[bigwombat]

hi,
I'm Stephen from South Australia.  I have owned a 2009, i30 diesel, auto for 3 yrs.  I have amassed 170,000 kms in this time.  In short a great car.  I use it for my business for driver training.  Excellent overall.
However, some minor but frustrating issues.  Had a couple of parts re the a/c replaced.
Had the alternator replaced.   And as of todays date 21/08/12, 18 left front headlights blown and 6 right front headlights replaced.  NO, not a good score.  I have approached the dealership, many atime, but the problem goes on. 

I hope someone out there might be able to assist my dilemma.  please.
regards  stephen

[~ Angel ~]

to the club, bigwombat

[rustynutz]

Welcome Bigwombat! 

This headlight issue is getting beyond a joke...it's time Hyundai acknowledged it as a problem and did something about it!! 

[Shambles]

Welcome to the club

Yeah, this headlamp thing has been a right pita for some members. Have a check around our "problem" sections and you'll see what I mean, especially with the diesel.

[Just Rick]

I have a similar problem,mainly left hand light,I simply put it down to the poorly designed light assembly(no ventalation point for globe heat to get out)and the extremely tight area and the amount of heat generated and stored in the engine compartment,a globe is tested and run at it's own normal operating temperature in a control open area,so start doubling and sometimes tripling that temperature,filiments don't end up lasting that long,justa theory,Hyundai aren't going to acknowledge the problem,their service staff can't even find the simplest of problems or say they don't exist,according to them if it doesn't show up on the computer it ain't there

[eye30]

Welcome bigwombat

[Dazzler]

Welcome bigwombat..Wow that is a high count (maybe a record on here)

We had the issue to a much lesser extent during the 28 months we had a 2008 CRDi  (lost maybe 2 or 3 sets of globes.

Interesting you and Rick have had more instances with the left one (not sure that has been mentioned on here before)

Your heat theory is interesting too Rick as the general consensus is a voltage spike is to blame (or a sustained high voltage when the car is first started) 

Bigwombat, do you leave your lights on 24/7 and start the car with the lights set to on by any chance? I still suspect starting the car with the lights on may increase the risks of a blow 

A couple of my globes were inspected and according to the Philips fault guide were assessed as being caused by a "spike" 

[Phil №❶]

Welcome bigwombat,

Where in SA are you 

[Doggie 1]

Welcome bigwombat.
I have a 2009 diesel with 135,000 kms and the first globe to blow was a brake light after three years, then just this last week the left hand headlight globe blew.
Those are the only two globes to go on mine.

3.5 years, 55k, no globes of any sort blown at all. I never start with lights on and never (significantly) run with them on in daylight.   

I could be just lucky or something I'm doing or not doing is helping. Maybe I just haven't gone far enough yet.

Left more than right? Curious. More potholes and bad shoulders on that side?

[Doggie 1]

Likewise, I never start with lights on and don't use them during the day.

[bigwombat]

thanks for the welcome.

i do not start the vehicle with the lights or any other accessory on. 
i do drive with the lights on 24/7, part of the education for students.
i have heard it mentioned , something about diesels and spiking.
yes, it is housed in a tight environment and heat would be an issue.

so frustrating, for such a beautiful car.

drives well, great handling, good cabin room.  i am a big lump and sit very comfie.

i am located in the mid north, i take this beauty to roxby fortnightly, y p, mid nth and adelaide f/nly.  apart from this issue, it has been great.

again ty for the welcome.  happy motoring. 

Assuming then you are just wearing them out from use, why not consider getting your auto electrician or other (you?) to wire the low beams via a "ballast" resistor from the parkers?  Then whenever you switch the parkers on the low beams also light to satisfy the "headlights on" policy.

The ballast resistor value chosen to reduce the current such that the filaments will run at a reduced temperature while still providing sufficient light to give the required effect of lights on visibility to other drivers. There would be a secondary effect of pre-heating the filaments before the full current is applied when switching on the headlights proper (which simply bypasses the ballast resistor to provide full voltage to the headlights).

Of course unless you also wired through a switch you won't be able to use parkers only. Do you ever (need to) just use parkers though?

If the lights are failing for some other reason, none of this would help although the pre-heating could extend the life in any case. And that assumes the bulbs fail when switched on, due to in-rush current to the cold filaments.

Just my musing...

[beerman]

We had an Iload at work that had this problem. Complained to the dealer and they did something.

It hasn't been a problem since.

So I'm guessing someone in Hyundai HQ has the solution. Its just making your dealer care enough to find out.

Since June 2010 mine has blown one on each side in 62k.

I do a lot of night driving, so the headlights are on a fair bit.

[Dazzler]

Will be very interesting to see if the issue is resolved in the new GD version of the i30 Diesel (only time will tell) 

[Just Rick]

as far as the headlights go,I'm still going with the heat theory,as I have the lower fog lamps on both cars,they have been used since I have had the cars,I always drive with lights on,never start the vehicle with them on though,the lower wattage fog lamps have never been a problem,generally only the left hand low beam,mind you had a situation the other morning BOTH highs had gone,but I never noticed it until one foggy morning when I shut just my spots off only,lucky I keep a spare set of globes in Both Cyril and Bruce

Saw this elsewhere FWIW.  I'm referring specifically to the post re the poor earth causing the problem. I can't see how that would cause blown bulbs though.

 http://whrl.pl/RdoECl

[Asterix]

Saw this elsewhere FWIW.  I'm referring specifically to the post re the poor earth causing the problem. I can't see how that would cause blown bulbs though.

 http://whrl.pl/RdoECl

You could have told us it was one of the last posts..

Poor earthing would cause lower voltage at the bulb, I think.

Saw this elsewhere FWIW.  I'm referring specifically to the post re the poor earth causing the problem. I can't see how that would cause blown bulbs though.

 http://whrl.pl/RdoECl

You could have told us it was one of the last posts..

Poor earthing would cause lower voltage at the bulb, I think.

The link goes straight to the post to which I refer. 

And yes, lower voltage would not in itself blow globes. An intermittent connection might cause a succession of  cold(er) inrush currents but then I'd expect the lights to flicker as a giveaway.

Anybody tell me how a poor earth connection to the headlight can cause failure? It would appear to be a manufacturing or assembly fault of some sort else they would all do it. Mine as an example is 4 years old and has not blown any globes at all, not just head lights but any.

[deekay]

Hi  I have a 2009 1.6CRD , 110k driven in all conditions . Blown headlights are  the bane of my life with this vehicle. While i can not claim the number of replacements that others have had  i have probably replaced  up to a dozen globes( driving lights, head lights and parking lights) on both sides. I have given up buying expensive globes as they do not tend to last very long. The only advice i have had was to ensure that the wire clips that hold the globes in are correctly tensioned to ensure that the glodes are unable to vibrate. i have noted that driving lights are starting to flicker and i expect that i will replace a globe quite soon. Lucky i carry spares.   deekay

[Dazzler]

Hi deekay and welcome.. We no longer have a Diesel (But still think they are brilliant)

We only lost a couple of globes in the 30 months we had it.

Recent feedback on the site suggests it may be an earthing issue . But not exactly sure how to rectify it.

[Phil №❶]

Welcome deekay,

As Dazz said, the earthing cable needs to be checked thoroughly. Wouldn't hurt to run another one for good measure.

[Doggie 1]

Welcome to the forum.
It's strange how it only affects some cars.
I did one brake light globe at 130,000 kms in my '09 diesel i30.

[skalra63]

I have a 10 plate (2010) that had no bulb failures for the first 2.5 years.

Then suddenly the dipped beam bulbs started popping every month or so....in 6 months, 4 left bulbs 2 right bulbs.

I get them replaced for free by the dealership as they have a 1 year warranty on the bulbs but it is a chore having to take it to the dealership for a bulb.

I explained the issue to one of the guys and he said he was aware of a headlight wiring issue raised by Hyundai and applicable to the Korean made cars.

I had the wiring replaced on both sides today.

Let's hope that it fixes the issue.

It wouldn't be much of a problem to me if it was easy to replace. The old Astra you could literally do with your eyes closed. But you need tools and elbow grease for the i30

[Dazzler]

Coming on suddenly like that makes me suspect it IS an earthing issue as earmarked on here by several members (But I am not sure how to rectify that)

You are certainly getting looked after by your dealer 

[Phil №❶]

If the wiring was replaced, that may fix it, but how many technicians only look at the + side. The problem has been linked to the - or earth side. Was that also replaced, if not, then your problem will continue.

[skalra63]

Just to give everyone an update on this....

Since the "headlight harness" and bulbs were replaced (previous post) both bulbs blew at the same time. I had to get the recovery people out as it was at night.

The recovery person said that at least one of the bulbs had not blown (I didnt check so I cant verify).

I took it to the dealer and they said both bulbs had blown. After what the recovery person said and the fact that both bulbs went at night (at least they were going out one at a time so I was still able to limp home) I made a fuss and they said they would look at the electrics in the car if I could leave it there all day. So I did.

The harness has been changed again. Apparently, although the harness had been changed recently, there was a new one (if the p/n ended in HH it was an older revision).

So whether this will fix anything, i dont know.

Does anyone know if the Kia C'eed had the same problem. Aren't the cars supposed to be similar (at least the 2010 model)?

[druggist]

I have suffered constant headlight blows, numbering 20 in 90 000km and Hyundai have been unable to fix.

I had another go through icare when local dealer said that Hyundai wouldn't authorise more attempts at a fix. Finally threatened them with Fair Trading, and they agreed to take the car again and have another look, at another dealer.

On speaking to that dealer I found out that Hyundai had instructed to only do the same, "check earths" as had been done several times before so I hit the roof with Hyundai. They became somewhat more focused.

The new dealer had a courtesy car for me for the week that they had the car. They found a possible earthing issue in the headlight assembly and replaced both headlight assemblies.

Only a fortnight so too early to tell if problem is fixed.

Hyundai had previously replaced alternator & wiring loom and had also had an independent auto electrician have a look to no avail. They refuse to give me some replacement bulbs to fit myself, and will only replace a bulb if I leave the car with them for the day, which doesn't suit me.

The independent auto electrician tried to sell me a HID kit for $500. I wasn't interested, especially since that would have given Hyundai an excuse to stop fixing problem under warranty.

[i30sean]

Skalara63 if you have a 10plate then Hyundai are doing a warranty fix for blowing headlight bulbs I've had both mine done FOC speak to the local dealer 👍
I30sean

[eye30]

Skalara63 if you have a 10plate then Hyundai are doing a warranty fix for blowing headlight bulbs I've had both mine done FOC speak to the local dealer
I30sean

I've not had any blown bulbs but if is should happen does that also extend to 12 plate or was the issue sorted before this build date?