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Author Topic: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs  (Read 1985 times)

Offline dr_spock

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My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« on: March 04, 2011, 04:48:44 pm »
I changed another H1 headlight bulb today.  Maybe it is time to review my bulb consumption for the last several years.

Left   Right    Kilometer   Days      
   X   19533   356      
   X   15706   564
X      19485   551
   X   7681           235
X      9123           275
   X   15534   399
X      13265   382
   X   10704   342
         
   Average   13878.88km    388days

It appears that I get 13879 kilometers or 388 days on average out of the H1 bulbs used for the combo DRL/lowbeam.   I've been buying replacement bulbs from Canadian Tire.  CT went from Motormasters to GE to Certified brands over the years.  I didn't track which brand were used, there were a couple of bulbs that burned out under 300 days. 


If you have a VW, how are your headlight bulbs holding up?
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Offline vdk

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #1 on: March 04, 2011, 05:08:27 pm »
On the Rabbit had to replace both headlight bulbs in 2 years.
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Offline Sir Osis of Liver

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #2 on: March 04, 2011, 05:10:01 pm »
It's a feature. They're always fresh that way! :)
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Offline tpl

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #3 on: March 04, 2011, 05:25:43 pm »
HID bulbs last a long time. The igniters not quite  so much.   In 11 years and 3 cars with HID, one igniter and no bulbs failed.
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Offline dr_spock

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #4 on: March 05, 2011, 12:42:30 pm »
Quote from: tpl on March 04, 2011, 05:25:43 pm
HID bulbs last a long time. The igniters not quite  so much.   In 11 years and 3 cars with HID, one igniter and no bulbs failed.

That's good to know.  How much do igniters cost?   

I'm thinking HIDs for my next ride.   These old eyes aren't as good in the dark as they used to be. 

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Offline inco

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2011, 01:14:53 pm »
Save your money - don't drive at night anymore! Well you are getting on in years anyway so may be that's best. ::)
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Offline PJungnitsch

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #6 on: March 05, 2011, 01:52:28 pm »
I'm guessing VW sets it's running voltage higher than other makes. That increases bulb brightness dramatically and equally dramatically cuts bulb life.

Note that the bottom graph is exponential, bulb life @ 16v is one tenth that at 13.5v.
« Last Edit: March 05, 2011, 01:55:05 pm by PJungnitsch »
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Offline onearmed

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #7 on: March 08, 2011, 05:31:01 pm »
Mine are H7s.  I've changed both sides twice already.  From my recollection they burn out between 56000km-70000km. I'm at 182000 km so if it's on schedule, I will be replacing the front bulbs in the next 10k. Should be summer by then and much more comfortable to change. 

The GE bulbs last about 10k kms more than the dealership bulbs.

Edit: Not H5 It's H7
« Last Edit: April 12, 2011, 05:03:04 pm by onearmed »
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Offline johngenx

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #8 on: March 08, 2011, 09:42:26 pm »
My Forester runs the low beams for the DRL's, so it eats bulbs more than any car I've had in recent memory, and I get a couple years out of the headlamp bulbs.  Oddly, in the seven years I've owned it, the only non-headlamp bulb I've replaced was a brake light that went out a few weeks ago.

Oh, and thanks Subaru for locating the battery RIGHT up against the driver's headlamp bulb and the engine air intake RIGHT up against the passenger side.  Nice.  I need to scrape the skin off my knuckles periodically...
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Offline tortoise

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #9 on: March 09, 2011, 09:12:30 am »
Quote from: johngenx on March 08, 2011, 09:42:26 pm


Oh, and thanks Subaru for locating the battery RIGHT up against the driver's headlamp bulb and the engine air intake RIGHT up against the passenger side.  Nice.  I need to scrape the skin off my knuckles periodically...

I'd like to thank Mazda for a similar pleasure.  That and their fantastic clip design.. *ugh*

VW's do seem to like their light bulbs.  A friend of mine owned a 97 Golf and would always keep a few bulbs, not just headlamps either, in his glove box.  Part of the VW character I always thought.
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Offline wing

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #10 on: March 09, 2011, 10:49:42 am »
I've never seen a VW on the road without at least 1 bulb burnt out (taillights usually) haha
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Offline tpl

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #11 on: March 09, 2011, 11:08:39 am »
Hmmmmm    3 GTI's   1987,1995,2008. IIRC I replaced one brake light bulb on the 1987.
                     1 A4       Replaced 1 Hsomething  foglight bulb
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Offline DoubleClutch

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #12 on: March 09, 2011, 01:19:50 pm »
In 4 years of ownership our passat only burned out one bulb ... the one for the license plate. Fronts are still good. Tails are LED.
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Offline onearmed

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #13 on: March 09, 2011, 05:28:46 pm »
Quote from: wing on March 09, 2011, 10:49:42 am
I've never seen a VW on the road without at least 1 bulb burnt out (taillights usually) haha

I honestly think people are lazy, I think my car has had a total of 5 days in 8+ years that it had a burnt out bulb.

When one brake light went, I replaced both sides. Same goes with the non brake tail lights. They come in packs of two and take at most 2 minutes each to replace.
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Offline mmret

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2011, 10:03:45 pm »
Quote from: wing on March 09, 2011, 10:49:42 am
I've never seen a VW on the road without at least 1 bulb burnt out (taillights usually) haha

Q F M F T

Mk4 Jetta especially prone.
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Offline Railton

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #15 on: March 09, 2011, 10:43:40 pm »
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Offline vdk

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #16 on: March 09, 2011, 11:25:12 pm »
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Offline No H2O

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #17 on: March 10, 2011, 02:56:10 pm »
Have you checked your system voltage while reving?

I'm in my 12th year; all original bulbs. Its not a VW though.
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Offline maritime_storm

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #18 on: March 15, 2011, 05:47:28 am »
The mother's 06 New Jetta has had all headlights replaced twice now at 110K kms. Seems to be a normal part of owning a VW.
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Offline onearmed

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Re: My VW Eats H1 Bulbs
« Reply #19 on: April 11, 2011, 05:50:48 pm »
Quote from: onearmed on March 08, 2011, 05:31:01 pm
Mine are H5s.  I've changed both sides twice already.  From my recollection they burn out between 56000km-70000km. I'm at 182000 km so if it's on schedule, I will be replacing the front bulbs in the next 10k. Should be summer by then and much more comfortable to change. 

The GE bulbs last about 10k kms more than the dealership bulbs.



183900km my driver front blew....... time to go out and replace....
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