Headlight issues

[HerThing]

Well, seeing as there isn't a section for electrical, or I completely over-looked it, I will post here as headlights are external, haha!

Anyhow, for a while now, my driver headlight has been shutting off on bumps and hard lefts, Weird huh? It will turn back on if I slightly lift and lower the parking brake handle. Last night I pulled the bumper and the headlight assembly, pulled the ballast off, and proceeded to "simulate" a bumpy road by slapping the hell out of the headlight. With the ballast off and held in my hand, The headlight would shut off. This to me signifies the bulb, correct? I did pull the bulb and took a look at it. Inside it has a couple chambers, one of which is a small round one, This chamber has a crusty looking white build up in it. I believe it is the sign that it is bad. Before I go spend $80 on a new bulb, has anyone else had this issue? Maybe a solution if it's not the bulb?

 

[Alter3go]

Is it on the other headlight n is there any moisture that builds up in your headlight? Or around it?

also when you plug back in your light is it more DIM then the other light?

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

If you do end up needing to buy a bulb, find the one you need on an auto parts website and then look up the same one on Amazon. At Auto Zone, our bulbs are $98.99 but I find the same models (different manufacturer, but good quality like Phillips) on Amazon for ~$40-60.

 

[HerThing]

The one at O'Reilly is Sylvania. No moisture buildup at all. That was the first thing I checked for. It is pretty puzzling, the ballast was clean as a whistle, no evidence of water or even mud hitting it. The one thing I did notice, the plug on the back of the bulb was a little loose, I pulled the clips for the connections in a hair, it connects quite a bit better but didn't make a difference. I think I'm going to try the bulb and see what happens. Worst case I still have to get a ballast.

 

[HerThing]

Also, while I have not written off every autozone, I refuse to go to the store here in town, just a bunch of morons there. Too lazy to even help with the smallest of thought processes, but if there is an O'Reilly, I will go there instead.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

I have personally had my passenger side headlight go out a couple times after failing to avoid these car bomb craters we call potholes around here. The plug that connects to the bulb comes loose a bit. After this last time tightening it up, it hasn't come loose again, but if it does, I'm going to wrap some teflon tape around the connector lugs to keep the plug from coming loose.

 

[HerThing]

That's not a bad idea actually.

 

[Grinder34]

are you talking full night-time headlights or just daytime running lights? THe handbrake thing makes me think it has to do with the sensor that detects handbrake activation, which shuts off DRLs. Im not sure exactly where the sensor is, but i'd look into that or the relay that controls the headlights.

I'm pretty sure the actual bulbs themselves are pretty much "dead" or "alive"...same with the ballast too. Only other option is wiring coming loose, but you seem to have gotten good advice on that already.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Good call on the DRLs, Grinder. I don't have them so I forget that some people do. For future reference, do you know what model year the STI started coming with DRLs?

 

[Grinder34]

I thought all years had them. I found a nastysock (my personal nickname for them) forum thread about "how do i disable my drls in a bugeye" or something like that.

 

[Batmobile_Engage]

Really?!?! Wow. Makes me wonder if the previous owner of my '04 disabled them. Hmmm...

 

[HerThing]

Drls are my headlighlights, as in they are on all the time, as with any other 06-07. So by day time running lamps, you mean headlights. Yes they do stay on. Also, if it was the relay that was the issue, both lights would be effected because the relay feeds the entire circuit. The issue has to be at the headlight. Connections are good, that has been verified. When the ballast and light are separated, hitting the light assembly shuts it off, hitting the ballast does not. I'm going to pick up a new headlight eventually, but before I do I need to order more body clips as they are all pretty much garbage.

 

[HerThing]

When the e-brake is pulled, and both lights are on, it cuts both off as it should, then when it is lowered, they both come on. Basically, using the hand brake to cut power then reactivate the headlights.