Replace all lights or just the one bulb?

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paulri

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This week I'm going to replace one bulb (rear left brake light) that is no longer working in my Sienna. I'm wondering, since I'll have to take off the plastic cover, if I wouldn't be better off replacing all teh bulbs I can see. The lights in the past that I've gotten (front head lights) are only $3-4 per bulb. Why do this twice in 6-12 months?

Is this what many of you folks do, when you are taking off a cover that protects a few different bulbs? I have no idea how long bulbs are supposed to last in cars--I see no reason to toss these working bulbs if I knew they were going to last several years longer. But if one goes, the others might soon thereafter....
 
Originally Posted by paulri
This week I'm going to replace one bulb (rear left brake light) that is no longer working in my Sienna. I'm wondering, since I'll have to take off the plastic cover, if I wouldn't be better off replacing all teh bulbs I can see. The lights in the past that I've gotten (front head lights) are only $3-4 per bulb. Why do this twice in 6-12 months?

Is this what many of you folks do, when you are taking off a cover that protects a few different bulbs? I have no idea how long bulbs are supposed to last in cars--I see no reason to toss these working bulbs if I knew they were going to last several years longer. But if one goes, the others might soon thereafter....


Sure you could, but the brake light is the most used one so it is the one subject to most use, but I'd also change the lane change light as well as it is the 2nd most used. In reality you'd better off changing all of them
 
Normally if the brake bulbs go, I will replace both of them. But I don't bother with the turn signal or the other bulbs. Usually they last a lot longer than the brake bulbs so they have a different failure rate. If they do fail though, I usually do both sides as a package of bulbs usually comes with two and rather than keep one somewhere forever, I just change them both at the same time.
 
If I have to remove a great deal of stuff to replace a bulb, I replace all the bulbs in the housing. I don't necessarily go to the other housing.

If the bulbs are easy to get to, I just replace them all on both sides. If one failed, chances are, the peer is going to fail soon as well.
 
I replace both of them if they have two bulbs for the stop/parking lamps in a single taillight housing.

Because I don't want a comeback if the other bulb burns out and the customer is complaining why the taillight is out after the shop had replaced the one burnt out bulb.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Normally if the brake bulbs go, I will replace both of them. But I don't bother with the turn signal or the other bulbs. Usually they last a lot longer than the brake bulbs so they have a different failure rate. If they do fail though, I usually do both sides as a package of bulbs usually comes with two and rather than keep one somewhere forever, I just change them both at the same time.

+1
 
Originally Posted by Wolf359
Normally if the brake bulbs go, I will replace both of them. But I don't bother with the turn signal or the other bulbs. Usually they last a lot longer than the brake bulbs so they have a different failure rate. If they do fail though, I usually do both sides as a package of bulbs usually comes with two and rather than keep one somewhere forever, I just change them both at the same time.


This is exactly what I do as well.
 
Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by paulri
This week I'm going to replace one bulb (rear left brake light) that is no longer working in my Sienna. I'm wondering, since I'll have to take off the plastic cover, if I wouldn't be better off replacing all teh bulbs I can see. The lights in the past that I've gotten (front head lights) are only $3-4 per bulb. Why do this twice in 6-12 months?

Is this what many of you folks do, when you are taking off a cover that protects a few different bulbs? I have no idea how long bulbs are supposed to last in cars--I see no reason to toss these working bulbs if I knew they were going to last several years longer. But if one goes, the others might soon thereafter....


Sure you could, but the brake light is the most used one so it is the one subject to most use, but I'd also change the lane change light as well as it is the 2nd most used. In reality you'd better off changing all of them


Around here it seams no one uses the turn signal lites , so they should last a LONG time .

Also seems like most everyone waits untill the last 20 feet to apply brakes . Never mind the lite or sign has been red for a LONG time .

There is such a thing as coasting .
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by paulri
This week I'm going to replace one bulb (rear left brake light) that is no longer working in my Sienna. I'm wondering, since I'll have to take off the plastic cover, if I wouldn't be better off replacing all teh bulbs I can see. The lights in the past that I've gotten (front head lights) are only $3-4 per bulb. Why do this twice in 6-12 months?

Is this what many of you folks do, when you are taking off a cover that protects a few different bulbs? I have no idea how long bulbs are supposed to last in cars--I see no reason to toss these working bulbs if I knew they were going to last several years longer. But if one goes, the others might soon thereafter....


Sure you could, but the brake light is the most used one so it is the one subject to most use, but I'd also change the lane change light as well as it is the 2nd most used. In reality you'd better off changing all of them


Around here it seams no one uses the turn signal lites , so they should last a LONG time .

Also seems like most everyone waits untill the last 20 feet to apply brakes . Never mind the lite or sign has been red for a LONG time .

There is such a thing as coasting .


They use hand turn signals in Texas?
 
Factor in any differences in resistance measured by a bulb monitoring system.

Also, any blackening on the surviving bulb is enough for me to change it.

Remember to use dielectric grease as it reduces resistance and heat and increases bulb life. Also, you will avoid corrosion on the sockets' contacts.
 
I keep a bunch of bulbs stockpiled, that I find on Rockauto closeouts for less than $0.50 a piece. I try to keep a half dozen of each type on hand (bayonet and wedge base), plus dual and single filament of each. Anytime I order from their closeout warehouse (in TX), I'll check and see if I need any.

When a light does go out, I'll inspect all bulbs in that housing and replace any that are suspect. Any blackening, worn-out looking filament, corrosion of the base, etc. and I'll change it. If the bulb looks decent, I leave it alone. Don't believe I've encountered any housings that were real difficult to remove-- if I ever did, I'd probably just replace them all.
 
Originally Posted by Kira

Remember to use dielectric grease as it reduces resistance and heat and increases bulb life. Also, you will avoid corrosion on the sockets' contacts.


Good point. I have it but use it for main house panel boxes. I'll start at the bulb failure?
 
Originally Posted by Snagglefoot
Unless you go down to the food bank on a regular basis, do all of them when you remove the cover. Once all four corners are done you will be trouble free for years.


I used to believe this too, but I've had instances where a new bulb has died before others in the vehicle that were much older. Luck of the draw I suppose.
 
Presuming they are the same age, I replace right and left bulbs that provide the same function at the same time since they have about the same life expectancy. For example, if the right tail light blows, I will replace that bulb and the one of the other side.
 
Originally Posted by WyrTwister
Around here it seams no one uses the turn signal lites , so they should last a LONG time .

Also seems like most everyone waits untill the last 20 feet to apply brakes . Never mind the lite or sign has been red for a LONG time .

There is such a thing as coasting .


Lots of manufacturers are now switching to LED tail lights so I don't even have to worry about it. Plus mine has that feature where you just tap the directional and it'll blink 3 times and then automatically shut off for lane changes. That's the perfect amount of time as I don't know where some drivers learned or didn't learn how to switch lanes. They use their directionals to ask for permission. I check first to make sure it's clear, then I signal and I'm done. If it's not clear, I don't signal. Others seem to signal first, and then wait for someone to let them in. Around here, no one will let them in, then they get mad.
 
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