Other 70 Problem: H7 bulbs keep failing

[Kevin_L]

hi, I changed both of my headlamp bulbs (dipped beam H7) last October when one of them failed.

I used Osram Nightbreaker.

One failed in January so I changed it for another Osram

Then last month both failed within days......so both were changed....for Osram

Guess what....one failed last week.....there's now a Halfords cheapo in it - yes you can tell the difference!! but why all theses fails? Is Osram no good with Volvo?

it's a 2005 V70 with the plastic lens covers........and on the plus side I can now remove the bumpers and headlamps out/in in just over an hour!!

[prc68]

The Nightbreakers are a high performance bulb, so they will not last as long as a normal bulb. From what I remember from reading another thread on here, they tend to last around 3-5 months.
You might also try to have an electrician look at the voltage at the plug. Large variations in voltage tend to decrease life of the bulb.

[Georgeandkira]

In addition to the above I'd suggest making sure the female part of the connectors are tight when the bulbs' blades are in them.

Are the plugs' plastic bodies intact? One blade could fit tightly and the other can be loose. You can crack the plastic away and tighten the female with a squeeze from a pair of pliers.

Also, a touch of dielectric grease on both blades reduces resistance and heat.

[JRL]

You aren't handling the bulbs before putting them in are you? The oil from your fingers will cause a hot spot on the glass which will lead to premature failure. Wear latex gloves and clean the glass with white spirit before installing.

[SwissXC90]

With any vehicle where the lamps are on all the time for Daytime Running Lamps, such as the Volvos, ensure you always fit LongLife bulbs.

All bulb manufacturers make a LongLife equivalent, they have about 3x the lifespan of a normal bulb.

Check the lifetime hours for the bulb, and using your average speed you can calculate how long you can expect the bulbs to last for you with your driving patterns.

Don't rely on other's saying they will last X months: as they have no idea how many operational hours your bulbs clock up a day in your car with your driving.

[oragex]

The $3 Philips H7 from China are still working with DRL on mine, installed them some 3 years ago. The bulbs were marked made in Germany. Not sure if the new ones are the same of some counterfeit because the box it's different: https://www.ebay.com/itm/1x-PHILIPS-...NYt7Oo&vxp=mtr

[BarryCambs]

I use Osram night breakers and I reckon they last about a year or 10,000 miles for me.

[Bonefishblues]

Originally Posted by BarryCambs

I use Osram night breakers and I reckon they last about a year or 10,000 miles for me.

When I was doing double your mileage I was getting 6 months out of them, so I think we agree on their longevity/otherwise.

I've given up using them tbh - the faff to change means I've now gone the opposite way and am using long life bulbs.

[Brendan W]

Have you checked the charging voltage?
If a component fails in the regulator it can send high voltages on the system. Bulb failure can be a sign.
Battery cold 12.6 V ideally
idle, mid to high 13s
2000rpm and above, 14.4 V max

[boggymarsh]

I had numerous bulb failures when using non-genuine types but changed to Volvo issued types and have not had a problem since.