[beerman]

Hi Guys, I was drawn to this forum looking for an answer as my son owns a 2007 i30 diesel which he bought a few months ago off his friend who bought it new and for the second time he has called me to ask me to have a look at his headlights again! I got very interested in this complaint and actually read all that has been happening to all of you people who own one of these cars. The interesting bit is that I am an Auto Electrician and have run my own business for the last 28 years. As my son is off to the UK from Wednesday I will have the car here to test and play with. I have given the thought of Back EMF a lot of priority as there are many things in a car that can cause these "spikes". One of which is the Air conditioning Compressor Clutch Coil! Any way I will not reveal too much yet as if I find the fault I will sell the repair Ideas to Hyundai. I do not believe it has anything to do with Bulb life span. There has to be something that causes them to blow so prematurely. I have been doing Auto Electrics since 1971 and have never come across this problem on any other brand of car. I will keep you posted withy my findings "If any"!

I take it you haven't seen the Toyota Prius? namely the passengers side headlight?

[AUTOSPARK]

Unfortunately us Auto Electricians don't speak the same terms of testing as unprofessional and we tackle problems differently as we understand what is happening a bit better. "We" don't do our testing like you speak of. To be honest it makes no sense. I did not say what Modifications I did will fix the problem as it is only intermittent an all cases. But I am sure with what I covered I am quite close to solving it. Like I said we will just have to wait and see. Unfortunately my Son's car will not be getting much use in the next 4 Months as he is off to Europe till September working but as I will have the car at my place I will try and make us of it myself and most use will be at night with lights on. We will give it time. Regarding the starting it definitely winds over with more ease having a negative cable to the engine direct with less connections. This leaves the original earth supply (Battery Negative) to the body just for body electrics like the lights and other engine electrics will have a better connection to the battery without having to go through bolts and connections. Just a shorter cut really.!

[eye30]

Regarding the starting it definitely winds over with more ease having a negative cable to the engine direct with less connections.

I wonder why the car has been wired up as it is and the car not set up as you have done by the boffins at Hy.

Unfortunately us Auto Electricians don't speak the same terms of testing as unprofessional...

Ouch, I suspect that was directed at me.

I will add that I have worked in the electrical/electronic service industry (at the coal face) all my working life (46 years) but you are right, I'm not a professional in your field and on this forum just an interested owner. 

[Phil №❶]

Don't worry Pip, it was directed to all who have voiced opinions on this matter, including me. Not quite how we expect to be referred to, by new members.

However, putting a decent earth close to the starter motor is always a good idea and if I had the headlight problem, I would have certainly bolstered up the earth at the lights.

[AUTOSPARK]

Hey guys I am not saying that you people don't know what you are talking about. I just mean that you make problems sound so complicated with the type of testing you do which are un necessary in my books. Mind you knowing electrical systems like I do makes it easier to find a resolution. However if I did not read all your previous replies I would not have come to the decision that I came to. It all helped. I am still learning too and there is always lots to learn with cars these days. I usually play with Classic Minis which are much simpler than today's cars. I have 3 of them!!!

[Phil №❶]

When an unusual problem is presented to us here, we try to look at all aspect of what could be wrong. So the discussion will range in quite a few directions until we (clue / luck) onto a workable solution. We value anyone who has professional qualifications that can offer logical, direct and simple solutions. Personally, I believe you have more than likely cured the light problem in this car because of your actions. If you have, by reporting what you have done will help many other members.

[AUTOSPARK]

If it works I might try and sell me remedy to Hyundai! unless someone else reeks the benefits before me.

[Shambles]

If it works I might try and sell me remedy to Hyundai ...

I can tell you now, at least 3 4 dealership IP addresses have clocked this thread.

Let's hope, if they decide to post, that they're not quite as condescending.

[The Gonz]

We unprofessionals can only try. 

[sparki30]

HI , My local Hyundai say there is a fix for this issue, it's a wiring loom modification with a diode in. I am having then fitted (FREE) on Thursday. I Will try and get some more info and let you all know.

[AUTOSPARK]

Huh!!! , It looks like Hyundai have already "read my remedy" and are copying it. That is exactly what I came up with! They have eyes looking for answers everywhere. I wonder if they will say thanks for me getting them out of a shitty problem!

[Dazzler]

Huh!!! , It looks like Hyundai have already "read my remedy" and are copying it. That is exactly what I came up with! They have eyes looking for answers everywhere. I wonder if they will say thanks for me getting them out of a shitty problem!

  Don't hold your breath! But  anyway...

[steinrk]

Time for me to reactivate this problem again. My i30 is going in for 60000km service in two weeks and I have just sent a 9 pages written report describing my problem and findings (described somewhere on page 5 in this thread) to the local garage.

I even gave them a hint about the "wiring loom modification with a diode in" described by sparki30 just above here.

Interesting to see what they come up with.

I'm really getting tired of changing bulbs all the time...

[Dazzler]

 

[Asterix]

As this thread is now very long I won't read from the beginning. 

Have you ever measured the voltage at the bulbs..

My CRDi have 13,8 Volt at the bulb when engine is running.

Still too much for a 12 V bulb, but if I don't buy those +50% (or more) light bulbs, I don't have to change the bulbs very often, and here we have the lights on at all times, the headlights are used as DRL on my FD.

[Dazzler]

After 5 years of discussion it now appears very likely it is partly to do with the earthing of the lights.

That appears to be the case from recent discussions on here (and in this thread too I think) 

[Doggie 1]

Thanks for the synopsis, Dazz. 

[The Gonz]

I don't think 13.8 is too high, it's just normal running / charging voltage. Can anyone confirm this or is there 12V regulation to the lights?

[Phil №❶]

No regulation AFAIK and I measured a lot higher than that but no blows yet.

[Asterix]

I don't think 13.8 is too high, it's just normal running / charging voltage. Can anyone confirm this or is there 12V regulation to the lights?

13,8 is normal.

The regulator in the alternator is normally at 14,4 Volt.

When I said it is too much, I meant that 13,8 V is too high voltage to be good for a 12 V product in general. 

[Phil №❶]

Surely bulb manufacturers realise, that no operating 12v system runs at 12v

[steinrk]

@Phil №❶: As I wrote in another thread 2.5 years back, the H1/H7 bulbs are produce accordingly to  ECE Regulation 37 http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/main/wp29/wp29regs/R037r7e.pdf and this specifies that the Test Voltage (Test voltage: voltage, at the filament lamp terminals for which the electrical and photometric characteristics of the filament lamp are intended and are to be tested.) should be 13.2V
I guess that this also means that the life time of the bulb is measured at the test voltage = 13.2V

Since the real voltage is sometime more than 14.4V (10% higher than test voltage), this will lead to shorter life time. Most likely much more than 10% reduction.

The big question is of course why this only seems to be a problem with some cars not all...

[Keith]

Unless I missed something, quite possible lol... I have a question. Accepting that even petrol versions have air-con, then if it may be air-con related,why does it seem to be exclusively diesel owners having this problem? I have had no headlight bulbs go in 5 years!

[Phil №❶]

The general consensus at present is that a surge is responsible for the headlight failures. The likely culprit is poor earthing and there are published solutions for that. Diesel only, my theory is that Diesel engines do not have any ignition equipment fitted. By nature, this equipment is a heavy electrical consumer and because it is on, surges are probably absorbed in the coil etc. The only things running in Diesel's initially, are solid state devices, radio, ecu, bcm, with the exception of the heater fan, these are low current devices, so a surge can do more damage.

BTW, we leave the fan on while cranking just for this purpose, never blown a globe yet, @ 40+k's.

[druggist]

Had the car back for 90K service and again raised the problem of headlights blowing, 20 and counting. Again checked and no faults found, so spoke to Hyundai Australia who escalated the matter and sent it to a local auto-electrician.
He could find no obvious fault due to intermittent nature.
His suggestion was to have HID globes fitted at my cost (approx $500).
I can feel a court case coming on.

[Phil №❶]

If my car had blown 20 bulbs, I would have undertaken the earthing measures already discussed, regardless of what Hy did or did not find. It will inevitably be quicker, cheaper and more satisfying than a court case.

[druggist]

Hyundai has already claimed to have performed earthing measures described.

[constipated]

Had the car back for 90K service and again raised the problem of headlights blowing, 20 and counting. Again checked and no faults found, so spoke to Hyundai Australia who escalated the matter and sent it to a local auto-electrician.
He could find no obvious fault due to intermittent nature.
His suggestion was to have HID globes fitted at my cost (approx $500).
I can feel a court case coming on.

I had thought this had been resolved with their last fix but turns out not so. Are the bulbs lasting any longer than previously.

Perhaps fair trading or small claims tribunal (whatever it is called) may be able to come to a solution. If it can legally be done, ie HID, perhaps fair trading could force Hyundai to meet the cost as they don't seem to have an answer for the obvious fault.

This bulb thing would be driving me crazy. I symphathise with you.

[Keith]

Has anyone considered vibration?

Always seems to be diesels doing this doesn't it?

Just askin......