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My headlight is broken

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EH_DUBS
Posts: 3080 - Karma: 969
so i dont know much about cars. but here is my problem i was hoping to fix it myself since i cant see it being too hard and funds are tight right now.

so my driver side bulb is burnt out. there is a "halo" around the bulb that still lights up so i know its just the bulb. so i have to buy a replacement one easy right.

but since these are aftermarket headlights and they were on the car when i bought it i have no clue what they are. which i think means the bulb specified in the owners manual isnt necessarily the one in there.

should i just go in take the bulb out and bring it to a store and be like hey can you match this? or does it not work like that?

i leave for whistler on friday to go water ramping and i think it might be safer if my lights worked.

if anyone can help thanks alot!
Sep 16 2009 3:45PM
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Hansel.
Posts: 4583 - Karma: 112
im pretty sure when you take the bulb out. the little black connector part says what one it is.


unless you have a weird lightbulb. or i do
Sep 16 2009 3:50PM
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EH_DUBS
Posts: 3080 - Karma: 969
alright thanks guys. i didnt really look to much on the outside just looked to see how easy it was to take off.

il just take the bulb out and walk into a store with it. thanks everyone
Sep 16 2009 3:52PM
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EH_DUBS
Posts: 3080 - Karma: 969
alright so on the outer casing it says this.

hb4 12v 51w

for my high beam light its almost the same but 60w or something. is that all i need to know for the bulb? or are there different shapes or something?
Sep 16 2009 4:02PM
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Hansel.
Posts: 4583 - Karma: 112
yea, just take that info and the bulb to an autoparts store and they will hook you up
Sep 16 2009 4:04PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
hb4 is the model number of your bulb.
Sep 16 2009 4:09PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957

Exactly.

Keep in mind, as these are aftermarket lights, the ones in there previously could have been many different brands of bulbs, silver stars, hyper whites, xexon, HIDs, or a plethora of other varieties.

Sep 16 2009 4:48PM
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Barefootin_Fiend
Posts: 7618 - Karma: 4,727
aka - replace both bulbs (each side) if you want to make sure your headlights are the same color/brightness.
Sep 16 2009 4:54PM
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-ROY-
Posts: 3633 - Karma: 1,503
goto the auto parts store and say you need a bulb being low or high beam for whatever your car is. In most cars it is very easy to change your light bulbs. But not in all cars. I have a Trailblazer and actually was quit hard to change. To much shit in the way. But if you really dont know how the people at the auto place can do it for you.... Also DO NOT TOUCH THE GLASS ON THE NEW BULB!! it will leave your fingerprint causing there to be more light concentrated at the print, the bulb will explode. peace
Sep 16 2009 4:56PM
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yelsel
Posts: 12967 - Karma: 3,451
yup and make sure you dont touch the blub itself.
Sep 16 2009 4:57PM
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EH_DUBS
Posts: 3080 - Karma: 969
alright thanks everyone.

how much are bulbs normally? i have 4 lights in different "casings". two are my low beams two are my highs. so im guessing if i want it to look the same i should buy new ones for all of them.
Sep 16 2009 6:15PM
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japanada
Posts: 13784 - Karma: 1,957
Highs and lows will look differently no matter what. Replace the two that are out. Bulbs can be anywhere from like $8 a piece, all the way up to $150 a piece if you are running HIDs. A good set of sylvania silver stars, which are great lights, will run you about $30.
Sep 17 2009 6:47AM
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MEGAZORD
Posts: 4531 - Karma: -7
Silverstars are garbage.  DO NOT get anything with a blue coating.  As 'white' as the light might look, its actually putting out less light.
Sep 17 2009 7:58AM
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user098123
Posts: 6072 - Karma: 18
If you have halos around your headlights...could be a good chance you have HIDs cause alot of those setups utilize HIDs.

If that is the case, you definitely need to make sure you get the right bulb and it might be pretty pricey, just a heads up.

Also as other people said, replace both of the bulbs (if you are changing low beams, both lows, if highs, both highs) and don't touch the bulbs. The oil on your fingers will create localized hot spots when the bulb is running which will cause it to prematurely go out.
Sep 17 2009 8:27AM
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MEGAZORD
Posts: 4531 - Karma: -7
Yeah really can just go to the sylvania website and it will tell you everysingle bulb in your car. 

Sounds like a bmw, with the halos and all, unless its some aftermarket tuner bullshit. 
Sep 17 2009 11:25AM
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