HID Anyone blown a HID bulb yet?

elbe35 · 11th November 2006, 18:33

A big hello to all forum members, been lurking in the background for a while now reading through the massive amount of entries. Anyway, earlier today just before making a 50 mile motorway journey in horrendous weather conditions I noticed whilst behind another car that my drivers side HID headlight was not working. I would have expected some sort of warning on the dash ???? Has anyone had to replace one of these units yet ??? Should it be warrantied as the car is not even 12 months old yet.
I will sit down tonight with the manual / handbook and locate the interior fusebox ( could be a blown fuse / bad connection , but have a gut feeling that it will be the expensive answer of a new bulb)

Does anyone have any idea of the expected lifespan of these bulbs ????

Due to go into the dealer soon anyway as due first service plus need knocking rear shocks and faulty filler cap replacing ( filler cap totally replaced first time , then 3 lots of dealer fitted foam and still won't open)

Any comments would be appreciated, thanks guys.

2006 Civic
Nighthawk Black
1.8 EX petrol. 5dr

Maldax · 11th November 2006, 18:43

I Thought they last 'years'

just found this on the tinterweb

Quote:

An HID lamp will last, on the average, 3 to 5 times as long as a halogen bulb. In normal use, your Halcyon HID bulb should last beyond one thousand ignitions.

Oh yes...... And Welcome!

Maxbert · 11th November 2006, 18:57

Welcome elbe35! My Renault Espace was my first car to be fitted with HIDs, in 4.5 years I never had a problem with them. The manual said that the bulbs were non user-serviceable, so I assumed that they would last the life of the car, more or less, which they did.

From what I hear / read / understand, Xenon HIDs should last for a long, long time...

Maxbert

Nick7 · 11th November 2006, 19:46

HID's usually last 2000hrs (well, that's number they market for them).

elbe35 · 13th November 2006, 13:15

Thanks for the feedback guys, rang my local dealer this morning and was told that if the HID bulb has blown it would not be covered by the warranty, asked if they had the part in stock and they transferred me to the parts dept who told me that they do not carry it as a stock line because " HID headlights main feature is that they DO NOT blow !!!"
Sounds like a defective part to me ????????

pcr · 13th November 2006, 18:23

Don't think I'd be very happy about this, I thought these bulbs were supposed to last the life of the car.

karlak · 13th November 2006, 18:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcr

Don't think I'd be very happy about this, I thought these bulbs were supposed to last the life of the car.

I also believe they are very expensive ?

How do they know it is the bulb anyway? Don't HID lights use a 'ballast' to generate a high voltage which allows the gas to 'burn'. It could be this that is defective - Get the dealer to sort it now, you are currently driving a car that is not road-legal.........

Ancient Nerd · 13th November 2006, 19:56

That is definitely a warranty job, unless you've physically damaged the bulb.

elbe35 · 13th November 2006, 20:32

Glad you see it that way.... The unit has never been messed with although the dammed filler cap comes close to being punched every time I need to fill up ( Myself and the other half are a highly efficient team on the forecourt, she pulls the lever whilst I grab the filler cap when it lifts slightly ) My wife is calling in to Pennine Honda in Rochdale tomorrow lunch so they can quickly inspect the unit / check fuses etc. Fingers crossed.

elbe35 · 15th November 2006, 18:08

AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH £80 for a bulb !!!!!!!!
Been informed by my dealer that the bulb is indeed blown, one has been ordered and they have said that they will speak to Honda about it as should not have blown. My wife explained to them that we have the auto light setting on so perhaps they are being fired up more than would ordinarily be used and perhaps Honda need to rectify the sensitivity of the sensor... we shall see.

allan40alt · 15th November 2006, 18:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by elbe35

AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH £80 for a bulb !!!!!!!!.

They cannot be serious! You can buy a PAIR from Autobulbs for less than£20.

Nick7 · 15th November 2006, 22:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by allan40alt

They cannot be serious! You can buy a PAIR from Autobulbs for less than£20.

HID's? I reeeeeeeally doubt it.

Pottsy · 15th November 2006, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by allan40alt

They cannot be serious! You can buy a PAIR from Autobulbs for less than£20.

Autobulbs do them for £70 each:
http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/home.php?cat=632

And Powerbulbs for £98 each:
http://www.powerbulbs.co.uk/prodtype...ageHistory=cat

All in all, £80 is a fair price if you should be paying for it. But given the fact that it has clearly failed very prematurely, it should be a warranty job.

allan40alt · 15th November 2006, 23:08

...oops, got the wrong bulbs in mind.

CIVHEAD · 16th November 2006, 07:29

http://www.hids4u.co.uk/product_details.asp?id=447 £69.99 for a pair

elbe35 · 27th November 2006, 12:55

Hello again,

Well the Dealer made me Honda Happy last thursday when he replaced the HID unit free of charge and also replaced the rear shock absorbers to rid me of the first thing in a morning rattle when reversing off the drive.
Happy motoring once again..

Velocity · 27th November 2006, 13:02

Great result

TTDegs · 27th November 2006, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by elbe35

Hello again,

Well the Dealer made me Honda Happy last thursday when he replaced the HID unit free of charge and also replaced the rear shock absorbers to rid me of the first thing in a morning rattle when reversing off the drive.
Happy motoring once again..

very good news

as he should have done, but good to hear that he did

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This thread is about: Anyone blown a HID bulb yet?, it's in Lights at the Honda Civic forum Civinfo; A big hello to all forum members, been lurking in the background for a while now reading through the massive amount of entries. Anyway, earlier ...

11th November 2006, 18:57	#3 (permalink)
Maxbert Supporter Locking Wheelnut Join Date: 11th August 2006 Location: The Green Heart of Europe Posts: 138 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Welcome elbe35! My Renault Espace was my first car to be fitted with HIDs, in 4.5 years I never had a problem with them. The manual said that the bulbs were non user-serviceable, so I assumed that they would last the life of the car, more or less, which they did. From what I hear / read / understand, Xenon HIDs should last for a long, long time... Maxbert

11th November 2006, 19:46	#4 (permalink)
Nick7 Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 10th August 2006 Location: Croatia Posts: 442 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	HID's usually last 2000hrs (well, that's number they market for them).

13th November 2006, 13:15	#5 (permalink)
elbe35 Valve Cap Join Date: 28th September 2006 Location: Sunny Oldham Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Thanks for the feedback guys, rang my local dealer this morning and was told that if the HID bulb has blown it would not be covered by the warranty, asked if they had the part in stock and they transferred me to the parts dept who told me that they do not carry it as a stock line because " HID headlights main feature is that they DO NOT blow !!!" Sounds like a defective part to me ????????

13th November 2006, 18:23	#6 (permalink)
pcr Magic Rear Seat Join Date: 5th September 2006 Location: Shropshire Posts: 842 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Don't think I'd be very happy about this, I thought these bulbs were supposed to last the life of the car.

13th November 2006, 19:56	#8 (permalink)
Ancient Nerd Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 5th May 2006 Location: Norfolk Posts: 347 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	That is definitely a warranty job, unless you've physically damaged the bulb.

13th November 2006, 20:32	#9 (permalink)
elbe35 Valve Cap Join Date: 28th September 2006 Location: Sunny Oldham Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Glad you see it that way.... The unit has never been messed with although the dammed filler cap comes close to being punched every time I need to fill up ( Myself and the other half are a highly efficient team on the forecourt, she pulls the lever whilst I grab the filler cap when it lifts slightly ) My wife is calling in to Pennine Honda in Rochdale tomorrow lunch so they can quickly inspect the unit / check fuses etc. Fingers crossed.

15th November 2006, 18:08	#10 (permalink)
elbe35 Valve Cap Join Date: 28th September 2006 Location: Sunny Oldham Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH £80 for a bulb !!!!!!!! Been informed by my dealer that the bulb is indeed blown, one has been ordered and they have said that they will speak to Honda about it as should not have blown. My wife explained to them that we have the auto light setting on so perhaps they are being fired up more than would ordinarily be used and perhaps Honda need to rectify the sensitivity of the sensor... we shall see.

15th November 2006, 23:08	#14 (permalink)
allan40alt Supporter Civinfo guru Join Date: 6th August 2006 Location: Rugby, Warwickshire. Posts: 2,142 Thanks: 6 Thanked 27 Times in 26 Posts	...oops, got the wrong bulbs in mind.

16th November 2006, 07:29	#15 (permalink)
CIVHEAD Supporter Valve Cap Join Date: 1st September 2006 Location: Thatcham Posts: 35 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	http://www.hids4u.co.uk/product_details.asp?id=447 £69.99 for a pair

27th November 2006, 12:55	#16 (permalink)
elbe35 Valve Cap Join Date: 28th September 2006 Location: Sunny Oldham Posts: 12 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hello again, Well the Dealer made me Honda Happy last thursday when he replaced the HID unit free of charge and also replaced the rear shock absorbers to rid me of the first thing in a morning rattle when reversing off the drive. Happy motoring once again..

27th November 2006, 13:02	#17 (permalink)
Velocity Supporter Triangular Exhaust Join Date: 21st August 2006 Location: Rotherham Posts: 343 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Great result