One of my low-beams went out this week, so I put a new one in on Wednesday, now I just went out a little while ago for some delicious general tso's chicken, and when I parked the car at home I noticed that the same damn light was out.

So I popped that sucker out and discovered that the new bulb had exploded. There were little bits of glass all inside the light housing that I had to dump out while cursing and wondering just what in the hell happened.

Any ideas if I just got stuck with a bad bulb or could there be something wrong with the headlight wiring such that it blew it out?

 

Is it possible that it came into contact with moisture? I had an old car that would regularly have them explode like that, too, and it was because water was getting into the headlight assembly.

 

Did you touch the glass with your bare hands when you installed the bulb? They can explode if the oil from your skin gets on them when you put them in...

 

Not sure but I probably did--I've got an inquisitive mind so I always like to poke around with any part I've got in my hand. Hadn't heard that that can happen before, thanks.

 

Very true - you must be careful to hold the bulb w/ a glove or in foam padding as the oils from your skin will shatter the bulb once energized.