# Headlights keep burning out

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [March 7, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409 "2009-03-07T17:30:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![burkie51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@burkie51](https://community.cartalk.com/u/burkie51)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 5:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/1 "2009-03-07T17:30:07Z")

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my 2005 SUbaru Legacy keeps burning out headlights…maybe 6-7x in past 2 years. HAd mechanic check electrical system, all AOK, had new lights put in and 2 days later right one is out. Whats up with this? Car is great otherwise

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**Author:** ![jsutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8e8cbc/32.png) [@jsutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jsutter)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/2 "2009-03-07T17:34:39Z")

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How are you grabbing the bulb when you put them in?

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**Author:** ![bloody\_knuckles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@bloody\_knuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bloody_knuckles)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/3 "2009-03-07T19:12:09Z")

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Make sure you are not touching the glass of the bulbs when you insert them. Fingerprints will cause a halogen bulb to burn out prematurely.

Are you using Subaru lights or WalMart specials? Bulbs are spec’ed differently for different retailers. For some cars it doesn’t seem to make too much of a difference but on foreign cars the OEM spec (what you get from the dealer) seems to last quite a bit longer.

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**Author:** ![redtag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@redtag](https://community.cartalk.com/u/redtag)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/4 "2009-03-07T19:40:59Z")

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are you substituting a higher voltage light than is standard (typically 55 volt and wiring is designed for this). Putting in non standard headlights can do some damage to wiring if you are not careful…I have seen some guys set them on fire and melt the harness.

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**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/5 "2009-03-07T19:53:42Z")

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Ask your mechanic if he checked for AC voltage in the charging system also besides the DC.

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**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/6 "2009-03-07T20:26:23Z")

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- Over voltage
- Water getting on lamp
- Vibration
- oil or dirt on lamp from install.
- High output lamp (some are low life)

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**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/headlights-keep-burning-out/27409/7 "2009-03-07T21:36:41Z")

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\* Water getting on lamp

Check to make sure the headlight seals are good, and installed properly. This would be the simplest answer for the problem.