1990 accord headlights burning out

In article , Randolph
wrote:

 > Perhaps your voltage regulator is broken. Elevated operating voltages
 > dramatically decrease bulb life. With the engine running and the brake
 > pedal pressed you should have 14.5 V +/- 0.6 V measured at the battery,
 > regardless of RPM. If the voltage rises above 15.1 V as you increase the
 > RPM, the voltage regulator is broken. (Voltage numbers from '94 Civic
 > service manual, doubt your Accord would be different)


great post--I would not have thought of that as a solution. Your advice
makes perfect sense.

This note is to the original poster:
Have you recently changed the fuse related to the headlights? If so, you
might have installed the wrong type of fuse. If you have recently changed
the fuse, I advise you to remove it and buy a new fuse from a Honda
dealership. Tell the service department person the year your car was
made--type of car, etc. so that he can sell you the right type of fuse. If
it was a used car when you purchased it, the prior owner might have
installed the wrong type of fuse.
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

I haven't touched the fuses since I purchased the car - that was in '96. The
headlights have always been fine until now. Every time I put a new bulb in
it blows out immediately. Thanks for the tips though. I will have a look at
the voltage regulator issue. In the meantime, any other tips or ideas would
be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

"T. Nelson" wrote in message


 > wrote:
 >
  > > Perhaps your voltage regulator is broken. Elevated operating voltages
  > > dramatically decrease bulb life. With the engine running and the brake
  > > pedal pressed you should have 14.5 V +/- 0.6 V measured at the battery,
  > > regardless of RPM. If the voltage rises above 15.1 V as you increase the
  > > RPM, the voltage regulator is broken. (Voltage numbers from '94 Civic
  > > service manual, doubt your Accord would be different)
 >
 >
 > great post--I would not have thought of that as a solution. Your advice
 > makes perfect sense.
 >
 > This note is to the original poster:
 > Have you recently changed the fuse related to the headlights? If so, you
 > might have installed the wrong type of fuse. If you have recently changed
 > the fuse, I advise you to remove it and buy a new fuse from a Honda
 > dealership. Tell the service department person the year your car was
 > made--type of car, etc. so that he can sell you the right type of fuse. If
 > it was a used car when you purchased it, the prior owner might have
 > installed the wrong type of fuse.
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

The fuse wouldn't cause the headlights to burn out. Check the voltage
like someone else said.


"Jonathan Lim" wrote in message ...
 > I haven't touched the fuses since I purchased the car - that was in '96. The
 > headlights have always been fine until now. Every time I put a new bulb in
 > it blows out immediately. Thanks for the tips though. I will have a look at
 > the voltage regulator issue. In the meantime, any other tips or ideas would
 > be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
 >



  > > wrote:
  > >
   > > > Perhaps your voltage regulator is broken. Elevated operating voltages
   > > > dramatically decrease bulb life. With the engine running and the brake
   > > > pedal pressed you should have 14.5 V +/- 0.6 V measured at the battery,
   > > > regardless of RPM. If the voltage rises above 15.1 V as you increase the
   > > > RPM, the voltage regulator is broken. (Voltage numbers from '94 Civic
   > > > service manual, doubt your Accord would be different)
  > >
  > >
  > > great post--I would not have thought of that as a solution. Your advice
  > > makes perfect sense.
  > >
  > > This note is to the original poster:
  > > Have you recently changed the fuse related to the headlights? If so, you
  > > might have installed the wrong type of fuse. If you have recently changed
  > > the fuse, I advise you to remove it and buy a new fuse from a Honda
  > > dealership. Tell the service department person the year your car was
  > > made--type of car, etc. so that he can sell you the right type of fuse. If
  > > it was a used car when you purchased it, the prior owner might have
  > > installed the wrong type of fuse.
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

"Randolph" wrote in message

 > Perhaps your voltage regulator is broken.

Maybe, but it may also be that there IS a ground problem, such that both H
and L filaments are on. This overheats the bulb and soon burns it out. With
one new bulb, test if high and low beam switches correctly.

Stewart DIBBS
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

On Sun, 08 Feb 2004 06:39:44 GMT, "Jonathan Lim" wrote:

 >I haven't touched the fuses since I purchased the car - that was in '96. The
 >headlights have always been fine until now. Every time I put a new bulb in
 >it blows out immediately. Thanks for the tips though. I will have a look at
 >the voltage regulator issue. In the meantime, any other tips or ideas would
 >be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

If your voltage regulator is putting out enough voltage to blow the bulbs,
it could be stressing other components which could be very costly to
replace. You need to check that voltage soon and if that's the problem,
get the thing fixed.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

Jonathan Lim wrote:
 >
 > Hello,
 >
 > I'm having a persistent problem with my 1990 accord headlight bulbs.
 > These bulbs have been fine for over 6 years. The other day they both
 > blew out. As soon as I replaced them the bulbs blew out again. Someone
 > suggested that it may be a problem with the ground wire. Anyone know
 > where the ground wire is? I can't seem to find it. Or any other ideas on
 >
 > what I should check next?

=====================

If you install a halogen lamp but don't tighten it in place properly, it
won't get the cooling it requires. I kept blowing left headlamps in my
Caravan because previous owner had lost the locking collar, which holds
the base of the lamp intimate on the body of the lamp housing.

If you've put the bulb in with the base not sitting flat against the
mating surface, it won't dissipate heat and will burn out way too soon.
I think there's only one way for the notch in the base to align with
place it fits into...

'Curly'

================
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

Noted. Thanks.

'Curly Q. Links' wrote:
 > Jonathan Lim wrote:
 >
  >>Hello,
  >>
  >>I'm having a persistent problem with my 1990 accord headlight bulbs.
  >>These bulbs have been fine for over 6 years. The other day they both
  >>blew out. As soon as I replaced them the bulbs blew out again. Someone
  >>suggested that it may be a problem with the ground wire. Anyone know
  >>where the ground wire is? I can't seem to find it. Or any other ideas on
  >>
  >>what I should check next?
 >
 >
 > =====================
 >
 > If you install a halogen lamp but don't tighten it in place properly, it
 > won't get the cooling it requires. I kept blowing left headlamps in my
 > Caravan because previous owner had lost the locking collar, which holds
 > the base of the lamp intimate on the body of the lamp housing.
 >
 > If you've put the bulb in with the base not sitting flat against the
 > mating surface, it won't dissipate heat and will burn out way too soon.
 > I think there's only one way for the notch in the base to align with
 > place it fits into...
 >
 > 'Curly'
 >
 > ================
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

Noted. Thanks.

'Curly Q. Links' wrote:
 > Jonathan Lim wrote:
 >
  >>Hello,
  >>
  >>I'm having a persistent problem with my 1990 accord headlight bulbs.
  >>These bulbs have been fine for over 6 years. The other day they both
  >>blew out. As soon as I replaced them the bulbs blew out again. Someone
  >>suggested that it may be a problem with the ground wire. Anyone know
  >>where the ground wire is? I can't seem to find it. Or any other ideas on
  >>
  >>what I should check next?
 >
 >
 > =====================
 >
 > If you install a halogen lamp but don't tighten it in place properly, it
 > won't get the cooling it requires. I kept blowing left headlamps in my
 > Caravan because previous owner had lost the locking collar, which holds
 > the base of the lamp intimate on the body of the lamp housing.
 >
 > If you've put the bulb in with the base not sitting flat against the
 > mating surface, it won't dissipate heat and will burn out way too soon.
 > I think there's only one way for the notch in the base to align with
 > place it fits into...
 >
 > 'Curly'
 >
 > ================
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

Noted. Thanks for the heads up.

'Curly Q. Links' wrote:
 > Jonathan Lim wrote:
 >
  >>Hello,
  >>
  >>I'm having a persistent problem with my 1990 accord headlight bulbs.
  >>These bulbs have been fine for over 6 years. The other day they both
  >>blew out. As soon as I replaced them the bulbs blew out again. Someone
  >>suggested that it may be a problem with the ground wire. Anyone know
  >>where the ground wire is? I can't seem to find it. Or any other ideas on
  >>
  >>what I should check next?
 >
 >
 > =====================
 >
 > If you install a halogen lamp but don't tighten it in place properly, it
 > won't get the cooling it requires. I kept blowing left headlamps in my
 > Caravan because previous owner had lost the locking collar, which holds
 > the base of the lamp intimate on the body of the lamp housing.
 >
 > If you've put the bulb in with the base not sitting flat against the
 > mating surface, it won't dissipate heat and will burn out way too soon.
 > I think there's only one way for the notch in the base to align with
 > place it fits into...
 >
 > 'Curly'
 >
 > ================
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

True, I'm still not going to rule out grounding. The thing is, it's only
the low beam bulbs (9006) that burn out when I put them in. The accord
also has a set of high beam bulbs (9005) and they are still working
fine. If it were the voltage regulator, wouldn't these bulbs and other
eletrical components be having problems too? It seems isolated to the
low beam bulbs.

Stewart DIBBS wrote:


 >
  >>Perhaps your voltage regulator is broken.
 >
 >
 > Maybe, but it may also be that there IS a ground problem, such that both H
 > and L filaments are on. This overheats the bulb and soon burns it out. With
 > one new bulb, test if high and low beam switches correctly.
 >
 > Stewart DIBBS
 >
 >
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

You have four headlights, two hi and two low, no dual filiment bulbs,
correct? Forget grounding problems, you have five seperate grounds and
only the low beams are grounded near the lights, I looked at a 1990
Accord wiring diagram.

Here in the city, I never use high beams and if you never use a bulb
it should not burn out.

Look at the light assemblies, are there any cracks or bad gasketing so
cold water can get on the bulbs. When you installed the bulbs, did you
touch the glass part of the bulbs?

If you have dual filiment headlights and you loose a ground, you end
up with three filiments in series, that is each filiment sees 4 volts
instead of 12 volts and each filiment drops to about 10% of normal
wattage. Under voltage will not burn out bulbs, only motors.

Check your voltage with the enging running, as noted in a previous
reply.

On Mon, 09 Feb 2004 18:12:29 GMT, Jonathan Lim
wrote:

 >Noted. Thanks for the heads up.
 >
 >'Curly Q. Links' wrote:
  >> Jonathan Lim wrote:
  >>
   >>>Hello,
   >>>
   >>>I'm having a persistent problem with my 1990 accord headlight bulbs.
   >>>These bulbs have been fine for over 6 years. The other day they both
   >>>blew out. As soon as I replaced them the bulbs blew out again. Someone
   >>>suggested that it may be a problem with the ground wire. Anyone know
   >>>where the ground wire is? I can't seem to find it. Or any other ideas on
   >>>
   >>>what I should check next?
  >>
  >>
  >> =====================
  >>
  >> If you install a halogen lamp but don't tighten it in place properly, it
  >> won't get the cooling it requires. I kept blowing left headlamps in my
  >> Caravan because previous owner had lost the locking collar, which holds
  >> the base of the lamp intimate on the body of the lamp housing.
  >>
  >> If you've put the bulb in with the base not sitting flat against the
  >> mating surface, it won't dissipate heat and will burn out way too soon.
  >> I think there's only one way for the notch in the base to align with
  >> place it fits into...
  >>
  >> 'Curly'
  >>
  >> ================
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out 

HI! DID YOU EVER FIGURE OUT WHY ONLY YOUR LOW BEAMS WERE BLOWING OUT? WAS IT THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR OR SOMETHING ELSE? I HAVE A 1999 HONDA CIVIC EX THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP! BARB
 >> Stay informed about: 1990 accord headlights burning out