How often do you check your lights/bulbs?

Please Kill Me · 04-12-2012 05:26PM #1

Don't know if it's been done or not, but seeing as there's so many cyclops cars on the roads, I'm curious to see how often you guys check your lights/bulbs?

I check mine maybe twice a week. I'll find a garage/shop with a big window I can reverse up to, check brake lights, reverse lights, indicators and then point the nose forward and check the front lights head and dim. If anything needs to be changed it's done there and then.

I noticed on my check this morning my driver's side headlight was gone, but it was ok on Sunday so it was only out for a day. Given that the bulbs in most cars can be changed in less than 2 minutes and don't cost a fortune, why are there so many cars with only one headlight working going around.

Anyway, do ye check and if so, how often?

Stheno · 04-12-2012 05:30PM

Once a week usually, I permanently have the lights on driving so I like to check them fairly regularly.

CiniO · 04-12-2012 05:31PM

I park on my driveway in front of the window (which works like a mirror), so everytime I park I can check my light.
I park sometimes front, sometimes rear, so all lights are checked every few days.

Bpmull · 04-12-2012 05:31PM

I check my Astra once a week I have it 3 months now and hasn't blown a bulb. I know it has a warning light but I'm not sure how that works as a bulb hasn't blown yet. I try to check my mothers car at least every 2 weeks as she doesn't check them but again her octavia has a warning light. Tbh I wouldn't be able to drive around in a car with blown bulbs as it would just annoy me.

Please Kill Me · 04-12-2012 05:32PM

Stheno wrote: »

Once a week usually, I permanently have the lights on driving so I like to check them fairly regularly.

Likewise.

mitosis · 04-12-2012 05:32PM

I check mine particularly every week, and incidentally whenever the chance presents itself.

Anjobe · 04-12-2012 05:34PM

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Given that the bulbs in most cars can be changed in less than 2 minutes and don't cost a fortune, why are there so many cars with only one headlight working going around.

Well, there are quite a lot of cars where changing a bulb is actually quite difficult, basically a garage job for most drivers.

Wishbone Ash · 04-12-2012 05:34PM

No option in the poll for those of us who have technology to do such things!

Stheno · 04-12-2012 05:36PM

Anjobe wrote: »

Well, there are quite a lot of cars where changing a bulb is actually quite difficult, basically a garage job for most drivers.

OH has a C5 it's the devils own job to change the headlights on them.

Halfords in the UK (not sure about here) have them on their list of cars they will not change them on.

Please Kill Me · 04-12-2012 05:36PM

Anjobe wrote: »

Well, there are quite a lot of cars where changing a bulb is actually quite difficult, basically a garage job for most drivers.

I agree, which is why I said bulbs on most cars. But yes, some are a bit more difficult.

Boom_Bap · 04-12-2012 05:40PM

I'm constantly checking mine. Some truck/bus drivers must think I'm a madman when they are stuck behing me in traffic. I use the reflection of the front of thier vehilce to check brake lights by pressing repeatedly. Then I just look at the reflection of what I am parked behind to see what is going on with the front bulbs.
My car also has a warning light on the dash to tell me when a bulb goes. And when a indicator bulb goes, the indicator ticks like a lunatic.

Theboinkmaster · 04-12-2012 05:41PM

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

No option in the poll for those of us who have technology to do such things!

Yeah you should amend the poll, my computer tells me when a bulb is gone - i imagine most modern cars do?

Wishbone Ash · 04-12-2012 05:41PM

Stheno wrote: »

OH has a C5 it's the devils own job to change the headlights on them

A work colleague has a C5 and was just telling me yesterday that a bulb change involved 2 mechanics and a few mirrors.

Hard to beat some of the trucks where the whole front light unit is on a hinge and can simply be opened like a press door.

mitosis · 04-12-2012 05:44PM

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Yeah you should amend the poll, my computer tells me when a bulb is gone - i imagine most modern cars do?

As does mine. I still check with a walkaround.

Indricotherium · 04-12-2012 05:47PM

It seems to be much more common in the last year or two.

It's really disgraceful carry on, with a replacment being less than a tenner.

I was behind a car this morning that the whole left rear cluster of lights was dead, no brakes / indicators or anything.

Wise Old Elf · 04-12-2012 05:49PM

I'm stuck with an old car, so have to check mine. I usually check them at least once a week, use my driveway and living room window, spotted my reverse light gone last week.
I drive with dipped lights on all the time as well (especially on M7 in the pissing rain), so I lose a headlight prob 1-2 times a year. Whoever designed Focus headlight assembly can fock off, it's a right pain, although after a few lengthy, obscenity ridden:o bulb changes, I've just about mastered it (last time I took it to Halfords, it took them 20 minutes!).

Anjobe · 04-12-2012 05:50PM

Theboinkmaster wrote: »

Yeah you should amend the poll, my computer tells me when a bulb is gone - i imagine most modern cars do?

OH has Fiat Stilo which has this feature, but its completely hopeless - random errors when all the bulbs are fine and none when one has blown.

Also its a nightmare to change the headlamp bulbs, and when one goes the other will only last a further day or two!

A-Trak · 04-12-2012 05:50PM

Anjobe wrote: »

Well, there are quite a lot of cars where changing a bulb is actually quite difficult, basically a garage job for most drivers.

First time I changed a dipped headlight on my car it took me well over an hour and most of the skin on my hand.

I've got quicker, but even a sidelight can take 20 mins.

The dashboard light indicating a blown bulb is extremely reliable though. I've never had erroneously show up.

Mint Sauce · 04-12-2012 05:58PM

A few times a week, simply by checking the reflection in house/work windows.

Every so often do a full walk around by switching on the follow me home lights, lights up the sides, dips, rear, breaks, and reversing.

ahnowbrowncow · 04-12-2012 06:18PM

My right dipped light went this week, didn't find out because I checked but because every car I met was blinding me with only their dips on. So people who unknowingly drive with their lights gone must think everyone they meet are driving around with their full lights on

_Kaiser_ · 04-12-2012 06:20PM

My rear cluster are all LED so haven't had any issues there but I still check it at least once a week by reversing up to something reflective.

It eats dipped bulbs though (especially the right side for some reason) which of course means much cursing and skin loss while trying to replace it - plus I drive around with the dip lights permanently on so it happens pretty regularly

Actually, as a related question to anyone with the VAG/VCDS software and a B6 Passat - what does the "Northern european" setting I hear about do? Does that just set the dips to come on automatically when the engine starts? What about the interior/dash lights? Do they come on with this setting enabled?
Does it light up the rear cluster as well (some of the new Audi's I've noticed don't which strikes me as extremely stupid on a dark/wet/foggy day)

Would it be possible to set the main beams to come on at say 25% as DRLs but have them turn off when the dips are switched on? Would do the same job but save me cursing and a sore hand every few months!

biko · 04-12-2012 07:14PM

It's just a habit now to check every so often. If I'm in a queue I can tell from the reflections on the boot of the car in front they working. I might do a quick flash too to check the mains.
As with most cars my indicator "tick" will run doubletime if a bulb is out so that's checked automatically (happened today actually for the first time in years).

If I step out of the car and in to a shop I leave the lights on if I'm parked along the road, then I check the rear lights as I come back to the car again.
Reverse and brake lights whenever I reverse into a spot or up against a wall, occasionally up against a reflective surface outside a shop.

Rodin · 04-12-2012 07:18PM

How bloody hard is it for car manufacturers to put a 'bulb out' warning light on the dash? Not all new cars have it. Ridiculous

RidleyRider · 04-12-2012 07:23PM

Check mine once or twice a week just for sense of security and safety.

discombobulate · 04-12-2012 07:32PM

Cyclops drivers are my pet hate at the moment. Counted 4 of 5 cars in a row yesterday with a light gone.

RidleyRider · 04-12-2012 07:38PM

discombobulate wrote: »

Cyclops drivers are my pet hate at the moment. Counted 4 of 5 cars in a row yesterday with a light gone.

I feel for the ones who's lights have just blown but the number of people I have passed, especially in the recent weeks, with blown bulbs who have had the same blown bulb since spring. It's so annoying, a bulb is critical to safety and is possibly the cheapest part to a car. Why not just change it and save yourself the accident?!

dgt · 04-12-2012 07:44PM

Every time I get in my car I can check the front lights because it's usually dark when I start off. Check the rears too. Use a big window to check brake lights/ reversing lights etc.

discombobulate wrote: »

Cyclops drivers are my pet hate at the moment. Counted 4 of 5 cars in a row yesterday with a light gone.

Whatever about them, drivers that change the bulb and don't realign the beam pattern (headlight out to change a bulb) really, really písses me off

challengemaster · 04-12-2012 07:51PM

Never check them anymore. LED rears & dash warnings.

dgt · 04-12-2012 07:53PM

challengemaster wrote: »

Never check them anymore. LED rears & dash warnings.

I miss the led tail lights and HID's......

RidleyRider · 04-12-2012 07:54PM

challengemaster wrote: »

Never check them anymore. LED rears & dash warnings.

Fancaaaaaaaaaaaaay.;)

Voodoomelon · 04-12-2012 08:39PM

Car has seperate brake light, reverse light, tail light, number plate light, low beam and high beam warnings so never check them outside of it telling me what's blown.

It's a very simple system, should be an EU directive on it.

How often do you check your lights/bulbs?

How often do you check your lights/bulbs? 61 votes

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