks, there cant be that many bulbs factories around.
Me also thinks that quality bulbs are made at the same factory where they make
Me concludes that they get mixed up perhaps
6th Jul 2009 6:22 pm
SPOTTER
Member Since: 06 Dec 2006
Location: Adrift........
Posts: 3095
countrywide blew two yesterday while we were out I think?end of an era ....... maybe a Defender when it appears.......
6th Jul 2009 6:24 pm
crwoody
Member Since: 09 Mar 2009
Location: Littleborough
Posts: 2109
If a lamp (bulb) has a foggy or "milky" appearance, it's usually because the glass has cracked somewhere and let air in, this causes the filament to burn out within a second or two and the whitish stuff is oxide from the burning.
Duff batch maybe, of perhaps as you say they just don't like the hot weather?Clive
6th Jul 2009 7:48 pm
stapldm
Member Since: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Swine Town
Posts: 2330
From my observations (so may be fluke not fact)
White inside is usually tungsten oxide, i.e. the vacuum has gone and the hot filament has burnt in air.
Black inside is usually the result of the filament melting/exploding but still in a vacuum.
Silver inside is a result of long running too hot but without failing (silver is the tungsten gradually being deposited on the glass). My Volvo running lights would do this; would start clear then turn into silver bulbs yet still working.
Dunc, did you buy all your bulbs in one batch? It may have been a flawed batch or there may be something leading to too much shock/vibration in that corner that stressing the glass envelope to failure. If your spare bulbs have been rattling around rather than being secured they could have partially cracked before you fitted them and the heat has completed the failure. This could of course have been your supplier and not you...
When filaments keep blowing on one side, I tend to find that the bulb the other side is the culprit with one side of the filament having broken loose and sparking; the current surges when the filament opens circuit causes the other bulb to accept the extra load.Dr. Ian Malcolm:
"Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."
Transgenic tomato anyone?
6th Jul 2009 7:55 pm
TazDaz
Member Since: 07 May 2007
Location: South East Essex
Posts: 2858
get some LED's ... 2 1/2 years with mine now
6th Jul 2009 7:58 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Quote:
Dunc, did you buy all your bulbs in one batch?
possibly, but i have bought them each time from the dealer. i had 1 in a "set", 2 from the dealer and the other replaced as part of the warranty.Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
6th Jul 2009 9:07 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
TazDaz wrote:
get some LED's ... 2 1/2 years with mine now
only 2 1/2 years, my normal bulbs have lasted 2 and 11/12 years until now Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
6th Jul 2009 9:08 pm
n1cktdv6
Member Since: 20 Mar 2007
Location: Warrington
Posts: 1161
You lot jinx anything....I just been out and my RHS brake gone, replaced and it gone again in 10 minutes ....D4 HSE....Probably, but not quite decided yet.
3.6 TDV8 Vogue
XC90 SE Lux
A8 Quattro TDi
D3 SE
6th Jul 2009 9:31 pm
DiscoDunc
Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390
Ooops Duncan
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If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide
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(warranty runs out on the 10th 
!!) and untill 4 weeks ago Ive had no problems with bulbs keep blowing. However, in the last month ive gone through 4 RHS brake lights. Each time it has been replaced with an LR bulb.
perhaps 
