StrikeEagle

About a month or two ago, I had posted asking about my HID bulb as the driver's side wasn't working. I found that it was a blown bulb, and have since sent it off for warranty service (haven't gotten it back yet). When it blew, I installed regular halogen bulbs for the interim. Well over the weekend, the driver's side bulb blew again. I'm gathering there's more of a problem than just having bad bulbs, but I have no idea what. I do have angel eyes installed, but they've been in for around a year, and I've only had problems recently.
So what are things that cause bulbs to blow that I can check? If there's a leak (since I opened up my headlights to install the angel eyes), would that cause it? I have a number of interior lights that draw power, could they cause some sort of electrical problem and cause the bulbs to blow? Is it an electrical problem (wrong, low, or intermittent power), or a mechanical problem (moisture in the headlights, something touching the bulb, [I'm very careful not to touch the bulb when installing it]), or something else?
I've heard that the driver's side bulb on a number of Hyundais do have problems (a guy I just talked to with an XD, Tibbychick, me twice, etc), so could it be a manufacturing problem?
I need some ideas here, I really want to have this fixed by the time my new HID bulbs get in.

DTN

Is there any moisture accumulating on the front of your headlamps? Do your headlamps vibrate when you're behind a car at a stop light? Do you have daytime running lights hooked up? Any noticable surging? Do you have a cover on the back of your lights? Are they secured so that even if you apply pressure sideways or up and down on the back of the bulb they do not move?

Check the wiring, especially on the stock connector for frays, cracks, or slices which could be grounding out.

StrikeEagle

^^ That's what I needed man, thanks!

Moisture - no, but I am in Alabama...
Vibration - not that I've seen
Daytime running lights - no, only stock fogs, and I typically only use them when a headlight blows...
Surging - When I had my HIDs, It seemed as though occasionally they would blink for just a millisecond, and sometimes it would do it a couple times in a row. But no other surging that I've noticed. Would the Big 3 wire upgrade help? Had the alternator replaced about 6mos ago.
Cover - I do have the cover, but had to drill a hole for the HID stuff. It had the rubber grommet, but that's gotten pretty worn and dried. Since I put the halogens back in there, it has a bit more of a hole since I don't have all the HID wires coming out of it, that could be a cause... Although I have the same setup on the passenger side and haven't had any problems.
Bulbs are secured in the holder, the spring thing is really tight as normal. Plus the entire headlight is secured in place as well.
Wiring (checked when I reinstalled the halogens) seemed to be good, the connector was tight, the wires all looked good and clean, no cuts or anything. It's hard to see more than an inch or two, but it all looked fine. Would a ground out like that cause a blown bulb or just a blown fuse?
Anything else?

HyundaiKitCoupe

i don't know why it blew with both HID and regular beams, but i upgraded the fuses from 15 to 20's and don't have any problems. i know it's said never to upgrade fuses, but i did and everything has been fine for the last 3 years.

StrikeEagle

But does an underpowered fuse cause the bulbs to blow? I would think it would just blow the fuse and leave the bulbs alone.

And that's something that really confused me, is that it blew both the HIDs and the regular bulbs...

HyundaiKitCoupe

good point. i would still upgrade the fuses regardless, but that's at your own risk. and moisture wouldn't be the problem because my caps are half open and nothing gets in there.

given that your regular bulbs also went out, i can't really say. could just be a fluke and the old bulbs gone bad. my angel eyes blew out in no time. and my vent neons blew when i had them too. i think anytime you tap into the parking lights something is bound to blow.

StrikeEagle

Could be a fluke, but it seems really really strange... I'll probably upgrade the fuse, do the Big 3 wire upgrade, and try to seal them up better.
I haven't ever tapped into the parking lights, all my accessories are either on the cigarette lighter power (all the interior stuff) or wired directly to the headlights (HIDs).

DTN

Don't upgrade the fuse. that's suicide. If a fuse blows, it protected the wiring from catching on fire and did it's job. A fuse does not provide resistance, when it does it blows. Don't upgrade a fuse ever because it's there to prevent fires. If you feel there's a problem with the stock wiring, you should install a direct power line from the battery to a relay controlled by the stock headlamp connector.

You should get the covers. Any little thing like a quick change in temperature can cause a bulb to experience a shorter life span. Get the cover for more insulation..

Were they old bulbs you reinstalled?

StrikeEagle

^^ Ok, won't do that then.
I'll try to get the grommets, but I'm not sure if I can find them...
The bulbs I got were brand new from AutoZone, so I really can't imagine it was a defect.

drummer07

try replacing the wiring harness, that most likely what the problem is. search for 9006 harness on ebay