2007 Ford Focus Ghia chewing through head lights

kiwipower

Hi,
My Ford Focus appears to be chewing through head lights like crazy. Had a major service less than 6 weeks ago and both lamps were replaced for the second time in 6 months.
Over the weekend the passanges head light has gone again!
Have any other Ford drivers noticed this? Or isolated another cause for this? As I really suspect after 6weeks that its not the bulb! Especially when I have changed the bulbs about 5times in three years!

Appologies if this has been covered before on this site but a comprehensive search yeilded nothing!

Stevie Dakota

Sounds like something is amiss alright, my Focus is 3 years old with no bulb changes.

bazz26

I had a 05 Focus for 2 years and only one bulb blew on me in that time. What brand of bulbs are you using? I find that the cheap ones from ebay, etc don't last pi$$ing time. You can buy long life H7 Osram bulbs from the likes of www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk, think they come with a 3 year guarantee.

Also make sure that you don't touch the glass area of the bulb when fitting them as moisture from your hands shortens the life of the bulbs.

The last thing would be that you might have a higher than normal current going to your headlights. Might be worth getting a good auto electrician to check the current going to the headlights.

rhonin

I've had the same problem over the last year with my 07 Focus. I've been using bulbs from Halfords. I've bought Osram bulbs this time and replaced them over the weekend. I'm hoping they will last longer.

Repolho

I've had a similar problem with mine. Went through a partularly bad phase last year when I went through 3 headlamp bulbs in the space of about 5 months. This included a mix of bog standard bulbs that I got from the local motor factors and also ones that I picked up in Lidl (or could have been aldi!).

I might try the Osram bulbs next time.

Just a thought, there is an auto light feature (lights come on automatically when dark). I leave the lights on this setting all the time. Could this be a factor?

Stevie Dakota

Repolho wrote: »

Just a thought, there is an auto light feature (lights come on automatically when dark). I leave the lights on this setting all the time. Could this be a factor?

I leave mine on auto all the time as well, no blown bulbs.

O.A.P

I had this problem on an astra few years ago, when I replaced the left hand bulb a few days or maybe a week later the right one would blow and visa versa. This went on a few times before I changed the two blubs at the same time and have had know trouble since.

Plug

Get quality bulbs, you get what you pay for and tell who ever is installing them not to maul or rub the glass part of the bulb. If you have a wiring problem they would probably blow a lot sooner than six weeks.

kiwipower

Cheers for all the suggestions.
Not sure what brand of bulbs are in the lights.
Unfortunatly due to the "design" of the car light I cant change the bulb myself, as I descovered the first time a bulb went. Have had to go to mechanics to do it! :mad:
Such an F'n pain. Think I may try and take a run back out to the last mechanic and see if they will have another look.

I often drive with the auto headlight feature switched on, but as this does not always come on when I think they should (ie days where its grey overcast and raining) I usually end up switching them to "on" all the time.
Maybe Ive just been unlucky but its just not acceptable how often I have been caught out with only one or neither light working.

MrDerp

Had consistent headlamp problems with my focus. Bulbs only lasting 4-6 months which I considered scandalous, even though I'm driving 15,000km every 6 months.

As above, I stopped buying halfords bulbs and started buying Osram off my local topaz instead.

Problem appears to be resolved. I haven't changed a H7 bulb in 18 months.

bazz26

I never had any problems changing a bulb in the Focus, just unscrew the two screws on the top of the headlight and the unit comes out towards you allowing you to remove the clip at the back of the light unit.

Plug

kiwipower wrote: »

Cheers for all the suggestions.
Not sure what brand of bulbs are in the lights.
Unfortunatly due to the "design" of the car light I cant change the bulb myself, as I descovered the first time a bulb went. Have had to go to mechanics to do it! :mad:
Such an F'n pain. Think I may try and take a run back out to the last mechanic and see if they will have another look.

I often drive with the auto headlight feature switched on, but as this does not always come on when I think they should (ie days where its grey overcast and raining) I usually end up switching them to "on" all the time.
Maybe Ive just been unlucky but its just not acceptable how often I have been caught out with only one or neither light working.

One screw, 2 tabs at the back of the lamp and she will pop out. You don't have to bring it to a mechnaic unless you have no tools or no arms.

Henry Ford III

I'd get the car to an auto spark tbh. Get the charging sysyem checked. I'd suspect a fault i.e. a peak, in the alternator/voltage regulator.

rhonin

kiwipower wrote: »

Cheers for all the suggestions.
Not sure what brand of bulbs are in the lights.
Unfortunatly due to the "design" of the car light I cant change the bulb myself, as I descovered the first time a bulb went. Have had to go to mechanics to do it! :mad:
Such an F'n pain. Think I may try and take a run back out to the last mechanic and see if they will have another look.

I often drive with the auto headlight feature switched on, but as this does not always come on when I think they should (ie days where its grey overcast and raining) I usually end up switching them to "on" all the time.
Maybe Ive just been unlucky but its just not acceptable how often I have been caught out with only one or neither light working.

I used this guide when I had to change the bulb for the first time. Its easy to do.

http://www.pickwth.com/blogs/ford-focus-headlight.aspx

kiwipower

Plug wrote: »

One screw, 2 tabs at the back of the lamp and she will pop out. You don't have to bring it to a mechnaic unless you have no tools or no arms.

I followed the information in the user manual. disconnected the cable at the back, undone the screw but couldnt get the tabs to open! Nearly broke the whole thing!:(

Maybe my mechanic might show me how.

Hal1

Use the link Rhonin posted above, I've used it myself and it's very easy to do. As said don't touch the new bulb when changing it as it develops a hot spot from grease on you hands.

Joe 90

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I'd get the car to an auto spark tbh. Get the charging sysyem checked. I'd suspect a fault i.e. a peak, in the alternator/voltage regulator.

Yes, have had the problem a couple of times over the years. Check voltage. If that is the problem and you let it go on it will eventually fry the battery.

kiwipower

rhonin wrote: »

I used this guide when I had to change the bulb for the first time. Its easy to do.

http://www.pickwth.com/blogs/ford-focus-headlight.aspx

Hal1 wrote: »

Use the link Rhonin posted above, I've used it myself and it's very easy to do. As said don't touch the new bulb when changing it as it develops a hot spot from grease on you hands.

Thanks for the link!
I have now figured out (I think) where I went wrong trying to change the bulb previously. Will have another go myself at somepoint.

Think I will definatly get the mechanic to run diagnostics on the car at this stage just to check its not a voltage issue.

Cheers all!

dr.fuzzenstein

rhonin wrote: »

I used this guide when I had to change the bulb for the first time. Its easy to do.

http://www.pickwth.com/blogs/ford-focus-headlight.aspx

This is the business!

kiwipower

I went back to my mechanic yesterday.
They replaced the bulb for me again for free!
And showed me where I was going wrong trying to replace the bulb myself!
Will definitely try and get some of those bulbs suggested above to keep in the car for next time!
The mechanic said that the Ford Focus is notorious for this problem due to the way the lights are attached to the body of the car.
Hit a pot hole when the light is on and the filament will go as they get fragile from the heat.
Cheers again everyone!

:D

dr.fuzzenstein

kiwipower wrote: »

And showed me where I was going wrong trying to replace the bulb myself!

:D

How can you go wrong replacing the light yourself?
Take out headlight, replace bulb, jobs a goodun'.
It's about as difficult as boiling a kettle.
Having said that my left headlamp has blown for the THIRD TIME!:mad:
I think for now I'll blame it on the Lucas bulbs my garage keeps selling me and the fact I'm only replacing one at a time.
Will get a pair of Osrams today and fit them.
If they blow again I just don't know...