[Dazzler]

It is fairly common knowledge that "mainly" the Diesel (CRDi) i30 has an annoying habit of blowing headlight globes.

We assume this is because the Diesel has/needs a heavier duty battery and associated hardware?

There has been a fix initiated (for some) in the UK under warranty which improves the earthing of the lights somehow (but details are sketchy at best)

Several of our Aussie members have done their own fix which seems to fix the issue. 

Thanks to @Just Rick for supplying these photos of his fix, which includes a 12V surge protector on the battery and an extra earth wire to the headlights. Rick might like to comment in this thread if the fix requires more explanation than that.

[cleid]

Does this affect the GD, FD, or both?

[Dazzler]

The problem seems to have been reported a lot more with the FD I would say, but there would be a number of factors involved with that. Obviously the FD mileages and ages would be higher. I also suspect that the percentage of members with Diesel FD i30's would be higher than the number of GD Diesel owners on here. I could be wrong but a lot of newer members seem to have the Petrol GD.

[Crash486]

I have this issue . I was told that to save $'s manufactures stretch their harnesses. This reduces the cross sectional area of the wire resulting in a larger voltage drop. I was told halogens need to maintain a particular temp range to prevent premature failure. Most probable solution to this issue is to use an upgraded harness using relays. I'm searching for one currently and looking at how it can be installed and maintain current water resistance. Might be an easy fix really.

[Dazzler]

  Crash, Thanks for that possible lead. Keep us posted, be interesting to hear others opinions on that.

[Phil №❶]

I doubt harnesses are stretched. That would invite connection problems. However to save money, they do use the least cross sectional copper area possible.

[Asterix]

I have this issue . I was told that to save $'s manufactures stretch their harnesses. This reduces the cross sectional area of the wire resulting in a larger voltage drop. I was told halogens need to maintain a particular temp range to prevent premature failure. Most probable solution to this issue is to use an upgraded harness using relays. I'm searching for one currently and looking at how it can be installed and maintain current water resistance. Might be an easy fix really.

I don't buy that. Issue today is the voltage at the bulbs are too high. The relay solution was used 25 years ago when the issue was too low voltage at the bulbs.

[The Gonz]

There would have to be significant stretching, enough to tear insulation, to affect cross section. Today's high performance globes are more sensitive to voltage spikes. Relays handle the switching of several amps of headlight current on behalf of your normal headlight switches. For high current applications such as headlights, relays are always a good idea to handle this and the transients that may appear from poor earthing, corrosion, etc.

[marabak]

Does this issue cause both bulbs to blow at the same time? I noticed when driving home (in my petrol FD 2009) last night that my main headlights weren't working on both sides (sidelights and main beam were fine) and I am 99% confident they were working in the morning (I currently drive to and from work in the dark). I've checked fuses and relays etc and they all seem to be fine to my primitive fumblings, so I was going to try and replace the bulbs today. I wonder if it could be this issue.

[The Gonz]

Yes, a bad transient spike could take both out. In fact, in an unhealthy system, one bulb blowing could well cause the other to go, looking simultaneous. The simplest first step would indeed be to try another bulb in either socket, not necessarily new or as high powered, but enough to test that voltage supply is getting there.

[marabak]

Yes, a bad transient spike could take both out. In fact, in an unhealthy system, one bulb blowing could well cause the other to go, looking simultaneous. The simplest first step would indeed be to try another bulb in either socket, not necessarily new or as high powered, but enough to test that voltage supply is getting there.

A change of bulbs did the trick, so obviously they must have both blown at the same time. We won't talk about me taking out the main beam light by accident however, and now that has blown

[Phil №❶]

I'd still check the earths to ensure it doesn't happen again

[The Gonz]

I'd still check the earths to ensure it doesn't happen again

Definitely. Just replacing the globes doesn't fix what caused it.