Head light ground

[Koppyscott]

I’m wondering if someone here can help me. I’m working on my wife’s 2015 explorer XLT. My issue is for the last year and a half or so, head light bulbs on either side only last a matter of months. Someone told me “oh that’s a ground issue” but I can’t find anywhere online that tells me where to find the ground. Are they grounded together? Individually?

 

[Steve8316]

Someone doesn't know squat about electricity. A ground fault won't affect bulb life; it'll only make it dim (which might make it last longer). What brand & type of bulb are you buying?

 

[Koppyscott]

Someone doesn't know squat about electricity. A ground fault won't affect bulb life; it'll only make it dim (which might make it last longer). What brand & type of bulb are you buying?

Multiple. Phillips, Sylvania, I think one was Napa’s house brand.

 

[Steve8316]

Well, that covers brand...

 

[peterk9]

Multiple. Phillips, Sylvania, I think one was Napa’s house brand.

Are they a 9005 halogen bulb?

Peter

 

[Koppyscott]

This was the most recent failure, a standard 9005 halogen.

 

[Steve8316]

This was the most recent failure...

And how exactly did it fail? Did the glass shatter? Did the filament break/burn/stretch? Did the terminals melt? How did the previous ones fail?

I'd be shopping for a higher-quality bulb, preferably made in USA, North America, or Europe. The originals are probably GE or Philips.

 

[Koppyscott]

And how exactly did it fail? Did the glass shatter? Did the filament break/burn/stretch? Did the terminals melt? How did the previous ones fail?

I'd be shopping for a higher-quality bulb, preferably made in USA, North America, or Europe. The originals are probably GE or Philips.

The filaments blow every time. Never the glass, the terminals in the pig tail are fine.

 

[peterk9]

The filaments blow every time. Never the glass, the terminals in the pig tail are fine.

Are you able to use a multimeter to check the voltage at the plug?

Peter

 

[Steve8316]

The filaments blow every time.

Define "blow". Pics of some of these blown filaments would help.

Under what conditions do they "blow"? Do you turn the headlights on, and one flashes & burns out at that moment? Or do you turn them off working, and the next time, they're blown? Or does it happen a few minutes after turning them on? Of after driving for an hour? Does it happen around the same location (bumps)? What's the vehicle history (wrecks/damage/repairs/mods)? Do the bulbs lock into the reflectors solidly, or do they wiggle/rattle? Do the housings wiggle/rattle? Does the grill/hood wiggle/rattle?

Give us some information we can work with.

 

[Koppyscott]

Define "blow". Pics of some of these blown filaments would help.

Under what conditions do they "blow"? Do you turn the headlights on, and one flashes & burns out at that moment? Or do you turn them off working, and the next time, they're blown? Or does it happen a few minutes after turning them on? Of after driving for an hour? Does it happen around the same location (bumps)? What's the vehicle history (wrecks/damage/repairs/mods)? Do the bulbs lock into the reflectors solidly, or do they wiggle/rattle? Do the housings wiggle/rattle? Does the grill/hood wiggle/rattle?

Give us some information we can work with.

It’s my wife’s vehicle so I can only relay what I know or she’s told me. Pretty much every time they’ve worked when shut off, then dead next time she turns them on. Sometimes when starting the vehicle in the garage where you can see only one of them is shining on the wall, other times I’ve noticed it when she gets home and I see her pull in the driveway. We’ve owned the vehicle since March of ‘18 and to our knowledge it’s never had any collision. The bulbs seem to be snug into the housings, no, the housings don’t rattle, the pigtails have a nice click when plugging them in. The vehicle is bone stock.

 

[Steve8316]

Then I'd put GE bulbs in, and pay attention for next time.