so many vehicles with a DRL burned out, from MY 1999 through 2012. Prior to owning a GM vehicle, I thought it was just cheap bulbs. Not so, dirty voltage on the DRL circuit, after successive bulb changes sockets overheat and need replacement. What I find unacceptable is that it could not be corrected in that long of a period. If we were back in b-school we'd say it were irresponsible.

The fix as addressed in Bulletin No.: 00-08-42-010A is to switch to bulbs that can withstand the spikes better (12.8v v. 14v). But I don't have to be an electrical engineer like my dad to say whoa, it now goes from 27w to 31w? Isn't it v=ir?

Just as bad human behavior needs to be called out, so does bad corporate behavior, imho. I would have to see specifically, but online GMC Acadia owners had to shell out even more than just bulbs and sockets, apparently this issue burned their headlight housings. Imagine if it were a new 7 series and it cost $3,5xx per side? Web said $900 each side for the Acadias.

 

 

Can't just blame GM for headlights or taillights burning out. I see literally dozens of one-eyed vehicles every day in my area. While I see it across the board, If I had to pick one brand that especially stood out, it would probably be VW.

 

I had rear taillight bulb problems in my then-new 1995 Camry. I went through quite a few in a very short period; after I while, I went back to my dealer to determine if there was an over-voltage problem with that circuit. The dealer said there was no problem and that the problem was "cheap, American-made bulbs" and that the Japanese-made bulbs would not cause the same problem.

The dealer installed new bulbs (I never did verify if they were Japanese-made ones) and no longer had a problem.

 

My irritation is that I did the keep replacing bulbs thing, until one day, I replaced a 3157 bulb on a Sat., it worked, and Sun. it did not. Then, I noticed that the socket was brown, not bluish gray. Went online, and someone on a Jeep forum said anytime I have had to prematurely replace bulbs, it turned out to be the sockets. Sure enough, I replaced the socket, used dielectric grease, the same 3157 bulb (not a new one), and it has worked for weeks now. And then I come across a formal GM bulletin that acknowledges the issue back to MY 1999 vehicles.

On other cars, Camry, etc., is it the bulb, or the design of the circuit. If Toyota Motor also states use a 14V bulb that draws even more current, it won't burn out as quickly due to dirty voltage, then shame on them. Somehow, and I could of course be very wrong, I wouldn't think they would do that. They make mistakes, but one would think they would address the root cause.

 

I've been pretty fortunate with ours. This isn't just with with incan bulbs either. Plenty of LED DRL and tailed equipped cars. Audi seems to have enough that I've seen on the roads. The problem with LED is that they aren't go to your local parts store for an easy fix.

 

If I had to pick one vehicle with one of its headlight burned out, it would hands down be mid police Chevy Impalas. Probably half of police Impalas that I see are one-eyed. It might be because they have modified headlights that allow them to flash?

 

I won't doubt your word that that is the case in your area (NYC). Where I live in the NoVA/D.C. suburbs, we don't see that many police Impalas, though, at one time, some years ago, the VA State Police DID have the big RWD Caprices.

 

I'm not talking about 90ies muscle car Impala that was based on Caprice. I'm talking about early 2000 - current POS that's based on the old FWD Lumina.

 

Yes, I know. I'm aware of the difference between the two....the RWD Impala SS went out of production in 1996. I agree that the pre-2014 FWD Impalas were garbage, but the current FWD Impala, though, redesigned in 2014, is anything BUT a POS. It was tremendously improved with the 2014 redesign, and is currently one of the best full-sized sedans in its class. The cops don't drive it much here, though, because apparently Ford gave them a better fleet-buy deal on the police-spec Taurus.

 

Cops here mostly drive early 2000-2013 Impalas, and true I don't see them driving the newest one.

 

THAT was a POS. No arguments there.

 

That's all I see the cops driving around here, Metro Nashville Police(city and county are same government around here) drive exclusively those damn 2006ish to 2013ish Chevy Impalas. They used to have a whole fleet of those "baboon butt" 2000-2005ish Impalas, but all those have long been sold off and are probably new Samsung refrigerator.

#1 car I see for burned out bulb is those darn 1998ish to 2005ish full size Chevy/GMC trucks and SUV's. They always have one of the orange daytime running lights burned out. Been that way since they first hit the road in the late 90's.

 

Exactly, because it's not a bulb problem, it's an electrical problem. I did a calculation and the 4114 bulbs would draw 5% more current, 2.214 amps v. 2.109. I get that GM probably thought they're gonna overheat anyway no matter what, so at least by switching bulbs, they'll overheat as well but be noticed likely out of warranty. Now let's go on to the next problem we'll overlook, brake lines that rust out...

p.s. I saw an Acadia with one burned out yesterday on the way home. Now I get it, the DRL is where the turn signal is in say a Buick, so when it overheats, it damages the entire housing. It's not down low in the bumper like the Suburban, etc.