2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission head lights keep burning out

[Swineheart]

I don't know why my head lights keep burning out. It doesn't matter if there top of the line or the cheap ones. I can only get a few weeks out of them before they burn out an ideas?

 

[FourBarR]

I will have to get out my wiring diagrams . However I think these work by connecting to ground thru the switch. Could it be a bad ground . Are the lights bright with the new bulbs? Someone my have a different idea.

 

[GAmes]

The '97 headlight switch provides the hot, not the ground. Have you put a voltmeter on the alternator? I remember being told that high voltage will make bulbs burn out early. Normally that would boil the batteries as well, but I am guessing the temps in AK are keeping that from happening.

 

[WilsonF]

Check how tight the housings are in the truck. Sometimes at night I see someone coming at me and one or both of their lights are shaking, can't be good for the filaments. Over voltage is more likely.

Floyd

 

[MLee]

Quit touching the glass part with your hand/fingers. The oil from your skin shortens the life of the bulb. Don't know why it just does. Before you put the bulb back in the fixture, clean it with some rubbing alcohol or what ever. Or use rubber gloves when replacing the globs.

 

[JCyrbok]

Quit touching the glass part with your hand/fingers. The oil from your skin shortens the life of the bulb. Don't know why it just does. Before you put the bulb back in the fixture, clean it with some rubbing alcohol or what ever. Or use rubber gloves when replacing the globs.

1) make sure you are not touching them while installing them.



2) check to make sure there is not water in the housing around the headlights. had a 1997 1500 that happened too, went through 3 sets before I figured that there was water in the housing, when the lights were on and hot I would hit a bump and enough water would splash up and break the bulb.



Drilled a hole in the bottom of each housing and over 1 cup of water came out of each. must have been a bad seal on the housing but it never did it again after drill the holes.



J-

 

[surfbeetle]

I just had the same issue with water in my right front housing. I used a shop vac with a rubber hose duct taped to the vac to suck out the water. Then I used a popsicle stick to smear some silicone around the seam on the housing. The bulb had shattered completely. It probably got wet when it was on and exploded in the housing.

 

[Swineheart]

I have a new alternator it's voltage output is 14. 8, but it's been about -15 at night so I would expect the temp. Senor to put out that kind of voltage out. I have been keeping the bulbs clear on the install. It's hard to tell if they are dim seeing the lenses are yellow from age.

 

[MLee]

Swineheart;

There is a buffing solution that you can clean up the lens with, takes about 15 minutes to make them BRIGHT again. Then re-coat them with a good UV protective coating.

 

[GAmes]

The voltage is regulated by the PCM, not the alternator. 14. 8 sounds high to me.

 

[HHhuntitall]

14. 8 sounds a little high, too, but it shouldn't be burning out the bulbs that quick. With the temperature extreme, I'm wondering if you don't have it sealed good, it's getting a frost overnight, and then when it melts, it burns the bulbs..... The cold to hot always makes a condensate unless humidity is really low. The heat from the bulbs could be heating the housing, and when you shut it off, it forms a sweat, then frost on the inside. When you restart it, they melt the frost, and you have condensate on the bulbs. That's a far reach, but if you've done everything else... ...